Contributed photo U.S. Navy Office of Community Outreach Medical Lake graduate Taylor Ruggles is serving on the world's oldest commissioned warship during the Fourth of July.
BOSTON – A 2016 Medical Lake High School graduate and Medical Lake, Wash., native will celebrate America's 242nd year of independence as part of a hand-picked Navy crew serving on the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat, the USS Constitution.
Seaman Taylor Ruggles, a gunner's mate, serves aboard the 220-year-old Boston-based ship named by President George Washington to honor the Constitution of the United States of America. Famously known as "Old Ironsides," the Constitution is a wooden-hulled three-masted heavy frigate that originally launched in 1797.
"I had a lot of interaction with people that supported the military and it made it much easier to join the Navy," Ruggles said.
Ruggles said she is honored to have been selected to serve on the ship that is rich in history and successfully held off the British Navy in the War of 1812.
"Boot camp taught us about the history of the ship and I am able to work here and explain to people why we have a Navy and my mind is blown with all of the history we have access to," Ruggles said.
A key element of the Navy's mission is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, according to Navy officials, and that the nation's prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world's oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world's population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea.
Just as U.S. Navy ships and submarines do today, Constitution actively defended sea lanes against global threats from 1797 to 1855. Constitution's victories at sea during the War of 1812 inspired a nation and helped mark the emergence of the United States as a world-class maritime power.
Now a featured destination on Boston's Freedom Trail, Constitution and crew offer community outreach and education about the ship's history and the importance of maintaining a strong Navy to hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
Seventy-seven sailors make up the crew aboard Constitution. These sailors routinely interact with the public talking about their jobs, their previous duty stations, Navy rules and regulations and life aboard a Navy vessel.
"I enjoy working with the training division and put together training plans to help sailors learn about the ship and help maintain the ship's upkeep," Ruggles said.
"I'm extremely proud of my sailors stationed onboard USS Constitution," Nathaniel R. Shick, 75th commanding officer of Constitution, said. "We have the opportunity to engage with over half a million people each year here at the Charlestown Navy Yard. Each sailor is hand selected for this command, undergoing a rigorous college level curriculum studying American Naval History in the "Age of Sail" and building confidence through daily public communication. I could never praise these men and women enough for volunteering their services and pledging their support to our nation."
Constitution, America's Ship of State, the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat. She embodies 220 years of maritime heritage and unwavering service to her country, and symbolizes the importance of naval sea power to more than 500,000 visitors each year.
"I have always looked up to people in the military and I realized how much I can push myself and boost my mental state," Ruggles added. "Working together is a great way to honor our country because we all have something in common."
Chief mass communication specialist Erica R. Gardner serves in the U.S. Navy Office of Community Outreach.
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