SAN DIEGO - Seaman Adan Lopez, a native of Anaheim, California, serves aboard USS Abraham Lincoln, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier operating out of San Diego, California.
Lopez graduated from Magnolia High School in 2023.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Anaheim.
“Growing up, I learned how to remain detail-oriented because my family always emphasized the importance of paying attention to details,” Lopez said. “In order to remain on schedule in a busy city, you have to stick to a tight schedule. The military is a very detail-oriented organization and I found myself seamlessly adapting to the lifestyle."
Lopez joined the Navy one year ago. Today, Lopez serves as an aviation boatswain's mate (handling).
“I joined the Navy to help my dad and my family,” Lopez said. "After a senior year, I wasn't sure what direction I wanted to go but recruiters came in and I found myself aligned with them. My dad did everything for me and my family and the Navy provided the opportunity to make him proud and support him."
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 on the world’s oceans. In addition, no other weapon system can deploy and operate forward with a full-sized aircraft carrier’s speed, endurance, agility and combat capability of its air wing.
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.
Lopez has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am most proud of coming back from a long deployment with qualifications,” Lopez said. "It was an intense deployment and I am proud of my ability to remain determined throughout it.”
Lopez serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation's prosperity and security.
“Only 1% of the United States serve in the military,” Lopez said. "To be part of the 1%who served is an honor of a lifetime. As the first in my family to join, I am proud of the contributions I have made for this country and my family. The Navy has been demanding but it has provided me opportunities I wouldn't have had anywhere else. From getting to have milk tea in Malaysia, to having best friends stationed across the world, I have experiences unlike any other."
Lopez is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank everybody,” Lopez added. "Every person I have met has helped guide me to this moment. From my family to my peers, I have the support and resources through them to be successful."