SAN DIEGO - Airman Apprentice Santiago Benavidez Tobar, a native of Houston, Texas, 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 |
Benavidez Tobar graduated from Stratford High School in 2021.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Houston.
“Growing up, I learned to have a strong work ethic,” Benavidez Tobar said. “My mom was a single mom and had two jobs. When I turned 16, I got a job to help her out. She raised me to have manners and be respectful of others and treat people how you want to be treated.”
Benavidez Tobar joined the Navy one year ago. Today, Benavidez Tobar serves as an aviation ordnanceman.
“What inspired me to join the Navy was being the first in my family to join the military,” Benavidez Tobar said. “The way that my family sees me now makes me proud and makes me feel like I’m doing something good with my life. My friends and younger cousins look at me in the military and think it’s cool. My friends ask how I’m doing and what it’s like. Two of my friends have joined after we talked about my service.”
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.
Benavidez Tobar has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m proud of getting Food Service Assistant of the Month while I was on temporary duty to Supply,” Benavidez Tobar said. “It showed me that hard work pays off, even if it’s not in my department. It was a boost to me and reminded me that as long as I work hard, in the end, it will always get recognized.”
Benavidez Tobar 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 means everything to me,” Benavidez Tobar said. “It gave me a better start for my life and a chance to better myself and help out my family.”
Benavidez Tobar is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.“I want to thank my mom even though she wasn’t a fan of me joining the military,” Benavidez Tobar added. “I also want to thank my family friend, Miguel, because I never would have joined without him. The Navy wasn’t even a thought in my mind, but he really inspired me to join. He’s in the Navy Reserve and was always honest with me.”