NORFOLK, Va. - Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Hilgendorf, a native of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, 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 |
Hilgendorf graduated in 2017 from Reedsburg Area High School.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Reedsburg.
“My hometown in Reedsburg taught me how to work hard,” said Hilgendorf. "I grew up in a small town and have had a paying job when I was 12. If you are a hard worker, you can do anything. Having a hard work ethic translates very well into the Navy and it has helped me succeed.”
Hilgendorf joined the Navy four years ago. Today, Hilgendorf serves as a mass communication specialist.
“I joined the Navy to pay for college and because my father started his military career in the Navy before retiring from the Army,” said Hilgendorf. "My brother also joined the Navy around the same time as me. He is an electrician's mate and has also been in for four years. We are just a military 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 Hilgendorf 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 Navy is significant to national defense because we can get an airport anywhere in the world in 96 hours,” said Hilgendorf. "This greatly impacts our troops on the ground. For example, in 2021 we were overseas and able to send in aircraft into Afghanistan to help protect the troops as they withdrew out of the country."
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.
Hilgendorf has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“One of my greatest accomplishments so far was making the rank of petty officer second class in less than two and a half years,” said Hilgendorf. "I did that by utilizing my hard work ethic and by studying a lot. I passed the exam with flying colors which just goes to show that hard work pays off and it will take you far in life.”
As Hilgendorf and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the U.S. Navy.
“I have a lot of pride in my choice to join the Navy and I love to carry on the family tradition,” said Hilgendorf. "Both my grandfathers, my dad and my brother are in the military. I see that they had a satisfying life with valuable experiences and perspective so I want that for my own life."
Hilgendorf is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.“I really want to thank my parents for always supporting me in whatever decisions I have to make,” added Hilgendorf. "I know I have a home to go back to and that is a huge blessing."