NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Bender, a native of Portsmouth, Ohio, 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 |
Bender graduated from Portsmouth High School in 2010 and The University of Southern New Hampshire with a degree in digital photography in 2024.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Portsmouth.
“I learned early on to be humble because growing up in a small town with not a lot to offer teaches you to appreciate things,” Bender said. "I have grown to appreciate even more what the Navy has given me as now I have my own family, and I understand better what is most important in life."
Bender joined the Navy 14 years ago. Today, Bender serves as a master-at-arms.
“I joined the Navy to better myself and make a decent living,” Bender said. "There was really nothing going for me, and my classmates growing up and I had no idea what we wanted to do.”
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.
Bender has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest accomplishment has been gaining more leadership experience and knowledge so that I can help people out in their careers and life accomplishments,” Bender said.
Bender 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 have to give back to my family and the country because the Navy has given so much to me,” Bender said. "Knowing how proud my family is of me and that I can provide a good life for them is what it is all about."
Bender is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my wife, Kristin, for being a great mom to our daughter and supporting me,” Bender said. "I want to thank my mother, Debbie, and my dad, Robert, for providing me the life lessons I needed to better myself."
“My goal at this point is to continue to be financially stable and provide for my family and eventually retire from the Navy,” Bender added.