ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - Petty Officer 2nd Class Carolina Mendez, native of Elk Grove, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Patrol Squadron (VP) 45.

Mendez graduated from Laguna Creek High School in 2019. The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Elk Grove.

“Lessons from my hometown include having very influential teachers who encouraged me to seek out opportunities, whether in education or sports,” Mendez said. “I was able to foster new experiences for myself because of the confidence they instilled in me.”

Mendez joined the Navy five years ago. Today, Mendez serves as a hospital corpsman.

“I am the first to join the military and initially had no interest, then I chose to try something new and get out of my comfort zone,” Mendez said. “The aftereffects of the pandemic made me uncertain about the direction of my career, and the Navy provided a more secure environment.”

Members of VP-45 fly and maintain the U.S. Navy’s P-8A Poseidon multi-mission maritime aircraft. Designed to secure the U.S. Navy’s future in long-range maritime patrol capability, the P-8A has transformed how the Navy’s maritime patrol and reconnaissance force will train, operate and deploy, according to Navy officials. P-8A aircraft deploy around the globe to monitor the world’s oceans wherever they are needed.

The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.

According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”

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 recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.

Mendez has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

“My proudest accomplishment was completing my first deployment. I was new to the fleet and served as an individual augmentee aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln,” Mendez said. “It was the best opportunity as a young hospital corpsman to learn from more experienced hospital corpsmen and gain hands-on experience on a big-deck ship. The intense pressure I faced at the time has greatly helped me in the long run with my career.”

Mendez serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.

“Serving in the Navy means being able to look out for my peers and friends, to be part of a support system, mentally and physically, and to have the opportunity to protect my family and friends back home,” Mendez said.

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

“I would like to thank my parents, Alex and Maricela, for always supporting me and encouraging me to work hard. They stood behind my career choices and gave me the freedom to explore the world,” Mendez said. “I would also like to thank Mr. Erik Olson for encouraging me to speak up about my passions and to put myself out there, even when it felt scary. His support helped me grow from being shy into more of a social butterfly.”

“I am currently working on my enlisted aviation warfare specialist qualification and pursuing a bachelor’s degree in health sciences from Purdue Global, which I expect to complete in 2026,” Mendez said.