Navy Shore Enterprise announces 2025 fire and emergency services award honorees

WASHINGTON — Commander, Navy Installations Command has named its Calendar Year 2025 Navy Fire and Emergency Services awardees, spotlighting the first responders who underpin the Navy’s shore readiness through emergency medical care, structural firefighting, aircraft rescue and firefighting, and hazardous materials response.

“Our personnel are the cornerstone of base resilience,” said CAPT Bill Lane, deputy director of CNIC operations. “Protecting our people and our tactical assets is essential for projecting power from the Shore Enterprise. These winners represent the best of the best in ensuring our mission remains uninterrupted.”

CNIC also said three Navy representatives captured top honors in the broader military competition at the Department of War level: Naval Support Activity Annapolis; Katsuhiro Watanabe of Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka; and Metro San Diego FES, a regionalized department that covers Naval Base San Diego, Naval Base Coronado, Naval Base Point Loma and Naval Air Station North Island.

CY2025 Navy Fire and Emergency Services award winners and runners-up:
– Small Fire Department of the Year: Naval Support Activity Annapolis (DoW Winner). Runner-up: Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay.
– Medium Fire Department of the Year: Naval Station Mayport. Runner-up: Joint Region Marianas.
– Large Fire Department of the Year: Metro San Diego FES (DoW Winner). Runner-up: Navy Region Northwest.
– Fire Prevention Program of the Year: Joint Region Marianas. Runner-up: Navy Region Mid-Atlantic District 3, Naval Air Station Oceana, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story.
– Military Firefighter of the Year: ABH2(AW) Kiara Robin, Naval Station Rota. Runner-up: ABH2(AW/SW) Joshua Acuna, Metro San Diego, Naval Auxiliary Landing Field San Clemente Island.
– Civilian Firefighter of the Year: Katsuhiro Watanabe, Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka (DoW Winner). Runner-up: Ahmed Dakail, Naval Support Activity Bahrain.
– Military Fire Officer of the Year: ABH1(AW/SW) Leaundre Johnson, Naval Support Activity Naples. Runner-up: ABH1(AW/SW) Ivan Reyna, Naval Air Station Whiting Field.
– Civilian Fire Officer of the Year: Eric Boggess, Naval Station Mayport. Runner-up: Daniel Rawson (deceased), Naval Air Station Rota.
– Fire Service Instructor of the Year: Hartsel Stewart, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. Runner-up: Laura Arrington, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic District 1, Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads.
– EMS Provider of the Year (Navy only): Benny Castro, Joint Region Marianas. Runner-up: Jonathan Zink, Naval Support Activity Bethesda.
– Fire Inspector of the Year (Navy only): Victor Kirton, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. Runner-up: John Cruz, Naval Station Rota.
– Fire Chief of the Year (Navy only): Jose Cardenas, Naval Station Mayport. Runner-up: Jason Kinlaw, Naval Support Activity Naples.

In addition to annual performance awards, CNIC recognized career contributions to the Navy’s fire and emergency services community.

Navy F&ES Hall of Fame inductees:
– Ruben Perez, Fire Chief (retired), Naval Air Station Corpus Christi
– Edward Stillwell, Region Fire Chief (retired), Naval District Washington
– David Inman, Fire Chief, Navy Region Southwest
– William Casey, Region Fire Chief (retired), Navy Region Southeast FES
– Kenneth Snyder, Fire Chief (retired), Navy Region Mid-Atlantic District 3
– Jack Woodard, Region Fire Chief (deceased), Navy Region Northwest FES

Navy Lifetime Achievement Award recipients:
– Rodolfo Gonzales, Region Fire Chief (retired), Navy Region Southeast
– William Killen, Director, Navy Fire and Emergency Services (retired), Naval Facilities Engineering Command
– Christopher Connelly, Region Fire Chief, Navy Region Southwest
– Daniel Gaumont, Senior Fire Protection Specialist (retired), Commander, Navy Installations Command

CNIC manages shore installation operations for the Navy worldwide, providing infrastructure, emergency services and quality-of-life programs that enable fleet training, deployment and sustainment. The command oversees 10 regions, 70 installations and a workforce of more than 48,600, aligning shore capabilities with operational demands.