The United States government created the U.S. Navy on October 13, 1775. Over the past 250 years, millions of American men and women have served in the branch of military. As of August 31, 2025, there are 340,268 active people in U.S. Navy. One of them is Doug Robb, a commanding officer from West Lafayette, Indiana.
Since graduating with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 2005, Robb has spent more than 20 years working in the U.S. Navy. That includes his role from 2022 to 2023 in command of the USS Spruance (including 2 helicopters and 353 officers and crew) while deployed in the South China Sea. News-O-Matic (NOM) spoke to the navy commander about his naval career!
NOM: What was your work as a lieutenant on the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd in San Diego, California?
Robb: In the most basic sense, I was a ship driver. I was in charge of driving the ship, shooting the guns, and firing the missiles. I also led a team of about 75
sailors and officers.
NOM: Is your work in the U.S. Navy ever scary?
Robb: We’re not really scared because we’re with people that we work with all the time. Our friends on board — what we call our shipmates — really become our family. In that respect, you always travel with 300 of your closest friends.
NOM: What’s it like onboard a huge ship in the U.S. Navy?
Robb: It’s really interesting. When we’re in port, I go to the ship in the morning, I work, and then I go home. But when the ship is at sea, you have people up at all hours of the day and night. It’s a lot more exciting. Our ship becomes its own city. It even has its own barbershop onboard!
NOM: How long are you at sea?
Robb: For drills, we go out for anywhere from a week to a couple weeks. The drills help us train so that we can
in a couple months. Then, we’ll be out for about seven months.
NOM: What’s the hardest part of your job in the U.S. Navy?
Robb: It’s certainly hard to be away from your family. But when you get back, you see your family on the pier, and they’re so proud of you. That really makes the job
.
NOM: Is your job ever fun?
Robb: Sure! We go on really exciting missions, like hunting pirates. And we have fun too. Whenever a ship crosses the equator, we have a big
for people who’ve never crossed the equator before. You do silly things all day long!
NOM: What should a young student do who wants to someday get a job in the U.S. Navy?
Robb: Study hard. You should like adventure and should be excited to be a leader. You should practice sports. More than anything, you should want to serve your country and do something very meaningful.
NOM: What should students know about the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy?
Robb: Since our nation was founded, we have relied on a strong navy to protect our friends and family at home and our interests on the high seas and around the globe. At any given moment, we have submarines beneath the waves, ships on the seas, planes in the air,
in the sky, and boots on the ground — all focused on keeping America and our friends safe and
.
Updated October 13, 2025, 5:00 P.M. (ET)
By Russell Kahn (Russ)
