SAN DIEGO - Chief Petty Officer Travis Grady, a native of Chandler, Arizona, 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 |
Grady graduated from Sunrise Mountain High School in 2003.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Chandler.
“Growing up, I learned to not be the only person sitting around not doing work,” Grady said. “In a lot of ways, it makes your mentality different. It helped me to not be stagnant and try new things.”
Grady joined the Navy 12 years ago. Today, Grady serves as a sonar technician (surface).
“I joined the Navy because I wanted an honorable and rewarding career,” Grady said. “I wanted to see the world.”
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.
Grady has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m most proud of seeing my sailors advance or promote,” Grady said. “It’s the most rewarding knowing that I’ve impacted them in a way that will help them succeed.”
Grady serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy is the honorable and rewarding career I was looking for,” Grady said. “When I was looking into joining, I wrote that I wanted to do as many cool things as possible while I’m in the Navy. I’ve been able to do a lot of cool things so far.”
Grady is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my parents, Sam and Tim, my mother-in-law, Laura, and most of all, Rose, my wife,” Grady added. “My wife has always pushed me and never lets me make excuses for myself. My parents and mother-in-law’s love and support.”