U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Rusty Pang
PEARL HARBOR –A Nederland, Texas, native and 2008 Paris High School in Arkansas graduate is serving at the U.S. Naval Submarine Training Center Pacific (NSTCP) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Chief Petty Officer Jean McKinney has served for nine years and works as a Navy fire control technician 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 fire control technician, McKinney is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the combat control system and employs all weapons systems aboard submarines.
McKinney credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Nederland.
“Growing up in Texas, I learned I would rather be working hard than hardly working and to be someone you can be proud of,” said McKinney. “I was raised to let nothing stand in my way of reaching my goals.”
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 McKinney 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, McKinney is most proud of being selected for a trial billet in Australia.
“One of my most proud moments was being selected for that billet,” said McKinney. “Another accomplishment I'm very proud of is advancing to the rank of chief petty officer within eight and a half years of being in the Navy.”
Serving in the Navy is a continuing tradition of military service for McKinney, who has military ties with family members who have previously served. McKinney is honored to carry on that family tradition.
“I have distant relatives who served, but they didn't really influence my decision to join,” said McKinney. “My closest friends, Neal Decaymat and Caleb Klein, were a big part of why I enlisted, coupled with the patriotic nature of the state of Texas.”
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, McKinney and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“To me, serving in the Navy means I have forged my own path and served my country with pride,” added McKinney. “From being a poor kid unable to pay for college to becoming a Navy chief while having assistance in pursuing my degree in computer science, I am very proud to serve.”