>> Reporter: AFTER THOUSANDS OF MILES, A SCREECHING HOALT ON AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER, I LANDED ON THE U.S. NAVY'S GUIDED MISSILE, LEAD DEFENDER OF THE "USS TRUMAN" AND HOME OF BOBBY RASHAD. >> YOU'VE BEEN TO MY OFFICE. >> YES. >> Reporter: AFTER A REPORT RECENTLY AIRED, OUR SPECIAL FRIENDSHIP, THIS WAS THE FIRST TERRORIST ATTACK ON THE UNITED STATES FROM ISIS. >> MY REPORTING ON A WORLD AT WAR AND HIS FIGHTING IN ONE. THE U.S. NAVY GRANTED ME RARE AND EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO THE LIVES OF THESE YOUNG SAILORS TO DEPLOY IN THE ARABIAN GULF AND I WAS HONORED TO CLIMB ABOARD. >> ALL RIGHT. SO THIS -- >> Reporter: IS THIS YOUR ROOM? >> I LIVE, WORK, COUNSEL -- >> Reporter: WHAT DO YOU HAVE OVER THERE? >> I HAVE PICTURES OF IMPORTANT PEOPLE. >> RASHAD! >> YEAH, YOU'RE THERE. >> Reporter: YOU'RE STUCK STARING AT ME NEXT TO YOUR SWEET FAMILY? BEING SEPARATED FROM MY FAMILY ENSURES THE SAFETY OF MILLIONS BACK HOME, SO IT'S WORTH IT. >> Reporter: THE AVERAGE AGE ON BOARD IS 27. BUT MANY OF THESE MILLENNIALS EXUDE A MATURITY AND SACRIFICE FAR BEYOND THEIR AGE. THEY ARE IN HARM'S WAY EVERY DAY. >> I HAVE VISUAL OF THE SMALL BOAT. >> RIGHT THERE, IT'S TO THE LEFT OF IT. >> Reporter: RESPONDING TO UNKNOWN AND POTENTIALLY NEFARIOUS VESSELS AT SEA. >> 245. >> Reporter: AND WEEKLY TESTING THE SHIP'S WEAPONS SYSTEMS. IF CALLED UPON, THE "USS ENZIO" CAN HIT TARGETS IN IRAQ AND SYRIA SOME 1,000 MILES AWAY. >> IT'S NIGHTTIME HERE BUT WITHOUT INSIDE AND IN, THEY KEEP THESE LABYRINTH-LIKE HALLWAYS DARK FOR A REASON. THE REASON S. IF THE CASE OF COMBAT SAILORS HAVE TO GET UP AND RUSH OUTSIDE AT NIGHT, IT'S EASIER FOR THEIR EYES TO ADJUST. ALONG THESE CORRIDORS AND STAIRWELLS EXISTS A BROTHERHOOD. THEY RISE TOGETHER AND RELAX TOGETHER, TOO. I'M BROOKE. NICE TO MEET YOU GUYS. SO WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO IN YOUR RARE DOWN TIME? >> THIS. >> Reporter: THIS IS IT? >> VIDEO GAMES, READ A LOT. >> Reporter: WHAT DO YOU HAVE THAT YOU WISH YOU HAD? KEEP IT CLEAN. >> WI-FI. >> Reporter: ARE YOU GUYS ALL ON FACEBOOK? >> NOT RIGHT NOW. >> Reporter: AND TRUST ME -- >> A LITTLE RED PEPPER. >> Reporter: TAKE A MEAL WITH THEM IN THE MESS DECK, THESE BOYS CAN EAT. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE? >> BACON. FROM GEORGIA. >> Reporter: GOT TO HAVE YOUR BACON. CAN TAKE YOU OUT OF THE SOUTH BUT CAN'T TAKE THE SOUTH OUT OF THE MAN. >> Reporter: NOT ALL OF THE SAILORS ARE MEN. YOU GUYS HAVE IT SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE GUYS. >> WE DO. WE DO. >> Reporter: A NAVAL ACADEMY GRAD AND ONE OF ONLY TWO WOMEN OUT OF 370-PLUS MEN STATIONED HERE, LIEUTENANT PRECIOUS McQUAID MADE A GUT-WRENCHING DECISION LAST NOVEMBER, LEAVE HER BABY GIRL BACK HOME WHEN DUTY CALLED. >> IT'S DEFINITELY TOUGH. BUT THE EXAMPLE THAT AT LEAST I'M SETTING FOR HER AND BREAKING SOME OF THE GENDER NORMS, YOU KNOW, THAT WOMEN HAVE FALLEN INTO AND GIVING THE MEN THAT I WORK WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF SEEING FEMALES, YOU KNOW, DOING THE SAME PROFESSION AND THE ROLE MODELS THAT I CAN MAKE FOR BOTH THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT I WORK FOR AND THAT I'VE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. >> Reporter: WHICH IS INCREDIBLY ADMIRABLE. BUT I IMAGINE YOU HAVE DAYS WHERE YOU SHUT THE DOOR AND YOU WEEP. >> I THINK THE BABY IS HARD. IT'S THE FIRST SEPARATION FROM HER FOR PROBABLY LONGER THAN SIX DAYS. >> Reporter: NIGHTTIME ALLOWS A MOMENT TO THINK OF LOVED ONES BACK HOME AND TO SNEAK IN SOME SLEEP. THIS IS WHERE YOU