Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Gary Ward
(MAYPORT, Fla.) – A 2012 Rueben Salazar High School graduate and Pico Rivera, California, native is serving with a U.S. Navy helicopter squadron that flies the Navy’s newest and most technologically-advanced helicopter.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Rosemarie Razo credits much of their success from lessons they learned growing up in Pico Rivera.
“A lesson from my hometown that has helped me in the Navy is being able to help and take care of my brothers and sisters. I come from a family of 11 and in the military when you are away from home other sailors become your family,” said Razo.
Razo is an aviation machinist’s 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’s mate, Razo is responsible for repair and maintenance of 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.
Razo is now a part of a long-standing tradition of serving in the Navy our nation needs.
“My grandfather served in the Navy during WWII and I wanted to keep the tradition going,” said Razo.
Razo said they are proud to be part of a warfighting team that readily defends America at all times.
“There isn't a better way to explain the pride I feel in my service than having the opportunity to hear a story from a family that we had the chance of helping in Oahu, Hawaii, while serving with VP-47,” Razo explained. “The family shared how their brother and sister were lost at sea for several days. Hearing them thank us for being able to search for them and help locate them. Stories like this give me a great sense of accomplishment and makes me proud to be serving in the Navy.”
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.
Razo 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, Razo and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes.
Serving in the Navy, Razo is learning about being a more respectable leader, Sailor and person through handling numerous responsibilities.
“Serving in the Navy means a lot of different things to me. It means being able to help others on a greater scale, learning about other cultures, being diverse, and seeing the world,” said Razo. “These give me the chance to look at life from more than one perspective and keep me thinking outside of the box.”
“A lesson from my hometown that has helped me in the Navy is being able to help and take care of my brothers and sisters. I come from a family of 11 and in the military when you are away from home other sailors become your family,” said Razo.
Razo is an aviation machinist’s 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’s mate, Razo is responsible for repair and maintenance of 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.
Razo is now a part of a long-standing tradition of serving in the Navy our nation needs.
“My grandfather served in the Navy during WWII and I wanted to keep the tradition going,” said Razo.
Razo said they are proud to be part of a warfighting team that readily defends America at all times.
“There isn't a better way to explain the pride I feel in my service than having the opportunity to hear a story from a family that we had the chance of helping in Oahu, Hawaii, while serving with VP-47,” Razo explained. “The family shared how their brother and sister were lost at sea for several days. Hearing them thank us for being able to search for them and help locate them. Stories like this give me a great sense of accomplishment and makes me proud to be serving in the Navy.”
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.
Razo 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, Razo and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes.
Serving in the Navy, Razo is learning about being a more respectable leader, Sailor and person through handling numerous responsibilities.
“Serving in the Navy means a lot of different things to me. It means being able to help others on a greater scale, learning about other cultures, being diverse, and seeing the world,” said Razo. “These give me the chance to look at life from more than one perspective and keep me thinking outside of the box.”