Petty Officer 2nd Class Fatima Luna, a native of Surprise, is one of more than 5,000 sailors serving aboard the self-contained mobile airport, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Luna graduated in 2019 from Valley Vista High School.

Support from family and friends in Surprise, El Mirage and Glendale have made a difference for Luna.

“Every time I go back home, my family always makes it a point to tell me how proud they are of me,” said Luna. “It helps me keep going. I’m a family-oriented person, so their support always makes me feel good.”

Luna joined the Navy four years ago. Today, Luna serves as an air traffic controller.

“I always knew that I wanted to be part of the armed services, it was just a debate on which branch I wanted to join,” said Luna. “I joined the Navy because my brother was in the Navy and I saw all the fun he was having. He was first stationed in Japan and was having a blast. His stories from deployment made it sound like something I wanted to experience as well.”

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 often the first response in a global crisis because of their ability to operate freely in international waters anywhere in the world. In addition, no other weapon system can deploy and operate forward with a full-sized, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier’s speed, endurance, agility and the combat capability of its air wing.

“Mighty IKE” is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, one of only four five-star U.S. Army generals and a hero of World War II who would later serve as the 34th president of the United States. Homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, the carrier is longer than three football fields at 1,092 feet. The ship is 252 feet wide and weighs more than 100,000 tons.

This year commemorates 50 years of women flying in the U.S. Navy. In 1973, the first eight women began flight school in Pensacola, Florida. Six of them, known as “The First Six,” earned their “Wings of Gold” one year later. Over the past 50 years, the Navy has expanded its roles for women to lead and serve globally, and today women aviators project power from the sea in every type of Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aircraft. According to Navy officials, America nation and its Navy are stronger because of their service.

Serving in the Navy means Luna is part of a team that is taking on new importance in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.

“In the Navy, if something happens on the water, we’re the first to it since we’re patrolling the oceans all the time,” said Luna. “So we support national defense by maintaining peace on the oceans.”

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 trained sailors and a strong Navy.

Luna has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

“At my first duty station, I was proud of being one of a few people who got fully qualified in air traffic control as a lower-ranking sailor,” said Luna. “While I was there, I received three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and, last year, I got a meritorious promotion. Leadership saw all the hard work I was doing and thought I deserved to be at a higher rank, so they gave me that.”

As Luna and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the U.S. Navy.

“Serving in the Navy has helped me create a better foundation for my life,” said Luna. “I didn’t grow up in the best situation, so all the support from the friends I’ve made in the Navy has helped shape who I am and who I want to be.”

Luna is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

“I want to thank my brothers,” added Luna. “They are always there when I need them. I’m also thankful for Chief Novela, who was one of the first chiefs I ever had. He always believed in me and paved the way for me to advance. He also gave me a lot of opportunities that not many people get. Even though we don't work together anymore, he still reaches out to me to see how I’m doing.”