PASCAGOULA, Miss. — Captain Jimmie Jensen, a native of Bridgeport, Nebraska, serves as the commanding officer of Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Bougainville, in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
PCU is a designation used by the U.S. Navy to describe crews aboard vessels under construction prior to official commissioning. As one of the Secretary of the Navy’s priorities, America’s shipbuilding industry is a national security asset that strengthens deterrence, enhances global readiness, and keeps the fleet forward. Modernization efforts are creating American jobs, revitalizing communities, and fueling innovation.
Jensen graduated from Bridgeport High School in 1996. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2000 with a degree in general science.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Bridgeport.
“I grew up on a farm, so I learned the importance of hard work,” Jensen said. “I played a lot of sports and learned the importance of being on a team. As a Boy Scout, I learned the importance of service to others. I'm an Eagle Scout, and now my son is working on his Eagle Scout project.”
Jensen joined the Navy 26 years ago. Today, Jensen serves as the Commanding Officer of the PCU, his second command at sea.
“I felt a calling to serve my country, and I wanted to see the world,” Jensen said. “I also wanted to have a global impact.”
This is the second ship named in honor of the Bougainville World War II campaign. As a large-deck amphibious assault ship, Bougainville is nearly three football fields long, with a crew of more than 1,200 that can support up to 1,800 troops and their equipment.
Jensen has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“As a surface warfare officer, it's not about my accomplishments, it's about the success I've seen other sailors have in their careers,” Jensen said.
As Jensen and his sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the U.S. Navy.
“Serving in the Navy gives us the ability to defend our country and to give back to a country that has provided so much to me and my family,” Jensen said.
This year, the Navy is commemorating its contribution to the nation’s defense as the United States celebrates 250 years of independence. According to Navy officials, for more than 250 years, the Navy has sailed the globe defending freedom and protecting prosperity.
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 trained sailors and a strong Navy.
Jensen is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents in Nebraska and my wife and kids in Virginia Beach,” added Jensen. “I'd also like to thank all the mentors I've had during my career that made it possible for me to be where I am today.”
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Hunter Harwell, Navy Office of Community Outreach |
PCU is a designation used by the U.S. Navy to describe crews aboard vessels under construction prior to official commissioning. As one of the Secretary of the Navy’s priorities, America’s shipbuilding industry is a national security asset that strengthens deterrence, enhances global readiness, and keeps the fleet forward. Modernization efforts are creating American jobs, revitalizing communities, and fueling innovation.
Jensen graduated from Bridgeport High School in 1996. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2000 with a degree in general science.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Bridgeport.
“I grew up on a farm, so I learned the importance of hard work,” Jensen said. “I played a lot of sports and learned the importance of being on a team. As a Boy Scout, I learned the importance of service to others. I'm an Eagle Scout, and now my son is working on his Eagle Scout project.”
Jensen joined the Navy 26 years ago. Today, Jensen serves as the Commanding Officer of the PCU, his second command at sea.
“I felt a calling to serve my country, and I wanted to see the world,” Jensen said. “I also wanted to have a global impact.”
This is the second ship named in honor of the Bougainville World War II campaign. As a large-deck amphibious assault ship, Bougainville is nearly three football fields long, with a crew of more than 1,200 that can support up to 1,800 troops and their equipment.
Jensen has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“As a surface warfare officer, it's not about my accomplishments, it's about the success I've seen other sailors have in their careers,” Jensen said.
As Jensen and his sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the U.S. Navy.
“Serving in the Navy gives us the ability to defend our country and to give back to a country that has provided so much to me and my family,” Jensen said.
This year, the Navy is commemorating its contribution to the nation’s defense as the United States celebrates 250 years of independence. According to Navy officials, for more than 250 years, the Navy has sailed the globe defending freedom and protecting prosperity.
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 trained sailors and a strong Navy.
Jensen is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents in Nebraska and my wife and kids in Virginia Beach,” added Jensen. “I'd also like to thank all the mentors I've had during my career that made it possible for me to be where I am today.”