MAYPORT, Fla. - Petty Officer 1st Class Brandon Adams, a native of Detroit, Michigan, is serving aboard USS Winston S. Churchill, a U.S. Navy warship, operating out of Mayport, Florida.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Bryan Niegel, Navy Office of Community Outreach |
Adams, a 2007 graduate of Murray Wright High School, joined the Navy 10 years ago.
“I joined the Navy to pursue a career,” said Adams. "My life wasn't where I wanted it to be, and the Navy was always on my mind since my freshman year of high school when I was in the Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps."
Today, Adams relies upon skills and values similar to those found in Detroit to succeed in the military.
“People who come from Detroit are hard and resilient,” said Adams. "If you can make it in Detroit, you can make it anywhere. The Navy came easy for me because of where I'm from.”
These lessons have helped Adams while serving in the Navy.
Winston S. Churchill is a guided-missile destroyer that provides a wide range of warfighting capabilities. The destroyer is a multi-mission ship that can operate independently or as part of a larger group of ships at sea. The ship is equipped with tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, guns and a phalanx close-in weapons system.
More than 300 sailors serve aboard Winston S. Churchill. Their jobs are highly specialized, requiring both dedication and skill. The jobs range from maintaining engines to handling weaponry along with a multitude of other assignments that keep the ship mission-ready at all times, according to Navy officials.
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 Adams 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 U.S. Navy projects power,” said Adams. "We are the greatest Navy that the world has ever seen, and those who wish to do us harm have to think twice."
Adams and the sailors they serve with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.
“I'm most proud of the positive impact I've had on other people's lives,” said Adams. “A lot of people come to the Navy as teenagers and leave with the necessary tools to be productive members of society."
As Adams and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the United States Navy.
“I am truly happy to serve in the Navy and look at it as my contribution to society,” said Adams. "People tell me all the time that I am brave and thank me for my service. I am honored to serve in the Navy and I am happy to contribute to society.”
Adams is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my parents,” said Adams. "They worked very hard to ensure I was in a position to be successful and I am truly grateful to them.”
“I had the honor to serve in Iraq in 2022 as part of a medical expeditionary unit,” added Adams. "We saved lives and I am proud of the difference we made."