SAN DIEGO – Petty Officer 2nd Class Kayla Conklin, a native of Grayslake, Illinois, was inspired to join the Navy by family members who served in the military.
Now, six years later, Conklin serves with the Scorpions of Helicopter Maritime Squadron (HSM) 49, working with one of the Navy’s most advanced helicopters at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego.
“The squadron environment is high tempo," Conklin said. "There are a lot of moving parts. A lot of detachments embarking on different vessels on different time frames.”
Conklin, a 2008 graduate of Grayslake Community High School, is a personnel specialist with HSM 49, a versatile squadron that’s capable of completing a number of important missions for the Navy with the MH-60R “Seahawk” helicopter.
“I'm responsible for all the pay and personnel matters,” said Conklin.
Conklin credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Grayslake.
“I learned the importance of being on time,” said Conklin.
HSM 49's primary mission is to conduct sea control operations in open-ocean and coastal environments as an expeditionary unit. This includes hunting for submarines, searching for surface targets over the horizon and conducting search and rescue operations.
According to Navy officials, the MH-60R is the Navy's new primary maritime dominance helicopter. Greatly enhanced over its predecessors, the MH-60R helicopter features a glass cockpit and significant mission system improvements, which give it unmatched capability as an airborne multi-mission naval platform.
As the U.S. Navy's next generation submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter, the MH-60R "Romeo" is the cornerstone of the Navy's Helicopter Concept of Operations. Anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare are the MH-60R's primary missions. Secondary missions include search and rescue, medical evacuation, vertical replenishment, naval surface fire support, communications relay, command, control, communications, command and control warfare and non-combat operations.
Serving in the Navy means Conklin is part of a world that is taking on new importance in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.
A key element of the Navy the nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, 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.
“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.”
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career, Conklin is most proud of completing a nine-month deployment on an aircraft carrier.
“I got to represent the Navy and America at all the different port visits," Conklin said. "We went to London, Bahrain, Dubai, Singapore and Australia.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Conklin and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“Being in the Navy means serving my country with honor,” said Conklin.
“The squadron environment is high tempo," Conklin said. "There are a lot of moving parts. A lot of detachments embarking on different vessels on different time frames.”
Conklin, a 2008 graduate of Grayslake Community High School, is a personnel specialist with HSM 49, a versatile squadron that’s capable of completing a number of important missions for the Navy with the MH-60R “Seahawk” helicopter.
“I'm responsible for all the pay and personnel matters,” said Conklin.
Conklin credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Grayslake.
“I learned the importance of being on time,” said Conklin.
HSM 49's primary mission is to conduct sea control operations in open-ocean and coastal environments as an expeditionary unit. This includes hunting for submarines, searching for surface targets over the horizon and conducting search and rescue operations.
According to Navy officials, the MH-60R is the Navy's new primary maritime dominance helicopter. Greatly enhanced over its predecessors, the MH-60R helicopter features a glass cockpit and significant mission system improvements, which give it unmatched capability as an airborne multi-mission naval platform.
As the U.S. Navy's next generation submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter, the MH-60R "Romeo" is the cornerstone of the Navy's Helicopter Concept of Operations. Anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare are the MH-60R's primary missions. Secondary missions include search and rescue, medical evacuation, vertical replenishment, naval surface fire support, communications relay, command, control, communications, command and control warfare and non-combat operations.
Serving in the Navy means Conklin is part of a world that is taking on new importance in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.
A key element of the Navy the nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, 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.
“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.”
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career, Conklin is most proud of completing a nine-month deployment on an aircraft carrier.
“I got to represent the Navy and America at all the different port visits," Conklin said. "We went to London, Bahrain, Dubai, Singapore and Australia.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Conklin and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“Being in the Navy means serving my country with honor,” said Conklin.