VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Chief Petty Officer Thamous Calais, a native of Lafayette, Louisiana, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Maritime Expeditionary Security Group (MESG) 2, part of the Navy’s expeditionary force.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marieliza Rosales Navy Public Affairs Support Element East |
Calais graduated from Northside High School in 1999. Additionally, Calais is working toward a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Southern New Hampshire University.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Lafayette.
“Learning how to prioritize things in my life helped me structure how I want my life to go and what I want to do,” Calais said. “It’s helped me see a lot of different avenues and ways I could progress and how I could excel in life and in the workforce. Coming out of high school, I went to college, but that didn’t really work out, so I started looking into the military.”
Calais joined the Navy 23 years ago. Today, Calais serves as a boatswain’s mate.
“I joined the Navy because I wanted to see the world,” Calais said. “I had a bunch of relatives who had been in the military, mostly in the Army. I wanted to try to do something different.”
MESG-2, headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, delivers the Navy’s front line of defense in coastal waters and ports around the globe. Its sailors are trained to patrol harbors, escort high-value ships, and guard maritime chokepoints where danger is most likely to appear. Whether operating from fast patrol craft or shoreside security positions, they ensure freedom of movement for U.S. and allied forces in contested environments.
MESG-2’s mission is built on vigilance and quiet strength. Their presence may not always make headlines, but their work underpins the safety of every operation that begins or ends at sea. In the littorals — where a small gap in security can have outsized consequences — MESG-2 stands as a constant, capable force, committed to keeping the Navy’s lifelines secure.
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.
Calais has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m most proud of picking up chief,” Calais said. “It was a hard task to accomplish. I’m also proud of having served for more than 20 years in the military and that I was awarded Sailor of the Year twice, in 2009 and 2016, at previous commands. It goes back to my family, to the work ethic they taught me and how they raised me. They worked hard, and I saw the fruits of their labor, which taught me to work hard and relay that mindset to the younger generation. Now I’m able to reap those benefits. They can see that I’ve been through similar challenges that they’re going through, and I can help them overcome.”
Calais 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 protecting my country and family,” Calais said. “It gives me the feeling that I’m actually accomplishing something and doing my due diligence in protecting my homefront.”
Calais is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my uncles, Wesley and Bernard,” Calais said. “Wesley was in the Navy and Bernard was in the Army during Vietnam. I learned a lot from both of them when I was younger. I also want to thank my wife, Nichole, for sticking with me through all of this. I know I’ve put her through a lot of stuff. Finally, I want to thank my recruiter, Ryan, who happens to be my wife’s cousin. He made me rethink what I could do in the military. I was set on going to college, but when I left school, he convinced me to try this route. The rest is history.”