NORFOLK, Va.- A 2014 Olympic Heights High School graduate and Boynton Beach, Florida, native returned home June 16, marking the end of a seven-month deployment aboard USS Harry S. Truman. Since departing its homeport of Norfolk, Virginia in November 2019, the aircraft carrier sailed in the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Ariel Ramirez is a machinist’s mate aboard the carrier. As a machinist’s mate, Ramirez is responsible for maintaining the turbines and boilers in the ship’s engine room.
“My favorite part of my job would have to be answering a high bell and hearing the turbines scream to move this massive ship at such high speeds, let alone to know what’s going on behind it,” said Ramirez. “Not only is she the biggest on the water front but she also is the fastest.”
Following a scheduled return from deployment in March, after operating in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations, Truman remained underway in the Western Atlantic as a certified and ready carrier force ready for tasking. As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe, the Truman continued to conduct operations underway, minimizing the potential spread of the virus aboard the ships, in order to maintain maritime stability and security and ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied and partner interests.
Truman sailed more than 56,000 nautical miles, deploying dynamically to support dual-carrier operations, air defense exercises, anti-submarine warfare exercises, and interoperability with joint services and with allies and partners. The ship also completed multiple strait and choke point transits, to include the Strait of Gibraltar, the Suez Canal and the Bab-el Mandeb Strait, while operating under three Combatant Commanders – U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), U.S. European Command (EUCOM), and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
“One of my proudest accomplishments is training junior sailors new to the ship and sharing knowledge of key components in the engine room and how things work in a propulsion plant,” said Ramirez. “One event in particular was a rebuild from the ground up requiring new pumps, hoses, fittings and fuses.”
Truman demonstrated the Navy's continuing regional commitment to EUCOM and CENTCOM areas of responsibility by hosting 80 embarked guests, including political and military leaders from eight ally and partner nations. These embarks directly supported U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet theater security objectives and greatly enhanced U.S. relationships and partnerships with multiple NATO ally and partner nations and Gulf Cooperation Council members.
“I’m so very proud of all our sailors!” said Capt. Kavon Hakimzadeh, commanding officer of Truman, “Their resilience, perseverance, and utter dedication to mission has been nothing short of exemplary. It has been my greatest honor to serve as Truman’s commanding officer this deployment!”
According to Navy officials, maintaining maritime superiority is a vital part of a Navy that is present today and prepared for tomorrow. The impact affects Americans and their interests around the world, as more than 70 percent of the Earth is covered by water and 90 percent of all trade travels by sea.
The foundation of the Navy the nation needs includes a focus on warfighting, warfighters and the future of the fighting force.
Sailors’ jobs are highly varied aboard Truman. More than 6,000 men and women serve aboard the ship during deployment keeping all parts of the ship running smoothly. Each crewmember performs a number of tasks outside of their traditional job or rating.
“Working in the ship's main machinery room, we provide ship propulsion via the main engines to keep the ship moving through the water,” said Ramirez. “Electricity from the ship's turbine generators keep vital electrical equipment running. Along with providing drinking water and hotel steam for the crew for all day to day needs to such as hot water and laundry. We are the heart and soul of the ship.”
Throughout the deployment, Truman performed numerous training exercises to develop tactical competencies. From carrier strike force operations as the flagship of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, to exercises with partner navies and forces, the ship developed key skillsets to maintain readiness and interoperability. While conducting stability operations in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, the strike group was called upon during an international crisis to assert American commitment to the region and act as a primary de-escalatory catalyst.
Serving in the Navy is a continuing tradition of military service for Ramirez, who has military ties with family members who have previously served. Ramirez is honored to carry on the family tradition.
“Dating back to WWII and the Korean War, my great-grandfather Raul Ramirez all the way up to my father, Ariel I. Ramirez, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield,” said Ramirez. “My older sister Ashley Ramirez currently serves as a cryptologic technician in the Navy. My uncle, Richard Ramirez, served in the Army National Guard during the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.”
As a member of the U.S. Navy, Ramirez, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a service tradition providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance. Their efforts will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who will follow.
“I joined the Navy to travel,” added Ramirez. “The thought of being somewhere new every three to five years really got me hooked.”