SAN DIEGO - Petty Officer 2nd Class Elizabeth Painter, a native of Billings, Montana, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to USS Theodore Roosevelt, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier operating out of San Diego, California.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Caleb Kissner, Fleet Public Affairs Center San Diego |
Painter graduated from Skyview High School in 2019.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Billings.
“Growing up, I didn’t work that many jobs, but I was a shift manager at one of them,” Painter said. “Being a manager taught me how to be more of a leader. I taught myself the difference between when to be strict and when I need to lessen the load. I think that has helped me be a good leader for my shipmates.”
Painter joined the Navy five years ago. Today, Painter serves as a fire controlman.
“Both my dad and grandfather were in the military,” Painter said. “My dad was in the Army during the Persian Gulf War, and my grandfather was a yeoman in the Navy. I wanted to do something that would make my family proud. I joined the Navy because I liked the travel, and I wanted to visit more than just the United States. So far, I’ve been to Guam, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand.”
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.
Among the largest warships in the world, Theodore Roosevelt 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.
“This aircraft carrier is one of the most powerful warships in the world, but it is our sailors that give the U.S. Navy our warfighting advantage,” said Capt. Will Mathis, commanding officer of Theodore Roosevelt. “For over 250 years, sailors have built the foundation of our readiness and resolve, enabled us to keep America safe and ensured the U.S. Navy remains the strongest and most capable maritime force in the world.”
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.
Painter has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m most proud of helping my junior technicians achieve their goals and watching them apply the knowledge I give them to better themselves,” Painter said. “Another accomplishment I’m proud of is my Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for being the work center supervisor and damage control petty officer. I managed all the damage control equipment in the division from January to July of 2025. We work for the defense of the ship, and it’s one of the most important things for the ship. We’d be the first line of defense other than the jets that fly off.”
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 recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
“Serving in the Navy gives me a sense of purpose,” Painter said. “The job I do not only gives me a chance to protect the ones I love, but also the people I’ve met along the way.”
Painter is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my family overall,” Painter said. “Without their love and support, I wouldn’t have made it this far. It was definitely needed after my dad passed away in 2021. It was right after I finished boot camp, so I didn’t get to see him before he passed away.”