Central Minnesota Native Serving Aboard Submarine USS Maryland Continues 123 Year Tradition of Service Under the Sea

(KNSI) — Of the hundreds of thousands of men and women who serve in the U.S. Navy, a fraction of those are considered submariners, and one of them happens to be from central Minnesota.

Petty Officer 1st Class Blake Stoltzman, a native of Rockford, Minnesota, is one of the sailors who make up just 10% of the U.S. Navy personnel aboard a submarine, continuing a 123 year tradition of service under the sea to help ensure Americans’ safety.

Stoltzman attended Rockford High School, graduating in 2017. He joined the Navy just over five years ago.

“I joined the Navy because I saw my brother go through college not knowing what he wanted to do and wasting tuition money,” said Stoltzman. “I wanted to take some time to figure out what I wanted to do.”

He rose through the ranks quickly, and today, he serves as an information systems technician aboard USS Maryland SSBN 738. “My proudest accomplishment in the Navy is making rank as quickly as I did,” said Stoltzman. “My grandparents served for a few years, so it is like bragging rights to them that I got promoted so quickly.”

The USS Maryland is a 560 foot long Ohio class ballistic missile submarine. “SSBNs are designed specifically for stealth, extended patrols and the precise delivery of missiles,” according to Navy personnel. She was commissioned in 1992, and her home port is Kings Bay, Georgia.

The U.S. Navy says 90% of global commerce travels by sea, and access to the internet relies on the security of undersea fiber optic cables. Officials say the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to trained sailors and a strong Navy who patrol the waters above and below the surface.

“Submarines have a strategic deterrence mission that helps keep maritime peace,” said Stoltzman. “It’s important to have power projection to stop enemies.”

He says he is grateful for the support of his wife for helping make a Navy career possible. “I want to thank my wife, Isabel, for being a good foothold to hang on throughout my career. She has motivated me, kept me going and has always been very supportive of me.”

He credits his community and schooling for laying down the skills and values required to succeed in the military. “Rockford taught me that if you work hard, you can always get to somewhere better,” said Stoltzman, adding, “Serving in the Navy means showing that you are proud of your country and that you can get anywhere you want as long as you put your mind to it.

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Thanks to Megan Brown, Navy Office of Community Outreach

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