Sailors at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, who recently obtained their college degrees listen as Capt. Eric Gardner offers his congratulations at Thursday’s recognition ceremony at the base chapel. (Tim Wightman / Stars and Stripes)
NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATSUGI, Japan — A mind is a terrible thing to waste. In today’s Navy, it’s equally understood that a wasted one also is at risk of being shown the door.
Atsugi gave a nod Thursday to 100 community members who’ve made strides in education through the Navy College Office.
Capt. Eric Gardner, Atsugi’s commander, presented recent earners of associate, bachelor’s or master’s degrees with certificates to recognize their achievements in a ceremony held at the base chapel. Ninety-one of the honorees were sailors ranging in rank from seaman to lieutenant. Forty colleges were represented.
The number of people who earned degrees was up 39 percent compared with last year, when the base held its first recognition ceremony, according to Atsugi’s Navy College Director Mark Phelan.
Phelan said he attributes the rise in part to stiffer competition to advance in the Navy.
"The Navy is changing a lot, and as a result the sailors have to change a lot," he said.
Phelan pointed to the Navy’s reduction in ratings, or jobs, and the number of sailors changing ratings, as causes of the increasingly competitive environment. He said many sailors have to outperform their peers if they are to stay in their job field.
Phelan said if two sailors up for promotion have otherwise equal resumes, two points for an associate degree or four points for a bachelor’s can mean the difference in who makes rank.
"Even the advancement point system now is being totally geared toward education," Phelan said. "So that really gives extra motor to people to get it, especially when there’s not much that separates people."
Petty Officer 3rd Class Jan Michael Columna found out before even starting on his bachelor’s degree in health care management that his Navy corpsman training put him halfway there.
He said that his degree, along with improving his chances for advancement, has him feeling more secure as the economy continues to struggle, a consideration he thinks he shares with others.
"I would say right now, more people are thinking about having a backup plan," Columna said. "You don’t want to be in the medical field here at Atsugi or in aviation working with planes, and then you get out and you’re unemployed or working at the mall or something."
Sailors at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, who recently obtained their college degrees listen as Capt. Eric Gardner offers his congratulations at Thursday’s recognition ceremony at the base chapel. (Tim Wightman / Stars and Stripes)
Recently graduated sailors wait to receive recognition certificates Thursday. The number of people who earned degrees was up 39 percent compared with last year, according to figures from the base’s Navy College Director Mark Pehlan. Last year’s ceremony was Atsugi’s first. (Tim Wightman / Stars and Stripes)
