FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
The title of U.S. Army Aviation Logistics School military Instructor of the Year goes to only the most distinguished instructors.
Staff Sgt. Ernesto Rosario, USAALS military instructor, electronics division, received the honors of being named USAALS military Instructor of the Year.
"Winning IOY is a great accomplishment," Rosario said. "After I won USAALS Distinguished Instructor of the Quarter, I was ready for the next challenge."
All Instructors of the Year must complete the Army Basic Instructor Course, serve as a certified instructor and have two evaluations with a score of 95 and above. The NCO IOY is selected by a team of master evaluators from the USAALS Quality Assurance Office.
"I really set myself apart from the other instructors in the classroom by making sure my students understood the material presented," said Rosario." I use different approaches; I make sure my students learn not only about avionics, but life in the military, and how to succeed in our line of work."
Rosario mentioned that he is a firm believer in the "keep-it-simple" approach. He makes sure that the material is taught until students have a full understanding.
"My biggest strength is my patience, especially when you have a challenging lesson or student."
With hard work, dedication, and sacrifice, Rosario showed he is well deserving of the USAALS NCO IOY. According to Rosario, the most rewarding time is during graduation day.
Rosario said the best thing about being an instructor is that work is filled with surprises.
"I have the opportunity to see Soldiers share their success and move forward with their careers. However, I want to be a part of the transformation and development of new recruits by using my knowledge and experience."
The USAALS NCO IOY is a prestigious award that not only recognizes the top instructor, but also adds to increased morale and esprit-de-corps for the instructor community.
He said that his short term goals are to become master instructor and finish his Airframe Power Plant certification. "My long term goal is to obtain my Master's degree," he added.
Both Rosario and Nolan Billiot, USAALS civilian Instructor of the Year, will go forward and compete for the U.S. Army Training Doctrine Command Instructor of the Year.