The honor was bestowed on Master Chief Petty Officer Carl Brashear, the first African-American to earn the rank of Master Diver in the U.S. Navy and also the first amputee restored to full diving duty in it's history. The late Master Chief's life was portrayed in the critically acclaimed film, "Men of Honor", in 2000.

The sponsor of the USNS Carl Brashear is Lauren Brashear. Lauren is the eldest granddaughter of Carl Brashear . Lauren currently attends Essex County College in Newark, New Jersey majoring in Criminal Justice. 

Carl Brashear's sons DaWayne (Lauren's father) and Phillip were on hand to witness the historic event along with other family members, including cousin Ron Brashear, the President of Youth of Honor. It is Ron's hope that youth around the world will be inspired by his uncle's story of courage, honor and tenacity.

Following the passing of their father in 2006, DaWayne and Phillip Brashear founded the Carl M. Brashear Foundation, to honor their father's legacy. The initial goal of the foundation is to garner the necessary support to build quality exhibits for a number of prominent museums. To learn more about these efforts and the individual and corporate support opportunities available, we encourage you to visit www.carlbrashear.org.  It is the hope of the Brashear family that Carl's legacy of courage continues to inspire others.