Military leaders from Naval Air Station Meridian, members of the Mississippi Council of the Navy League and members of the community celebrated the volunteerism and community service of NAS Meridian sailors Tuesday as Petty Officer Teresa D. Ruiz was named the 2025 AC2 Whitney Powell Memorial Military Citizen of the Year.

 

Ruiz, who serves as an Electrician’s Mate First Class at the Naval Technical Training Center said it is an honor to be recognized. Volunteering, however, is not about accolades, she said, but instead driven by her belief that a strong community is crucial.

 

“When I started volunteering, recognition was never a thing I was looking for,” she said. “The thing that I truly believe is that the power of community is important. The acts of kindness and the impact that it has, and being able to serve the community that I now call home is very important to me.”

 

Throughout her time as a volunteer, Ruiz has been involved in a number of projects and organizations throughout Meridian and Lauderdale County including the Love and Peas Community Garden, Care Lodge, Multi-County Community Service Agency, Merrehope, several City of Meridian events, the Northeast Lauderdale High School Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, the Highway 39 cleanup effort and more. Her favorite project, however, is three weekends spent building custom raised planter beds that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“It took us about 40 hours of building these raised beds, and it was definitely more of a team building exercise for myself and my team,” she said. “But at the end of the day, we know we did something great, and I know that the schools are taking advantage of those raised beds.”

 

Also nominated for the award was Petty Officer Molly M. Tice, who serves as a Mass Communications Specialist on board NAS Meridian. Tice has volunteered for the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, Armed Forces Day 5k and Tunnel to Towers 5K, as well as the East Mississippi Veterans Foundations, Threefoot Festival, Mississippi Children’s Museum and Northeast Lauderdale Middle and Elementary schools.

 

Of her volunteer projects, Tice said the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, held annually in the Arts District Parking Garage in Downtown Meridian, stands out due to the runners, walkers, first responders and more who signed up to take part.

 

“It was just awesome to see the community come out all together in support of all those who came before us and risked their lives for the victims of 9/11,” she said.

 

Being nominated for the annual Military Citizen of the Year Award is in itself a big honor, Tice said, and not something she was expecting.

 

“I am extremely excited just to have been recognized in the award process,” she said.

 

Capt. Luke Davis, commanding officer on board NAS Meridian, said sailors are encouraged to be active in the community and volunteer their time while serving at the installation. Over the past year, he said, sailors volunteered a total 4,091 hours across a variety of causes.

 

AC2 Whitney Powell, for whom the Military Citizen of the Year Award is named, came to NAS Meridian in April 2009 and quickly became involved in the local community. In addition to her duties as an Air Traffic Controller Second Class, she volunteered with Wesley House, Calvary Chapel and Lauderdale County Emergency Management Agency, was a founder of NAS Meridian’s Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions and more.

 

On Feb. 5, 2013, Powell was injured in a car accident on Highway 39 and died two days later on Feb. 7.

 

Following Powell’s death, the Military Citizen of the Year Award was renamed in her honor and is awarded to one service member from NAS Meridian who exemplifies the spirit of service and dedication to the community.