Sailor from Maui serves aboard US Navy floating airport

By Tristan Cookson, mass communication Specialist 2nd Class / Navy Office of Community Outreach

Elijah Pulotu, a sailor from Kīhei, Maui, serves aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan. Pulotu graduated from Maui High School in 2020 and joined the Navy two years ago. 

“I joined the Navy because I felt stuck in my day job and wanted to do something that mattered,” said Pulotu. “I wanted something with purpose in it… I want to create a better life and future for my wife and daughter.”

“I’m most proud of learning something new every day with leadership and work ethic,” said Pulotu. “I take pride that I am one of the first responders in any case of emergency to help protect the ship.”

Equipped with a full flight deck and more than 60 aircraft including attack fighter jets and helicopters, aircraft carriers are one of the largest warships in the world and serve as a centerpiece of America’s Naval forces. For more than 100 years, they have projected power, sustained sea control, bolstered deterrence, provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and maintained enduring commitments worldwide.

According to Navy officials, aircraft carriers are versatile and have unique mission capabilities that make them a more strategic asset for the Navy than fixed-site bases. They are often the first response in a global crisis because of their ability to operate freely in international waters anywhere on the world’s oceans. In addition, no other weapon system can deploy and operate forward with a full-sized aircraft carrier’s speed, endurance, agility and combat capability of its air wing.

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.

“Serving in the Navy means making sacrifices in your life,” said Pulotu. “Putting others before myself and knowing that, even though I am away from my wife and daughter, I am doing something worthwhile.”

Pulotu is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible. “I would like to thank my parents,” added Pulotu. “They always wanted me to do something that would make something out of myself and be the best I can. This is the best that I am doing here.”