LEMOORE, Calif. - Every sailor’s story of naval service is unique. For Petty Officer 2nd Class Cesilia Fuentes, this story has ties to Houston, Texas, where skills and values learned there are foundational to success in the Navy.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Mitch Meppelink |
“I grew up in a lower income household,” Fuentes said. “We were all hard workers and had respect for everything we were given. I learned from a very young age that if I wanted something I was going to have to get up and go work for it. I was also in the color guard in high school and really enjoyed being part of a team and working alongside people with a common goal.”
Fuentes graduated from Channelview High School in 2019.
Fuentes joined the Navy six years ago.
“I joined the Navy looking for a career that would allow me to travel, see the world as well as provide job security and be able to help take care of not only myself but my family,” Fuentes said. “I wanted to make my family proud and knew I had greatness in me.”
Today, Fuentes serves as a culinary specialist assigned to Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore.
NAS Lemoore is home to Commander Strike Fighter Wing Pacific and Commander Joint Strike Fighter Wing. More than half of the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft reside here, and it is the only Navy installation to house the F-35C Lightning II.
Carrier strike groups, and the embarked aviation squadrons, are the cornerstone of U.S. naval power projection and sea power. They can quickly maneuver thousands of miles with the world’s most capable warships and top-notch Sailors, remaining on station in areas of interest without relying on land bases or overflight agreements. U.S. Navy aircraft carriers are the most adaptable, lethal, and survivable airfields in the world and their presence serves as the most credible commitment to our Allies and partners.
Naval aviation provides the Navy and our nation with a flexible, adaptable, and lethal force to preserve peace, respond in crises, and win decisively in combat. The U.S. Navy maintains and operates more than 2,000 aircraft to fulfill various mission sets in order to preserve the American way of life and ensure freedom, security and 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.
Fuentes has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am most proud of how far I have come not only as a woman but a sailor,” Fuentes said. “The Navy has given me tools and educated and trained me to stand on my own two feet. I am currently enrolled in a bachelor's degree in business administration and am able to serve my country and prepare for my future at the same time.”
Fuentes serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
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. More information is available here: https://www.navy.mil/navy-250/
“Serving in the Navy means having pride in one's self and in one's country,” Fuentes said. “We make sacrifices in our own time and our families’ time for the betterment of our fellow citizens and this great country. Serving means never being alone.”
Fuentes is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my sister, Cristina, for always being by my side and for allowing me to be my genuine self around her,” Fuentes said. “Having people that care about you and that are in your corner makes this job that much more important.”