MAYPORT, Fla. – Ensign Sage Lilly, a native of Vanceboro, North Carolina, 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 |
Lilly, a 2017 graduate of West Craven High School, joined the Navy one year ago. Additionally, Lilly graduated from Cocker Univeristy in 2021.
“I joined the Navy to experience something new,” said Lilly. "I also want to build a legacy for my future family."
Today, Lilly relies upon skills and values similar to those found in Vanceboro to succeed in the military.
“I was raised by an amazing village who taught me the will to succeed and sacrifice,” said Lilly. "One of my mentors, Le'derrick Hunter, was in the Marines and he taught me a lot of life lessons."
These lessons have helped Lilly 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 Lilly 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 support the country through our forward presence,” said Lilly. "We also help economies run by keeping shipping lanes open."
Lilly and the sailors they serve with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.
“I am proud that I am the first ensign to get qualified to drive the ship,” said Lilly. "When I first started training it was hard, but when I got to the ship, I got better at it."
As Lilly 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 means sacrifice,” said Lilly. "I have found a greater purpose since joining."
Lilly is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my dad, Ronnie Mayo, Dennis Best, and of course, my mom, Angela Lilly,” added Lilly. "My mom was a teacher and her educational background pushed me to get commissioned."