On this past Oct. 27, we recognized the dedication of the men and women who serve and have served in the Navy through National Navy Day. In 2021 alone, nearly 3.5 million people served in the military, and 343,000 of them were part of the navy. National Navy Day recognizes these service members and all they have done to help make the world a better place. One such service member is Mr. Corattiyil, former Navy personnel and high school administrator at SHS.
There are many different reasons why someone might want to join the Navy. Some do it because they feel a need to serve their community, some do it because they feel they would benefit from such a career, and others do it because it looks like something they may be good at. Whatever the reason, these people make the choice to put themselves aside to help others. Mr. Corattiyil joined the Navy in 2001 because of the 9/11 terrorist attacks: “We heard all the attacks and … as an 18-year-old you think maybe this is my time to serve. You hear the stories in history class about Pearl Harbor and all these guys left their jobs and went to join the army and then you think maybe this is my chance to do something like that.”
Not all Navy personnel are out fighting on the front lines, however. Instead, there are many other jobs available. “When I was on a ship I did supply and logistics … and when I was in a land-based unit, I was in civil affairs, which is like helping rebuild schools and roads and communities in war zones,” Mr. Corattiyil said. Other jobs available include pilots, bomb specialists, technicians, doctors, and mechanics. Whether it be in the background or at the forefront, all Navy personnel have valuable jobs that they perform that help impact the lives of those around them every day, no matter how small they may seem
Being a part of the Navy is impactful not only to other people but to those serving as well. “When you watch a war or you hear about a war, here in America most of our wars are fought overseas,” Mr. Corattiyil noted. “You never really get to interact with the people or understand what their life is like or what they care about … so it was really cool to engage with the local population and feel kind of what they felt.” Being a part of the Navy can help illuminate the reality of wars and allow others to see firsthand the impact of wars and conflicts across the globe. When coming into contact with so many different groups of people, navy personnel are able to adjust their view of the world and appreciate small things by looking at them from a new perspective.
The Navy doesn’t only teach short-term skills but helps build up long-term ones to have a lasting impact on their personnel. As Mr. Corattiyil said, “I think there are more leadership and experiences and opportunities that you get … in the military, than you would ever get in a civilian job or career …. You see different parts of the world, you meet all different types of people … it helps you get familiar in how to deal with all different types of people and it lets you try to empathize with people.” Being a part of the Navy allows you to grow as a person and interact with new people, learning from them and listening. These personal skills are useful later on in life and can help prepare you for future problems you may face.
Overall, those who serve in the Navy put aside themselves to help others in need. National Navy Day tells these service members that everything they have gone through is noticed and appreciated. When you see a Navy service member around, make sure to thank them for all the sacrifices they have made to help make the world a better place.
(sources: https://www.navy.com/careers, https://download.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Reports/2021-demographics-report.pdf,
https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/demo/acs-43.pdf)
