Petty Officer 2nd Class Janet Gonzalez, a native of Houston, Texas, is serving aboard USS Daniel K. Inouye, a U.S. Navy warship operating out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Gonzalez, a 2018 graduate of Douglas MacArthur High School, joined the Navy four years ago.

“I joined the Navy to have a path different from the normal path everyone else was taking,” said Gonzalez. “I've met different people from all over the country and they have become my second family.”

Today, Gonzalez relies upon skills and values similar to those found in Houston to succeed in the military.

“The lessons I learned from my hometown that have stayed with me in my time in the Navy came from taking six years of Junior ROTC,” said Gonzalez. "Although it was a different branch, it gave me discipline, teamwork and a good work ethic."

These lessons have helped Gonzalez while serving in the Navy.

Daniel K. Inouye is a guided-missile destroyer that provides a wide range of warfighting capabilities. The destroyer is a multi-mission ship that can operate independently or as part of a larger group of ships at sea. The ship is equipped with tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, guns and a phalanx close-in weapons system.

More than 300 sailors serve aboard Daniel K. Inouye. Their jobs are highly specialized, requiring both dedication and skill. The jobs range from maintaining engines to handling weaponry along with a multitude of other assignments that keep the ship mission-ready at all times, according to Navy officials.

With 90 percent 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.

"Our mission remains timeless - to provide our fellow citizens with nothing less than the very best Navy: fully combat ready at all times, focused on warfighting excellence, and committed to superior leadership at every single level," said Adm. Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations. "This is our calling. And I cannot imagine a calling more worthy."

Serving in the Navy means Gonzalez is part of a team that is taking on new importance in America’s focus on strengthening alliances, modernizing capabilities, increasing capacities and maintaining military readiness in support of the National Defense Strategy.

“The Navy is important to national defense because it is a layer of protection for us against our adversaries,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez and the sailors they serve with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.

“My proudest accomplishment in the Navy was getting promoted to petty officer second class within four years of service,” said Gonzalez.

As Gonzalez and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the United States Navy.

“Serving in the Navy has allowed me to grow so much as a person,” said Gonzalez. "Becoming independent and making sacrifices isn’t for everybody. I did it to make my family proud and I hope to be able to provide everything someday."

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

“I would like to thank my parents, Evangelina and Victor,” said Gonzalez. “Because of their sacrifices, they were able to provide for us what they didn't have when they grew up.”

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