Laboe Memorial: Best Boatswain 2022 honoured

On 27 June 2023, the President of the German Navy Association presented the award for the best boatswain 2022 in Laboe.

Every year, the Best Boatswain's Mate is awarded to the NCO candidate who has demonstrated outstanding performance. This includes not only very good academic performance, but also strength of character, team spirit and leadership qualities. Chief Petty Officer BA Yannic Maiwald and Boatswain's Mate Florian Siedler were able to hold their own in all of these areas and achieved an impressive final grade of 1.32. This was a very special achievement this year, as they were so similar in their performance that they were both awarded the title of "Best Boatswain of the Year". At the beginning of the event, the commander of the Naval NCO School, Captain z.S. Klaus Heermeier, spoke about the traditional significance of the golden boatswain's pipe. "You are the backbone of the Navy and the mediator between superiors and subordinates," emphasised Thomas Hitschler, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Defence, in his speech. "You are role models in the fulfilment of your job - if you know the "why" you can find almost any "how"!" Hitschler concluded with the words: "Hardly any other place symbolises the dangers of serving in the Navy more vividly than the Naval Memorial. I thank you for your willingness to stand up for the values of the West and to preserve freedom and security in the Federal Republic of Germany".

The laudatory speech for the award winners was held by the oldest member of the NCO corps of the MUS Plön, Chief Petty Officer Thomas Kahle. The President of the German Navy Association honoured the two best boatswains of the MUS of 2022 for their achievements with the golden boatswain's pipe. "It has already become a good tradition for the Naval NCO School and the DMB to honour the "Best Boatswain's Mate" every year around the German Navy's birthday. With this award, the German Naval Association wants to symbolically honour and appreciate the extraordinary achievements and high level of commitment of the men and women of the German Navy in their demanding and dangerous service," said Maurus, before presenting the two award winners with their golden boatswain's pipe and a certificate in the presence of numerous guests of honour, including the President of the State Parliament, Kristina Herbst.

Siedler, a 27-year-old boatswain, chose a career as a German Navy mine diver because of his passion for sport and adventure. He already passed his mates' course as the best of the year and is now a trained mine diver boatswain in the naval battalion in Eckernförde. At the age of 24, Chief Petty Officer Maiwald impressed both theoretically and practically with his strength and leadership qualities during his training at the Naval NCO School in Plön. Following his specialised training, he will be deployed as a military intelligence boatswain in the naval battalion in Eckernförde.

The Deutscher Marinebund e.V. wishes Chief Petty Officer Maiwald and Boatswain Siedler every soldier's happiness and a safe return from their missions. With around 10,000 members in approximately 250 member organisations, the German Naval Association is the largest maritime interest group in Germany. The DMB provides a forum for all people connected with the sea and seafaring. It is aimed at anyone who is enthusiastic about ships and seafaring or interested in topics such as marine environmental protection or the maritime economy. In close co-operation with the navy and merchant shipping, the DMB also promotes all areas of German seafaring and provides information throughout Germany about the importance and necessity of seafaring for the Federal Republic. The DMB participates in the discussion of current maritime issues in a neutral party-political manner and is the point of contact for maritime decision-makers in our society.

Photos: Michael Nitz