By Navy Office of Community Outreach
(MAYPORT, Fla.) – A 2010
Appleton North High School graduate and Appleton, Wisconsin
native is serving with a U.S. Navy helicopter squadron that flies the Navy’s
newest and most technologically-advanced helicopter.
Petty Officer 1st Class
Ryan Shoaf
is an aviation electronics technician with
the “Grandmasters” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 46, a Mayport,
Florida based squadron that operates the Navy’s next generation submarine
hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk. Each helicopter
is nearly 65 feet long, may weigh up to 23,500 lbs. (max gross) and can travel
over 120 miles per hour for nearly 320 miles on a tank of gas.
As an aviation electronics technician,
Shoaf is responsible for maintenance on computer systems for the MH-60R
helicopters.
“I love the sense of family at this command,” said Shoaf.
“It’s a home away from home.”
According to Navy officials, the MH-60R is the most capable
multi-mission helicopter available in the world today. It is used for a variety
of missions, including hunting and tracking enemy submarines, attacking enemy
ships, search and rescue, drug interdiction, delivering supplies and supporting
the Navy’s special operations forces.
It is replacing the Navy’s older helicopters because of its
greater versatility and more advanced weapon systems.
Shoaf said he and other HSM-46 sailors
are proud to be part of a warfighting team that readily defends America at all
times.
“My chain of command here at
HSM-46 are incredibly progressive in setting the standards and take care of me
professionally as well on a personal level at all times,” said Shoaf.
Sailors’ jobs are highly varied within the squadron.
Approximately 270 Navy men and women are assigned and keep all parts of the
squadron running smoothly. This includes everything from maintaining helicopter
airframes and engines, to processing paperwork, handling weapons and flying the
aircraft.
“The mission of HSM-46 is to embark and deploy combat-ready
helicopter detachments around the world. Shoaf
is a big part of why we are so successful. He has a tireless work ethic, and embodies our squadron motto of ‘Set the Standard. “I’m very proud of Shoaf,” commented Commander Chris Richard,
HSM-46 Commanding Officer.
Serving in the Navy, Shoaf
said he is learning about being a more respectable leader, sailor and person
through handling numerous responsibilities.
“The most important lesson I’ve learned since serving in the
Navy, is that personal advancement does not come
from speaking your mind, you have to set personal goals and be ambitious enough
to achieve them,” said Shoaf.