By Navy Office of Community Outreach
(MAYPORT,
Fla.) – A 2014 Eureka High School graduate and St. Louis native is serving with a
U.S. Navy helicopter squadron that flies the Navy’s newest and most
technologically-advanced helicopter.
Airman Ronnisha Woods is an aircrew survival equipmentman
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 an aircrew survival equipmentman, Woods is responsible
for maintenance and implementation of safety and rescue equipment.
“I like that my job gives me the opportunity of getting to
work with the officers,” said Woods. "I want to become an officer one day
so having them around to help and teach me is a great asset."
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.
Woods said they and other sailors are proud to be part of a
warfighting team that readily defends America at all times.
“I feel like our chain of command genuinely cares about the
well being of the sailors here,” said Woods.
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 Airwolves 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 Aircrewman 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, Woods is
learning about being a more respectable leader, sailor and person through
handling numerous responsibilities.
"The benefits of joining the Navy are awesome,” said Woods.
"I don't have to worry about paying for college or healthcare and I get to
make new experiences and see the world."