LEMOORE, Calif. - Every sailor’s story of naval service is unique. For Petty Officer 1st Class Rick Prewer, this story has ties to Visalia, California, 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 played baseball, soccer and basketball when I was younger,” Prewer said. “I really enjoyed being part of a team and having other people depend on me while also working together on a common goal.”
Prewer graduated from Golden West High School in 2004.
Prewer joined the Navy 13 years ago.
“I joined the Navy looking for a career that would allow me to see the world,” Prewer said. “The Navy gives amazing benefits to their sailors including healthcare, pension and education opportunities that were all very attractive.”
Today, Prewer serves as an air traffic controller 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.
Prewer has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am very proud of the man and sailor I have become and all the skills I have learned in my career,” Prewer said. “I have had the opportunity to meet and work with some of the brightest sailors and travel to Japan and other countries in Southeast Asia.”
Prewer 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 doing my part to keep my family and friends safe in their beds at night,” Prewer said. “Sailors get up every day all around the world and fight to defend the rights and freedoms of our families and fellow countrymen to allow them to live the best life possible.”
Prewer is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my wife, Jennifer, for always being by my side and making this career that much more special,” Prewer said. “I would also like to give a special shoutout to Diane, Pat, Crystal and Ryan Dowling.”