Naval Station Mayport, Fla. - A 2008 Beyer High School graduate and Modesto, California, native is serving aboard the future USS Wichita, a littoral combat ship homeported in Mayport, Florida.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Cravey is a mineman responsible for the repair and upkeep of the ship’s minesweeping gear and weapons systems.“I enjoy the fact that there is something new to learn and do every day, regardless of your job,” said Cravey. "I get to meet new people that you wouldn't get to meet or experience in my hometown."
Wichita is a Freedom variant littoral combat ship that is a resilient flexible warship, designed from the keel up to affordably take on new capabilities – from the most advanced sensors, to the latest missiles, to cutting-edge cyber 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.
Cravey has carried lessons learned from his hometown into his military service.
“Living in my hometown taught me a great deal of respect,” he said. "You may not like who you work with, but you need to respect who you work for."
The Surface Force is focused on providing lethal, ready, well-trained, and logistically supported surface forces to fight today and in the future. The highly professional men and women serving aboard USS Wichita are some of our nation’s best and brightest, and are typical of the talented Sailors on duty in our Navy around the world today. They are prepared to go into harm’s way, properly trained, and ready to carry out orders in defense of our nation’s freedom.
“Petty Officer Cravey works in the cutting edge of new technology,” said Cmdr. Nathan Rowan, Wichita’s commanding officer. “I say that to highlight the importance he has ensuring the latest instruments and vehicles we will use to do our mission will be effective with the new technology our adversaries possess. We depend on young, fresh innovative minds to ensure we can beat our foes, win and keep our Nation safe. Some of that falls squarely on the shoulders of Sailors like Petty Officer Cravey.”
Cravey has military ties with family members who have previously served and is honored to carry on the family tradition.
“My grandfather served in the Army, and I learned from him to stay consistent,” said Cravey. “When you start something, finish it and don’t be afraid to go out there and take care yourself and be a man.”
One of Cravey’s greatest accomplishments was achieving his enlisted surface warfare qualification, which is a career milestone signifying that a sailor has achieved a level of proficiency in surface ships and contributes to a command’s combat readiness.
“It was pretty tough,” Cravey said of his qualification. "Three months of hard studying and being mentored while doing my job at the same time was demanding, but rewarding at the same time."
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s high-tech and lethal surface combatant ships, Cravey and other Wichita sailors are proud to be part of a warfighting team.
“Serving in the military has meant a great deal to me,” said Smith. “I am contributing to something greater than myself."
The USS Wichita is the fourteenth littoral combat ship to enter the fleet and the seventh of the Freedom variant. It is the third Navy combat ship named after Wichita, the largest city in Kansas. The first USS Wichita (CA 45), a heavy cruiser, was commissioned in 1939 and served in World War II. The second, Wichita-class Replenishment Oiler (AOR-1) was commissioned in 1968 and served in the Vietnam War.
The warship will be officially placed into active service at a Jan. 12, 2019 commissioning ceremony at Naval Station Mayport, Florida – the ship’s assigned homeport. 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://usswichita.org/.