By Alexandria Williams, Navy Office of Community Outreach
MILLINGTON, Tenn. – U.S. Navy sailors from across the fleet are headed to Alaska for Anchorage Navy Week, June 16 to 22, to volunteer in the community and discuss why the Navy matters to the Land of the Midnight Sun.
MILLINGTON, Tenn. – U.S. Navy sailors from across the fleet are headed to Alaska for Anchorage Navy Week, June 16 to 22, to volunteer in the community and discuss why the Navy matters to the Land of the Midnight Sun.
While many of the sailors are from all over the country, this Navy Week will carry special meaning for visiting sailors from the area, including Cmdr. Ryan Andrews, who was born in Wasilla, Alaska, and lived there until age 9.
Andrews graduated from Redmond High School in 1999. Additionally, Andrews earned an associate degree in integrated studies at Cascadia College in 2007 and a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from the University of Washington in 2009.
Upon joining the Navy, Andrews quickly found that many of the skills and values forged in Wasilla were the same as those needed to succeed in the Navy.
“I’ve moved so much during my life that I consider Redmond and Wasilla both my hometowns,” Andrews said. “From Redmond, I learned the importance of work and making connections to other people. In Alaska, my family and I spent a lot of time outdoors, both at home and camping on the weekends at Lake Eklutna.”
Andrews notes that the Alaska environment influenced the person they are today.
“The Alaska landscape, especially the pure beauty and wildness of it, fostered a sense of connection to the environment and wilderness which stays with me to this day,” Andrews said. “More often than not, the place I feel most at home is somewhere outside, preferably a place with snow-capped mountains and tall trees. I share the love for the outdoors with my children by taking them camping and on easy hikes, something my wife and I have been doing since they were infants.”
Andrews, who has served in the Navy for 22 years, serves as the executive officer of Pre-Commissioning Unit Ted Stevens, a planned Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer.
“I originally joined the Navy to travel and to have money for college,” Andrews said. “I come from a family of six kids, and the Navy afforded me opportunities that I wouldn't have had otherwise. I re-joined in 2009 as an officer because I missed the camaraderie, travel and sense of adventure.”
Andrews is part of the first Navy Week to be hosted by Anchorage. Navy Weeks are a series of outreach events coordinated by the Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO) designed to give Americans an opportunity to learn about the Navy, its people, and its importance to national security and prosperity.
“Navy Weeks give me a chance to interact with people that I wouldn't otherwise be able to meet,” Andrews said. “I can talk to them about what the Navy does and why it is important for our nation. It also gives me a chance to connect with fellow Alaskans and to tell them about the opportunities the Navy has for them.”
As the executive officer, Andrews is part of the leadership triad for that command.
“I am the second in command of a warship that is under construction,” Andrews said. “I’m responsible for the day-to-day operations of the command. A big part of my job is being a mentor to crewmembers and helping them become better officers and leaders. Every day is something different, I love the variety of the job and the ability to help others.”
Andrews has had many opportunities to excel in the Navy and sees military service as more than just a job – it represents a chance to become a better person.
“I am most proud of being a part of incredible teams during my career who have overcome obstacles to achieve whatever mission we were assigned,” Andrews said. “One of the best teams was aboard the USS Antietam when we completed an eight-month deployment to the western Pacific during the COVID pandemic. We came together and forged a very strong team that accomplished the mission and had such high morale despite the adversity we faced.”
Andrews is grateful for the Everett community and for those who helped make a Navy career possible.
“I’d like to thank my parents, Kim and George,” added Andrews. “I’d also like to thank my fourth-grade teacher in Washington, Jill Keeney, and my kindergarten teacher, Judy Reeder, in Alaska. Those two teachers had a big impact on me, and I still think of them today.”
Since 2005, the Navy Week program has served as the Navy’s flagship outreach effort into areas of the country without a significant Navy presence, providing the public a firsthand look at why the Navy matters to cities like Anchorage.
“Sailors are the reason America’s Navy is the most powerful in the world,” said Cmdr. Julie Holland, NAVCO’s director. “We are thrilled to bring your Navy warfighters to Anchorage Navy Week. At Navy Weeks, Americans will connect with sailors who have strong character, competence, and dedication to the mission, and who continue a 250-year tradition of decisive power from seabed to cyberspace.”
Anchorage Navy Week events include Navy activities at the Chinooks vs. Miners baseball game in Chugiak, the Mayor’s Marathon and Kids Mile, Slam’n Salm’n Derby Kids Fishing Day and downtown Summer Solstice festivities. Sailors will also volunteer with organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club, Food Bank of Alaska, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, VOA Alaska, Youth Employment in the Parks, Anchorage VA and summer programs with Anchorage Public Libraries, Campfire Alaska, Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts.
For a list of public events, visit https://outreach.navy.mil/Navy-Weeks/Anchorage-2025