NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Petty Officer 3rd Class Kendrick Tinker, a native of Old Fort, Tennessee, serves aboard USS John C. Stennis, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier operating out of Newport News, Virginia. Aircraft carriers are among the largest warships in the world.
Tinker graduated from Polk County High School in 2017.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Old Fort.
“Growing up in Old Fort, I quickly learned the value of hard work and how close friendships can turn into family,” Tinker said. "Those two things fit right into the Navy because we have to work hard and we have a bond that is just as strong as family."
Tinker joined the Navy five years ago. Today, Tinker serves as a machinist's mate (nuclear).
“I wanted to follow in the steps of my Navy grandfather and to see the world like he did,” Tinker said. "I joined right after my sister passed away, a time when I needed to get out of my hometown."
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. USS John C. Stennis is longer than three football fields at 1,092 feet. The ship is 252 feet wide and weighs more than 100,000 tons. More than 5,000 sailors serve aboard these self-contained mobile airports.
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.
Tinker has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest moment was completing the nuclear training pipeline,” Tinker said. "There is not a more challenging school in the Navy, and if you can complete that training, you know you can accomplish anything you set your mind to."
Tinker 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 am giving back to my country and keeping my family safe,” Tinker said.
Tinker is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents for their unconditional support,” Tinker said. "Most of all, I want to thank my wife, Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Savhanna Kendrick. Without her, I know I wouldn't be able to do what I do every day."
“When I'm finished with the Navy, I want to move back to Tennessee and continue raising my family,” Tinker added.