Skelton, Yescas Named U.S. Naval War College Sailors of the Year

Operations Specialist 1st Class Trevor Skelton and Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Gaston Yescas were named the U.S. Naval War College's Senior Sailor of the Year and Junior Sailor of the Year, respectively, on Oct. 30, 2025.

"We have so many great, high-achieving sailors at the U.S. Naval War College who are indispensable to our ongoing efforts to train warfighters and the next generation of military leaders," said NWC President Rear Adm. Darryl Walker. "The competition for these honors was stiff. Petty Officer Yescas and Petty Officer Skelton truly stood out not only for their professional expertise, but for their leadership and ability to take ownership of workloads so integral to the successful operation of this institution. I'm proud to recognize them as our Sailors of the Year."

Skelton reported in March of 2023 to the Naval War College (NWC), where he is currently the Departmental Leading Petty Office (DLPO), active in the Command Resiliency Team and Sailor 360 Boat Team 1, and serves as the First Class Petty Officers' Association president.

He was recognized as Senior Sailor of the Year for demonstrating exceptional leadership and - management acumen by leading five Leading Petty Officers (LPOs) and a diverse team of 41 sailors - and coordinating with senior game directors, staff and faculty - to drive the execution of a number of high-visibility events at the NWC crucial to warfighter development, including 10 Chief of Naval Operations-directed wargames.

Skelton, a native of Thermopolis, Wyoming, previously served aboard the first-in-class amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) during multiple deployments to the Middle East, as well as the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Ramage (DDG 61), USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) and USS Ross (DDG 71).

Yescas, a native of Tuscon, Arizona, serves as the NWC clinic manager, a role in which he oversees the health and wellness of more than 1,200 beneficiaries through acute care visits, telecon appointments, and medical readiness training.

As the general duty corpsman, he managed 330 periodic health assessments and 40 operational suitability screenings for the war college, ensuring no interruptions in warfighting readiness and deployability. He also coordinated four blood drives, resulting in 160 pints of blood collected and contributing to an estimated 492 lives saved.

Before reporting to the war college, he served at U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka in Japan; with the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment in Twentynine Palms, California, and Marine Rotational Force-Darwin, Australia; and through a deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan.

"Both of these men have gone above and beyond throughout their careers and have continued that exemplary work here at the war college," Walker said. "We couldn't accomplish our mission without the work that they and their talented shipmates do."

Established in 1884, NWC informs today's decision-makers and educates tomorrow's leaders by providing educational experiences and learning opportunities that develop their ability to anticipate and prepare strategically for the future, strengthen the foundations of peace, and create a decisive warfighting advantage.