SAN DIEGO - Petty Officer 2nd Class Curstyn Gilliard, 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 |
Gilliard graduated from San Dalwood High School in 2020.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Jacksonville.
“I learned growing up how to read people,” Gilliard said. "I also learned from my hometown how to work as a team and how every individual has a part to play in this large effort.”
Gilliard joined the Navy four years ago. Today, Gilliard serves as an information systems technician.
“My dad served in the Army and I wanted to follow in his footsteps in joining the military,” Gilliard said. "I also participated in Junior ROTC in high school. I originally reached out to the Air Force and after hearing no response, I connected with a Navy recruiter. After connecting with a recruiter, I realized the Navy could revitalize my career and provie me the opportunity I was looking for."
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.
Gilliard has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am proud for making it as far as I have in the Navy,” Gilliard said. "I took the test for petty officer second class after only 14 months. It was definitely the right time and right place, but progressing as quickly as I did in my career was not what others expected. I constantly pursued opportunities and took a genuine interest in what I did."
Gilliard 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,” Gilliard said. "It means doing the job that needs to be done. This job allows me the opportunity to go to work every day with a purpose. My career field allows me to think critically and challenge myself on a daily basis. In the Navy, I have met people I couldn't live without. I have met more family members in the Navy than anywhere else in the world. My best friend in the world I met during boot camp and although we are stationed across the country from each other, I couldn't imagine a world without her in it."
Gilliard is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my dad,” Gilliard added. "He served in the Army and he guided me toward the Navy. He found in his experience that the Navy created the greatest opportunities for all walks of life."