By Navy Office of
Community Outreach Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE,
Fla. - A 2005 Valencia High School graduate and Valencia, California 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 Bryan Banaga is an information systems technician serving with Commander, Patrol
and Reconnaissance Wing 11.
A
Navy information systems technician is responsible for maintaining operational
readiness for the computers and electrical communication equipment at the
command.
“I
like that my job allows me to provide customer service to my fellow shipmates and
assist them in fixing their issues,” said Banaga.
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
1st Class Banaga 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 1st Class Banaga on our team!"
Banaga
“This
command is great because the climate here is calm," said Banaga. "It allows us to complete
our mission with ease and teamwork without the stress."
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.
“Since
joining the Navy I have learned valuable lessons that with assist in the rest
of my life,” said Banaga. “I have gained patience, learned leadership,
responsibility and confidence.”