Groton —  Instructors Sonar Technician 1st Class Wesley Martens and Electronics Technician 1st Class Eugenius Paule made history as part of Naval Submarine School's centennial by becoming the first two staff sailors meritoriously advanced under a recently expanded Navy advancement program.

As of April, the Navy's 2016 Meritorious Advancement Program  expanded commanding officers' authority to recognize superior performance and advance their very best sailors. The changes were based on recommendations from senior enlisted leaders throughout the fleet and expanded program eligibility to include, for the first time, shore commands.

Martens was momentarily speechless with surprise when he realized why he and Paule were requested "front and center" by Capt. Aaron Thieme, commanding officer of sub school, at a recent school house awards ceremony.

"I was there to help celebrate a shipmate who'd been nominated as a Sailor of the Quarter," Martens offered with a smile. "And then, I was at attention listening as my advancement orders were being read and Captain Thieme was shaking my hand!

"This is a huge honor! I've been acquiring the leadership skills I use on a daily basis every day I've been in the Navy to better assist my students in accomplishing their goals but my advancement formalizes the process and challenges me to work even harder to fulfill the promise the command sees in me."

Paule was, in his own words, "beyond delighted" and impressed by the command's faith in his abilities.

"There are a lot of very deserving sailors with whom I work who could have been selected for meritorious advancement so I need to demonstrate every day selecting me was the right decision. It means so much that there are people in the Navy who see what you do and who recognize your hard work.

"I'm honored to be singled out and even more committed than ever to helping my students become as successful in their efforts as I have been in mine."