GULFPORT, Miss. - Since 1942, sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy’s Construction Force have been building and fighting around the world. Constructionman Toby Thompson, a native of Red Lion, Pennsylvania, is one of those sailors.
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| Photo by Chief Engineering Aide Chad Hook |
Eighty-two years ago, members of Navy Construction Battalions were fittingly nicknamed, “Seabees,” a play on the C and B initials. They are responsible for building military bases and airfields, supporting humanitarian efforts and conducting underwater construction projects. The Seabees’ motto is “We Build, We Fight.”
Thompson is a builder currently serving with Naval Construction Training Center Gulfport at the headquarters for naval construction forces in Gulfport, Mississippi, which serves as a home base for the Atlantic Fleet Seabees.
Thompson graduated from Penn Foster High School in 2021. Thompson joined the Navy three years ago.
“I wanted to build and I wanted to be in the military,” said Thompson. “I’d heard about the Seabees and thought that sounded really cool. At the time, I was at Job Corps learning carpentry and I needed to get a job to leave the program, so I enlisted as an undesignated seaman.”
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Red Lion.
“Things were stagnant where I was, and I didn’t see a lot of potential for myself there,” said Thompson. “There were some good people at the Guitar Spot, where my mother and brother took guitar lessons. They encouraged me to join the military and move away. There were also good people at the 18 South Youth Center who agreed it would be good for me to join the military and encouraged me.”
With 90% 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 recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Thompson serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”
Thompson has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m most proud of becoming a Seabee,” said Thompson. “It took me a while to get this contract. I only got this because I had my carpentry certificate. My biggest mentor, Mike Smith at Job Corps, encouraged me to look into the construction parts of the military. He really cared. I could tell he wasn’t just helping me because it was his job and that he cared about what he was doing and helping the people there. He got me a copy of my certificate and helped me get into the Seabees.”
Thompson can take pride in serving America through military service.
“There’s a lot of honor in serving in the Navy and giving back,” said Thompson. “Our military helps in a lot of other parts of the world and it’s not always focused on when we do good. There’s a lot of good we do in the world. It’s a hard thing to do and it’s a noble cause. My grandma’s late husband, his proudest achievement was being a military policeman in the Army, and he said it was probably the proudest he’d ever been of me when I enlisted.”
Thompson is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank the leadership aboard USS Abraham Lincoln who were helpful,” said Thompson. “I also want to thank Seaman Nick Neari and Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Cody Lewis, who always had my back. They always gave me a ride when I needed one. Finally, I want to thank Seaman Rudy Guijarro, who let me stay at his apartment with him and another friend. It was a nice situation so I didn’t have to live on the ship.”
Thompson was also thankful for the support and encouragement of their family and friends.“I was very encouraged by my youngest sister, Alana, who started college at 17,” added Thompson. “All of my brothers – Seth, Noble, Sebastian and Isaac – are really smart and capable guys. I have a cousin, Devin Cox, whom I’m really proud of. They all make it hard when I want to be lazy. They drive me to keep going and keep working. I also want to thank my mother, who has always been helpful if I needed something done. Whenever I’ve needed help and I’m not at home, she’s always been the one to help me.”
Thompson is a builder currently serving with Naval Construction Training Center Gulfport at the headquarters for naval construction forces in Gulfport, Mississippi, which serves as a home base for the Atlantic Fleet Seabees.
Thompson graduated from Penn Foster High School in 2021. Thompson joined the Navy three years ago.
“I wanted to build and I wanted to be in the military,” said Thompson. “I’d heard about the Seabees and thought that sounded really cool. At the time, I was at Job Corps learning carpentry and I needed to get a job to leave the program, so I enlisted as an undesignated seaman.”
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Red Lion.
“Things were stagnant where I was, and I didn’t see a lot of potential for myself there,” said Thompson. “There were some good people at the Guitar Spot, where my mother and brother took guitar lessons. They encouraged me to join the military and move away. There were also good people at the 18 South Youth Center who agreed it would be good for me to join the military and encouraged me.”
With 90% 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 recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Thompson serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”
Thompson has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m most proud of becoming a Seabee,” said Thompson. “It took me a while to get this contract. I only got this because I had my carpentry certificate. My biggest mentor, Mike Smith at Job Corps, encouraged me to look into the construction parts of the military. He really cared. I could tell he wasn’t just helping me because it was his job and that he cared about what he was doing and helping the people there. He got me a copy of my certificate and helped me get into the Seabees.”
Thompson can take pride in serving America through military service.
“There’s a lot of honor in serving in the Navy and giving back,” said Thompson. “Our military helps in a lot of other parts of the world and it’s not always focused on when we do good. There’s a lot of good we do in the world. It’s a hard thing to do and it’s a noble cause. My grandma’s late husband, his proudest achievement was being a military policeman in the Army, and he said it was probably the proudest he’d ever been of me when I enlisted.”
Thompson is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank the leadership aboard USS Abraham Lincoln who were helpful,” said Thompson. “I also want to thank Seaman Nick Neari and Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Cody Lewis, who always had my back. They always gave me a ride when I needed one. Finally, I want to thank Seaman Rudy Guijarro, who let me stay at his apartment with him and another friend. It was a nice situation so I didn’t have to live on the ship.”
Thompson was also thankful for the support and encouragement of their family and friends.“I was very encouraged by my youngest sister, Alana, who started college at 17,” added Thompson. “All of my brothers – Seth, Noble, Sebastian and Isaac – are really smart and capable guys. I have a cousin, Devin Cox, whom I’m really proud of. They all make it hard when I want to be lazy. They drive me to keep going and keep working. I also want to thank my mother, who has always been helpful if I needed something done. Whenever I’ve needed help and I’m not at home, she’s always been the one to help me.”