(MAYPORT, Fla.) – A 2010 Christ the King High School graduate and Astoria, New York native is serving with a U.S. Navy helicopter squadron that flies the Navy’s newest and most technologically-advanced helicopter.
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| Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward |
Airman Dylan Collier credits much of their success from lessons they learned growing up in Astoria.
“I learned growing up in Astoria how to be a good leader by trail and error and finding your right place,” said Collier.
Collier is a 2014 graduate of the University of Hartford with a degree in architectural engineering.
Collier is an aviation machinist mate with the “Airwolves” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 40, a Mayport, Florida based squadron that operates the Navy’s next generation submarine hunter and Anti-Surface Warfare helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk. Each helicopter is nearly 65 feet long, may weigh up to 23,500 lbs. (max gross) and can travel over 120 miles per hour for nearly 320 miles on a tank of gas.
As an aviation machinist mate, Collier is responsible for maintaining engines on naval aircraft.
According to Navy officials, the MH-60R is the most capable multi-mission helicopter available in the world today. It is used for a variety of missions, including hunting and tracking enemy submarines, attacking enemy ships, search and rescue, drug interdiction, delivering supplies and supporting the Navy’s special operations forces.
It is replacing the Navy’s older helicopters because of its greater versatility and more advanced weapon systems.
Collier is now a part of a long-standing tradition of serving in the Navy our nation needs.
“I wanted to join the Navy for a very long time,” said Collier. "I took the education route before I joined so I had a lot of life experience and believe everything happens for a reason. By the time I joined it was the right time that went hand and hand with my ambition."
Collier said they are proud to be part of a warfighting team that readily defends America at all times.
“I recently made sailor of the quarter,” said Collier. "It's great that I put in hard work and I'm being recoginized for that. I like to keep a humble approach and learn as much as I can."
Sailors’ jobs are highly varied within the squadron. Approximately 297 Navy men and women are assigned and keep all parts of the squadron running smoothly. This includes everything from maintaining helicopter airframes and engines, to processing paperwork, handling weapons and flying the aircraft.
Collier is playing an important part 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.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon capital assets, Collier and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes.
Serving in the Navy, Collier is learning about being a more respectable leader, Sailor and person through handling numerous responsibilities.
“Growing up as an athlete you learn to be a part of something that is bigger than yourself,” said Collier. "That's what serving in the Navy is. What I'm currently going through I can see myself being a part of down the line."
“I learned growing up in Astoria how to be a good leader by trail and error and finding your right place,” said Collier.
Collier is a 2014 graduate of the University of Hartford with a degree in architectural engineering.
Collier is an aviation machinist mate with the “Airwolves” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 40, a Mayport, Florida based squadron that operates the Navy’s next generation submarine hunter and Anti-Surface Warfare helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk. Each helicopter is nearly 65 feet long, may weigh up to 23,500 lbs. (max gross) and can travel over 120 miles per hour for nearly 320 miles on a tank of gas.
As an aviation machinist mate, Collier is responsible for maintaining engines on naval aircraft.
According to Navy officials, the MH-60R is the most capable multi-mission helicopter available in the world today. It is used for a variety of missions, including hunting and tracking enemy submarines, attacking enemy ships, search and rescue, drug interdiction, delivering supplies and supporting the Navy’s special operations forces.
It is replacing the Navy’s older helicopters because of its greater versatility and more advanced weapon systems.
Collier is now a part of a long-standing tradition of serving in the Navy our nation needs.
“I wanted to join the Navy for a very long time,” said Collier. "I took the education route before I joined so I had a lot of life experience and believe everything happens for a reason. By the time I joined it was the right time that went hand and hand with my ambition."
Collier said they are proud to be part of a warfighting team that readily defends America at all times.
“I recently made sailor of the quarter,” said Collier. "It's great that I put in hard work and I'm being recoginized for that. I like to keep a humble approach and learn as much as I can."
Sailors’ jobs are highly varied within the squadron. Approximately 297 Navy men and women are assigned and keep all parts of the squadron running smoothly. This includes everything from maintaining helicopter airframes and engines, to processing paperwork, handling weapons and flying the aircraft.
Collier is playing an important part 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.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon capital assets, Collier and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes.
Serving in the Navy, Collier is learning about being a more respectable leader, Sailor and person through handling numerous responsibilities.
“Growing up as an athlete you learn to be a part of something that is bigger than yourself,” said Collier. "That's what serving in the Navy is. What I'm currently going through I can see myself being a part of down the line."