On January 5th, Voice of Douglas Founder, Danny “Dj” Morales received news from the Commanding Officer, Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Tucson that he been nominated to compete nationally for the Navy Reserve Junior Officer of the Year award for 2011 (Officer of the Line).

Officer in Charge of Expeditionary Communications Detachment 3, LCDR(sel) Danny Morales administers the Oath of Reenlistment to his Leading Petty Officer, Electronics Technician First Class Dawn M. Hill, on January 8. Submitted Photo

The award recognizes performance excellence by Navy Reserve junior officers. It will recognize two junior officers (one line and one staff corps) serving on active duty as Full Time Support (FTS) and two junior officers (one line and one staff corps) serving as a satisfactory participant drilling in the Navy Reserve.

The Navy Reserve Junior Officer of the Year is a competition promulgated by Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command and sponsored/chaired by the Association of the United States Navy (www.ausn.org).

Morales will represent the largely Southern Arizona Navy Reserve contingent based in and around Tucson. As a Lieutenant Commander Select Information Dominance Warfare Officer, he will compete against other Navy Reserve officers from line communities to include Submarine, Surface, Aviation, and Special (SEAL) Warfare Officers.

“According to the governing instruction, a candidate for the nomination must exemplify characteristics expected from an outstanding Naval Officer,” Morales said. “The criteria judged will include demonstrated leadership abilities with proven potential to serve in billets with greater responsibility, as well as performance and accomplishments during the last calendar year [which] may include civic accomplishments, if characteristic of the officer’s leadership abilities.”

In preparing for the selection board, which convenes in March to award winners Summer 2012, Morales is eager to cast a national spotlight on the weekly Voice of Douglas Livestream Show which has featured Douglas residents, DHS student Co-hosts, and Douglas City Council Meetings. He will also highlight the September 2011 launch of the My Douglas portal (www.mydouglasaz.com), which serves as an information sharing site for all sectors of the Douglas community.

Morales further intends to draw similar attention to the Light the Fire Foundation (www.lighthefire.com) that he and Martha co-founded first as a Douglas youth ministry back in 2000.

“We hope that this attention will drive funding interest to an initiative we mentioned on our very first Voice of Douglas broadcast in March 2011,” Morales said. “This initiative was and still is to establish a faith and family friendly non-profit community center here in Douglas, modeled after a synthesis of Golf n’ Stuff, Big Brother and Big Sister, and Sylvan Learning Center.”

As far as his operational accomplishments, he will highlight 2011 stints such as Lead Meteorologist at Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kaua’i for a Ballistic Missile Defense Exercise, as well as, by-name requests to brief Active Duty decision makers in Monterey, California and Stennis Space Center, Mississippi on a multi-million dollar collaborative working environment for the entire Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Community.

NOSC Tucson Commanding Officer spoke of his endorsement and other notable accomplishments by Morales. CDR Ross “Rusty” Orvik, USN, writes “it is an honor and privilege to nominate LT Daniel Morales as the Navy Reserve Junior Officer of the Year for Tucson. His efforts, dedication and patriotism were of specific note in 2011. His unit was the top performing (of 10) at the Navy Base in Tucson. He led the Sierra Vista Veteran's day Navy delegation. He singlehandedly facilitated the introduction of Navy Meteorology Sailors to the Davis Monthan Air Force base Weather squadron. We are very proud to have this leader in the Fleet!”

Regardless of the outcome of the competition, Morales hopes that the nomination further casts Douglas in a positive light to influential leaders in the military who are eager to make a difference in communities across the United States. Morales optimistically makes a final quip about his prospects, “in the end, Douglas wins.”