By
Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A 2004 Terige High
School graduate in Kenya, Africa and Gaithersburg,
Maryland 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 1st Class John Njenga is
a logistics specialist serving with
Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11.
As a logistics
specialist, Njenga is responsible for the
financial management and requistion of various aircraft components.
“What I enjoy most about my job is the sense of pride I get knowing that the aircrafts fly
effectively and efficiently due to my diligent work ethic and attention to
detail,” said Njenga.
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
Njenga 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 Njenga
on our team!"
Njenga
is part of a crew that began a transition to the P-8A Poseidon and is preparing for deployment in the future.
“I enjoy serving at this command
because of the tight-knit family atmosphere,
everyone helps each other both on and off-duty,” said Njenga.
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 the core values of honor, courage and commitment
which I take with me on a daily basis.” said Njenga. “These values also help shape me both into an effective leader and a responsible individual.”