Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher OGrady | 240910-N-LN782-1006 GREAT LAKES, Ill. (Sep. 10, 2024) Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter)...... read more read more
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Meet Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class (AWS2) Jonathan Ribeiro, a Recruit Division Commander (RDC) at Recruit Training Command (RTC) Great Lakes, the Navy’s only boot camp.
Originally from San Francisco, California, Ribeiro’s journey in the Navy began in 2014 with the desire to grow personally and professionally.
“I was looking for a way to challenge myself,” Ribeiro says. “I found out about the Warrior Challenge Program, and when I saw some of the jobs being offered, aviation rescue swimmer seemed like it was exactly what I was looking for. It wasn’t your normal kind of job, and I knew it would push me each and every day. At the same time, joining the Navy would allow me to serve my country and be a part of something bigger than myself. It was something I could be proud of.”
Prior to arriving at RTC, Ribeiro was stationed at Naval Education and Training Command, Naval Air Station Fallon, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 3, HSC 14, and was deployed on USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).
Ribiero’s primary duties as an RDC include transforming young men and women into smartly disciplined, physically fit, and basically trained Sailors. Aside from leading divisions, Ribeiro is also an instructor at water survival, where he teaches survival at sea lessons and ensures the safety of all recruits during training evolutions.
Recently, Ribeiro was awarded the Junior Instructor of the Quarter Award for his outstanding instructional and leadership performance, and for personifying the meaning of personal excellence inside and outside of the classroom. He attributes much of his success here at RTC, and in the Navy, to his upbringing.
“I developed my work ethic and my discipline from my family,” he says. “I have a high level of respect and gratitude for my mother. She was always the type of person who was selfless and led by example. I owe much of my success to her for all of the things I learned from watching her. She also took me to piano lessons growing up, and I developed a lot of stage skills performing in front of other people. That’s helped me a lot instructing and passing on knowledge to others.”
Though Ribeiro has accomplished many of his goals while at RTC, his duties aren’t without challenges.
“Not everyone learns in the same way,” Ribeiro says. “Developing a teaching strategy that works for the majority of people wasn’t easy, and it took some trial and error. Motivating people to want to learn and to be open to learning is a big part of what I try to do. Of course, it’s also extremely rewarding when you do see growth in an individual and the division as a whole. Seeing what they were in the beginning and what they become by the end of training is what keeps me going.”
Much of Ribeiro’s drive to shape the future of the Navy is deeply rooted in his personal connection to naval service.
“Serving means putting the Navy before yourself,” he says. “Sure, there are always going to be days when it’s tough to motivate yourself. But to me, the sacrifice, the will to do your best, and the ability to find the tenacity to put your best foot forward is what makes a Sailor. Being in the Navy isn’t like every other job, and I think it’s important to remember that.”
Looking ahead, Ribeiro has set ambitious goals for the rest of his naval career.
“My short-term goal is to be promoted to petty officer first class in the next six months. After that, I plan to finish college and focus on a degree in public education. Within five years, I hope to pick up chief petty officer, which I think will allow me to help other shipmates grow into the best versions of themselves that they can be.”
Ribeiro continues to contribute to the Navy’s mission, upholding the values of service and dedication to inspire future Sailors as they join the fleet.
Boot camp is approximately 10 weeks and all enlistees in the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes five warfighting competencies of firefighting, damage control, seamanship, watch standing, and small arms handling and marksmanship along with physical fitness and lessons in Navy heritage and core values, Warrior Toughness, Life Skills, teamwork, and discipline. More than 40,000 recruits train annually at the Navy’s only boot camp.
For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/rtc.
| Date Taken: | 09.13.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.13.2024 10:14 |
| Story ID: | 480784 |
| Location: | GREAT LAKES, US |
| Hometown: | EMBARCADERO/SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 281 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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