WASHINGTON (TND) — In June, the Navy’s newest destroyer will be commissioned and placed into service. Built at a shipyard in Maine, this state-of-the-art warship carries special interest for the Great Lakes state. Inside Your World cameras had an exclusive, first-ever look inside the ship. National investigative correspondent Mark Hyman spent time with some of the ship’s sailors who are from Michigan.

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“Carl [Levin] was well known not only for his amount of time that he served in the Senate, he served for 36 years, but also more importantly, he was a ranking member on the Senate Armed Service[s] Committee and he really used that to make sure that the military was what we needed at any given time,” Commander Kelly Craft told us.

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Craft is the commanding officer of the USS Carl M Levin (DDG-120), the Navy’s newest Arleigh Burke class of guided-missile destroyer that will be commissioned in Baltimore. The ship is named for the late Carl Levin, who was Michigan’s longest serving United States Senator. He retired from the senate in 2015 and passed away two years ago.

Senator Carl Levin (Credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Seven Michiganders are among the ship’s nearly 300 men and women who make-up the crew. Craft said being assigned to the Carl Levin was inspiring for them. He noted, “It's something unique and special to them to be able to serve on this ship.”

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Among those serving is Traverse City, Michigan native Sydney Allgaier. “When I found out that this was my ship, I was pretty excited. Because I take every opportunity to tell people, I'm from Michigan,” she explained. “I'm really proud of that. I really love it as a state. So it does mean something to me, that we're representing the state of Michigan, and can carry on that namesake.”

First Class Petty Officer Allgaier is an information systems technician. “In the ship world, it’s not just computers. I specialize in communications, all of our antennas, satellites. I make sure we have internet communications with other ships, and just anything else to meet the mission.”

Missile launch (Credit: Navy Department file photo)

A mission that includes launching missiles against airborne, seaborne and land-based targets. One sailor responsible for maintaining the missiles’ vertical launching system is First Class Gunners Mate Rand Larson, who is from Petoskey, Michigan.

Because of the ship’s namesake Larson was also excited to get orders to the Levin. “So, first thing I did is I called my parents and I was like, ‘So I got orders to a ship and it's named after our late senator.’”

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Shipboard life is extremely busy. Even during the construction phase in a shipyard the crew follows a rigid schedule and observes centuries-old protocols. Meals offer a few minutes to relax and socialize.

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It may be a necessity to get along when the crew eats, sleeps and works in confined spaces. But it’s often the weeks or even months at sea when sailors forge those forever friendships, just as Larson had done. “I've seen places I never would've seen and I've made a lot of lifelong friends.”

By summer’s end, the USS Carl M Levin will arrive in its new, much warmer homeport.

Craft shared what’s next in store for the ship. “Once we sail away, we'll head south. We'll go through the Panama Canal and out to Hawaii.”

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In between now and Hawaii is the ship’s June 24th commissioning ceremony. Like the rest of the crew, Larson is excited about that next chapter. His family will watch the festivities. He told us, “My mom and dad will most likely be driving down from Michigan.”

While the state of Michigan figures prominently for the ship, there is a whole lot more, as Craft explained. “We've got people from all around the world, all different backgrounds, male, female, you name it, we've got them.”

Petty Officer Lavern Cajigal is from the Philippines (Credit: The National Desk)

One crewmember from abroad is First Class Culinary Specialist Lavern Cajigal. He is in charge of all meals served to the crew. He is from the Philippines.

After the ship, crew, and their families relocate to Hawaii a routine will develop. The Navy may have a long-term schedule in mind, but it’s global events that will dictate what lies ahead for the Carl Levin. And that’s why Craft has impressed upon the crew there is just one mission that matters most.

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As Craft explained, “One of my priorities, and you can ask any of the crew, is that we be professional war fighters first. Everybody has to know how to fight the ship, and that's what we get paid by the American people to do.”

Senator Levin’s three daughters are referred to as the ship’s sponsors. They will be special guests at the ship’s commissioning ceremony in Baltimore. 5,000 guests are expected to attend.