NORFOLK, Va. - Airmen Apprentice Landon Bair, a native of Daytona Beach, Florida, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Mark Pena, Navy Public Affairs Support Element East |
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Daytona Beach.
"My hometown instilled in me that work ethic is about learning how to be a productive member of society," Bair said. "I learned how to be a leader from the people in my family who served before me. They instilled valuable lessons in me as a young man."
Bair joined the Navy one year ago. Today, Bair serves as an aviation machinist's mate.
"I wanted a better life and the opportunity to see the world," Bair said. "I joined the Navy to follow in my family's footsteps, knowing it would provide me with valuable experiences and a chance to build a future while serving my country."
Members of HSC-5 fly and maintain the MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter within Carrier Air Wing SEVEN (CVW-7). The MH-60S's primary missions are Search and Rescue, Naval Special Warfare Support and Anti-Surface Warfare. Additional missions include logistic support, vertical replenishment, medical evacuation, non-combatant evacuation operations and maritime interdiction operations. In short, HSC-5 "Rescues, Protects and Delivers!"
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.
Bair has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
"Maintenance at my command has been a key part of my role in helping our squadron succeed," Bair said. "I've learned a lot about my job in general, but what stands out most is the unity we've built as a team. The friends I've made along the way have made this experience even more rewarding."
Bair 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 making my life worth something and having a sense of pride in serving," Bair said. "It means a lot to me because my family served before me, and now I get to continue that tradition through my own service."
Bair is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
"I really want to thank my Aviation Operations Independent Duty Chief (AOIC), Paul Goodenough, and my brother, Tyler Bair," Bair added. "They have played a big part in helping me get to where I am today."