African-American Becomes Top Officer at Naval Station Great Lakes
Nearly three decades ago, Stephen C. Evans simply wanted to get a good education and prepare for law school as a student at The Citadel military school in South Carolina.
Evans dreams of becoming a lawyer, however, changed when one of his professors steered him to the military because of good grades.
His long stint in the armed services paid off. Last month, Evans became one of the highest ranking African-Americans in the U.S. Navy when he was appointed to Rear Admiral – the equivalent of an Army general.
As commander of the Naval Service Training Command, Evans is the highest ranking officer at Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago, Ill.
“It is an honor to serve under Rear Admiral Evan’s flag,” said Capt. Heedong Choi, Naval Service Training Command chief of staff. “He is a leader who is invested in Naval Service Training Command’s mission and genuinely cares about its people.”
Evans now oversees 98 percent of the nation’s Navy recruits.
He replaces Rear Adm. Richard A. Brown.
“I have been very fortunate,” said Evans, 51. “It has really helped shape me... I have been able to perform at a level that has allowed me to move up… It has given me opportunities. . . to take on challenges.”
Evans starts his job as recent news reports have scrutinized the U.S. military for the number of blacks serving as top officers and other high profile jobs.
Blacks are 18.5 percent of the enlisted troops but only 9.4 percent of the officer corps. Key jobs in the Army and the Air Force are largely staffed by white officers, according to USA Today.
Among the elite force of Navy SEALs, just about 2% of its more than 2,000 members are black, according to the newspaper.
Evans, himself, joins 15 black admirals out of 162 overall officers with such jobs. He is the second black to hold his post in North Chicago, the first being Rear Admiral Mack C. Gaston, who was commander there from 1992-1995.
Evans said he uses his position to speak to groups about the opportunities the military provided for his life.
Evans also said that the Navy is especially attractive for people interested in high tech careers, adding that many of the operations of the Navy are highly technical systems.
He said it also allows young adults to travel to the globe.
“I have been to almost every continent in the world,” he said.
Evans first exposure to the military comes from his father, John Evans, a retired master sergeant in the U.S. Marines.
After graduating from the Citidal, which about half of its graduates head to the military, Evans said he planned to serve just a few years in the Navy.
But the South Carolina native said he had good experiences in the armed forces.
Evans had several sea tours, including as commodore, DESRON-50 where he commanded Combined Task Force 55 (Middle East Force) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Combined Task Force 152.
Evans, who has a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College, also had a variety of top jobs on land.
He has served as chairman of the admissions board at the U.S. Naval Academy and his last post was senior military assistant to the 75th Secretary of the Navy.
His awards include, the Legion of Merit with two gold stars, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with four gold stars, the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Gold Star and the Article 5 NATO medal.
Latest Stories
- Treasurer Pappas urges homeowners to pay late taxes and avoid Annual Tax Sale as 23,270 owe less than $1,000
- Stay Safe from Holiday Scams
- Roseland Community Hospital Gives Back To The Community
- AT THREE-YEAR MARK, WELLNESS WEST PUBLISHES PAPERS ABOUT CLOSING HEALTH EQUITY GAP ON CHICAGO’S WEST SIDE
- Couple hosts first Black Men Buy Houses event in Atlanta
Latest Podcast
Peggy Riggins
