SAN DIEGO - Petty Officer 3rd Class Emanuel Camacho, a native of Montclair, 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, Fleet Public Affairs Center San Diego |
Camacho graduated from Montclair High School in 2022.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Montclair.
“The lesson from my hometown I applied in my Navy career is brotherhood. It showed me teamwork and good work ethic,” Camacho said. “Also, knowing people from my hometown who either went into the Army or the Marines, so I decided to explore the Navy for better opportunities and a career choice.”
Camacho joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Camacho serves as an aviation ordnanceman.
“I tried college but never finished because I decided it wasn't for me, so I started looking into the military,” Camacho said. “When I went on a trip with my family to New Mexico, we passed a naval base with the words, “Go Navy” and that made me interested in joining.”
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, USS 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.
Camacho has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“While serving in the Navy, there were moments where it broke me and built me back up and it has been my proudest accomplishment to make it through those challenging times,” Camacho 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 recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
“Serving in the Navy means helping my community and being an example to my shipmates,” Camacho said.
Camacho is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my family and the support of my best friend, Jacob Hurts, my brother, Andres, and my girlfriend, Addie Loria. I wouldn't be the man I am today if it weren't for them,” Camacho said.