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Petty Officer 2nd Class Lowinski Petidor, from Miami, Florida, serves aboard USS Billings, a U.S. Navy warship operating out of Mayport, Florida.
Petidor graduated from Miami Central Senior High School in 2022.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Miami.
“Growing up in North Miami, I was always taught first impressions are vital,” Petidor said. “First impressions are very important. From boot camp to today, I’ve put my best foot forward, and it has done me well.”
Petidor joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Petidor serves as an information systems technician.
“My parents immigrated to this country from Haiti before I was born,” Petidor said. “I see this as a way to repay this country for the opportunities we’ve been granted. I was always close to the ocean and came from a literal island. I saw more opportunities to travel and see the world with the Navy. I felt like I had a chip on my shoulder and like I had to prove myself because my family immigrated here. I had to not just do the best but be the best. I feel like the Navy is the place where I found that my hard work is recognized, and I get recognition for trying to be the best. I appreciate my command for doing that.”
A Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), Billings is a fast and agile warship designed to operate in near-shore environments to counter 21st-century threats. Crews aboard the ship can operate unmanned aerial systems and unmanned underwater vehicles. These ships can operate independently or in high-threat scenarios as part of a networked battle force that includes larger, multi-mission surface combatants such as cruisers and destroyers.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
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.
Petidor has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m most proud of my spot Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (NAM),” Petidor said. “I repaired a fiber-optic cable to give the ship internet while we were in Little Creek. Receiving that award felt like the culmination of all the hard work I had put in. I was able to accomplish something that they said we couldn’t do and would need outside help to repair. It was very rewarding. I wasn’t expecting to get a NAM for it, but that showed me that the command sees me and what I was able to do. We work in the background a lot as information systems technicians, so it felt extra special that the ship’s leadership was able to see that.”
Petidor serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“In a time where tensions around the world are high, fewer people are volunteering to serve in the Navy,” Petidor said. “When people around the country aren’t able to serve for whatever reason, I feel blessed that I was able to be put in a position to help my country on the front lines. I always view serving my country as an honor.”
Petidor is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my family for always supporting me,” Petidor said. “I’m the youngest son, and I know it’s hard to let go of the baby, but they were always supportive and believed in me. My father, Geraldson Petidor, always trusted in my vision. I also want to thank the mentors I’ve had along the way, both civilian and Navy, specifically Chief Christian Chen, whom I met when I first came aboard USS Billings. He knew Miami, and he knew what neighborhood I was from. It made me feel seen. I knew right then and there this command was where I was supposed to be, and that God put me here for a reason.”
