THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 1, 1994 TAG: 9406010518
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JACK DORSEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940601 LENGTH: NORFOLK
Today, at 27, the petty officer first class has fulfilled that early promise, earning honors as the Navy's Shore Sailor of the Year for 1994. He is one of the Navy's top four sailors and will receive meritorious promotion to the rank of chief petty officer.
{REST} ``He beat me to chief by quite a few years,'' said his father, Thomas H. Ervin, who spent 29 years in the Navy, the last eight as a gunner's mate chief. ``I've always known he had the potential.''
Joe Ervin spent his early teenage years in the Wards Corner area, where his father and mother, Betty, still live. He has traveled far since then. He met his wife, Philippa, in Toulon, France, and they settled in London, where he is assigned to the staff of Commander-in-Chief Naval Forces Europe.
He was named sailor of the year Thursday and now is headed to a new assignment, in Washington. Ervin, an operations specialist who works with radar, will help Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Hagan in handling enlisted affairs.
At home visiting his parents this week, after four days of meetings with top Navy leaders, Ervin said he is honored by the selection.
``But there were five of us in the final (selection) round and any of the other four could have gotten it. I wouldn't have wanted to make the choice. You could have tossed a coin.''
Ervin became a finalist when he was named U.S. Naval Forces Europe Sailor of the Year. The selection is open to any petty officer among the more than 300,000 in the E-4 to E-6 rates. An Atlantic Fleet and Pacific Fleet sailor of the year, plus one from the reserves, also are chosen annually. They also will be promoted to chief petty officers and serve one-year tours with their fleet master chiefs.
While Ervin offers no secret for success, his advice to other young men and women working their way up the ranks is to seek out the challenges in their careers and go for it all.
``I had a CO on my last ship that always said, `You can do it.' He gave me a chance and trusted me,'' Ervin said. That ship was the Norfolk-based cruiser Josephus Daniels.
Even in this era of downsizing in the military, Ervin believes there is room for those who want to succeed.
``Just don't get frustrated,'' he said. ``I've seen a lot of people make it, but they had to keep trying.''
Ervin is not content yet, either.
He and his wife have two dogs, one named Biddle, after another Norfolk-based cruiser he served aboard, and the other named Admiral, ``which I hope to be,'' he said.
He already has applied to the Navy's Limited Duty Officer program, which could lead to a commission.
``While I may not retire as an admiral, my wife says I can't retire at anything less than captain,'' he said.
Ervin is scheduled to meet with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jeremy M. Boorda and possibly Vice President Al Gore in a ceremony July 10. He will take over his new duties in Washington in August, serving a two-year tour.
by CNB