NORFOLK, Va. — Petty Officer 3rd Class Derrick King is an aviation ordnanceman aboard one of the world’s largest warships, the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and one of only 10 operational aircraft carriers in the Navy today, according to a news release from the Navy Office of Community Outreach.

As a sailor with numerous responsibilities, King said he is learning about himself as a leader, sailor and a person. He added that it is an exciting time to be in the Navy, and serving aboard a ship is something he never expected to be doing just a couple years ago.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Derrick King Contributed photo

“I’m continuing my family Navy service legacy that spans at least four generations of sailors,”said King in the release. “I joined the Navy to get a better paying job. I wanted career options and more opportunities. Now, I assemble bomb components; the fuse and tail fin assembly.” He also said he is proud of the work he is doing as part of the Bush’s 6,000-member crew, protecting America on the world’s oceans.

As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, King and other USS George H.W. Bush sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes.

“The Navy’s forward presence keeps the bad guys away. We’ll take the fight to them. Like the commercial says, we are global force for good,” said King in the release.

King is a 2010 Waterville Senior High School graduate.