SAN DIEGO - Petty Officer 2nd Class Taylor Gawryluk, a native of Apple Valley, California, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Naval Base Point Loma.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Joseph Sitter, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West |
Gawryluk graduated from Temecula Valley High School in 2014.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Apple Valley
“I learned to stand up for myself,” Gawryluk said. "In the Navy, it is important to provide a voice for both yourself and others as a leader.”
Gawryluk joined the Navy eight years ago. Today, Gawryluk serves as a master-at-arms.
“I’ve wanted to be a rescue swimmer since I was 12 and my sister always wanted to be a cop,” Gawryluk said. "When being a rescue swimmer didn’t originally work out, I decided to be a Navy cop to honor her memory after she passed away.”
Naval Base Point Loma provides support to 70 U.S. Pacific Fleet commands headquartered on the base, including five nuclear-powered fast attack submarines. The base is also home to Cabrillo National Park and the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, which averages more than 1.2 million visitors annually.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Gawryluk has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest accomplishments are my deployment and finishing my college education,” Gawryluk said. "Deployment afforded me the opportunity to just focus on my job without any outside distractions. We went to Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Djibouti. I am also proud of earning my bachelor's degree in social and criminal justice in 2023 and I am now graduating with a master's in forensic science. I was able to do most of this all through the Navy. To be able to manage schooling while on deployment was difficult to balance, but I was able to effectively manage my time to ensure I was completing all that was required of me."
Gawryluk serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation's prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy means taking part in something bigger than myself,” Gawryluk said. "It also means being a team player on a daily basis and collaborating with sailors on missions that are so much bigger than ourselves.”
Gawryluk is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“First and foremost, I want to thank my mother,” Gawryluk added. "She has been supportive every step of the way. She is 100% my best friend and has had my back every single day."