By Mass Communications Specialist 1st Sunday Sawyer Juarez
(MAYPORT,
Fla.) – A 2007 Brandon High School graduate and
Tampa, Florida native
is serving with a U.S. Navy helicopter squadron that flies the Navy’s newest
and most technologically-advanced helicopter.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Ignacio Castanon is a logistics specialist with the “Airwolves” 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 logistics specialist, Castanon is responsible for material
readiness and making sure the squadron has everything needed for supplies and
parts for the helicopter as well as managing the squadron’s budget.
“I like the customer service part of my job but I also like
knowing that what I do helps the unit be mission ready,” said Castanon.
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.
Castanon said he and other sailors are proud to be part of a
warfighting team that readily defends America at all times.
“I like knowing that the leadership here and my counterparts
can rely on me,” said Castanon.
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, Castanon is
learning about being a more respectable leader, sailor and person through
handling numerous responsibilities.
"The values the Navy teaches, ‘Honor, Courage, and Commitment’
are values that will forever be with me and I value that,” said Castanon.