CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 2007 Foy H. Moody High School graduate and Corpus Christi, Texas, native supports training officers who someday hope to fly jets for the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class David Finley |
Esther Benavides is a supply technician with the “Wise Owls” of Training Squadron (VT) 31, based in Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. The squadron flies the T-44C Pegasus aircraft.
A supply technician is responsible for providing the civilian staff with administrative supplies and naval flight gear for both instructor pilots and instructor students.
“I enjoy being able to fulfill their needs and they know they can depend upon on me so they can focus on their training,” Benavides said.
Benavides credits success in the military to many of the lessons learned growing up in Corpus Christi.
“I learned growing up in my hometown a hard work ethic with morals and values to match,” Benavides said. “These traits helped me succeed in my Army career as well as a civilian working for the Navy.”
The T-45C Goshawk is a tandem-seat, jet trainer aircraft powered by a twin-spool non-afterburn turbofan engine with 5,527 pounds of thrust and airspeed of 645 mph.
VT-31’s primary mission is to train future naval aviators to fly as well as instill leadership and officer values, Navy officials explained. Students must complete four phases of flight training in order to graduate, including aviation pre-flight indoctrination, primary flight training, and advanced flight training. After successfully completing the rigorous program, naval aviators earn their coveted “Wings of Gold.”
Jobs are highly varied at VT-31, according to Navy officials. Navy and Marine Corps men and women officers along with civilian employees make up and keep all parts of the squadron running smoothly. This includes everything from training the new aviators, maintaining airframes and engines, processing paperwork, along with handling and flying the aircraft.
A key element of the Navy the nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, 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.
Benavides plays an important role in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances, and reforming business practices in support of 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.”
Though there are many ways for government employees to earn distinction in their command, community and career, Benavides is most proud of receiving the Iraqi Campaign Medal for the time she served in Iraq with the Army and receiving a time-off award working for the Department of Defense.
“This Campaign Medal was a symbol of my service and sacrifices made during the liberation in Iraq,” Benavides said. “The time-off award was great because I was recognized by my superiors and peers for all the hard work that I do.”
Benavides has military ties with family members who have previously served. Benavides is honored to carry on the family tradition.
“My grandfather served in the Army and I followed in his footsteps serving in the Army for four years as a human intelligence collector,” Benavides said. “It's an honor to serve my country like my grandfather because it made me realize the sacrifices that he and others made for our country.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Benavides knows she is a part of a legacy that will last beyond her lifetime providing the Navy the nation needs.
“Working with the Navy means a lot because it taught me respect, self-discipline and how to be responsible,” Benavides said. “All of these traits helped me in all aspects of life and molded me into the person I am today.”
A supply technician is responsible for providing the civilian staff with administrative supplies and naval flight gear for both instructor pilots and instructor students.
“I enjoy being able to fulfill their needs and they know they can depend upon on me so they can focus on their training,” Benavides said.
Benavides credits success in the military to many of the lessons learned growing up in Corpus Christi.
“I learned growing up in my hometown a hard work ethic with morals and values to match,” Benavides said. “These traits helped me succeed in my Army career as well as a civilian working for the Navy.”
The T-45C Goshawk is a tandem-seat, jet trainer aircraft powered by a twin-spool non-afterburn turbofan engine with 5,527 pounds of thrust and airspeed of 645 mph.
VT-31’s primary mission is to train future naval aviators to fly as well as instill leadership and officer values, Navy officials explained. Students must complete four phases of flight training in order to graduate, including aviation pre-flight indoctrination, primary flight training, and advanced flight training. After successfully completing the rigorous program, naval aviators earn their coveted “Wings of Gold.”
Jobs are highly varied at VT-31, according to Navy officials. Navy and Marine Corps men and women officers along with civilian employees make up and keep all parts of the squadron running smoothly. This includes everything from training the new aviators, maintaining airframes and engines, processing paperwork, along with handling and flying the aircraft.
A key element of the Navy the nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, 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.
Benavides plays an important role in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances, and reforming business practices in support of 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.”
Though there are many ways for government employees to earn distinction in their command, community and career, Benavides is most proud of receiving the Iraqi Campaign Medal for the time she served in Iraq with the Army and receiving a time-off award working for the Department of Defense.
“This Campaign Medal was a symbol of my service and sacrifices made during the liberation in Iraq,” Benavides said. “The time-off award was great because I was recognized by my superiors and peers for all the hard work that I do.”
Benavides has military ties with family members who have previously served. Benavides is honored to carry on the family tradition.
“My grandfather served in the Army and I followed in his footsteps serving in the Army for four years as a human intelligence collector,” Benavides said. “It's an honor to serve my country like my grandfather because it made me realize the sacrifices that he and others made for our country.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Benavides knows she is a part of a legacy that will last beyond her lifetime providing the Navy the nation needs.
“Working with the Navy means a lot because it taught me respect, self-discipline and how to be responsible,” Benavides said. “All of these traits helped me in all aspects of life and molded me into the person I am today.”