A 2008 Daniel Boone High School graduate and Johnson City, Tennessee, native is serving aboard the future USS Tulsa, a littoral combat ship homeported in San Diego.
Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan Ramsey is a culinary specialist responsible for the great tasting, wholesome food served onboard. He is also tasked with ordering all of the food for the ship, keeping everything fresh and replenished.“I enjoy the camaraderie and brotherhood that is created while serving on a ship,” said Ramsey. “You will meet some of the best people of your life while in the service. Nothing beats when the crew likes what we cook for them and they compliment us on it.”
Tulsa is an Independence variant littoral combat ship - a resilient and flexible warship, designed from the keel up to affordably take on new capabilities – from advanced core weapons systems to the latest in trimaran hull design and propulsion systems. Its speed, strength and versatility make it a critical tool to help our Sailors achieve the mission.
Littoral combat ships are a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, while capable of open-ocean tasking, and win against 21st-century coastal threats such as submarines, mines, and swarming small craft.
Sailors’ jobs are highly varied aboard Tulsa. Increased automation equals a smaller crew. In the case of LCS 16, that is a core of 70 men and women who keep all parts of the ship running smoothly. Minimally manned crews place high demands on sailors. Each crew member performs a number of tasks outside of their traditional job or area of expertise.
“On any given day Tulsa sailors are asked to perform the duties of two or more Sailors on any other surface ship,” said Cmdr. Drew Borovies, the future USS Tulsa’s commanding officer. “Tulsa’s successes to date are a testament to her sailors’ in depth technical training, willingness to put in long hours to get the job done, and commitment to taking care of their ship and each other. They truly are the best that the Surface Navy has to offer!”
As a crew member aboard one of the U.S. Navy’s high-tech littoral combat ships ships, Ramsey and other Tulsa sailors are proud to be part of a warfighting team.
“Serving in the Navy means protecting the land of the free,” said Ramsey. “This lifestyle allows me to put a roof over my family’s head and allows me to support them.”
Tulsa is the fifteenth littoral combat ship to enter the fleet and the eighth of the Independence variant. It will be the second ship to be named to honor the city and citizens of Tulsa – Oklahoma’s second largest city. During its February 16, 2019 commissioning ceremony in San Francisco, the warship will be officially placed into active service. The ceremony includes “bringing the ship to life” and other orders rooted in centuries old naval tradition.
For information about the commissioning ceremony, visit https://www.usstulsa.org/.