MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Petty Officer 1st Class Kemp Dreher, staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge of station fuels, recently won the Marine Forces Pacific Shore Sailor of the Year award.
Dreher demonstrated the three values every sailor strives for, which are honor, courage and commitment. These core values helped him beat out over 500 sailors around the Pacific to earn this honor.
In 1972, the Navy started a program to honor and recognize outstanding sailors of the Pacific and Atlantic fleets. It wasn’t until 1973 that shore sailors became eligible to receive the same honors.
Any sailor pay grade E-4 to E-6 is now eligible to be named Shore Sailor of the Year.
“I was actually surprised when I won it,” said Dreher.
Now Dreher moves on to the next round of competitions, which is the Commander Pacific Fleet Shore Sailor of the Year.
Every station, ship and command chooses its Sailor of the Year. Once selected, sailors compete against other commands until the Navy’s four finest sailors are chosen.
“I’ll be in competition against three other people around the area and states as well,” said Dreher. He attributes his strong work ethic to his father’s teachings. “
He was one of those guys who worked, worked and worked,” said Dreher. “Working was his thing.”
His father, John Dreher, was a jack-of-all-trades. He was in a band, had his own air conditioning and refrigeration company, taught junior high school history, and coached track and football. “He taught me if I don’t work hard, nobody is just going to hand me anything,” said Dreher.
Working hard is just what Dreher has been doing since 1996 when he enlisted in the Navy upon completion of high school.
In his 14 years of service, he has served two overseas tours in Japan while managing his job, family and school.
He has received an associate’s degree in college and is working toward his bachelors. Dreher is the father of two boys, Steven and Eric, seven and three years old respectively, from his wife of eight years, the former Ms. Akane Tanaka of Sasebo, Japan.
Winning the Marine Forces Pacific Shore Sailor of the Year award has been a huge accomplishment for Dreher and his family. It not only shows that all his hard work throughout his service has paid off, but also that his determination to be a good father, husband and sailor has defined him as one of the privileged few sailors to carry this honor.