MAYPORT, Fla. - Petty Officer 1st Class Patrick O’Brien, a native of Middletown, New Jersey, serves aboard Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Marinette, in Mayport, Florida.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James Green |
PCU is a designation used by the U.S. Navy to describe crews aboard vessels under construction prior to official commissioning.
Obrien, a 2011 graduate of Middletown High School North, joined the Navy 11 years ago.
“I joined the Navy because I wanted to enhance my opportunities outside my hometown,” said O’Brien.
Today, O'Brien relies upon skills and values similar to those found in Middletown to succeed in the military.
“Growing up, I learned consistency and commitment both professionally and personally,” said O'Brien. “I also learned to make the right decisions.”
These lessons have helped O'Brien 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 O'Brien 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.
“We are the sea-going force around the world,” said O’Brien. “Our preparatory measures, safeguard the nation from all enemies both foreign and domestic.”
O'Brien and the sailors they serve with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.
“My proudest accomplishment in the Navy was the ability to guide, mentor, and lead my peers and junior sailors to not only become better than me but to better themselves professionally,” said O'Brien.
As O'Brien 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 to me means everything to me,” said O’Brien. “It has saved me from multiple dangerous avenues. It has opened my eyes to different cultures and the diversity that lies within the world. It gives me a sense of honor to pay respects to those that have served before me and paved the way for future military members protecting this great nation.”
O'Brien is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank Chief Machinist's Mate Matthew Morrell,” said O'Brien. “He was the driving force that got me to go into the recruiting office with him and to join the Navy, which led me to ship out to boot camp a year after him. To this day, he is still driving me and pushing me to be my best.”
“Later this year, we are scheduled to receive LCS Marinette, which is an outstanding accomplishment that the whole crew has put in for three years,” added O’Brien. “Molding, creating, and sculpting all the programs and items that will see the ship for a successful life in the fleet is a very rewarding experience.”