Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Josiah Trombley LT. JORDAN DIX

MAYPORT, Fla. — Lt. Jordan Dix, a native of L’Anse, Michigan, serves aboard USS Billings, a U.S. Navy warship operating out of Mayport, Florida.

Dix graduated from L’Anse High School in 2010. Additionally, Dix graduated from the Naval Academy in 2015.

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in L’Anse.

“I learned growing up to have a sense of humility,” said Dix. “It is a good thing to be proud of the work you do, but you don’t necessarily need to brag about it. It is also important to be humble in the Navy because it gives you a better perspective of your surroundings and allows you to make course corrections when needed. If you have too much of an ego, you won’t have a good perspective of your work environment or the people you are working with.”

Dix joined the Navy 10 years ago. Today, Dix serves as a surface warfare officer.

“I joined the Navy because I felt obligated to serve,” said Dix. “I also felt like I owed something to the American people”

Billings is a fast, optimally-manned, mission-tailored surface combatant that operates in near-shore and open-ocean environments, according to Navy officials. Littoral combat ships integrate with joint, combined, manned and unmanned teams to support forward-presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe.

Littoral combat ships are hybrid surface combatants that lead manned-unmanned teams using unmanned aerial systems like the Fire Scout and Expeditionary Ordnance Disposal forces unmanned underwater vehicles. They conduct forward and maritime security missions like the Secretary of Defense Oceania Maritime Security Initiative. The ships also strengthen partnerships through port visits in small island nations like Tahiti and Fiji due to their shallow-depth hull.

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.

“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”

Dix has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

“I am most proud of being able to lead sailors,” said Dix. “I am directly responsible for a decent amount of people and that responsibility is something that I am proud to have.”

Dix 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 taking care of my sailors and the equipment that I am responsible for,” said Dix.

Dix is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.”I want to thank my wife, Colleen, for being there for me and understanding the job that I do,” added Dix. “I also want to thank my family for supporting me and my roommate from college for giving me a good perspective. I am thankful for God as well for blessing me with the ability to do what I do since not everybody can.”