MAYPORT, Fla. - Petty Officer 1st Class Tuan Nguyen, a native of Houston, Texas, serves aboard Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Marinette, in Mayport, Florida.
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Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st James Green, Navy Office of Community Outreach |
PCU is a designation used by the U.S. Navy to describe crews aboard vessels under construction prior to official commissioning.
Nguyen attended Hasting High School from 2004 to 2006 and graduated from Humble High School in 2008.
“I grew up in a refugee camp in Malaysia and was forced back to Vietnam,” said Nguyen. “My family was fortunate to have a family member in America. They sponsored us to come to the U.S. That is why I joined the Navy, to pay it forward and to see the world.”
Nguyen joined the Navy 11 years ago and today relies upon skills and values similar to those found in Houston to succeed in the military.
“I grew up in an honest, hard-working family and in a city full of diversity which helped me transition very easily into the Navy,” said Nguyen.
These lessons have helped Nguyen while serving in the Navy.
Marinette will be a fast, optimally-manned, mission-tailored surface combatant that operates in near-shore and open-ocean environments, according to Navy officials. Littoral combat ships integrate with joint, combined, manned and unmanned teams to support forward-presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe.
Littoral combat ships are hybrid surface combatants that lead manned-unmanned teams using unmanned aerial systems like the Fire Scout and Expeditionary Ordnance Disposal forces unmanned underwater vehicles. They conduct forward and maritime security missions like the Secretary of Defense Oceania Maritime Security Initiative. The ships also strengthen partnerships through port visits in small island nations like Tahiti and Fiji due to their shallow-depth hull.
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 Nguyen 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 supports national defense by working alongside our allies and partners to defend freedom, preserve economic prosperity, and keep the seas open and free,” said Nguyen.
Nguyen and the sailors they serve with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.
“My proudest accomplishment in the Navy is when I worked as a gas turbine technician at Mid-Atlatic Reginal Maintenace Center,” said Nguyen. “I was fixing multiple destroyers and cruisers for Norfolk naval fleet at the biggest naval base.”
As Nguyen and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the United States Navy.
“The Navy is a very fulfilling and rewarding experience,” said Nguyen. "I'm proud to be in the world's greatest Navy."
Nguyen is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my parents, Tu Phan and Anh Nguyen, and my siblings for all the love and support they have provided me throughout my career in the Navy,” added Nguyen.