The Navy Operational Support Center recently won the right to paint its anchor gold after receiving the FY 2008 Retention Excellence Award recently. The anchor was originally blue, the color for shore commands. Anchors are usually gray aboard ships. The award recognizes NOSC for exceeding reenlistment rates across three seniority categories: 55 percent for first-termers; 66 percent for mid-graders; and above 85 percent for senior Sailors, according to Commander Steve Hartsel, NOSC’s commanding officer. “In the Navy, when you see that a ship has an anchor painted gold, you know that that ship is an excellent ship,” he said. “We have a good, solid group of Sailors here who are given the freedom to do their jobs the way they see fit.” NOSC has 23 full-time Sailors and 550 drilling reservists. (U.S. Air Force photo by Will Alexander)

Photo by Will Alexander