Naval Airman Alex Chesnut said his responsibilities aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington are rewarding.
The 2008 Hamburg graduate has been at sea in the Pacific Ocean for the past three months.
Chestnut hasn’t been home for a year and half, but he said the time away has been worth it.
“I don’t have any complaints,” he said. “I have been away from friends and family, but it’s been a rewarding experience. I’ve been to quite a few places and gotten to do a lot of things that other people will never get to do in their lives.”
Chesnut visited with the Hamburg Reporter recently after his commander arranged a ship-to-land call.
Airman Chesnut joined the Navy right after high school. He said enlisting has afforded him an opportunity to see the world. “I wanted to get out and see what it was like outside of my 1,200-person town,” he said. “Now I’m on a ship that’s two to three times that population.”
Chesnut is responsible for the packing and care of parachutes and maintaining flight clothing, rubber life rafts, life jackets, oxygen-breathing apparatus, protective clothing, and air-sea rescue equipment.
“This is a huge responsibility for a young man who graduated high school just two years ago,” said Lt. Commander Dave Hecht, public affairs officer aboard the USS George Washington.
Chesnut said the ship’s crew is “patrolling the waters and making sure the shipping lanes remain open and maintaining stability in this area of the world.
“I feel like this is my job. We come out and patrol the waters once a year. It’s a good feeling to know that we’re helping out. We make sure everything is going safely,” he said.
Chesnut said being aboard a Navy ship allows him to have some unique experiences. “I sit up on deck and watch the F-18’s take off and land. I doubt my friends will ever get to see that,” he said.
Airman Chesnut’s dad, Lewis Chesnut, said he’s pleased that his son has chosen to join the Navy. He said he’s not surprised that he ended up in the military. “He always admired military people,” Lewis Chesnut said.
His paternal grandfather served in the Korean War.
Lewis Chesnut said his son’s personality is also well-suited to the military.
“Alex was always more of a physical type. He will try anything once,” he said.
Airman Chesnut exchanges emails often with loved ones. “He always has a new story to tell,” mom Kelli Woltemath said. Family also includes sister Megan Chesnut and step-sisters Hilary and Emily Woltemath. Kelli says she appreciates that modern technology allows a variety of ways to communicate, such as Facebook and Skype, that weren’t available to families of military servicemen and women in the past.
Lewis Chesnut said it’s tough not getting to see his son more often, but knowing that he enjoys serving in the Navy makes it easier.
“He seems to be happy doing what he’s doing,” he said. “We’re really proud.”
Woltemath says it caused some anxiety when her son joined during a time of war, but she too is proud of his decision to join the Navy. “It was something he wanted to do and I have to support him and stay behind him. That’s what I’ve tried to do,” she said.
Airman Chesnut said he’s hoping to come home on leave at the end of the year and has a message for his loved ones.
“I miss you, I love you and I’m looking forward to seeing you all around Christmas,” he said.
Mom Kelli returns those sentiments.
“We love him and miss him,” she said.
Because he’s her only son, Woltemath said she affectionately refers to Alex as her “boy child.” Now that he’s serving in the Navy, she said the name may no longer be appropriate. “It seems to be turning him into a young man,” she said.
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Naval Airman Alex Chesnut said his responsibilities aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington are rewarding.
The 2008 Hamburg graduate has been at sea in the Pacific Ocean for the past three months.
Chestnut hasn’t been home for a year and half, but he said the time away has been worth it.
“I don’t have any complaints,” he said. “I have been away from friends and family, but it’s been a rewarding experience. I’ve been to quite a few places and gotten to do a lot of things that other people will never get to do in their lives.”
Chesnut visited with the Hamburg Reporter recently after his commander arranged a ship-to-land call.
Airman Chesnut joined the Navy right after high school. He said enlisting has afforded him an opportunity to see the world. “I wanted to get out and see what it was like outside of my 1,200-person town,” he said. “Now I’m on a ship that’s two to three times that population.”
Chesnut is responsible for the packing and care of parachutes and maintaining flight clothing, rubber life rafts, life jackets, oxygen-breathing apparatus, protective clothing, and air-sea rescue equipment.
“This is a huge responsibility for a young man who graduated high school just two years ago,” said Lt. Commander Dave Hecht, public affairs officer aboard the USS George Washington.
Chesnut said the ship’s crew is “patrolling the waters and making sure the shipping lanes remain open and maintaining stability in this area of the world.
“I feel like this is my job. We come out and patrol the waters once a year. It’s a good feeling to know that we’re helping out. We make sure everything is going safely,” he said.
Chesnut said being aboard a Navy ship allows him to have some unique experiences. “I sit up on deck and watch the F-18’s take off and land. I doubt my friends will ever get to see that,” he said.
Airman Chesnut’s dad, Lewis Chesnut, said he’s pleased that his son has chosen to join the Navy. He said he’s not surprised that he ended up in the military. “He always admired military people,” Lewis Chesnut said.
His paternal grandfather served in the Korean War.
Lewis Chesnut said his son’s personality is also well-suited to the military.
“Alex was always more of a physical type. He will try anything once,” he said.
Airman Chesnut exchanges emails often with loved ones. “He always has a new story to tell,” mom Kelli Woltemath said. Family also includes sister Megan Chesnut and step-sisters Hilary and Emily Woltemath. Kelli says she appreciates that modern technology allows a variety of ways to communicate, such as Facebook and Skype, that weren’t available to families of military servicemen and women in the past.
Lewis Chesnut said it’s tough not getting to see his son more often, but knowing that he enjoys serving in the Navy makes it easier.
“He seems to be happy doing what he’s doing,” he said. “We’re really proud.”
Woltemath says it caused some anxiety when her son joined during a time of war, but she too is proud of his decision to join the Navy. “It was something he wanted to do and I have to support him and stay behind him. That’s what I’ve tried to do,” she said.
Airman Chesnut said he’s hoping to come home on leave at the end of the year and has a message for his loved ones.
“I miss you, I love you and I’m looking forward to seeing you all around Christmas,” he said.
Mom Kelli returns those sentiments.
“We love him and miss him,” she said.
Because he’s her only son, Woltemath said she affectionately refers to Alex as her “boy child.” Now that he’s serving in the Navy, she said the name may no longer be appropriate. “It seems to be turning him into a young man,” she said.
