NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Petty Officer 3rd Class Lucas St. Louis, a native of Dracut, Massachusetts, serves aboard USS John C. Stennis, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier operating out of Newport News, Virginia. Aircraft carriers are among the largest warships in the world.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alexander Morneau, Navy Public Affairs Support Element East |
St. Louis graduated from Dracut Senior High School in 2021.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Dracut.
“The biggest lesson I learned growing up is perseverance,” St. Louis said. "Yes, times get tough, but you have to keep pushing through. To be successful in the Navy, you have to be able to keep trying."
St. Louis joined the Navy three years ago. Today, St. Louis serves as a machinist's mate.
“I joined because college wasn't the right thing for me at that time, and the Navy seemed like a good place to get the education I wanted and to learn skills I could use in the civilian world,” St. Louis said.
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. USS John C. Stennis is longer than three football fields at 1,092 feet. The ship is 252 feet wide and weighs more than 100,000 tons. More than 5,000 sailors serve aboard these self-contained mobile airports.
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.
St. Louis has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest accomplishment is that I've found I can keep pushing myself on to the next challenge and I want that challenge to be bigger and tougher,” St. Louis said.
St. Louis 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 means I can help a lot of people, including the Navy and myself,” St. Louis said. "Thanks to the Navy, I've gotten to do many things I wouldn't have. The Navy means opportunity, and it's up to me to make the most of them."
St. Louis is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my chiefs and my work center supervisors on board Stennis who have always been so supportive of me,” St. Louis said. “I want to thank my parents who have helped get me to this point and for their continuing support."
“I am still on the fence about reenlisting for another term, but no matter what I decide, I want to maximize my service time,” St. Louis added.