NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. – Petty Officer 3rd Class Justin Alford, a native of Dillon, South Carolina, is serving aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS The Sullivans (DDG 68).
Alford, a 2017 graduate of Dillon High School, joined the U.S. Navy as a great stepping stone in life.
“I feel like the experiences here get you ready for the future,” said Alford. “If I can make it here, I can make it through a lot.”
Today, Alford serves as a machinist’s mate and engineer responsible for ensuring a variety of equipment on the ship is running properly.
According to Navy officials, The Sullivans is named to honor five brothers from Waterloo, Iowa, who served together on the USS Juneau during World War II. The Sullivan brothers: George, 28; Francis, 27; Joseph, 24; Madison, 23; and Albert, 20; lost their lives during the Battle of Guadalcanal on November 13, 1942. They were adamant about serving together in spite of the Navy wartime policy to separate family members. This was the greatest military loss by any one American family during World War II.
The Sullivans is currently undergoing a routine maintenance period after completing a seven-month global deployment where they participated in multinational operations and joint training exercises with international partners to foster positive relationships while ensuring freedom of navigation and maritime security.

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Daniel Cleary/Released)