Nevada hometown heroes by Aerotech News • November 8, 2024 9:18 am - Updated November 7, 2024 4:40 pm • Desert Lightning News - Nellis/Creech AFB Gunners Mate 2nd Class Joshua Fajardoortez, from Las Vegas, Nev., poses for a photo aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) in the South China Sea, September 27. Ralph Johnson is forward deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th fleet’s principal surface force. (Navy photograph by PO1 Jamaal Liddell) Las Vegas native serves aboard Ralph Johnson Gunners Mate 2nd Class Joshua Fajardoortez, from Las Vegas, Nev., poses for a photo aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) in the South China Sea, September 27. Ralph Johnson is forward deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th fleet’s principal surface force. (Navy photograph by PO1 Jamaal Liddell) USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) celebrates U.S. Navy’s 249th birthday Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Jonathan Robinson, from Las Vegas, speaks during a celebration of the U.S. Navy’s 249th birthday in the forward mess deck onboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) while in-port Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, Oct. 15, 2024. Ronald Reagan provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, and supports alliances, partnerships and collective maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jordan C. Brown) Las Vegas native hones sewing skills aboard Boxer Aircrew Survival Equipmentman Airman Apprentice Lorenzo Gordo, assigned to USS Boxer (LHD 4), and a native of Las Vegas, sews a uniform item in the aircrew equipment shop as the ship steams in the Pacific Ocean, July 21, 2024. Boxer is currently underway conducting routine operations in U.S. 3rd Fleet with elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Tyler Miles) Faces of RIMPAC U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Abegail Limon, is the noncommissioned officer in charge of food safety and sanitation and public health technician with the 15th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron. She has the critical role of inspecting all food in support of Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, ensuring they meet the highest safety standards. She is originally from Las Vegas, Nevada and it’s her first time participating in RIMPAC. Twenty-nine nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 27 to Aug. 1. The world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans. RIMPAC 2024 is the 29th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Christina Westover) Chief uniform fitting Chief Hospital Corpsman Gabriel Avila, a native of Las Vegas, assigned to U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Sigonella, demonstrates the proper wear of a male chief full dress white uniform during a chief petty officer uniform fitting at the Navy Exchange on board Naval Air Station Sigonella, Aug. 26, 2024. Twenty-three Sailors and six U.S. Air Force airmen, assigned to various commands on board NAS Sigonella, who were selected for promotion, attended the uniform fitting as they undergo approximately six weeks of initiation and training to learn how to serve in their new roles as senior enlisted leaders. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Diana Quinlan) NSA Bahrain visits Bahrain Animal Rescue Centre Builder 1st Class Mario Paniagua, from Las Vegas, left, and Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Boady Marshall, from Holdenville, Oklahoma, Right, saw through a wood pallet at the Bahrain Animal Rescue Centre during a Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain Community Relations event, June 28, 2024. Activities included dog walking, leveling terrain, and building cat towers from wood pallets donated by NSA Bahrain’s Environmental Department. NSA Bahrain enables the forward operations and responsiveness of U.S. and allied forces in support of the Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central mission to provide services to the fleet, warfighter and family. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class MacAdam Kane Weissman) Sailor sends JP-5 to flight deck Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Mechanical) 3rd Class Camille Cabuhat, a native of Las Vegas, Nev., releases a valve to send jet fuel (JP-5) from the JP-5 pump room to the flight deck of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64), Aug. 2, 2024. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is underway in the Atlantic Ocean completing integrated naval warfighting training. Composite Unit Training Exercises are an intense, multi-week exercise designed to fully integrate a carrier strike group as a cohesive, multi-mission fighting force, to assess their ability to carry out sustained combat operations from the sea, and drive future warfighting development. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kaitlin Young)