The current holder of the Surface Navy Association's "Old Tar" award is CMDCM(SW) Ashley B. Smith.

You can see a biography of Master Chief Smith by clicking HERE.

FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N76//
TO NAVADMIN
UNCLAS
NAVADMIN 207/04
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N76/-/SEP//
SUBJ/SURFACE NAVY ASSOCIATION OLD TAR//
POC/FULLER JOHN V/CDR/N761C/-/TEL:TEL:DSN 225-2861//
RMKS/1. THIS MESSAGE SOLICITS NOMINATIONS FOR THE SURFACE NAVY
ASSOCIATION'S "OLD TAR."
2. THE "OLD TAR" AWARD WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE SURFACE NAVY ASSOCIATION IN 1996 TO RECOGNIZE THE ACTIVE DUTY ENLISTED SURFACE WARFARE SPECIALIST (ESWS) WITH THE EARLIEST QUALIFICATION DATE. THE AWARD IS A REPLICA OF "THE CHIEF" STATUE WHICH STANDS AT THE NAVY MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON, DC. THE STATUETTE IS MOUNTED ON ORIGINAL PLANKING FROM USS CONSTITUTION AND REMAINS IN THE "OLD TAR'S" SACRED CUSTODY FOR DISPLAY AS LONG AS HE/SHE SERVES ON ACTIVE DUTY. UPON RETIREMENT, THE STATUETTE IS SHIFTED TO THE NEXT "SELECTED" RECIPIENT.
3. THE CURRENT "OLD TAR" IS MASTER CHIEF BERNARD "BUCK" HEFFERNAN, USN WHO IS CURRENTLY ASSIGNED AS THE FLEET MASTER CHIEF FOR THE COMMANDER, U.S. ATLANTIC FLEET. MASTER CHIEF HEFFERNAN IS SCHEDULED TO RETIRE IN OCTOBER 2004.
4. SNA WILL AWARD THE TITLE OF "OLD TAR" TO THE ACTIVE DUTY ENLISTED SURFACE WARFARE SPECIALIST WITH THE EARLIEST QUALIFICATION DATE. SNA WILL ONLY CONSIDER NOMINATIONS RECEIVED BEFORE THE SOLICITATION PERIOD ENDS 30 SEPT 04. NOMINEES MUST SUBMIT CERTIFIED TRUE COPIES OF EITHER THEIR PAGE 4 OR ESWS CERTIFICATE. IN THE EVENT MORE THAN ONE NOMINEE HAS THE SAME QUALIFICATION DATE, THE WINNER WILL BE DETERMINED FIRST BY TIME AT SEA AND SECOND BY THEIR PAY ENTRY BASE DATE. IF A CANDIDATE IS QUALIFIED IN MORE THAN ONE SPECIALTY AREA, THEIR PRIMARY DESIGNATION MUST BE SURFACE WARFARE.
5. THE PASSING OF THE "OLD TAR" STATUETTE CEREMONY WILL BE HELD AT THE SURFACE NAVY ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM IN JANUARY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AT THE SYMPOSIUM. THE RETIRING "OLD TAR" WILL BE PRESENTED A REPLICA OF "THE CHIEF" STATUETTE. THE PRESENTATION SERVES AS A REAFFIRMATION BY SNA THAT EARNING ESWS QUALIFICATION IS, WAS, AND ALWAYS WILL REMAIN A DEFINING QUALITY OF A SURFACE WARRIOR.
6. REQUEST ALL NOMINATIONS BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE NAVY ASSOCIATION AT 2550 HUNTINGTON AVE., SUITE 202, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22302 NLT 30 SEPTEMBER 2004.
7. RADM M. J. EDWARDS, DIRECTOR, SURFACE WARFARE.//

R 251828Z JUL 00 ZYB MIN PSN 645066J27
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
TO NAVADMIN NAVADMIN 185/00
MSGID/GENADMIN/N13//
SUBJ/DIVING SALVAGE WARFARE SPECIALIST (DSWS) PROGRAM//
REF/A/DOC/OPNAV/26APR00//
AMPN/REF A IS OPNAVINST 1414.3, DIVING SALVAGE WARFARE SPECIALIST QUALIFICATION//
RMKS/1. THE DIVING SALVAGE WARFARE SPECIALIST (DSWS) PROGRAM FOR ACTIVE AND RESERVE FLEET DIVING COMMUNITIES HAS BEEN APPROVED PER REF A. DSWS DESIGNATION SIGNIFIES A DIVER HAS EXCELLED IN COMPETENCY AND PROFESSIONALISM, AND FORMALLY RECOGNIZES INITIATIVE, TECHNICAL COMPETENCE, AND READINESS FOR INCREASED RESPONSIBILITY.
2. REF A PROMULGATES REQUIREMENTS FOR QUALIFICATION AND DESIGNATION OF ENLISTED PERSONNEL AS DIVING SALVAGE WARFARE SPECIALISTS (DSWS).
3. COMMANDS HAVING ENLISTED DIVERS WITH ELIGIBLE NECS SHALL DEVELOP A COMMAND DSWS QUALIFICATION PROGRAM MEETING OR EXCEEDING THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF REF A. PERSONNEL WITH NECS 5341, 5346, 5342, 5311, 5343, 8493, 8494, 5931, OR 5932 ARE ELIGIBLE FOR DSWS QUALIFICATION.
4. ALL CURRENT NEC 5341/5346 MASTER DIVERS ARE DESIGNATED DSWS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THESE MASTER DIVERS TO ENSURE THIS PROGRAM ACHIEVES THE INTENDED RESULTS OF ENHANCING MISSION EFFECTIVENESS AND INCREASING OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES.
5. POC IS QMCS(EOD/SW) STEVE MARSHALL, N132D7A, AT (703) 614-6854/DSN 224, E-MAIL: N132D7A@BUPERS.NAVY.MIL.
6. RELEASED BY VADM N. R. RYAN, JR., N1.//

Program Matches Reservists With Squadrons That Need Them

Editors Note:

(You can find the full article by going to the Navy Times website and accessing the July 5th edition.)

Here is the main part of the article that applies to EAWS:

Reservists can affiliate with a program called Inactive Duty Training/Travel Priority Manning program. This program matches Reserve aviation specialists without aircraft to train on with squadrons that need reservists.

A benefit of the program is that the reservist can participate and obtain the EAWS wings while working at the command.

The reservists will travel to a designated command and work instead of sitting at a reserve center.

The program started almost 2 years ago. YNC Kevin Naeyaert is the leading chief petty officer of the operations department of Commander, Naval Reserve Forces Command in New Orleans. Chief Naeyaert is in charge of the program.

He says that the program includes almost 400 reservists. The idea was to find reservists with the right skills and training and match them up with units with vacant billets.

The reservists mainly come from augment units in states far from the Navy fleet concentration areas. In some cases the squadrons those units used to augment have been moved or have been disestablished in theh past decade, leaving the reservists without aircraft to train on.

Eligible reservists must agree to devote 2 years to a unit. They must drill once every 3 months with the unit, and spend their 2-week annual training period with them.

The program benefits both the command and the member. The squadron gets some extra help, while the reservists can get the hands-on experience and training in rate, and it gives them the chance to earn an EAWS qualification.