MILLINGTON, Tenn. – U.S. Navy sailors from across the fleet are headed to South Texas for Rio Grande Valley Navy Week, Jan. 24-31, to volunteer in the community and discuss why the Navy matters to the Valley.
While many of the sailors are from all over the country, this Navy Week will carry special meaning for visiting sailors from the area, including Petty Officer 2nd Class Pedro Rico, a native of Edinburg, Texas.
Rico graduated from Edinburg High School in 2022. Upon joining the Navy, Rico quickly found that many of the skills and values forged in Edinburg were the same as those needed to succeed in the Navy.
“Growing up in Edinburg, I’ve learned that hard work pays off,” Rico said. “Having this mentality has been pivotal to my success. One of my greatest accomplishments so far is the fact that I’ve ranked up ahead of my peers.”
Rico, who joined the Navy two years ago, is assigned to USS Gonzalez, a guided-missile destroyer named for Marine Sgt. Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez, an Edinburg native who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for heroism in the Vietnam War. As part of the Navy Week, sailors from Gonzalez will be visiting the Rio Grande Valley to honor the ship’s namesake and his mother.
“I joined the military to help my family,” Rico said. “I’m the first in my family to join. Serving in the United States Navy means a lot. It’s more than a job, it’s a way to ensure that my family is safe. It gives me a greater purpose, knowing I’m out at sea monitoring sensors to keep everyone safe.”
Rico is part of the first Navy Week to be hosted in the Rio Grande Valley. Navy Weeks are a series of outreach events coordinated by the Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO) designed to give Americans an opportunity to learn about the Navy, its people, and its importance to national security and prosperity.
“I am excited to share my adventures in the Navy with my hometown, to give them a description as to what we do as a whole,” Rico said. “The best part is that I get to represent my hometown anywhere I go, knowing that Edinburg, Texas, has its very own American hero, Freddy Gonzalez, who gave his life for his country. I feel the passion and drive to show that American heroes are born from any decade.”
Today, Rico serves as a fire controlman (Aegis).
“On a normal day, it really consists of completing maintenance on a radar system, getting qualifications and hanging with my friends on the ship,” Rico said. “Although there are times that can be difficult, such as correcting issues within my radar system, shipboard events or getting underway, I wouldn’t change any of it because it lets me know that every day is a learning experience.”
Rico has had many opportunities to excel in the Navy and sees military service as more than just a job – it represents a chance to become a better person.
“My proudest achievement is becoming a second class petty officer pretty quickly, as well as maintaining my radar system at 100% operability,” Rico said. “I am also proud of being a part of the Navy. I never thought that I would find the friends I have to create the support system while away from my family. It’s never a dull moment, and not always exciting, but it always inspires growth in me each day.”
Rico is grateful for the Edinburg community and for those who helped make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my father for showing me how to be a hard worker and showing me how hard work can be a driver for success,” added Rico. “I also want to thank my mother for showing me that family means everything. She showed me how family is important, which led me to make my division a part of my family. Lastly, I want to thank my brothers and sister, who created a sense of loyalty in me, which I show to my division.”
Since 2005, the Navy Week program has served as the Navy’s flagship outreach effort into areas of the country without a significant Navy presence, providing the public a firsthand look at why the Navy matters to communities like those in the Valley.
“We’re excited to bring Navy Week to the Rio Grande Valley for the very first time, and to kick off the 2026 Navy Week schedule in the Lone Star State,” said Cmdr. Julie Holland, Navy Office of Community Outreach director. “As the nation celebrates Freedom 250 throughout 2026, the Navy’s Outreach team will embark on a celebratory ‘Road Trip to 250,’ linking key locations in America to our maritime dominance. Navy Weeks will serve as a symbolic link connecting communities across America to their Navy, highlighting the shared history and the enduring commitment to defending freedom and supporting our nation’s independence.”
Rio Grande Valley Navy Week events include multiple engagements at the Texas Citrus Fiesta Fun Fair and live performances throughout the week from the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard and the Navy’s New Orleans-style music group, the Deck Plate Brass Band.
Sailors will also be volunteering with the Boca Chica Beach Community Clean-Up, visiting schools across the Edinburg CISD, working on a service project at the American Legion Freddy Gonzalez Post 408, volunteering with the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley and more.
For a list of public events, visit https://outreach.navy.mil/Navy-Weeks/Rio-Grande-Valley-2026/.