By
Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A 2006 Lake
Havasu High School graduate and San Diego 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 Garrett Elsasser is a naval air crewman (operator) serving with Commander,
Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11.
As a naval air crewman, Elsasser is
responsible for being the eyes of the plane.
“You have to be aware when using radar to track surface ships and
submarines," said Elsasser. "There is a unique camaraderie between officers and the crew."
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 Elsasser 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 Elsasser on our
team!"
Elsasser is part of a crew that began is transitioning to the P-8A Poseidon and preparing for deployment in the future.
“The best part of deployment is
traveling to different locations that otherwise I wouldn’t have the opportunity
to,” said Elsasser.
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 is like any job in that you
have your good days and bad days, but we have it pretty good here," added Elsasser. "The Navy has
given me the opportunity to be financially stable during difficult economic
times."