South Tidewater News

2022 Military Citizen of the Year 

HM1 Eddie B. Carroll III, Navy Medicine Training Support Center Detachment PortsmouthHM1 Carroll has devoted over 623 volunteer hours to various organizations throughout Hampton Roads between October 2021-2022. He has dedicated countless hours to the Portsmouth Bruins Pop Warner 6U football program, the YMCA of Portsmouth Youth Basketball program, the Virginia Beach Mustangs 6U Football program and has been a volunteer coach for many other teams. He also is a volunteer landscaper for the Navy Medicine Training Command Portsmouth’s Fisher House. Through his leadership and guidance while coaching, the athletes excelled while learning lifelong lessons such as teamwork, leadership, perseverance, discipline, and sacrifice. CS2 Jarelle T. Harley, Commander Navy Region Mid-AtlanticCS2 Harley has volunteered over 520 volunteer hours with the USO, the Girl Scouts of the USA, and GI Instruction Marine LLC. Petty Officer Harley assisted in saving and raising over $7,500.00, supported our military service members at the USO by providing snacks and resources for them, and assisted in the construction of multiple houses, as well as the repair upkeep of the Portsmouth Boys and Girls Club.  ENFN Adrian A. Hugo, Amphibious Construction Battalion 2ENFN Hugo has volunteered 210 hours with organizations like the Virginia Beach Little League, Virginia Beach Youth Basketball and the National Flag Football League in Virginia Beach. Through his involvement he has mentored and coached local youths through the fundamentals of each sport, fostering teamwork, camaraderie and social skills that will continue to prove valuable as they grow into young adulthood. BU3 Raye Lin Klepac, Amphibious Construction Battalion TwoBU3 Klepac has volunteered over 108 hours supporting organizations like the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Habitat for Humanity, and Dominion Derby Girls. Through her work with Habitat for Humanity, she assisted with building homes for low-income families in our region and has participated annually in their National Woman’s Day. She also helped promote and publicized recruitment for Dominion Derby Girls, an organization geared towards women’s empowerment and healthy living. BM1 Camillia N. Lee, Amphibious Construction Battalion TwoThroughout the past few years, BM1 Lee has dedicated over 2,800 hours to various organizations including, Pop Warner Bennett Creek Football and Cheer Association, Youth Girl Club and Ro Upsilon Tau Military Sorority. Through her work with Pop Warner she makes sure every child has a ride to games, meals to eat, and equipment on their back. She was also elected to serve as the organization’s treasurer. With the Youth Girl Club she is a mentor and advisor for over 20 troubled female youths by attending field trips with them and helping to advise them. For Rho Upsilon Military Sorority she organizes group outings and volunteer events for the ladies to participate in. IT1 Parker Mills, USS McFaulIT1 Mills volunteers as a first responder and supply Lieutenant for Virginia Beach’s Department of Emergency Medical Services. IT1 Mills averages 48 hours each month of volunteering for them and manages a $22,000 budget, maintains 5 response vehicles, provides protective equipment for 62 fellow volunteer responders and supports over 8,000 emergency response calls per year. AO2 Miko R. Mitchell, Commander Navy Region Mid-AtlanticAO2 Mitchell volunteered 216 hours of her time, assisting in child development and adolescent children, for Creative Hands. In addition to that she conducted food preparation and food sales for Creative Hands to help raise money for field trips. AT3 Conner R. O’Leary, Fleet Readiness Center Mid-Atlantic OceanaSince August 2021, Petty Officer O’Leary has volunteered 1,715 hours as a football coach at Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach. During his time coaching, he has positively impacted over 65 students helping them as a mentor and coach, guiding them to become the leaders of tomorrow. LS2 John A. Teyhen, Naval Special Warfare Group Two Logistics Support UnitLS2 Teyhan has dedicated over 30 hours of his time to volunteering for JEB Little Creek’s Morale Welfare and Recreation 2022 Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Color Run, The Patriotic Festival, Sewell’s Point Elementary School, Virginia Beach Terrain Race, First Landing State Park, and Tidewater Striders. A few volunteer activities he conducted with those organizations included checking in and disseminating race packets to over 600 runners, leading a beach cleanup and volunteering at a field day. SPC Geavanne Guiwaine Williams, 329th Composite Water Craft CompanySPC Williams has volunteered 200 hours creating virtual soldier handbooks so the 7th brigade soldiers could access them virtually. SPC Williams also dedicated 500 hours to creating a website so soldiers could see when they were eligible for a certain rank, allowing them to plan for their career. Staff Sergeant Jocelyn M. Call; Charlie Company, 1st Battalion-210th Aviation RegimentStaff Sergeant Call has volunteered over 120 hours in the last 12 months with the Fort Eustis School Aged Center, Youth Program and with the Cities of Hampton and Newport News. While volunteering, she has spent hours tilling their garden grounds with students and assisted in the cleanup of overgrown brush. Sergeant Call has also volunteered at SAC’s color-run, the Otter Ball, a local charity event that supports the Virginia Living Museum and has supported the Newport News One City Marathon. She has dedicated over 20 hours of her personal time to Unity Through Community, helping to maintain the Bassett and Elmerton Cemeteries in Hampton and has supported these organizations in other numerous ways. The Hampton Roads Chamber was thrilled to present the 2022 Samuel T. Northern Military Citizen of the Year Award to HM1 Eddie B. Carroll III.  We congratulate HM1 Eddie B. Carroll III on his outstanding achievements and applaud his selfless service. Background on the Samuel T. Northern Military Citizen of the Year AwardSamuel Northern was a local businessman who spent much of his life, not just building a business, but strengthening the bonds between the military and citizens of Hampton Roads.  Every year since 1955, the Chamber remembers Mr. Northern’s commitment by selecting a military citizen who goes above and beyond, volunteering as servants of the community.  Each year, military commands based throughout Hampton Roads nominate individuals for this honor.  A group of business and military leaders then selects the winner based upon their active and sustained participation in activities that benefit the community. The impact of their service upon area schools, little leagues, regional events, public safety and more is immeasurable.Congratulations to HM1 Carroll and all of the Military Citizen of the Year honorees. The Hampton Roads Chamber is pleased to pay tribute to these selfless service members. 

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