American Legion issued the following announcement on Aug. 28.
Navy Petty Officer Second Class Sha’Nae T. Wilson, an Information Systems Technician serving with the Joint Typhoon Warning Center at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii received The American Legion’s Spirit of Service Award today in recognition of her extensive volunteer efforts.
American Legion National Commander Denise Rohan, the first female to hold the position of National Commander in the Legion’s 100 year history, presented the award to Petty Officer Wilson along with Walter Joseph Marm, Jr., Medal of Honor recipient, and retired Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Michael Barrett during The American Legion’s 100th National Convention in Minneapolis. Wilson was honored along with representatives from four other armed services, and the National Guard at the annual business gathering of the 2-million-member Legion, the nation's largest veterans organization.
Her leadership describes her as someone who epitomizes “service before self” and is a “true Navy ambassador who selflessly devotes her time to the people in our community.” Ms. Wilson’s Navy achievements have earned her the title of Junior Sailor of the Quarter on four occasions; she was selected as the Junior Sailor of the Year for FY 2017 and she received the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (MOVSM).
IT2 (IW) Wilson has volunteered well over 400 hours in community relations projects in 2017. She contributed 227 hours to the Hawaii National Guard Youth Challenge Academy, providing counseling as well as individual and group sessions for at risk youth. Other organizations benefitting from her services are Ronald McDonald House, Ohana Koa, KCA Preschool, Adopt-A-Highway, Honolulu Community Action Program and Habitat for Humanity, just to name a few. She also championed environmental stewardship through beach and highway clean-up and beautification.
Wilson said that much of her success can be attributed to the “many dedicated leaders who took the time to mentor and groom her to become the sailor I am today.”
"Our nation is fortunate to have such dedicated servicemembers as Sha’Nae T. Wilson," Rohan said. “For both her service to America and her community, Petty Officer Wilson is a credit to her uniform and to our country.”
This is the 19th year that The American Legion has sponsored the Spirit of Service award program.
Original source can be found here.
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