SAN DIEGO – Petty Officer 2nd Class Serrico Flowers, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, wanted to pursue military service.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown |
“I wanted to do something different that would impact not only myself and my community, but the country as well,” said Flowers.
Now, four years later, Flowers is currently stationed in San Diego at the Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC).
Flowers, a 2008 graduate of Lugoff-Elgin, is an electronics technician at the training center located in San Diego.
“I provide IT supprt for the command,” said Flowers.
Flowers credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Columbia.
“I learned to see each day as a new opportunity to make a difference,” said Flowers. “Not being focused on all the issues of yesterday, but going in with a clear mind and being ready to take on the challenges.”
SMWDC exists to increase the lethality and tactical proficiency of the Navy’s surface force. The command’s headquarters is located at Naval Base San Diego with four divisions spread across Virginia and California. The command is focused on anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, as well as integrated air and missile defense.
SMWDC conducts training and tactical level warfighting assessments to create a culture of tactical excellence by design.
There are many reasons to be proud of naval service, and Flowers is most proud of being able to succesfully troubleshoot an external communication sytem by himself, and being able to convey the entire process to his chain of command.
“It allowed me to take everything I learned from my mentor, apply it the the knowledge I gained on my own and properly convey it,” said Flowers.
A key element of the Navy the Nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, according to Navy officials, and that the nation’s prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world’s oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world’s population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea.
“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”
Now, four years later, Flowers is currently stationed in San Diego at the Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC).
Flowers, a 2008 graduate of Lugoff-Elgin, is an electronics technician at the training center located in San Diego.
“I provide IT supprt for the command,” said Flowers.
Flowers credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Columbia.
“I learned to see each day as a new opportunity to make a difference,” said Flowers. “Not being focused on all the issues of yesterday, but going in with a clear mind and being ready to take on the challenges.”
SMWDC exists to increase the lethality and tactical proficiency of the Navy’s surface force. The command’s headquarters is located at Naval Base San Diego with four divisions spread across Virginia and California. The command is focused on anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, as well as integrated air and missile defense.
SMWDC conducts training and tactical level warfighting assessments to create a culture of tactical excellence by design.
There are many reasons to be proud of naval service, and Flowers is most proud of being able to succesfully troubleshoot an external communication sytem by himself, and being able to convey the entire process to his chain of command.
“It allowed me to take everything I learned from my mentor, apply it the the knowledge I gained on my own and properly convey it,” said Flowers.
A key element of the Navy the Nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, according to Navy officials, and that the nation’s prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world’s oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world’s population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea.
“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Flowers and other sailors and staff know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, serving as a key part of the Navy the Nation needs.
“Serving in the Navy means putting the country's and the community's needs before your own to create better opportunities not only for this country but other countries worldwide,” said Flowers.