NORFOLK, Va. - Lt. Alora Horne, a native of Napa, California, 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 |
Horne graduated from St. Helena High School in 2011 and Brigham Young University-Hawaii in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Napa.
“I definitely learned time management and the value of volunteering growing up in Napa, and those things have been very beneficial,” Horne said. "Knowing how to interact with people is invaluable. You cannot communicate enough with your sailors, and you must know how to communicate in the right way."
Horne joined the Navy six years ago. Today, Horne serves as the stock control officer.
“I joined the Navy to serve my country and carry on the family tradition of my father, who served in the Navy,” Horne said. "I have no regrets about joining. I have visited five different countries, and I also met my husband. I could not ask for more."
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.
Horne has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest accomplishment has been making it through my first tour as a department head on the Ohio-class cruise missile submarine USS Georgia,” Horne said. "I was a brand new ensign, and it was challenging and required me to learn very fast."
Horne 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 making sure I take care of my Sailors and keeping the ship operational,” Horne said. "In supply, we are responsible for feeding the crew and making sure they have the materials necessary to complete their jobs. We are directly responsible for the morale of the crew."
Horne is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my twin sister, Kayla, and my parents, Joel and Cynthia, for supporting me through my six moves in the Navy and always believing in me,” Horne added. "I especially want to thank my husband, Taylor Parra, who is currently serving as a helicopter pilot instructor with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 3 in San Diego. He has always been so supportive of me working on my qualifications and doing the best job I can."
“I am currently working as the "dog boss" for Lt. Cmdr. Fathom, our expeditionary facility dog, who helps with our crew's morale. He is trained to detect stress and be an emotional support animal. He’s trained to be transported on helicopters and even open doors,” Horne said. "As the lead handler, he goes home with me and sleeps in my stateroom underway. I am responsible for keeping him fit and healthy, and I'm trained in canine first aid. It has been the most rewarding experience working with Fathom. Sailors come up to me all the time saying how impactful he has been in their lives. He is two and a half years old and a fox red Labrador Retriever. He technically belongs to Mutts with a Mission, but in the hearts of our Sailors, he is ours.”