MILLINGTON, Tenn. – U.S. Navy sailors from across the fleet are headed to Pennsylvania for Harrisburg Navy Week, May 20 to 25, to volunteer in the community and discuss why the Navy matters to the Susquehanna.
While many of the sailors are from all over the country, this Navy Week will carry special meaning for visiting sailors from the area, including Petty Officer 2nd Class Dakota James, a native of Dover.
James graduated from York County School of Technology in 2016. Upon joining the Navy, James quickly found that many of the skills and values forged in Dover were the same as those needed to succeed in the Navy.
“Growing up in a community anchored by a county-wide trade school, I learned early that being different is a diagnostic tool,” James said. “York County School of Technology forced its students into a melting pot where collaboration is a critical key to success. When you’re stuck on a problem, a classmate from a different background doesn’t just bring a different personality; they bring a different ‘angle’ or a unique way of looking at the mechanics of the situation.
James said the Navy has essentially become like a hometown trade school on a global scale.
“Because of where I grew up, I view these differences as a positive resource tool,” James said. “I don’t just look for the highest-ranking person; I look for the person whose life experience gives them the unique perspective to fix it. To the students back home currently navigating that mix of cultures: Pay attention. The ability to work with anyone, from anywhere, is the most valuable ‘trade’ you will ever learn. My hometown taught me that we are at our strongest when we stop seeing our differences as barriers and start seeing them as the different tools in our collective chest.”
James, who joined the Navy nine years ago, is assigned to Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic.
“When I was 18, I planned to pursue a degree in photography; however, the summer before my freshman year, I received the devastating news that my college had gone bankrupt and closed its doors,” James said. “At the time, my brother was serving as a builder third class in the Navy; he suggested I look into the military as a way to secure my future while I figured out my next steps. I am incredibly grateful I took his advice. I didn’t just join the Navy to invest in my career; I chose to become a United States Navy Seabee to answer the call for humanitarian assistance. The idea of building schools and hospitals for those less fortunate gave me a sense of purpose I hadn’t found elsewhere. Today, my service represents the resilience to find a new path and the honor of building a better world.”
James is part of the first Navy Week to be hosted in Harrisburg. Navy Weeks are a series of outreach events coordinated by the Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO) designed to give Americans an opportunity to learn about the Navy, its people, and its importance to national security and prosperity.
“Navy Week is my chance to give back by showing people what’s actually possible,” James said. “Joining the Navy completely changed my trajectory, and I want others to know they have that same option. Whether you stay for four years or 20, the benefits and education are great, but the real value is the direction and discipline you gain. I didn’t just find a job; I found a way to set myself up for life. Success isn’t just handed to you, but the Navy puts every resource you need right in front of you; you just have to be the one to pick them up and use them. Taking that first step was the best decision I ever made for my future, and I’m here to show people that if you’re willing to put in the work, the opportunities to jumpstart your life are endless.”
Today, James serves as a Navy builder.
“My daily life really depends on which hat I’m wearing that day,” James said. “As a Seabee, I’ve had the chance to supervise multi-million-dollar construction projects, but I’ve also spent 26 days in the dirt manning a heavy machine gun for 16 hours at a time. It’s definitely a job of extremes. Right now, I’m leading a team on shore duty where we handle the vital maintenance of a mission-essential building. We’re the ‘fix-it’ crew that makes sure everyone else has what they need to succeed. Whether I’m handling a project package or swinging a hammer, my days are spent managing all those ‘odds and ends’ repairs that keep the lights on and the mission moving forward.
“It’s a lot of variety, but the goal is always the same: we build, we fight, and we keep things running.”
James has had many opportunities to excel in the Navy and sees military service as more than just a job – it represents a chance to become a better person.
“As a woman who stands barely 5 feet tall, my proudest moments in the Navy are the ones where I’ve defied the odds,” James said. “A great example was during my Crew Served Weapons qualification for the M2 .50-cal. To put things in perspective, even with ammo boxes stacked under my feet in the Humvee turret, I was still too short to see the sights, much less pull the charging handle. My hands were shaking, and I was nervous I wouldn’t even be able to load the weapon, let alone fire it accurately. My instructor suggested using one leg for leverage, but I realized I had to change the paradigm entirely. I lifted my whole body into the turret, pressed my back against the hatch, and used my entire body weight to charge the handle. It worked and I was finally level with the sights. Afterward, my instructor told me how much he appreciated my quick thinking and ability to adapt under pressure.”
James hasn’t let size stop her from overcoming obstacles or achieving her goals.
“I’ve carried that same mindset into other challenges, like completing a 9-mile ruck with the 7th Engineer Support Battalion,” James said. “I finished that hike with blistered feet and total exhaustion, but I never fell out of line. Keeping pace with men twice my size and exceeding everyone’s expectations proved to me that it’s not about your stature; it’s about your drive.”
James is grateful for the Dover community and for those who helped make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to my family, whose unwavering support has been my foundation throughout my last two deployments,” James said. “To my mother: You are a true superhero. Thank you for taking such incredible care of my son, all while working the night shift. Your dedication, from the daily care to the thoughtful care packages, kept me going. To Maggie: Thank you for stepping in and helping out with the ‘little rascal.’ Your support meant the world to me. To my brother: Thank you for pointing me in the right direction and setting me on this path. You were right, it didn’t turn out exactly how I imagined, but I wouldn’t change a single thing about where I am today. To my dad: Thank you for the life lessons, both big and small, that shaped me into the person I am today. To my husband, James: Thank you for being my constant inspiration and for encouraging me to be a better version of myself every single day.”
Since 2005, the Navy Week program has served as the Navy’s flagship outreach effort into areas of the country without a significant Navy presence, providing the public a firsthand look at why the Navy matters to communities like Harrisburg.
Sailors from USS Gettysburg and the future USS Harrisburg, the second ship to be named for the capital, will be participating in events throughout the week, including the Harrisburg Navy Week proclamation ceremony and the Camp Hill and Gettysburg Memorial Day parades. There will also be public performances throughout the week by the Navy Ceremonial Guard bayonet drill team from Washington, D.C., and U.S. Navy Band Northeast’s Brass Band and Woodwind Quintet. There will also be demonstrations by the U.S. Navy Leap Frogs parachute team and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. Sailors will also volunteer with community service groups in the area.
More highlights from the week include Navy displays at the National Civil War Museum, activities at the Friday-Sunday Harrisburg Senators baseball games, participation at the Big 33 Football Classic Fan Fest and Pregame, and demonstrations, displays and performances at the Air Dot Central PA Airshow.
For a list of public events, visit https://outreach.navy.mil/Navy-Weeks/Harrisburg-2026/.