NORFOLK, Va. - Petty Officer 3rd Class Sophony Durosene, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, serves aboard USS George H.W. Bush, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier operating out of Norfolk, Virginia.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Sylvie Carafiol Navy Public Affairs Support Element East |
Durosene graduated from Nova High School in 2022.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Fort Lauderdale.
“I learned early on to be kind and genuine and stay true to yourself,” Durosene said. "In the Navy, it has helped in getting along with people, and I've found people are a lot more open and willing to help you if you treat them with kindness and respect."
Durosene joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Durosene serves as an aviation ordnanceman.
“I joined the Navy to experience something completely new and different,” Durosene said. "I hope our upcoming deployment gives us the opportunity to hit some ports and experience new cultures."
Commissioned in 2009, the aircraft carrier is named for George H.W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States and a former naval aviator. The ship was the first aircraft carrier to have its namesake participate in its christening.
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.
The Navy’s aircraft carriers are among the largest warships in the world. Bush 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.
Durosene has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest accomplishment has been being selected for Blue Jacket of the Quarter in January of this year,” Durosene said. "It meant the world to me that my chain of command recognized the work I put in."
Durosene 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 am part of something bigger than myself, and I have a lot more responsibility at my age than I thought I would,” Durosene said. "Serving is a stepping stone to being a better version of myself."
Durosene is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my mom, Philomene, for being there for me and giving me advice and comfort,” Durosene added. "She has guided me and helped me grow so much. I can't thank her enough. I also want to thank my mentors, Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Tiffany Dixon and Logistics Specialist 1st Class Nina Aikins, for always helping me when I needed it and providing some much-needed guidance. Their words of wisdom and life lessons have been so important, especially how they get me to look at the bigger picture in any given situation."
“I have started pursuing my educational goals of earning a nursing degree, and nothing is going to stop me from achieving that milestone,” Durosene said.