By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Bill Steele, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown
SILVERDALE, Wash. – A 2003 Battle Mountain High School graduate and Vail, Colorado, native is serving in the U.S. Navy at Commander, Submarine Group 9.
Petty Officer 1st Class Amanda Gray, a mass communication specialist, serves at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor in Washington, not far from Seattle.
As a mass communication specialist, Gray is responsible for telling the Navy's story to the world.
“I'm the assistant public affairs officer on the base,” Gray said. “I handle stories, photos and media inquires for any of the submarines in the Pacific Northwest. There is a camaraderie among the submarine force that I've never seen anywhere else in the Navy and I really enjoy being a part of that. I am honored to be able to tell their story.”
Gray draws from lessons learned growing up in Vail.
“I learned respect, professionalism, dedication, commitment at the Vail Valley Academy of Dance,” Gray said. “But more than anything, in Vail I learned the value of living life to the fullest, and to seize opportunities.”
Subordinate to Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Submarine Group 9 exercises
administrative command and control authority for assigned Ohio-class ballistic and guided missile
submarines and subordinate commands and units in the Pacific Northwest.
Guided-missile submarines provide unprecedented strike and special operation mission capabilities
from a stealthy platform. Armed with tactical missiles and equipped with superior communications
capabilities, the submarine performs its mission with a much lower level of risk than what would
normally be experienced when deploying this level of capability from surface or air platforms.
Subordinate to Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Submarine Group 9 exercises
administrative command and control authority for assigned Ohio-class ballistic and guided missile
submarines and subordinate commands and units in the Pacific Northwest.
Guided-missile submarines provide unprecedented strike and special operation mission capabilities
from a stealthy platform. Armed with tactical missiles and equipped with superior communications
capabilities, the submarine performs its mission with a much lower level of risk than what would
normally be experienced when deploying this level of capability from surface or air platforms.
The Navy’s ballistic missile submarines, often referred to informally as “boomers,” serve as undetectable launch platforms for intercontinental ballistic missiles. They are designed specifically for stealth, extended patrols and the precise delivery of missiles, and they are the only survivable leg of the nation’s strategic nuclear forces, which also include land-based missiles and aircraft.
"The men and women from across our nation who volunteer for military service embody the fundamental values of honor, courage and sacrifice that are the bedrock of our republic," said Rear Adm. Blake Converse, Commander, Submarine Group Nine. "They protect and defend America from above, below, and across the world's oceans. The entire nation should be extremely proud of the hard work that these sailors do every single day to support the critical mission of the Navy and the submarine force."
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Gray and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, one that will provide a critical component of the Navy the nation needs.