Midshipmen Adrienne Wang and Cassandra Garfola, sophomore students at the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), were able to interact with and learn from junior Sailors on the deckplates of the Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47).

Wang and Garfola are part of a midshipman group participating in a two-week summer cruise aboard Rushmore.

Both midshipmen agreed that their time spent alongside their junior enlisted running mates will shape the type of leaders they become when they reach the fleet as junior officers.

"At the academy, people always say our sophomore cruise is about gaining an appreciation for enlisted Sailors," said Wang. "I don't think 'appreciation' covers what I've felt seeing all the hard work from the Sailors here."

Garfola said she was also moved by the work ethic of Rushmore's Sailors.

"I've been so impressed with everyone's tenacity," she added. "Some days are long. Some days just suck; and they still just pull it together and keep working. As a future division officer, I want to understand as much of their workload as I can, and make it easier on them."

Wang was particularly touched by working with her first running mate, Quartermaster 2nd Class Tanesha Harvey.

"[Harvey] has two kids and works long, hard days away from them," said Wang. "When I first met her, she just seemed young and hardworking. I never would've known she has such an inspiring story, without working alongside and getting to know her."

The midshipman added that getting to know Harvey and other enlisted Sailors has made an impact on how she intends to shape her leadership style with her future subordinates.

"It's about presence," said Wang. "Everyone here is an expert who knows so much about their field. There's no way I can know all of that. I want to have a working knowledge of what they do, so I know what they need. But I really want to be a division officer who knows her Sailors and is available at their level."

Upon completion of their cruise, Wang and Garfola are scheduled to return to USNA to resume their regular curriculum, carrying the knowledge and inspiration they gained underway.

Rushmore, part of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and with the embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

For more news from USS Essex (LHD 2), visit www.navy.mil/