10/01/2026
Happy 25th Birthday to the Navy Human Resources Community!
Today, human resources professionals and naval leaders from across the Northeast gathered at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, to celebrate a quarter-century of fleet readiness, mentorship, and service to our Sailors.
From a ceremonial cake cutting to an engaging leadership panel, the event tackled the big questions shaping the HR community. Panelists shared career journeys that began everywhere from aviation and surface warfare to unexpected career-altering moments - including surviving a runaway tire strike to the jaw!
Panelists also tackled the AI frontier: How do we embrace emerging tech without losing the "human" in human resources? As Cmdr. Abaigeal Hillyard put it, we harness AI for efficiency so we can invest more time in direct person-to-person connection.
When asked to name the single word that defines what makes the community great, every single panelist agreed without hesitation: PEOPLE.
To every HR community member past and present: thank you for steering the Navy’s greatest asset - its workforce. Here’s to the next 25 years of excellence!
A huge thanks to the panelists:
Deputy Director for Navy Culture and Force Resilience (OPNAV N17), Captain Sad Carino
Commanding Officer, Center for Service Support in Newport, Rhode Island, Captain Dana Chapin
Commanding Officer, Navy Reserve Region Readiness and Mobilization Command, Great Lakes, Illinois, Captain Kerri Chase
Commander, 2nd Battalion USMEPCOM and Military Entrance Processing Station Boston, Commander Abaigeal Hillyard
Prospective Director, Officer Candidate School, Officer Training Command Newport, Commander Dave Mundell
Captain (ret) Sharon Ruest
Commanding Officer, Navy Service Center Manchester, New Hampshire, Commander Joshua Smith