SLEEP? >> YES. THIS IS WHERE WE SLEEP. >> Reporter: YOU WERE SAYING SOMETIMES YOU GET BETTER SLEEP HERE. >> OH, YEAH. >> Reporter: IN THIS TEENY BED? >> YES. >> Reporter: WHY? >> WELL, WHEN THE SHIP ROCKS, IT'S KIND OF LIKE YOUR MOTHER'S ROCKING. I DON'T KNOW. ONE OF THOSE THINGS. >> Reporter: THIS IS HOW NARROW IT IS. MY FOREARM. >> UH-HUH. >> Reporter: AND YOU CRAWL INTO THIS? >> OH, YEAH. >> Reporter: EVERY NIGHT? >> IT'S A TRICK TO IT. YOU GET USED TO IT AFTER A WHILE. >> Reporter: CAN YOU PLEASE SHOW ME? >> SURE. I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE. AND I'LL CLOSE MY CURTAIN. >> Reporter: DOES THAT MEAN DON'T BOTHER ME? YOU HEAR HIM COMING? >> OH, YEAH. >> Reporter: THE XO, THE SHIP'S EXECUTIVE OFFICER. >> LET THEM KNOW THAT I'M PAYING ATTENTION. >> Reporter: AND THE SAILOR'S DISCIPLINARY/DAD. >> IT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT. THE STUFF THAT YOU DON'T KNOW IS JUST AS SCARY SOMETIMES. >> Reporter: WHAT IS THE BIGGEST FEAR, THE ONE THING THAT TRULY KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT? >> TWO THINGS, REALLY. NOT COMPLETING THE MISSION AND LOSING A SAILOR. BUT THE GOAL IS TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION AND BRING EVERYBODY BACK. >> THE RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU HAVE WITH THE XO I THINK IS AWESOME AND IT'S A GREAT AMERICAN STORY AND I THINK YOUR RECOGNITION OF HIM AND THE INFLUENCE HE HAD ON YOUR LIFE BY WHAT HE STANDS FOR AND THE MORE PEOPLE THAT KNOW ABOUT HIM IS BETTER FOR OUR NATION. >> Reporter: WHEN YOU FINALLY GED TO GO HOME, WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU'RE GOING TO DO? >> I DON'T KNOW. HUG MY WIFE AND MY KIDS AND TELL THEM THAT DADDY'S HOME. IT MAKES YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'RE FIGHTING FOR. >> Reporter: WHAT THESE MEN AND WOMEN ARE FIGHTING FOR IS NOTHING SHORT OF EXCEPTIONAL. AS FOR MY FRIENDS, SINCE THE SEVENTH GRADE -- >> SO YOU HAVE A SAFE TRIP BACK. OKAY? THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE SAILORS THAT GOT TO SEE YOU AND MEET YOU. TELL EVERYBODY HOW WE'RE DOING BACK HOME. WE'LL BE HOME SOON. OKAY? >> THANK YOU. >> NO PROBLEM. NO PROBLEM. >> Reporter: SAYING GOOD-BYE WASN'T EASY. BUT NOW, MORE THAN EVER, I UNDERSTAND WHY HE DOES WHAT HE SAYS HE NEEDS TO DO. GIVE ME A MINUTE. I AM SO GRATEFUL. I AM CHANGED FROM BEING THERE AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE NAVY AND I WANT TO THANK MY FRIEND WHO IS WATCHING FROM THE PERSIAN GULF CALLED THE SAILORS. THANK YOU. AND BEFORE I LET YOU GO, I ASK THEM IF THEY HAVE MESSAGES FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND HERE THEY ARE. >> TO MY WIFE ERICA, I LOVE YOU. MY DOG ASHER, I LOVE HIM, TOO. AND CHICAGO AND JERSEY, YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST PEOPLE EVER. I LOVE YOU GUYS. >> MY SON, I MISS YOU, MOM AND DAD, BROTHER AND SISTERS, I LOVE YOU GUYS. CAN'T WAIT TO GET HOME TO SEE YOU GUYS. >> TO EVERYBODY BACK HOME, I LOVE YOU, I MISS YOU, I WILL BE BACK AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU GUYS. >> TO MY HUSBAND KEITH AND MY DAUGHTER, I LOVE YOU GUYS. I MISS YOU SO MUCH AND TO MY PARENTS AND THE REST OF MY FAMILY, WE'RE WELL OVER HALFWAY DONE, READY TO GET BACK. THANKS FOR HOLDING EVERYTHING DOWN BACK THERE. LOVE YOU GUYS. >> I'M SURE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MISS YOU VERY MUCH. THEY HAVE BEEN ON DEPLOYMENT NOW FOR FIVE MONTHS. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HOME IN JUNE AND RASHAD, YOU WANT TO GO TO THE BRAVES AND METS GAME HERE IN NEW YORK. I'M GOING TO WORK ON MAKING THAT
