MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Vandiver, a native of Houston, Texas, was recently selected as Raider of the Week for USS Makin Island.
As a division technician, Vandiver completed 27 hours of preventative maintenance on various equipment and dedicated 15 hours toward corrective maintenance, replacing one faulty module and conducting critical system alignments. Vandiver’s technical expertise and commitment to teamwork directly helped in the early completion of the tactical air navigation certification.
“It was an honor to be recognized as the Raider of the Week,” Vandiver said. “I was surprised and nervous when I was told to go see the commanding officer. I had no idea that I was about to be recognized in front of the entire command. It felt good to realize that my chain of command noticed all of the hard work that I put in on a daily basis. My parents raised me to take pride in every single thing that I do, and I go throughout my days here with that on my mind. I know that my parents will be proud of me when they find out that I was named Makin Island’s Raider of the Week.”
Vandiver joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Vandiver serves as an electronics technician.
The Raider of the Week program acknowledges outstanding performance and significant contributions of Makin Island’s junior sailors. Raider of the Week is intended to instill a sense of pride in Makin Island’s sailors and raise the performance bar for others, motivating all hands to continually strive for excellence.
Makin Island is an amphibious assault ship. According to Navy officials, these types of warships embark, transport and land elements of a landing force for a variety of expeditionary warfare missions. Due to their inherent capabilities, these ships have been and will continue to be called upon to support humanitarian and other contingency missions on short notice.
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.
Vandiver serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security. As Vandiver and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the U.S. Navy.