SAN DIEGO - Petty Officer 2nd Class Darien Thomas, a native of the Bronx, New York, serves aboard USS Abraham Lincoln, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier operating out of San Diego, California.
Thomas graduated from Evander Childs High School for Contemporary Arts in 2011.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in The Bronx.
“Growing up, I learned to go from point A to point B, meaning don’t get distracted and do what you need to do every day,” Thomas said. “There are mission criteria that we have to focus on before we can move on to other things, so that not getting distracted helps me do that.”
Thomas joined the Navy 10 years ago. Today, Thomas serves as a retail services specialist.
“I joined the Navy to travel the world and see different cultures,” Thomas said. “The Navy allowed me to do more and seemed like a better fit.”
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.
Thomas has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m most proud of helping my sailors rank up,” Thomas said. “It’s hard for people in my job to rank up, so it’s rewarding for me to be able to help them.”
Thomas 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 I’m making my family and friends proud,” Thomas said.
Thomas is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my mother, Sandra, because without her, I don’t know where I would be,” Thomas added. “I also want to thank my friend, Letia, for being really supportive of me when I was a junior sailor, and I want to thank my brother, Andre Jackson, for being an awesome friend.”