By
Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A 2007 Jonesboro
High School graduate in Jonesboro, Georgia and a Macon, 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 Brittany Webster is an
aviation ordnanceman serving with Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11.
A Navy aviation ordnanceman is
responsible for loading ammunition aboard the aircraft.
“The camaraderie amongst the aviation
community is what I enjoy the most about job,” said Webster.
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 Webster 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 Webster
on our team!"
Webster 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.
“This command is great because it has
given me the opportunity to grow,” said Webster. “I gain a lot of training,
hands on experience and guidance from the leadership.”
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 helped me become more
independent while gaining leadership skills and professionalism,” said Webster.