DVIDS (CENTCOM / DoD): Donna Native Recognized as Airwing Warfighter of the Week aboard USS George Washington

PHILIPPINE SEA - Donna, Texas native Airman Alma Gutierrez was recognized as Airwing Warfighter of the Week aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), July 1, 2026.

Warfighter of the Week is a command program where the ship’s captain personally recognizes an exemplary Sailor selected by their leadership for their accomplishments.

Gutierrez is an essential member of the Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102 Diamondback team. As an F/A-18 Super Hornet Plane Captain, her dedication resulted in 16 aircraft launches and nine daily inspections which contributed to the squadron’s completion of combat operations effectiveness to ensure the ship’s mission readiness. Additionally, as work-center training petty officer, she mentored six fellow airmen on their plane captain qualification, ensuring they performed their duties safely on the flight deck.

“I get to give back to this amazing nation and do something good for myself,” Gutierrez said of her eight months of Navy service.

Gutierrez is a 2025 graduate of Phar-San Juan-Alamo (PSJA) Early College High School.

George Washington, whose motto is “First in War, First in Peace”, is the U.S. Navy’s premier forward-deployed aircraft carrier, a long-standing symbol of the United States’ commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region, while operating alongside allies and partners across the U.S. Navy’s largest numbered fleet.