SAN DIEGO - Petty Officer 3rd Class Dylan Isner, a native of Warrenton, Virginia, 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 |
Isner graduated from Liberty High School in 2018.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Warrenton.
“Growing up in my hometown, I was very busy learning mechanics and building a work ethic, both of which I brought to the military,” Isner said. “It’s made me expand my horizons. Instead of working on cars, I’m working on main engines on a warship.”
Isner joined the Navy four years ago. Today, Isner serves as a machinist’s mate.
“I joined the Navy because my great-grandfather served in the Navy during World War II,” Isner said. “He was a Seabee. I am the only other military member in my family to join the Navy. Everyone else is either in the Army or Marines. My great-grandfather was my inspiration.”
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.
Isner has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m most proud of being given shout-outs from the executive officer for my hard work on repairing the main engines and being an outstanding sponsor for new sailors, which put me in for Sailor of the Quarter,” Isner said. “I like being known for helping others. Being known for doing a good job is one thing, but being known as someone people can come to for help is more rewarding.”
Isner 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 introduced me to lifelong friends, took me to places people only dream of seeing, and introduced me to my wife,” Isner said. “I would have never met her had I not joined the Navy.”
Isner is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my dad, Joshua, and my mom, Crystal, and stepfather, Ken, for their support of me going into the military,” Isner added. “They thought it would be a healthy decision for me to join. I also want to thank my siblings, my friends, my in-laws and a massive thanks to my wife, Mariyah.”