Standing Out in the Information Fight; NAVIFOR Announces FY24 Sailor of the Year
08 May 2025
SUFFOLK, Va. -- Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR) announced its Fiscal Year 2024 Type Command (TYCOM) Sailor of the Year during a ceremony held May 8, 2025, in the Hall of Heroes at the Department of Defense Suffolk Complex.
NAVIFOR’s Sailor of the Year program honors the top-performing enlisted Sailors from across the TYCOM’s global footprint, which includes afloat teams, expeditionary commands, training units, and warfare development centers. Finalists were nominated by their commands for their exceptional performance, leadership, and technical expertise.
The ceremony, hosted by Force Master Chief Augustine Cooper, recognized the best of the Information Warfare (IW) enlisted force. Each finalist showcased superior technical acumen and leadership within their respective sea or shore commands.
The 2025 NAVIFOR Shore Sailor of the Year finalists are:
- Builder 1st Class (IW/SCW/EXW/AW) Joshua Bosworth-Cadinha, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic
- Aerographer’s Mate 1st Class (IW/EXW/AW) Mac McDaniel, Fleet Weather Center San Diego
- Intelligence Specialist 1st Class (IW/SW/EXW) Andrew Flores, Nimitz Warfare Analysis Center
- Aerographer’s Mate 1st Class (IW/EXW) Elizabeth Bradley, Naval Information Warfare Training Group Gulfport
- Information Systems Technician 1st Class (SW) Gordon Todd, Direct Report Naval Information Forces Command
The 2025 NAVIFOR Sea Sailor of the Year finalists are:
- Cryptologic Technician Interpretive 1st Class (IW/SW) Sabrina Agnewrossbauer, Navy Information Operations Command Pacific
- Aerographer’s Mate 1st Class (IW/SW/AW) Justin Simon, Strike Group Oceanography Team San Diego
- Sonar Technician Surface 1st Class (SW) Shawn Miller, Farragut Technical Analysis Center
- Cryptologic Technician Technical 1st Class (SW) Grant Patterson, Naval Information Warfare Training Group San Diego
“These nine Sailors represent the pinnacle of excellence within the Information Warfare community,” said Cooper. “They reflect the very best of our force and are ready to lead us into the future.”
In the days leading up to the announcement, finalists participated in leadership engagements, mentorship sessions, and panel interviews designed to assess their technical expertise, professionalism, and alignment with Navy core values.
Vice Adm. Mike Vernazza, commander, Naval Information Forces and the Navy's IBoss for Information Warfare, delivered keynote remarks during the ceremony.
“These Sailors are not just technical experts - they are warfighters,” said Vernazza. “They’ve operated in high-stakes environments, enabled integrated effects across the spectrum of conflict, and consistently demonstrated the highest standards of our profession.”
He added, “This ceremony isn’t just about recognition - it’s about reflection. These finalists have supported real-world missions and enabled integrated effects from seabed to space.”
“Information Warfare is no longer a supporting function - it is a primary warfighting discipline,” Vernazza continued. “Every mission, every phase of operations, and every victory increasingly depends on our ability to deliver decision advantage, dominate the electromagnetic spectrum, and shape the information environment. These Sailors understand that. They live it.”
“To our finalists - your journey is just beginning,” Cooper said. “Our Navy is counting on you to carry forward the standard you’ve set here. I’m proud to serve with you - and proud of what you represent.”
Cryptologic Technician Interpretive 1st Class (IW/SW) Sabrina Agnewrossbauer, Navy Information Operations Command Pacific, was named the 2025 NAVIFOR Sea Sailor of the Year. Builder 1st Class (IW/SCW/EXW/AW) Joshua Bosworth-Cadinha, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic, was named the Shore Sailor of the Year.
Although all nine Sailors were exceptional, only one could be named TYCOM Sailor of the Year. The announcement of CTI1 Agnewrossbauer as the FY24 NAVIFOR TYCOM Sailor of the Year was met with a standing ovation.
“I want to give a special thanks to my family - my dad and my mom - as well as to my mentors for pushing to be here as a nominee,” said Agnewrossbauer. “I also want to thank all my Sailors and shipmates - they are the reason I am here today it’s their hard work that allows me to celebrate them.”
Agnewrossbauer also offered advice to other Sailors aspiring to earn SOY honors.
“Take on the hard jobs and give it everything you have, when you are done make it the job that everyone else wants to take on,” she said.
The Navy’s Sailor of the Year program is a time-honored tradition established in 1972 by then-Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Elmo Zumwalt and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Whittet. It recognizes superior performance by individual Sailors who best embody the Navy Core Values.
For more information about Naval Information Forces, visit
https://www.navifor.usff.navy.mil.
NAVIFOR’s mission: To generate - directly and through leadership of the IW Enterprise - agile and technically superior, manned, trained, equipped, and certified combat-ready IW forces to decisively DETER, COMPETE, and WIN.
Follow NAVIFOR on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/NavalInformationForces or visit our public webpage:
https://www.navifor.usff.navy.mil.
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