(MAYPORT, Fla.) – A 2012 Rogers High School graduate and Greenhill, Alabama 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 |
Petty Officer 2nd Class Brady O'Connor credits much of their success from lessons they learned growing up in Greenhill.
“Growing up in Greenhill gave me the resiliency to pursue what I wanted to,” said O'Connor. "While serving you have to be comfortable with yourself to be able to accomplish your career goals."
O'Connor is an aviation electronics technician 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 electronics technician, O'Connor is responsible for computer systems aboard 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.
O'Connor is now a part of a long-standing tradition of serving in the Navy our nation needs.
“I didn't really have any passion to pursue a career outside of the Navy that serving has given me,” said O'Connor.
O'Connor said they are proud to be part of a warfighting team that readily defends America at all times.
“I was a part of the first carrier based land detachment in Iraq,” said O'Connor. "I got to be a part of something that is a unique experience that most will not get the opportunity to have."
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.
O'Connor 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, O'Connor and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes.
Serving in the Navy, O'Connor is learning about being a more respectable leader, Sailor and person through handling numerous responsibilities.
“Serving in the Navy allows me to meet people from all over the world,” said O'Connor. "You have no idea where they came from, their experiences, their outlook which gives you a different outlook by being able to share that with them."
“Growing up in Greenhill gave me the resiliency to pursue what I wanted to,” said O'Connor. "While serving you have to be comfortable with yourself to be able to accomplish your career goals."
O'Connor is an aviation electronics technician 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 electronics technician, O'Connor is responsible for computer systems aboard 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.
O'Connor is now a part of a long-standing tradition of serving in the Navy our nation needs.
“I didn't really have any passion to pursue a career outside of the Navy that serving has given me,” said O'Connor.
O'Connor said they are proud to be part of a warfighting team that readily defends America at all times.
“I was a part of the first carrier based land detachment in Iraq,” said O'Connor. "I got to be a part of something that is a unique experience that most will not get the opportunity to have."
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.
O'Connor 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, O'Connor and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes.
Serving in the Navy, O'Connor is learning about being a more respectable leader, Sailor and person through handling numerous responsibilities.
“Serving in the Navy allows me to meet people from all over the world,” said O'Connor. "You have no idea where they came from, their experiences, their outlook which gives you a different outlook by being able to share that with them."