POINT PLEASANT – Point Pleasant native Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Nobbs serves aboard a U.S. Navy warship operating out of Norfolk, Virginia.
Nobbs graduated from Point Pleasant Boro High School in 2009 and joined the Navy 11 years ago. Today, he serves as a sonar technician aboard USS Ross.
“My hometown taught me how to be a leader. In high school, I was captain of the wrestling team. I feel like a lot of those leadership qualities naturally translated to the Navy,” Nobbs said. “I joined the Navy because I needed structure in my life. I joined the Navy specifically because I felt like it can take you almost anywhere in the world.”
The USS Ross is a guided-missile destroyer that provides a wide range of warfighting capabilities in multi-threat air, surface and subsurface environments. A destroyer is a multi-mission ship that can operate independently or as part of a larger group of ships at sea. The ship is equipped with tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, guns and a phalanx close-in weapons system.
Currently, more than 300 sailors serve aboard USS Ross. Their jobs are highly specialized and range from maintaining engines to handling weaponry, alongside a multitude of other assignments that keep the ship mission-ready at all times, according to Navy officials.
“The Navy is important to national defense because it shows force globally,” said Nobbs. “We are capable of bringing weapons, troops, and resources anywhere in a timely and effective manner. We are always mission-ready.”
Since more than 90 percent of all trade travels by sea, and 95 percent of the world’s international phone and internet traffic is carried through fiber optic cables lying on the ocean floor, Navy officials indicate that the prosperity and security of the United States is linked to a strong and ready Navy.
“My proudest accomplishment in the Navy was being meritoriously advanced to the rank of petty officer first class,” said Nobbs. “It took a lot of patience and hard work to get to this point.”
Nobbs said he takes pride in serving their country in the U.S. Navy.
“Being in the Navy means more than just serving the country to me,” said Nobbs. “I am also serving my community and my junior sailors.”
“I would like to thank my wife, Caitlyn Nobbs,” added Nobbs. “She has always been there to support me and our family. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do here without her.”
