By
Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A 2013 Woodland
High School graduate and Kingston, Georgia 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 3rd Class Tyler Gentry is a naval
air crewman (operator) serving with Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing
11.
A naval air crewman
is responsible for operating electronic warfare systems on the P-8 Poseidon.
“My job gives me the opportunity to fly
and execute several types of missions all around the world,” said Gentry.
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 Gentry 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 Gentry on our
team!"
Gentry
“This command is great because we are a
close knit team and all support one another,” said Gentry.
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.
“The Navy has taught me how to work
with a diverse group of people to accomplish the mission at hand,” added Gentry.