Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rhodes Serving On Nimitz

Navy Seaman Michael Rhodes of Prescott is one of the more than 5,000 sailors and officers standing guard in the Pacific Ocean aboard the USS aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.

Navy Seaman Michael Rhodes of Prescott is one of the more than 5,000 sailors and officers standing guard in the Pacific Ocean aboard the USS aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.

The U.S. Navy is often seen as a worldwide watchdog and its aircraft carriers are the Doberman pinschers whose presence is enough to deter most agressors.

Navy Seaman Michael L. Rhodes, the 24-year-old son of Arthur and Constance Rhodes of Prescott is one of the more than 5,000 sailors and officers on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, who is currently keeping a watchful eye on activities in the Western Pacific.

The 95,000-ton carrier was sent to the region from the Arabian Gulf to monitor the recent Chinese military exercises conducted in the Taiwan Strait.

"I've enjoyed serving my country and helping to make peace between other countries," said Rhodes, a 1991 graduate of Prescott High School.

Rhodes, a cook, prepares meals for the entire crew.

Rhodes and the Nimitz demonstrated their flexibility by traveling more than 4,000 miles from the Arabian Gulf to the South China Sea in less than a week. The ability to quickly project a powerful presence in any corner of the globe is a crucial part of naval operations.

Today, U.S. aircraft carriers continue to operate from the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific to the Arabian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea. Aircraft carriers like the Nimitz, with more than 80 aircraft, serve as a deterrent to potential aggressors and can respond on short notice to any crises around the world.

While they have spent most of their time at sea over the last four months, Rhodes and the crew have enjoyed port visits to Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The port visits gave Rhodes a break from the long hours and hard work of the deployment.

"I enjoyed seeing other countries and meeting new people," said Rhodes, a four-year navy veteran.

Exciting port visits and interesting job opportunities are just a few of the reasons that Rhodes finds the navy a fulfilling and rewarding experience.

"I joined the navy for a better job and to get an education. The navy also allows you so see different places," said Rhodes.

While Rhodes and the rest of the crew of the Nimitz stand ready to answer the call, thousands of other sailors in the Western Pacific are preparing to deploy to take the place of the vigilant watchdog. The Nimitz is scheduled to return to its homeport of Bremerton, Wash., in late May.