Naval Research Lab Diver Earns Office of Naval Research 2025 Sailor of the Year

WASHINGTON, D.C.  –   The Office of Naval Research (ONR) named U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Petty Officer 1st Class and Navy Diver Mitchell Apgar as the 2025 ONR Sailor of the Year (SOY).

SOY honors an Enlisted Sailor in the Navy in the pay grade of E-6 who demonstrates sustained superior performance, leadership and professionalism.

“This is an absolute honor to be selected as this year's ONR Sailor of the Year,” Apgar said. “Coming from a Command with highly competitive and hard working first classes, my selection is a testament to the hard work and support of both my leaders and my teammates as we tackled a year full of new challenges. Every accomplishment was completed with the support of the amazing team here and I am thankful for the opportunity to represent my Command.”

As the son of a Sailor, Apgar grew up near Navy bases on the East Coast. After graduating from High School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, he joined the Navy in November 2015. Following completion of Recruit Training in Great Lakes, he attended the Navy Dive School Preparatory Course. Afterwards, he attended Second Class Dive School in Panama City Beach, Florida.

Apgar said it was his appetite to take on more responsibility than expected of a first class petty  officer and a willingness to tackle hard challenges is what helped him earn the award. Especially, he said it is a team that is willing to provide you the opportunity to take the lead and support your ideas and efforts.

“No Sailor ever did anything alone,” Apgar said.

NRL Port Hueneme Command Master Chief Jack Durand is Apgar’s supervisor.

“As a new Command Master Chief, I am extremely impressed with not only his performance but his commitment to his duties,” Durand said. “With Petty Officer Apgar as the Leading Petty Officer, our Dive Locker has consistently performed at the highest level in support of the goals of the Department of War.”

As the Dive Department Leading Petty Officer, he was responsible for the daily tasking of eight Sailors in four work-centers, maintenance of three Naval Sea Systems Command certified systems, supervision and management of high-risk diving and deck evolutions, small boat operations, weapons handling and accountability, critical crane operations, and departmental training evolutions.

“Never content with simply meeting expectations, he actively pursues self-improvement and willingly takes on greater responsibility to ensure his department is performing at an exceptional level,” said NRL Port Hueneme Commanding Officer Capt. Robert D. Lane.

Outside of working hours, Apgar devotes his time to assisting service members looking to attend Special Operations designator pipelines with their physical fitness and mental readiness for selection. Apgar has also helped to mentor and inspire junior Sailors within the Dive Locker into furthering their education.

“As a representative of the enlisted personnel at NRL Port Hueneme, I would like to thank the leadership at the Office of Naval Research for investing their time and effort into recognizing the amazing talent that I get to see at the Deckplate level every day,” Durand said.

About the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
NRL is a scientific and engineering command dedicated to research that drives innovative advances for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from the seafloor to space and in the information domain. NRL, located in Washington, D.C. with major field sites in Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; Key West, Florida; Monterey, California, and employs approximately 3,000 civilian scientists, engineers and support personnel.
 
NRL offers several mechanisms for collaborating with the broader scientific community, within and outside of the Federal government. These include Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), LP-CRADAs, Educational Partnership Agreements, agreements under the authority of 10 USC 4892, licensing agreements, FAR contracts, and other applicable agreements.
 
For more information, contact NRL Corporate Communications at NRLPAO@us.navy.mil.