July 16, 2025
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Lake County Journal

RTC honors 2012 SOY, JSOY and RDC of the Year

By Brian Walsh

CS2 Teresa Duson, DC1 Richard Regulski, AT1 Adam Gladding, and Recruit Training Command Command Master Chief Christopher Angstead at an awards ceremony on Nov.21. During the ceremony, the 2012 Sailor of the Year, Junior Sailor of the Year and Recruit Division Commander of the Year were announced.

Recruit Training Command (RTC) recognized its top Sailors during an awards ceremony held at Port O' Call onboard Naval Station Great Lakes on Nov. 14.
    AT1(AW/SW) Adam Gladding was selected 2012 Sailor of the Year (SOY), CS2(SW/AW) Teresa Duson was selected 2012 Junior Sailor of the Year (JSOY), and DC1 Richard Regulski was selected 2012 Recruit Division Commander of the Year.
    Sailors that meet the guidelines to be considered for the awards participate in a rigorous evaluation process that takes into consideration characteristics such as professional knowledge, military bearing, teamwork, education and professional development, and oral presentation when they are interviewed by a selection board.
    "Each sailor was unique," RTC Command Master Chief Christopher Angstead (MCD/PJ/FMF/SW) said. "That is what makes it so competitive and difficult to select. We use a comprehensive grade sheet that keeps the scoring fair and equitable."
    Following the announcements, the awardees were both grateful and somewhat relieved that their arduous journey had concluded.
    "It is great being rewarded for something I enjoy doing," Gladding said. "I was shocked with how competitive the selection process was." Gladding would go on to also be awarded Senior Sailor of the Year (SSOY) by Naval Service Training Command (NSTC), RTC's parent command.
    RTC is manned by hand selected highly skilled sailors from the fleet to train the Navy's future sailors; the award finalist had to perform a step above an already expert staff. Awardees recognized that their competition were also deserving of recognition.
    "I was surprised and speechless when I found out I won Recruit Division Commander of the year," Regulski said. "The other nominees were extremely stellar."
    As JSOY, Duson strives to meet the level of dedication that others have in assisting their fellow sailors become the best that they can be.
    "I don't think anyone can say they succeeded completely on their own," Duson said. "A lot of people have guided me, including my chief and leading chief petty officer at Freedom Hall who have taken me under their wing."