By
Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A 2008 Gateway
High School graduate and Aurora, Colorado native is serving in the U.S. Navy
aboard Naval Air Station Jacksonville, the largest base in the Southeast Region
and third largest in the nation.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Jakyra Hunter is a naval
air crewman (operator) serving with Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing
11.
A naval air crewman is
responsible for ensuring the safety of the country by making sure there is not
a submarine threat near U.S. property.
“I get to spend my day above the
clouds,” said Hunter. “This makes my job enjoyable, it is an opportunity to
experience things and see sights that most people don’t get to experience.”
According to Navy officials, Wing 11’s history and
reputation remain unparalleled since being commissioned on August 15, 1942.
Throughout the decades, Wing 11 has continued to fly combat missions in direct support of
the troops on the ground and delivered
traditional maritime capabilities, real-time intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance.
Beginning in the
1960s, the P-3C Orion, a land-based, long-range anti-submarine warfare patrol
aircraft, replaced the P-2V Neptune fleet. After 50 years of faithful
service and the 50th anniversary of Maritime Patrol and
Reconnaissance Force, the P-3C Orion is being phased out of the fleet,
according to Navy officials.
The P-8A is a modified Boeing airframe
featuring a fully connected, state-of-the-art, open architecture mission system
designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; and
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, Navy officials
explained.
"The U.S. Navy sometimes asks the
impossible of our people. It is sailors that make the impossible possible,”
said Capt. Anthony Corapi, Commodore, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11. “Petty Officer Hunter is one example of a
selfless servant of our nation. These
heroes ask for very little recognition and perform their daily job with pride
and professionalism defending freedom and our way of life around the
world. Each member of the Navy's combat
team is crucial to our success. I am very proud to have Petty Officer Hunter on
our team!"
Hunter is part of a crew that began a
transition to the P-8A Poseidon and is preparing for deployment in the future.
“Serving at this command has taught me
how to be determined and resilient in the face of great adversity,” said
Hunter.
According to Navy officials, the Navy
continues to meet milestone after milestone on this world-class mission and is
providing an aircraft with superior capabilities to the men and women in
uniform that will have a lasting legacy promoting a global maritime strategy.
“Serving in the Navy has made me
realize what I value in life and how to remain authentically me,” added Hunter.