Navy Office of
Community Outreach
(MAYPORT, Fla.) – A 1998
Gateway Regional High School (Woodbury Heights, N.J.) graduate and Athens, Georgia
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 Travis Dow is an aviation maintenance administrationman 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 maintenance
administrationman, Dow is responsible for aviation logs and records.
“I like everything in
my job,” said Dow. “I like working with the people, I like the day-to-day
operations, I really enjoy it all.”
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.
Dow said they and
other HSM-46 sailors are proud to be part of a warfighting team that readily
defends America at all times.
“This command
teaches me how to be better in my job," said Dow. "We are all really good at adapting and learning.”
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. Dow 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 Dow,” commented Commander Chris Richard, HSM-46
commanding officer.
Serving in the Navy, Dow
said he is learning about being a more respectable leader, sailor and person
through handling numerous responsibilities.
“The Navy has taught
me that everyone is different,” said Dow. “It doesn't matter your background or
how different you are because we are all fighting for the same thing.”