USS Essex Earns Best in Class

By MCSN Wesley Richardson USS ESSEX PUBLIC AFFAIRS

SAN DIEGO (Dec. 13, 2019) – Capt. Aaron Kelley, commanding officer, and Lt. j.g. Carter West, sales officer, accept the Best Ship’s Store Award from Capt. Pamela Theorgood, Commander, Naval Surface Forces U.S. Pacific Fleet Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics and Ordnance, aboard Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). This is the second consecutive year Essex has earned the Best Ship’s Store Award. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jacob Owen/RELEASED)

Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) was awarded the Ships Store Retail and Service Excellence Award December 13.

The Ships Store Retail and Service Excellence Award Program is sponsored by Commander NAVSUP and Navy Exchange Service Command and recognizes contributions of the retail services specialist (RS) Sailors to the quality of life of the afloat Sailor and Marine, evaluating the store’s performance against a fixed set of criteria each fiscal year.

“The award recognizes all of the hard work that has been put in over the last fiscal year,” said Lt.j.g. Carter West, sales officer aboard Essex. “Supply is customer service oriented. We work to support all operations throughout the ship, and this recognition highlights our Sailors’ hard work and dedication to doing exactly that.”

The Sales and Services (S-3) division raised more money than any other amphibious ship in the Navy, with over $500,000 spent during the ship’s 2018 deployment. All profits from the ships store are allocated to the command’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation program.

Earning the award qualified Essex to be nominated for best of class, which the ship also won last year.

Of course, this award recognizes the hard work of the supply department, but this is really a testament to the entire crew of Essex,” said West. “Back-to-back recognition proves the Sailors of S-3 exceptional support of the entire Essex team.

“S-3 aims to win the award a third time by continuing to provide the best possible service to the crew,” said West. “Our Sailors put in the work knowing that their day-to-day mission has a monumental impact on morale.”