NORFOLK, Va. — Petty Officer 2nd Class Mandi Daigle, a native of Terra Alta, is one of more than 5,000 sailors serving aboard the self-contained mobile airport, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Daigle attended Preston High School.
Daigle said the skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Terra Alta.
“Spending time in Terra Alta taught me a good work ethic,” Daigle said. “If you have a job to do, work until you get it done. That really taught me the value of a hard-earned dollar.”
Daigle joined the Navy 14 years ago. Today, she serves as an air traffic controller.
“I chose to join the Navy because of my grandfather,” said Daigle. “I always loved his stories. He used to tell us stories about the Navy and how he got his tattoos. He told us all about the ports he went to and the friends he had. My family also has a heavy military history and that influenced me a lot. My mom, dad and other grandfather were in the Army and two of my uncles were in the Navy. My younger brother is in the Marines and is a Purple Heart recipient.”
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, Va., 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, Fla. 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, our nation and our Navy are stronger because of their service.
Serving in the Navy means Daigle 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.
“The Navy is important to national defense because we have a strong forward presence,” Daigle said. “This shows the world that we are never far away.”
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.
Daigle has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am really proud that I have done my job well for 14 years and have done tons of community service,” Daigle said. “I also completed five years as an instructor in my job and became qualified as a master training specialist. It is a great qualification that also gives you college credits towards a teaching degree.”
As Daigle 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 means a good future for my family,” said Daigle. “In five years, I will be able to retire. That gives me an opportunity to go back to school, travel and spend a lot of quality time with my loved ones. I will get to give my G.I. Bill benefits to my children, which will give them a good start in life.”
Daigle is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I really want to thank my dad, Larry Anderson,” Daigle added. “He has always been a calm and reassuring presence, and has always supported me. He told me I could do anything in life and that really kept me going.”
