By: Alvin Plexico, Navy Office of Community Outreach Chief Petty Officer Lonnie Paul, a native of Houston, Texas, serves aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan. Equipped with a full flight deck and more than 60 aircraft including attack fighter jets and helicopters, aircraft carriers are one of the largest warships in the world. Paul graduated from Elsik High School in 1995. Paul joined the Navy 20 years ago. Today, Paul serves as a personnel specialist. “I have family who served in the Navy and their service inspired me to serve,” said Paul. The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Houston. “I learned the importance of resiliency,” said Paul. “People back home never give up!’ 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. 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 oft en 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. 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

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