It's not every day when the Navy's Virtual Reality Experience, the "Nimitz," gets the opportunity to be featured in its namesake's hometown.

After its activation during the Wings over South Texas Blue Angels Air Show at Naval Air Station Kingsville, March 24-25, the Nimitz was available to come to Fredericksburg High School before transiting north to support Waco Navy Week, April 2-8.

The experience consisted of students going through a series of exercises, starting with a briefing, before participating in a virtual high-speed water extraction of a Navy SEAL team pinned down under enemy fire.

"This was a great opportunity for the students to be exposed to some of the careers that the Navy has in the special operations community," said retired Navy Capt. George Fadok, senior naval science instructor for the school's Junior Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Program. "As a naval flight officer, I was not familiar with the special warfare combatant crewman (SWCC) mission, but it's exciting, along with all the other jobs in the Navy."

According to Fadok, a Phoenix native who retired in 2009, the students at Fredericksburg High School all know about the Nimitz's namesake, Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz, a native of Fredericksburg, who commanded the U.S. Pacific Fleet during WWII.

"Each year, we take our students over to the Admiral Chester Nimitz Museum," said Fadok. "Additionally, and fortunate for us, the president of the Nimitz Foundation is retired Gen. Michael Hagee, former commandant of the Marine Corps and a graduate of Fredericksburg High School."

The Navy is looking for smart, driven individuals who are eager to serve, and who are not only seeking a better future for themselves and their families, but also for the county.

Gavin Mudd, a freshman, had the opportunity to experience the Nimitz.

"It's pretty cool," said Mudd, who participated in the pull-up challenge by completing 12 pull-ups. "It's the best virtually system I have seen thus far."

According to Aviation Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Sarah Saldana of Kerrville assigned to Navy Recruiting Station Kerrville, bringing the Nimitz to Fredericksburg was a great idea.

"It provided an opportunity for students to not only virtually experience a SWCC mission but be able to talk with recruiters regarding other career fields in the Navy."

The Nimitz will be featured during Waco Navy Week at University High School, April 4-5, and the Heart of Texas Airshow featuring the Navy's flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, April 7-8.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, visit www.navy.mil/.