GULFPORT, Miss. - Since 1942, sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy’s Construction Force have been building and fighting around the world. Lt. j.g. Tanner Dotson, a graduate of Texas A&M University, is one of those sailors.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jeffrey Yale |
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.”
Dotson is a Civil Engineer Corps officer currently serving with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11 at the headquarters for naval construction forces in Gulfport, Mississippi, which serves as a home base for the Atlantic Fleet Seabees.
Dotson, a native of Southlake, Texas, earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University in 2021.
Dotson joined the Navy three years ago.
“I joined the Navy because I didn’t really see myself doing anything else,” said Dotson. “I was interested in the Civil Engineer Corps. I wanted a mix of applying my engineering skills with the actual military experience.”
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Texas.
“I had a few jobs in the service industry when I was in high school,” said Dotson. “Working in that industry, you get a frame of reference for respect and how to work with people. In the Navy, you spend the majority of the time dealing with people, understanding what drives them and how they’ll react to how you lead.”
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.
Dotson 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.”
Dotson has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“In Officer Candidate School, I tutored one of my classmates to help her pass her test so she could graduate,” said Dotson. “It was kind of cool seeing that I had a direct effect on someone actually graduating.”
Dotson can take pride in serving America through military service.
“Serving in the Navy means service,” said Dotson. “I think people sometimes lose sight of that. When we’re deploying, we’re there to help people. I think it’s okay to break your back to help others and put in the time to make their lives better. That’s one of the coolest parts of this job – the humanitarian things we do. We were just in Ghana where we built a one-story primary school and donated textbooks for them.”
Dotson is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents, Paul and Grace,” added Dotson. “I feel like my character and personality wouldn’t be what it is without them. They taught me all the skills I know.”