NORFOLK, Va. - Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Sparta, a native of Pulaski, Virginia, serves aboard USS George H.W. Bush, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier operating out of Norfolk, Virginia.
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Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Sylvie Carafiol, Navy Public Affairs Support Element East |
Sparta graduated from Pulaski County High School in 2015.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Pulaski.
“I learned leadership and the value of being a leader, which came from my time as a Boy Scout, where I earned Eagle Scout status,” Sparta said.
Sparta joined the Navy six years ago. Today, Sparta serves as an electrician's mate.
“I joined the Navy to be a SEAL, but I realized that’s not what I want, and I went undesignated and then struck electrician’s mate, because after serving two years as an undesignated seaman in deck department, I found I enjoyed the electrical work and stuck with it,” Sparta said.
Commissioned in 2009, the aircraft carrier is named for George H.W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States and a former naval aviator. The ship was the first aircraft carrier to have its namesake participate in its christening.
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.
The Navy’s aircraft carriers are among the largest warships in the world. Bush 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.
Sparta has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest accomplishment in the Navy is graduating from Search and Rescue School and being one of only a few on board the ship charged with the responsibility of pulling someone out of the water,” Sparta said.
Sparta 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 part of something bigger than myself,” Sparta said. “To make this ship operate, it takes more than an individual. We need everyone to do their part and often go beyond the minimum.”
Sparta is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank Chief Electrician’s Mate Crystalline Sicat for all of her support and helping me become a successful sailor,” Sparta added. “She sets the perfect example of the kind of leader I want to be.”
“I am going to shore duty soon where I hope to finish my aerospace engineering degree, but I don’t see myself staying in for another sea tour,” Sparta said.