Union Native Named Sailor of the Year
Submitted by Ethan Carter, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathan Martinez, a native of Union, New Jersey, was named Sailor of the Year serving with Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS) Naples, Italy.
The Sailor of the Year award is one of several yearly categories used to recognize high-performing sailors who stand out from others in similar pay grades.
Martinez is an information systems technician responsible for all matters of communication from administering Navy networks, configuring complex radio circuits, and securing communications with cryptography.
“We can be deployed worldwide on ships, ashore, or attached to expeditionary units,” said Martinez.
Martinez, a 2010 Union High School graduate and 2018 University of Maryland graduate, joined the Navy 10 years ago to make a positive impact on himself and those close to him.
“I joined the Navy very shortly after I graduated high school,” Martinez said. “My grandfather was a police officer and my father and brother were veterans.”
NCTS Naples provides secure, reliable and timely voice, video and data services to several U.S. Navy commands including U.S. Sixth Fleet, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, joint, allied and coalition customers. It’s comprised of approximately 20 officers, 325 enlisted personnel and 40 civilians.
“My favorite part of being a communicator is feeling the eureka moment, when the team figures out a problem that everyone has been stumped on,” said Martinez.
According to Martinez, the values required to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Union.
“Putting in hard work has been a lesson I learned in my home town,” Martinez said. “’I’ve been in the workforce since I was 15. I worked at the Galloping Hill Inn Diner for a short while and I delivered food for Asia Gardens. Additionally, I worked at the Lehigh Car Wash before joining the Navy.,”
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community and career, Martinez’s proudest accomplishment is receiving the opportunity to help his home state during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
“My squadron sent myself and other sailors up to Lakehurst, New Jersey to help with the relief effort,” Martinez said. “Since most cell phone towers and other communication lines were down, we were tasked to set up a mobile tactical network on the base. This facilitated a Joint Operation Center for operational commanders to coordinate relief efforts from ashore and afloat units.”
As a member of the U.S. Navy, Martinez, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a service tradition providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance. Their efforts will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who will follow.
“The Navy gives me the ability to provide for my family and experience the world in a way I would have not been able to had I chosen a different route in life,” said Martinez.
U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet continue their missions of conducting maritime operations in Europe and Africa. Forces stand ready throughout the two theaters, and command leadership remains committed to taking every measure possible to protect the health of forces, as well as local residents. Warships, submarines, and aircraft continue their patrols to deter and defend against threats to U.S., NATO, and partner nations.
