NORFOLK, Va. – Petty Officer 3rd Class Ethan May, who has family ties to Norfolk, Virginia, serves aboard USS Nimitz, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier operating out of Norfolk, Virginia.
May graduated from Heard County High School in 2022.
“Growing up, I learned to keep working toward any of my goals and to never give up,” May said. “Even if something goes wrong, you can still strive towards that goal. Small setbacks can’t stop me from achieving what I want.”
May joined the Navy three years ago.
“I joined the Navy because I didn’t really have anything going for me,” May said. “I didn’t see myself going anywhere with what I was doing. I also had family members in the Navy and Marine Corps. So, naturally I was pulled towards the Navy.”
Today, May serves as an interior communications electrician.
Aircraft carriers are the centerpiece of America’s naval forces. For more than 100 years, they have projected power, sustained sea control, bolstered deterrence, provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and maintained enduring commitments worldwide.
Nimitz is longer than three football fields at 1,092 feet. The ship is also 252 feet wide and weighs more than 100,000 tons. More than 5,000 sailors serve aboard this self-contained mobile airport, making Nimitz one of the largest warships in the world.
According to Navy officials, aircraft carriers are versatile and have unique mission capabilities that make them a more strategic asset for the Navy than fixed-site bases. They are often the first response in a global crisis because of their ability to operate freely in international waters anywhere on the world’s oceans. In addition, no other weapon system can deploy and operate forward with a full-sized aircraft carrier’s speed, endurance, agility and combat capability of its air wing.
May has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am most proud of being able to buy my mother a car,” May said.
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.
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.
“Serving in the Navy is a stepping stone to me,” May said. “I plan to go back to college and get my nursing degree at the University of West Georgia and to be closer to family.”
May is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents, Renee and Richard,” May added. “They are great parents, and they have done everything they could to raise me right. Even when I made mistakes, they were still proud of me, and joining the Navy made them extra proud of me.”
Story by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Sean Furey, Navy Office of Community Outreach