By
Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A 2006 Sardis High
School graduate and Boaz, Alabama
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.
Lt. j.g. Joseph Stanfield is a
pilot serving with Commander, Patrol and
Reconnaissance Wing 11.
As a pilot,
Stanfield is responsible for maintaining safety
of flight operations while executing various missions effectively and
efficiently.
“What I enjoy most about my job is not
only having the opportunity to fly naval aircraft but to work with my fellow sailors," said Stanfield. "There is great camaraderie within the command."
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. “Lt. j.g.
Stanfield 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 Lt.
j.g. Stanfield on our team!"
Stanfield
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.
“What I enjoy most about working at
this command is the great leadership and support
from my chain of command,"said Stanfield. "There is a definite tight-knit family atmosphere here."
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 taught me self-discipline, integrity, a strong work ethic and
the morals, values and principles instilled in me has made me both a better
leader and man,” said Stanfield.