Military News
Quartermaster Seaman Ayress Alston, from Portsmouth, Virginia, assigned to navigation department, determines the ship’s heading aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) while underway in the Strait of Magellan, June 4, 2024. George Washington is deployed as part of Southern Seas 2024 which seeks to enhance capability, improve interoperability, and strengthen maritime partnerships with countries throughout the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility through joint, multinational, and interagency exchanges and cooperation.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Zachary Powell, a native of Newport News, Virginia, serves the U.S. Navy aboard USS Frank Cable.
Powell graduated from Woodside High School in 2015. The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Newport News. “My grandfather was in the Army for 20 years and inspired me to go into the military and serve my country,” said Powell.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Eric Madrid, a native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, is serving with Navy Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 in support of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 75 in Guam. Madrid graduated from Green Run High School in 2019.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Virginia Beach. “My dad became a Navy chief back when I was still in middle school,” said Madrid. “So the hard stuff in Navy life came pretty easily for me because I lived with a certain level of discipline. I was already prepared for what it would be like.”
“Man I wish I could tell you everything. We got married young, I was 18 he was 21…. little did we know what life would have in store for us. Through the last 16 years we have experienced many hardships. We have seen a healthy born child, 3 kids through the nicu , 2 fetal deaths , multiple deployments and t.d.ys . We recently moved to help our family try to overcome struggles involving our son. During all these hardships ( more then i can explain here) my husband has remanded a rock and has strived to overcome the suck. He is one of the strongest people i know and could truly use a pick me up. While this explanation might not seem like much, I can guarantee if you knew him you would truly know how great and deserving he is.”
Lt. j.g. Tristan Walker, a 2018 graduate of Ocean High School and a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy, was recently promoted to lieutenant junior grade after completing a second year of service in the Navy.
Pecsoy joined the Navy five years ago. Today, Pecsoy serves as a yeoman. “I joined the Navy to better myself and to continue my education,” said Pecsoy. “I learned the importance of having a strong work ethic, to always have a smile on your face, and to always get the job done,”
Hobbs is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible. “I would like to thank my dad for all of the mentoring that he provided me,” added Hobbs. “I would also like to thank some of my high school friends and family members who have all given me good advice.”
Eslich, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Naval Academy graduate, assumed command in May 2023 and led the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG) through its inaugural deployment.
James Holzhauer of Abingdon, Virginia, who died during the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor, will be buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific on May 20.
Ensign Clara Enninful, from Virginia Beach, Virginia, throws an acoustic device aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83)
U.S. Navy Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Caidyn Nolan, from Hampton, Va., inspects an F/A-18E Super Hornet
“Growing up, I learned the importance of patience,” said Stough. “There is a lot of diversity in my hometown, so you have to have patience when interacting with different types of people. I also learned teamwork from playing sports.”
