By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sunday Sawyer
Juarez
(MAYPORT,
Fla.) – A 2005 Gulf Breeze High School graduate and Pensacola, Florida native is serving with a
U.S. Navy helicopter squadron that flies the Navy’s newest and most
technologically-advanced helicopter.
Lt. j.g. Preston Lett is a pilot with
the “Air Wolves” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 40, 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 a pilot, Lett is responsible for anti-submarine and
surface warfare utilizing the MH-60 Romeo for all of its capabilities.
“Besides flying, I really enjoy the people that I work with,”
said Lett.
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.
Lett said he and other sailors are proud to be part of a
warfighting team that readily defends America at all times.
“This command has given me an opportunity to really reach my full
potential as a Naval officer” said Lett.
Sailors’ jobs are highly varied within the squadron.
Approximately 297 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 Air Wolves of HSM-40, represent the best and the brightest
our Navy has to offer,” said Cmdr. David Loo, HSM-40 commanding officer. “HSM-40's mission is to train fleet replacement
pilots and air rewmen for deployed shipboard operations in the MH-60R Seahawk
aircraft. The training conducted
includes aircraft flights and full visual simulators in Aircraft Operations,
Anti-Surface Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare, Search and Rescue, and Shipboard
Operations. HSM-40’s support,
maintenance, and instructor staff allow for the completion of over 100 assigned
students, year round, operating 16 MH-60R helicopters and 5 simulators.”
Serving in the
Navy, Lett is
learning about being a more respectable leader, sailor and person through
handling numerous responsibilities.
"The Navy has taught me hard work and discipline which goes a long way in building you as a person,” said Lett. “I really believe that
I can take on more responsibilities because of what the Navy has taught me.”