2004 Decorah HS graduate is serving in the Navy on a ship in the Pacific

Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ryan Batchelder of Decorah

Decorah native Ryan Batchelder is currently serving on deployment aboard the USS Peleliu in the Pacific Ocean.

Batchelder is a Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class.  He is a 2004 graduate of Decorah High School and has been an MC in the Navy for nearly two years.  His parents are Jon Batchelder, who works for Olson Explosives, and Debra Batchelder, who owns and operates Canoe Ridge Kennels in Decorah.

"I've always wanted to serve in the military, and as I grew older, the regret of not joining started to bother me," said Batchelder. "I joined the Navy to get out of my comfort zone and to play a part in operations and actions that have a potential impact on our country's future."

Since deploying mid June, the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu has participated in exercises in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

Peleliu is currently the lead ship in the Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Group, which has been deployed to the Western Pacific, supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region before decommissioning early next year.