By
Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A 1998 Spearfish
High School graduate and Spearfish, South Dakota 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.
Senior Chief Kraig Vavruska
is a naval air crewman (electronic
warfare operator) serving with Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11.
A naval air crewman is responsible for roaming
the radar for submarines in the back of a P-8 Poseidon.
“I track, detect and report my findings,” said Vavruska.
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. “Senior Chief Vavruska 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 Senior Chief Vavruska on our
team!"
Vavruska is part of a crew that began a
transition to the P-8A Poseidon and is preparing for deployment in the future.
“This command has great deal of
motivation and we strive to achieve consistency of excellence at all times,” said Vavruska.
“I have pride
in serving our country and mentoring sailors.”
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.
“I think I grew up a bit faster than I
would have and I have taken on responsibility and strive to be a better person
because of the Navy,”
said Vavruska.