U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Rusty Pang
PEARL HARBOR –A Wibaux, Montana, native and 2001 Wibaux County High School graduate is serving at the U.S. Naval Submarine Training Center Pacific (NSTCP) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Chief Petty Officer Derek Scammon has served for 14 years and works as a Navy electronics techinician (navigation) and is serving within the U.S. Pacific Fleet area of operations. The U.S. Pacific Fleet is the world’s largest fleet command, encompassing 100 million square miles, nearly half the Earth’s surface, from Antarctica to the Arctic Circle and from the West Coast of the United States into the Indian Ocean.As a Navy electronics techinician (navigation), Scammon is responsible for safe and efficient navigation of submarines both on the surface and submerged. Their job is to place the ship's weapons and sensors in the right place, at the right time, to complete the mission and maintain American dominance of the sea.
Scammon credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Wibaux.
“Growing up in Wibaux taught me the value of hard work, personal responsibility, and mental toughness," said Scammon. "The lessons learned on the farm have served me well and have been a key factor in every good thing I’ve achieved and every setback I’ve overcome.”
“Growing up in Wibaux taught me the value of hard work, personal responsibility, and mental toughness," said Scammon. "The lessons learned on the farm have served me well and have been a key factor in every good thing I’ve achieved and every setback I’ve overcome.”
A key element of the Navy the nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, according to Navy officials, and that the nation’s prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world’s oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world’s population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea.
Attack submarines are designed to hunt down and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships; strike targets ashore with cruise missiles; carry and deliver Navy SEALs; carry out intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions; and engage in mine warfare. Their primary tactical advantage is stealth, operating undetected under the sea for long periods of time.
Sailors learn engineering and tactical team training during their courses of instruction required to serve aboard submarines using the most advanced technology. Training is tailored to each ship’s specific needs to develop the skills and expertise required to support operations around the world in war and peace.
Being stationed in Pearl Harbor, often referred to in defense circles as the gateway to the Pacific, means Scammon is serving in a part of the world taking on a new importance in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.
“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”
The Pacific is home to more than 50 percent of the world's population, many of the world's largest and smallest economies, several of the world's largest militaries, and many U.S. allies. The Navy has been pivotal in helping maintain peace and stability in the Pacific region for decades.
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career, Scammon is most proud of the time from 2013 to 2018 when he served on USS Olympia as assistant navigator.
“This position is the pinnacle of a navigation electronics technician’s career and comes with a massive weight of responsibility," said Scammon. "Having successfully completed nearly five years as 'ANAV' and two deployments is something I take a ton of pride in.”
Serving in the Navy is a continuing tradition of military service for Scammon, who has military ties with family members who have previously served. Scammon is honored to carry on that family tradition.
“My grandpa, Samuel Scammon, served in the Navy during the Korean War. His sea stories, as well as the movie Hunt For Red October, were the biggest things that influenced my decision to join the Navy as a submariner,” said Scammon. “I am going to continue the legacy of military service.”
According to Navy officials, supporting the high operational tempo and unique challenges of the submarine force builds strong fellowship and a strong sense of mission.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Scammon and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“The United States is the greatest and most powerful country in the history of the world," added Scammon. "As a sailor in the U.S. Navy, I am afforded the privilege of serving on the most capable, technologically advanced ships ever built, and charged with utilizing those ships to protect American presence abroad. I couldn’t be more proud of belonging to the same organization as John Paul Jones, Richard O’Kane and John F. Kennedy.”