SAN DIEGO - Seaman Apprentice Amaya Blackmone, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, 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 |
Blackmone graduated from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in 2024.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Jacksonville.
“Growing up in my hometown, I met different kinds of people, which has taught me how to respond to different types of personalities,” Blackmone said. “Being able to see things from other perspectives outside of my own helps me work better with people and get along with others.”
Blackmone joined the Navy eight months ago. Today, Blackmone serves as an operations specialist.
“I joined the Navy to better myself and set up a career for myself,” Blackmone said. “I thought the Navy would be the best fit for me.”
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.
Blackmone has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m proud of getting my qualifications done while only being on the ship for the end of deployment,” Blackmone said. “It makes me feel good because it means I can pay attention and retain information quickly.”
Blackmone 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 a lot to me because I get to make my mom and friends proud of me, and I’m able to protect them,” Blackmone said.
Blackmone is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my mom, Sophronia, for helping me get to this step and pushing me to go forward every day,” Blackmone added.