SAN DIEGO - Petty Officer 2nd Class Spenser Denovich, a native of Lemoore, California, 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, Navy Office of Community Outreach |
Denovich graduated from Lemoore High School in 2018.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Lemoore.
“Growing up in my hometown, I learned a lot of lessons from manual labor jobs – things like independence, a strong work ethic and being self-reliant,” Denovich said. “Being able to seek answers, more than just from the people I’m working with, but going out and having to find answers on my own, is so valuable here. I’m able to pass that to my junior sailors, which means they aren’t held up as often by other people. It teaches them to try to be as multifaceted as possible.”
Denovich joined the Navy six years ago. Today, Denovich serves as a machinist’s mate.
“I wanted to get experience in a technical engineering field while having the means to pay for college,” Denovich said. “I felt like the Navy provided the best and most relatable experience for whatever job I would be doing when I got out of the Navy.”
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.
Denovich has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m proud of pushing my junior sailors to be better for themselves because I want to see them succeed,” Denovich said. “When I leave in the next couple of months, I want the people I’m teaching to be able to teach the people coming in after them. It’s like leaving a legacy.”
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 means being a part of something bigger than myself,” Denovich said.
Denovich is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank God for keeping my peers and I safe as well as guiding me through the right path,” Denovich said. “I also want to thank my parents. I definitely wouldn’t be here without the life lessons they taught me.”