(MAYPORT, Fla.) – A 2008 Long Beach High School graduate and Long Beach, Mississippi, 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 Mass Communication Specialist Gary Ward |
Petty Officer 2nd Class Richard Welch credits much of their success from lessons they learned growing up in Long Beach.
“I learned about patience and compassion; all that you would expect growing up with the southern hospitality,” said Welch.
Welch 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, Welch is responsible for maintaining and repairing all the electrical systems on the 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.
Welch is now a part of a long-standing tradition of serving in the Navy our nation needs.
“I have a cousin in the Seabees and little brother in the Marines, it makes my mom proud,” said Welch.
Welch said they are proud to be part of a warfighting team that readily defends America at all times.
“I am very proud of a time I was assigned to repair a radar system that had been broken for months,” said Welch. "My team was able to fix it in two weeks. It was needed quickly for a mission to be successful."
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.
Welch 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, Welch and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes.
Serving in the Navy, Welch is learning about being a more respectable leader, Sailor and person through handling numerous responsibilities.
“Serving in the Navy is very rewarding because I am getting out and seeing new places while serving my country,” said Welch. “I enjoy being able to provide for my growing family.”
“I learned about patience and compassion; all that you would expect growing up with the southern hospitality,” said Welch.
Welch 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, Welch is responsible for maintaining and repairing all the electrical systems on the 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.
Welch is now a part of a long-standing tradition of serving in the Navy our nation needs.
“I have a cousin in the Seabees and little brother in the Marines, it makes my mom proud,” said Welch.
Welch said they are proud to be part of a warfighting team that readily defends America at all times.
“I am very proud of a time I was assigned to repair a radar system that had been broken for months,” said Welch. "My team was able to fix it in two weeks. It was needed quickly for a mission to be successful."
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.
Welch 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, Welch and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes.
Serving in the Navy, Welch is learning about being a more respectable leader, Sailor and person through handling numerous responsibilities.
“Serving in the Navy is very rewarding because I am getting out and seeing new places while serving my country,” said Welch. “I enjoy being able to provide for my growing family.”