Brashear Foundation Presents 5th Annual ‘Navy Diver of the Year’

By Tony Palm

Keyport, Washington May 7, 2019

Brashear Foundation President and Founder, Phillip M. Brashear, son of the legendary Navy Master Diver made famous in the bio-picture ‘Men of Honor’, presented the annual ‘Navy Diver of the Year’ award today to BU1 Joseph L. Hawthorne, USN at a ceremony during the Military Divers Training Continuum inside the U.S. Navy Undersea Warfare Museum, Keyport, WA. Attending the ceremony was the U.S. Navy’s Superintendent of Diving and Salvage, Washington Navy Yard, DC, CAPT Keith W. Lehnhardt, the Commanding Officer of Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC), Panama City, FL CDR Sam Brasfield, and 230 active duty and reserve Navy Divers from around the world.

The Texarkana, Texas native graduated in 2001 from New Boston High School, then attended Henderson State University until enlisting in 2003. After completing Boot Camp and training as a Navy Builder, one of seven occupational specialties that make up the Naval Construction Force (known as “Seabees”). In 2004, Hawthorne reported to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133, Gulfport, MS where he deployed to Ethiopia, Japan, and twice to Iraq.

After his successful first enlistment, he reported to the NDSTC and graduated in May 2009 as a Basic Underwater Construction Technician and then reported to Underwater Construction Team (UCT) ONE. While assigned to UCT ONE from ’09 – ‘13, BU1 Hawthorne deployed to Spain, Tanzania, Italy, Sicily, and Cuba.

Upon transferring from UCT ONE, he returned to NDSTC for training as an Advanced Underwater Construction Technician learning how to supervise diving operations, the use of mixed gas, along with salvage and recovery operations at greater depths. After graduation in 2014, Hawthorne returned to UCT ONE, Construction Dive Detachment ‘Charlie’ and was assigned as the detachment’s Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO), a rank he has still not attained.

As the LCPO, Hawthorne is responsible for the planning, execution, and supervision of construction, maintenance, repair, and inspection of waterfront facilities worldwide. In his nomination package, Commanding Officer, LCDR J.D. Johncock wrote: “Petty Officer Hawthorne is motivated, operates with remarkable character, puts others before himself, and is absolutely committed to mission success.”

During a six-month deployment in 2018 to Rota in support of Commander, Task Force SIX EIGHT, he oversaw the completion of six underwater construction projects valued at $1.5M. These projects included the execution of 100 mishap-free dives, logging 65 hours of bottom time. While deployed, he led a 15-man ‘away team’ to Thule Air Base, Greenland, where he supervised 13 dives under the ice, at altitude, in support of a multi-national ice diving exercise.

While his exemplary performance is remarkable, what elevates BU1 Hawthorne to the pantheon of past ‘Navy Divers of the Year’, is his steadfast professionalism in the face of his son Declan’s crushing disabilities. BU1 Hawthorne has maintained an upbeat and positive attitude, one that exemplifies Master Diver Brashear’s credo, “It’s not a sin to get knocked-down, it’s a sin to stay down.” During the award presentation, Mr. Brashear said, “Although the Brashear Foundation has yet to establish an award for the wives who support Navy Divers, BU1 Hawthorne informed me I would be remiss if I failed to mention the extraordinary efforts of his wife Erin, without whose support, he would be adrift and unable to continue in his chosen career.” The ceremony concluded with the traditional reading of the citation and presentation of a custom made paddle reflecting BU1 Hawthorne’s diving career.