MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- One of 1st Marine Division's own has been a hit on the ice rink, as well as in the Navy.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Marvin F. Floer II, the assistant manpower manager for Navy Personnel, 1st Marine Division, earned an honorable mention for the Navy Times Sailor of the Year Award.
Every year the Navy Times recognizes a sailor who stands out above his peers in job performance and overall expectations.
Floer said he could not believe he earned an honorable mention.
"I felt very proud I was selected and have a chain of command that submitted me for such a prestigous award," said Floer, a native of Detroit. "When you're selected for something, there is always someone doing more for you. It's nice to feel you're that guy other people are talking about."
The time Floer volunteers to different community service programs is some of the things that make Floer stand out from his peers. He spends the majority of his free time leading and managing Patriots Hockey, an all Marine and Navy ice hockey team dedicated to raising funds and awareness to Wounded Warriors and other military charities.
Captain Jeremy J. Pilachowski, the executive officer of Lima Company, School of Infantry West, who's assistant captain of Patriots Hockey, said Floer hosted more than a dozen games as team captain.
"We basically act as a third party for various military charities, for example the Semper Fi Fund," said Pilachowski, a native of Chicago.
Petty Officer 1st Class Ramon Eusibeio, the manpower manager for Navy Personnel, 1st Marine Division, said Floer is dedicated to the hockey team and donating to military charities.
"He really cares about the community," said Eusibeio, a native of Los Angeles. "Not many guys out there would put together a hockey team that benefits servicemembers."
Eusibeio was not surprised when they found out he was being recognized for the award.
"Floer is one of the more passionate corpsman that I've worked with," Eusibeio said. "When he sets his mind to something, he won't stop until the job is complete or perfect."
Eusibeio said Floer's performance and achievements on the job are qualities he looks for in a good sailor. Floer earned two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals while on two separate deployments to Afghanistan. Among Floer's many passions is helping out his fellow sailors.
"It could be from just helping somebody pick the next rank up or studying for a board for their Fleet Marine Force pin, or something as big as career enhancement, he'll think of a way to help a sailor out. That's one of his qualities that I admire most about Floer," Eusibeio said.
His many role models throughout his career helped him become the sailor he is today, Floer said.
"I've had a lot of great mentors in my career," Floer said. "They've all taught me many different things. They've all showed me what a sailor should be and how to carry myself professionally."
His goal is not to earn awards, but to do his job the best he can and look out for his sailors and Marines, he said.
"There is so much you can get out of being a corpsman," he said. "I honestly think there are very few jobs in the service that offer this kind of reward. Working as a corpsman, you learn a lot of medical skills that people normally spend years learning to achieve. To have the trust and camaraderie of your Marines and sailors to do some of those skills while deployed is something you'll never see anywhere else."
Earning the honorable mention made Floer even more dedicated to excelling as a sailor and furthering his career. He plans on continuing to help fellow Marines and sailors through raising money for nonprofit organizations that support Wounded Warriors by continuing the Patriots Hockey program.