CHERRY POINT, N.C. (WITN) -A big employer here in Eastern Carolina is once again recognized for being a safe place to work.

Fleet Readiness Center East was named the 2023 winner of Chief of Naval Operations Safety “S” award. The honor takes into account aviation mishap rates, flight exposure, operational risk management readiness, and the overall strength of the command’s safety management system.

This makes the seventy times FRC East has received the award, with the last time being in 2013.

In 2023, the depot used almost 670,000 labor hours for aircraft maintenance and returned to the fleet 62 aircraft, 67 engines, and more than 11,000 components.

FRC East has more than 4,000 employees with an annual revenue that exceeds $1 billion.