NORFOLK, Va. - Airman Samuel Healey, a native of Ocala, Florida, is one of more than 5,000 sailors serving aboard the self-contained mobile airport, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jereome Fjeld, Navy Office of Community Outreach |
Healey graduated in 2018 from West Port High School.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Ocala.
“My job and the people I worked with in Ocala taught me a lot about leadership and management,” said Healey. “Growing up in Ocala gave me a good work ethic and the emotional intelligence to fortify that work ethic. This allows me to be effective at my job in the military."
Healey joined the Navy one year ago. Today, Healey serves as an air traffic controller.
“I joined the Navy to better myself,” said Healey. "Being in the Navy allows me to better protect and provide for my family."
Aircraft carriers are the centerpiece of America’s Naval forces. For more than 100 years, they have projected power, sustained sea control, bolstered deterrence, provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and maintained enduring commitments worldwide.
According to Navy officials, aircraft carriers are versatile and have unique mission capabilities that make them a more strategic asset for the Navy than fixed-site bases. They are often the first response in a global crisis because of their ability to operate freely in international waters anywhere in the world. In addition, no other weapon system can deploy and operate forward with a full-sized, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier’s speed, endurance, agility and the combat capability of its air wing.
“Mighty IKE” is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, one of only four five-star U.S. Army generals and a hero of World War II who would later serve as the 34th president of the United States. Homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, the carrier is longer than three football fields at 1,092 feet. The ship is 252 feet wide and weighs more than 100,000 tons.
This year commemorates 50 years of women flying in the U.S. Navy. In 1973, the first eight women began flight school in Pensacola, Florida. Six of them, known as “The First Six,” earned their “Wings of Gold” one year later. Over the past 50 years, the Navy has expanded its roles for women to lead and serve globally, and today women aviators project power from the sea in every type of Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aircraft. According to Navy officials, our nation and our Navy are stronger because of their service.
Serving in the Navy means Healey is part of a team that is taking on new importance in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.
“The U.S. Navy is a huge show of force, especially if you look at just the sheer operation of any ship,” said Healey. “They pack a lot of firepower to aid in national defense.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to trained sailors and a strong Navy.
Healey has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I've only been in the Navy for 11 months but the proudest moments I have had are the small moments that have allowed me to better myself,” said Healey. “This is important to me because I want to use those moments to help better the sailors around me. My personal goal is to be impactful to as many people as possible. I’m not looking to change the whole world but if I engage with five people, then those people can impact five other people and by the end, so many people are changed for the better. This all starts with making sure I am squared away and my small experience so far is building up to that.”
As Healey and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the U.S. Navy.
“I am definitely proud of what I do in the Navy,” said Healey. “As much as the Navy gives me a way to protect and provide for my family, it also provides and protects me.
Healey is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.“I want to thank my wife, Rachael Healey, for everything she has done for me,” added Healey. “It was a big decision for me to join the Navy, which means it was also a big decision for her. Having that support system and good communication with her has made it easier for me and allows me to not have to worry as much about my home life. I also want to thank my mom, Joann Lovegrove, who is absolutely my best friend. When my mom was younger, she actually wanted to join the Navy as a corpsman but was persuaded to become a civilian nurse instead. I was able to take the leap of faith that she was unable to take, and she has been so excited for me. She is supportive and has been paramount in keeping up communication between me and my other family members. She does so much that there is not enough time in the day to talk about it all.”