SAN DIEGO – Seaman Wyatt Ritter, a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to USS Chosin, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser operating out of San Diego, California.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Caleb Kissner, USS Chosin |
Ritter graduated from Thrive Academy in 2024.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Baton Rouge.
“I learned to be adaptable and resilient,” Ritter said. “Hurricane Harvey displaced my family and I, so we stayed in San Antonio, Texas, with another family member.”
Ritter joined the Navy two years ago. Today, Ritter serves as a yeoman.
“I joined the Navy for my brother,” Ritter said. “The area he and I are from does not have many positive role models. We wanted to be role models for our community, which we felt the Navy could assist us with. I love it here.”
Ritter has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest accomplishment in the Navy was overcoming adverse circumstances,” Ritter said. “Before I was a yeoman, I was a nuclear rate, which is already a highly demanding rate. While in my ‘A’ school, a family member passed, and it put me in a dark place mentally and emotionally. I am proud that, through the support of my family and one of the chief petty officers, I was able to overcome that. The Navy has since continued to assist me by providing resources.”
This year, the Navy is commemorating its contribution to the nation’s defense as the United States celebrates 250 years of independence. For more than 250 years, the Navy has sailed the globe defending freedom and protecting prosperity.
“Serving in the Navy means everything to me,” Ritter said. “For me, it’s an escape from unfortunate circumstances. The Navy is all I’ve ever known in my adult life, joining straight out of high school. It checks off all boxes to provide stability and direction as I grow as a person and future leader.”
Ritter is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my brother,” Ritter said. “I was in holding before and after boot camp. He supported me through that and was constantly sending me letters, reminding me of my goals and why I joined.”
Ritter offered words of advice for those working to move forward in their lives.
“If you feed a man a fish, he eats for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he eats for life,” Ritter said. “To me, it means instead of having something done for you, you can take the initiative to learn so you can be of help to others.”
Chosin plays a crucial role in projecting power and maintaining presence for naval forces. It provides advanced air defense, maritime security, and long-range strike capabilities, often acting as the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Commander (IAMDC) for a carrier strike group. It supports global maritime security, counter-piracy operations, and theater security cooperation.
This ship is the first Navy warship named in commemoration of the First Marine Division’s breakout from an enemy encampment at the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. The 1950 engagement is recognized by historians as one of the most hard-fought battles of the conflict. Chosin’s crew is made up of approximately 375 officers and enlisted personnel.
Chosin is part of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9, a multiplatform group of ships and aircraft, capable of carrying out a wide variety of missions around the globe. Chosin is currently underway in the 3rd Fleet area of responsibility, conducting operations to bolster strike group readiness and effectiveness.
For more news from Chosin, follow the ship at www.facebook.com/USSCHOSIN and on Instagram at @USSCHOSIN.
“If you feed a man a fish, he eats for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he eats for life,” Ritter said. “To me, it means instead of having something done for you, you can take the initiative to learn so you can be of help to others.”
Chosin plays a crucial role in projecting power and maintaining presence for naval forces. It provides advanced air defense, maritime security, and long-range strike capabilities, often acting as the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Commander (IAMDC) for a carrier strike group. It supports global maritime security, counter-piracy operations, and theater security cooperation.
This ship is the first Navy warship named in commemoration of the First Marine Division’s breakout from an enemy encampment at the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. The 1950 engagement is recognized by historians as one of the most hard-fought battles of the conflict. Chosin’s crew is made up of approximately 375 officers and enlisted personnel.
Chosin is part of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9, a multiplatform group of ships and aircraft, capable of carrying out a wide variety of missions around the globe. Chosin is currently underway in the 3rd Fleet area of responsibility, conducting operations to bolster strike group readiness and effectiveness.
For more news from Chosin, follow the ship at www.facebook.com/USSCHOSIN and on Instagram at @USSCHOSIN.