By James Stockman
Naval Education and Training Command Public Affairs
PENSACOLA, Fla. – A Baltimore native and 2014 graduate of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute was recognized as Naval Education and Training Command’s (NETC) Military Instructor of the Year (Mid-Grade Enlisted) for 2024 during a ceremony at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Feb. 20, 2025.
Gunner’s Mate 1st Class Johnelle Jones, a divisional leading petty officer at Recruit Training Command (RTC), Great Lakes, Illinois, who leads small-arms marksmanship training, was one of five instructors acknowledged for their dedication in training future warfighters for service in the world’s most lethal Navy.
“The greatest reward of being a leading petty officer is having a direct impact on the lives of the sailors you work with,” Jones said. “They trust me to listen to them and if they have a question, they trust me to go and find them an answer. It is one thing to be responsible for your own career, but the real prize is when you mentor another sailor.”
Jones credits much of her success to the values her family instilled in her at an early age.
“I am a true product of my environment; Baltimore produces resilient, determined and powerful people,” Jones said. “Growing up, I was always reminded by my entire support system that only you determine who you are and what you can become.”
Like many of those who answered our nation’s call to service, Jones primarily joined the Navy for the education benefits.
“I started school at age three with Pre-K 3, so I was tired of going to school by 18,” Jones said. “I knew, however, that I wanted to continue my education, just not in a conventional way. The Navy afforded me the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in digital filmmaking on my own time when I knew I was ready to return to school.”
Working at the Navy’s enlisted boot camp, Jones sees firsthand the challenges that prospective Sailors must overcome during training, and she offers a piece of advice to anyone considering military service.
“Joining the military needs to be based on your desires and goals, and not to fill a void or to please someone else,” Jones said. “There will be days when you struggle to find your ‘why,’ and when you look within, that is where it is.”
Jones’ future goal is to become a command master chief (CMC). CMCs are the most senior enlisted member in their unit who serves as a liaison between the commanding officer and the enlisted ranks.
Instructors serving throughout the MyNavy HR Force Development domain competed against nearly 6,500 instructors for this prestigious distinction. The five awardees demonstrated superior sustained performance in their instructor roles, excelling as leaders and mentors at their respective commands while actively engaging with their commands and local communities.
“Our instructors here today are an exclusive and elite group – the very best of the best, each playing a critical role in ensuring that when the Navy fights, we will fight and win decisively,” said Capt. Gregory Tiner, NETC chief of staff. “In and out of the classroom, each personifies the meaning of personal excellence.”
Other MIOY awardees included:
• Junior Enlisted – Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Alexander Craig, Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center, Panama City, Florida.
• Senior Enlisted – Senior Chief Musician Josh Neumeyer, Naval School of Music, Virginia Beach, Virginia.
• Officer – Lt. Katherine Bertschi, Mariner Skills Training Center Pacific, San Diego, California.
• Naval ROTC – Capt. John Merten, NROTC Unit, The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina.
NETC recruits, trains and delivers those who serve our nation, taking them from “street to fleet” by transforming civilians into highly skilled, operational, and combat-ready warfighters.
For more information about NETC, visit the command’s website at https://www.netc.navy.mil/ and follow the command’s social media: Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NETCHQ, Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/netc_hq and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/netchq/.
See the original story at this link: https://navyoutreach.blogspot.com/2025/02/baltimore-native-recognized-as-naval.html
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