SAN DIEGO - Petty Officer 2nd Class David Bess, a native of Bloomfield, Missouri, serves aboard USS Abraham Lincoln, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier operating out of San Diego, California.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Joseph Sitter Navy Public Affairs Support Element West |
Bess graduated from Bloomfield High School in 2000.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Bloomfield.
“Growing up, I learned the importance of having a strong work ethic,” Bess said. "I grew up on a farm and it is very labor intensive. So, I learned how to endure long days. Additionally, the strong sense of patriotism allowed me to take pride every day in my service."
Bess joined the Navy four years ago. Today, Bess serves as an operations specialist.
“I joined for several reasons,” Bess said. "First, my family inspired me to join. I intended to join earlier, but I got caught up in the civilian career field. I always found a calling to serve and after 20 years in the IT field in the civilian world, I decided that I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to join. I didn't want to look back with regret."
Aircraft carriers are the centerpiece of America’s Naval forces. For more than 100 years, they have projected power, sustained sea control, bolstered deterrence, provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and maintained enduring commitments worldwide.
According to Navy officials, aircraft carriers are versatile and have unique mission capabilities that make them a more strategic asset for the Navy than fixed-site bases. They are often the first response in a global crisis because of their ability to operate freely in international waters anywhere on the world’s oceans. In addition, no other weapon system can deploy and operate forward with a full-sized aircraft carrier’s speed, endurance, agility and combat capability of its air wing.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
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.
Bess has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am proud that I graduated from Defense Language Institute and that I’ve served aboard USS Abraham Lincoln,” Bess said. "Defense Language Institute was one of the most intensive schooling experiences I ever had and I’m proud of it because my hard work paid off. The carrier experience was also an honor of a lifetime. Not many get to say they got to experience living and serving aboard an aircraft carrier."
Bess serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation's prosperity and security.
“Being in the Navy means a lot to me because I get to be part of the 1% of Americans who serve,” Bess said. "I stood up and raised my right hand to serve this country. To have had the opportunity to serve when I thought I lost that chance is something I take pride in every day."
Bess is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my mom and dad,” Bess said. "When you are young, you don't realize the foundation your family provides you. I now reflect with the utmost gratitude. I would also like to thank my wife who provided essential support so I could succeed. It is a thankless job being a military spouse, but it’s just as important as my job.”
Bess offered some words of advice for those who may be thinking of the Navy as a career.
“If anybody is thinking about joining, I would say just do it,” Bess added. "You don't want to look back regretting what you could have done. I can definitely say it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I am so thankful for."