Seaman Alexus Bitter Earns Military Excellence Award
by U.S. Navy Marc Lindsay
Recruit Training Command
November 14, 2026

Seaman Alexus Bitter (34) graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command (RTC) Great Lakes, earning the Military Excellence Award (MEA) on October 29, 2026.

She came to boot camp with a modest goal ... to leave a little better than she arrived. She departs as the top recruit in her training group, and she could hardly believe it.

“At first I was in absolute shock. I honestly couldn’t believe they chose me,” Bitter said. “I came in just wanting to do my best and learn. As long as I came out a little better than I went in, I’d be satisfied. Being older than most, I found myself excited to push my limits a little more each day, and now I’m motivated to chase my idea of a successful Sailor as far as I can. My wish is for this to be a stepping stone that inspires my daughters to always try their best, to stay kind, stay humble and work hard, because success will always follow.”

The Military Excellence Award is presented to the recruit who best demonstrates enthusiasm, devotion to duty, military bearing and teamwork throughout training. As part of the recognition, recipients receive a flag letter of commendation.

Everything about Bitter’s decision to enlist came back to her two daughters.

“I joined mainly because things at home were becoming difficult, and I felt trapped and limited in the kind of life I could provide for my two daughters,” Bitter said. “Thinking about the future felt daunting. After doing my research, the Navy felt like the best opportunity to transform myself and provide the life I’d dreamed of for my kids. I wanted to make my daughters proud and show them you can achieve anything, no matter how scary the unknown is, as long as you’re willing to put in the hard work.”

At 34, Bitter was older than most of her division, and the person who helped her through the hardest days understood exactly where she was coming from.

“My biggest support in boot camp was Luna, a future hospital corpsman in my division and one of the few people my age, also with kids,” Bitter said. “We could relate on so many levels. On my hardest days I would go to her, and she’d be there with support or a laugh. It means the world to me. I’m so glad we ended up in the same division.”

The hardest part of training, she said, was the distance from her children, and the way it eased surprised her.

“The toughest part was the initial loneliness and missing my babies,” Bitter said. “Over time I got to know the people in my division, and we bonded over the hard days and over missing whatever we left behind to transform ourselves. I truly feel I’ve made a second family here. Graduation day is going to be bittersweet.”

The discipline that carried her through, she traced to a field she’d played on long before.

“The best preparation was playing softball when I was younger,” Bitter said. “I played up to the collegiate level, and the lessons of hard work, dedication and discipline I learned there are things I try to practice in everything I do.”

Her RDCs were Chief Petty Officer Robert Viloria, Petty Officer 1st Class Ibukun Ochoumare and Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua Kranz.

Following graduation, Bitter will report to Information Technician “A” school at Corry Station in Pensacola, Florida, for further training.

Training at RTC is approximately nine weeks long, and all enlistees in the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. More than 40,000 recruits train annually at the Navy’s only boot camp.

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