SAN DIEGO – Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Ambrose, a native of Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida, serves the U.S. Navy at Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) 1, operating out of San Diego, California.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Joey Sitter, Navy Office of Community Outreach |
Ambrose graduated from Tavares High School in 2019.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Howey-in-the-Hills.
“My parents taught me to treat everybody with respect and to be a good person,” Ambrose said. “It definitely sets a good first step forward when you’re meeting new people, and it’s part of the career along with having a good military bearing. Being respectful as the first thing you’re doing sets a good first impression.”
Ambrose joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Ambrose serves as an engineering aide.
“I joined the Navy because I had issues getting a job,” Ambrose said. “I was going to technical school, but COVID messed things up. My brother is a hospital corpsman, so I already had access to the Navy with him. The Navy seemed like a safe bet and I knew I wanted to do construction.”
ACB-1’s primary mission is to provide logistics over-the-shore support for Amphibious Ready Group, Marine Expeditionary Force and Maritime Prepositioning Force operations, including ship-to-shore transportation of combat cargo, bulk fuel/water and tactical camp operations.
With a combination of Seabee and fleet rates, ACB-1 is skilled at offloading equipment through Improved Navy Lighterage System (INLS) operations, as well as providing camp support, perimeter defense, and limited construction support. Fleet rates qualify as craft masters and deck engineers and are proficient in operating and maintaining INLS. Seabee rates such as builders, steelworkers, electricians, equipment operators, construction mechanics and engineering aides provide construction services. Additional deployable Seabee units include Naval Mobile Construction Battalions, Construction Battalion Maintenance Units, and Underwater Construction Teams, which all make up the U.S. Naval Construction Forces.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
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 recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Ambrose has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My last deployment, we went to Gaza and we offloaded 2 to 4 million meals to people who were affected by that war,” Ambrose said. “I was doing a very small part of that, but being part of that had a big impact on me. We were able to see the impact of war first hand.”
Ambrose serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy is a part of a family history for me,” Ambrose said. “My grandfather was in the Navy for 35 years. He was a gunner’s mate, rose through the ranks to master chief and was commissioned to warrant officer 4, which was the highest he could go. My family’s history of being in the military is a big thing I like to think about sometimes, especially when it gets hard.”
Ambrose is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents, Heather and Simon Ambrose, for their support while I was in Bahrain for over a year,” Ambrose said. “Being halfway across the world for that amount of time was difficult, but they helped me get through it. I also want to thank my old lead petty officer, Engineering Aide 1st Class Zarate. He really put pen to paper when it came to leadership and caring about junior troops. He helped everyone, not just me but everyone, get through personal and professional issues. He was really hands-on.”
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Howey-in-the-Hills.
“My parents taught me to treat everybody with respect and to be a good person,” Ambrose said. “It definitely sets a good first step forward when you’re meeting new people, and it’s part of the career along with having a good military bearing. Being respectful as the first thing you’re doing sets a good first impression.”
Ambrose joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Ambrose serves as an engineering aide.
“I joined the Navy because I had issues getting a job,” Ambrose said. “I was going to technical school, but COVID messed things up. My brother is a hospital corpsman, so I already had access to the Navy with him. The Navy seemed like a safe bet and I knew I wanted to do construction.”
ACB-1’s primary mission is to provide logistics over-the-shore support for Amphibious Ready Group, Marine Expeditionary Force and Maritime Prepositioning Force operations, including ship-to-shore transportation of combat cargo, bulk fuel/water and tactical camp operations.
With a combination of Seabee and fleet rates, ACB-1 is skilled at offloading equipment through Improved Navy Lighterage System (INLS) operations, as well as providing camp support, perimeter defense, and limited construction support. Fleet rates qualify as craft masters and deck engineers and are proficient in operating and maintaining INLS. Seabee rates such as builders, steelworkers, electricians, equipment operators, construction mechanics and engineering aides provide construction services. Additional deployable Seabee units include Naval Mobile Construction Battalions, Construction Battalion Maintenance Units, and Underwater Construction Teams, which all make up the U.S. Naval Construction Forces.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
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 recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Ambrose has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My last deployment, we went to Gaza and we offloaded 2 to 4 million meals to people who were affected by that war,” Ambrose said. “I was doing a very small part of that, but being part of that had a big impact on me. We were able to see the impact of war first hand.”
Ambrose serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy is a part of a family history for me,” Ambrose said. “My grandfather was in the Navy for 35 years. He was a gunner’s mate, rose through the ranks to master chief and was commissioned to warrant officer 4, which was the highest he could go. My family’s history of being in the military is a big thing I like to think about sometimes, especially when it gets hard.”
Ambrose is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents, Heather and Simon Ambrose, for their support while I was in Bahrain for over a year,” Ambrose said. “Being halfway across the world for that amount of time was difficult, but they helped me get through it. I also want to thank my old lead petty officer, Engineering Aide 1st Class Zarate. He really put pen to paper when it came to leadership and caring about junior troops. He helped everyone, not just me but everyone, get through personal and professional issues. He was really hands-on.”