MAYPORT, Fla. - Petty Officer 1st Class Princess Epps, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, serves aboard Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Training Facility, Atlantic in Mayport, Florida.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James Green, Navy Office of Community Outreach |
Epps, a 2006 graduate of Dreher High School, joined the Navy 14 years ago.
“I joined the Navy to travel and obtain my college degree,” said Epps. “At first, I wanted to go into the Judge Advocate General Corps as a lawyer, but now, I want to continue my efforts in the logistics field and eventually get a degree in psychology.”
Today, Epps relies upon skills and values similar to those found in Columbia to succeed in the military.
“I was taught morals and good manners from my mother and not to burn bridges,” said Epps. “In the Navy, respect for others will take you farther than burning bridges. You never know when you will cross that bridge again and meet that person in the future. The Navy is large but our community is small, and there is a lot of diversity.”
These lessons have helped Epps while serving in the Navy.
The Mayport-based training facility supports the increased demand for training at the waterfront. Each section of the trainer replicates the basic layout and design of the LCS command and control, bridge and propulsion control systems. Mockups reproduce scenes from a ship’s bridge windows to provide realistic training scenarios that mimic what crews will experience at sea.
According to Navy officials, the path to becoming an LCS sailor is unique and challenging. The culmination of their 18-month training pipeline, sailors qualify on a virtual reality simulator that is nearly identical to the ship. This intense and realistic training pipeline allows sailors to execute their roles and responsibilities immediately upon stepping on board.
With 90 percent 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 trained sailors and a strong Navy.
"Our mission remains timeless - to provide our fellow citizens with nothing less than the very best Navy: fully combat ready at all times, focused on warfighting excellence, and committed to superior leadership at every single level," said Adm. Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations. "This is our calling. And I cannot imagine a calling more worthy."
Serving in the Navy means Epps is part of a team that is taking on new importance in America’s focus on strengthening alliances, modernizing capabilities, increasing capacities and maintaining military readiness in support of the National Defense Strategy.
“The Navy is important to national defense because we secure the sea and assist in defense when necessary,” said Epps. “We are like no other branch because we support land, air and sea operations. We have Navy SEALS who are ‘boots on ground,’ we provide aviation support around the world and defend the seas with our ships and submarines.”
Epps and the sailors they serve with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.
“My proudest accomplishment was being the Regional Immunization Manager in Virginia,” said Epps. “While doing the job, I was able to administer immunization teams all over the state of Virginia and ensure that we had 572 deployable-ready teams throughout the region, which included sailors, Marines and Airmen. I am also proud of using first aid skills in the Navy that helped me save a 72-year-old woman that wasn’t breathing in a fast food restaurant.”
As Epps and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the United States Navy.
“Serving in the Navy has meant a lot because I have traveled and experienced different cultures on a daily basis, which has sharpened my intellect of human culture,” said Epps.
Epps is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my mother, Tempi Brown, my Navy mentor, Ensign Robert Casper, who is currently serving in Yokosuka, Japan, and Chief Petty Officer Grady Tucker,” added Epps. "They were instrumental in pushing me, understanding me and providing me with guidance. Their efforts positively affected my career."