By
Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A Blackfoot High School graduate and Blackfoot,
Idaho 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 Keenan Brunson is a naval air crewman serving with Commander, Patrol
and Reconnaissance Wing 11.
As a naval
air crewman, Brunson is responsible for monitoring
radars, cameras and electrical systems aboard the P-8A aircraft to ensure the
safety of the flight crew.
“My job
is very rewarding because I am directly responsible for providing intelligence
to the fleet,” said Brunson.
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
Brunson 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 Brunson
on our team!"
Brunson
is part of a crew that began a transition to the P-8A Poseidon in 2014. Earlier
this year, squadron VP-45 entered the Inter-Deployment Readiness Cycle in
preparation for their first deployment as a P-8A squadron.
“I enjoy serving at this command
because it has a stellar standard of excellence," said Brunson. "It is an honor to wear the command patch and be associated with these fine
group of individuals."
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 I’ve grown a lot
both professionally and personally," said Brunson. “I realize what I am capable of and I’ve learned how to rise to the occasion
and push myself harder than ever before.”