Carson City sailor selected as Junior Instructor of the Year

GREAT LAKES, Ill. — Three Recruit Training Command (RTC) petty officers were selected as Naval Station Training Command (NSTC) 2019 Instructors of the Year on Nov. 6.

Chief Fire Controlman (Aegis) Derek Webb was selected as Senior Enlisted Instructor of the Year; Fire Control Technician 1st Class Kyle King was selected as Mid-Grade Enlisted Instructor of the Year; and Naval Aircrewman Operator 2nd Class Anthony Bass was selected as Junior Instructor of the Year.

Prior to accepting his orders to RTC, Bass, of Carson City, was stationed in Whidbey Island, Wash., on VP-46 Patrol Squadron.

He has been at RTC for a year and half as a Curriculum Instruction Evaluation Department instructor, teaching Basic Naval Orientation to recruits.

“It’s a good job as I just like to teach the recruits,” said Bass. “I go to each of their classrooms in the barracks and although it’s division based, when there’s time after class is done, I allow them to ask other questions about the Navy or outside life. I definitely try to open up with personal stories or talk with recruits, or do what I can to help them out because I feel that my time is not time to be yelling at them, because that’s not what I am here to do. I am here to instruct them and that’s what I do.”

Bass said he is honored to be named the Junior Enlisted IOY.

“This felt good and I’m happy in receiving this honor. I would say this is one of the biggest, if not the biggest thing I’ve won,” he said. “Not just command level, but the fact that I won Navy Service Training Command level and I’m going up to the Naval Education and Training Command level — which is the highest level —is pretty awesome.”

After RTC, Bass will return either to Whidbey Island or Jacksonville, Florida for sea duty. He currently is completing a degree in history with American Military University and ultimately plans to become a high school teacher and football coach.

For those contemplating accepting orders to RTC, Bass offers advice on how to best succeed during their tour.

“It’s all going to be how you take it,” said Bass. “Whether you come here as an instructor or come here as an RDC it’s going to be the individual’s attitude. Someone can come here with a bad attitude and tell everyone it’s a horrible place. Some people can come here with a great attitude and say it’s awesome. What I’ve learned about this place is it’s what you’ve put into it.”

Each instructor of the year from RTC was scheduled to compete for selection as the Naval Education and Training Command instructor of the year in their respective categories.

Boot camp is approximately eight weeks and all enlistees into the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes physical fitness, seamanship, firearms, firefighting and shipboard damage control along with lessons in Navy heritage and core values, teamwork and discipline. More than 35,000 recruits are trained annually at RTC and begin their Navy careers.