SAN DIEGO - Airman Apprentice Olivia Carpenter, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to USS Carl Vinson, 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 |
Carpenter graduated from North Crowley High School in 2022.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Fort Worth.
“All the lessons I ever learned, like basic life skills, have helped me in the Navy,” Carpenter said. “I jumped around a lot at different schools and was in a lot of different cultures. Because I had a lot of experience being around different groups of people, I was able to relate to people in the Navy. Another lesson I carried with me into the Navy is the importance of having a strong work ethic. I started working when I was 16, so I knew the basics about being on time and being committed to what I was doing. God doesn’t waste anything. Everything I ever did before the military has helped me and supported me in what I’m doing now.”
Carpenter joined the Navy two years ago. Today, Carpenter serves as an aviation electronics technician.
“I joined the Navy because I felt called in a way,” Carpenter said. “I prayed a lot about it. I tried reaching out to all the branches, but the Navy was the only one that reached back out to me. It was God’s way of closing all of those other doors and putting me on the path to the Navy. I wanted to travel, and in the Navy, there is a lot of travel.”
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.
Carl Vinson returned in August 2025 from a nine-month deployment to the U.S. 3rd, 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operations, during which it conducted freedom of navigation operations, multinational exercises with U.S. allies and partners, and combat operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Back in its homeport of San Diego, Carl Vinson remains a combat-ready force dedicated to protecting and defending the United States.
Among the largest warships in the world, Carl Vinson 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 might of this ship doesn’t just come from its advanced technology, but from the skillful, resilient and courageous men and women who serve aboard,” said Capt. Joshua Wenker, commanding officer of Carl Vinson. “Our sailors have always been, and will always be, our greatest asset. Their hard work, dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence ensure that we execute the mission aboard America’s Favorite Carrier with pride and precision every single day.”
Carpenter has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m proud of graduating from ‘A’ school and ‘C’ school,” Carpenter said. “I didn’t really think I’d be able to learn aviation, but sticking with it and sticking to my job, buckling down and really learning it, was a pretty good accomplishment for myself.”
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 means to protect the people I love and myself,” Carpenter said. “It gives me an accomplishment to look back on and say ‘I really did it.’”
Carpenter is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“My siblings and my mom, Monica, and my grandmother, Mimi,” Carpenter said. “They’ve all shown me a lot of support through boot camp, sent me lots of letters and have always been encouraging. They’ve always been just a phone call away and have traveled to come see me.”