Local, lifelong resident, Jerry Miller shared the following article about his son-in-law, Senior Chief Petty Officer Adam Dickson, who has been serving his country for seventeen years in the U.S. Navy.  He is in charge of security aboard the USS Kearsarge.  According to an article by Mass Communication Specialist Class Steve Wattersworth, Navy Office of Community Outreach, “It is a Navy ship that is “capable of transporting Marines and landing them where they are needed via helicopters, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft craft and landing craft.  The success of our Surface Force ships is measured by our ability to provide Fleet Commanders with combat naval power at sea and to project that power ashore where and when it matters.”  In the accompanying photo of Senior Chief Adam Dickson, pictured saluting President Trump, the ship had been assigned to Puerto Rico following the hurricane disaster there in 2017.  Senior Chief Adam Dickson is a master-at-arms aboard the amphibious transport dock operating out of Norfolk, Virginia.  The USS Kearsarge is designed to deliver Marines and their equipment where they are needed to support a variety of missions ranging from amphibious assaults to humanitarian relief efforts.  “These amphibious transport dock ships support amphibious assault, special operations or expeditionary warfare missions and can serve as secondary aviation platforms for amphibious ready groups.  Because of their inherent capabilities these ships have been and will continue to be called upon to support humanitarian and other contingency missions on short notice.” 

Senior Chief Dickson has military ties with other family members, including his little brother, who is also in the Navy serving aboard the USS Gabby Gifford.  Dickson is proud to be carrying on the tradition of serving his country.  “I love working with people,” Dickson said.  “It’s allowed me the opportunity to learn the lessons required to lead.  Puerto Rico was a unifying operation.”