SAN DIEGO – Petty Officer 2nd Class Sarah Parsons, a native of New Baltimore, Michigan, wanted to travel and meet new people.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown |
Now, five years later, Parsons is currently stationed in San Diego at the Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC).
Parsons, a 2012 graduate of Anchor Bay High School, is an information systems technician at the training center located in San Diego.
“I ensure that everyone here is able to access their computer systems, and ensure that there are no technical interruptions with their training,” said Parsons.
Parsons credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in New Baltimore.
“I learned the value of patience growing up, and especially in the Navy it helps to be patient,” said Parsons.
SMWDC exists to increase the lethality and tactical proficiency of the Navy’s surface force. The command’s headquarters is located at Naval Base San Diego with four divisions spread across Virginia and California. The command is focused on anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, as well as integrated air and missile defense.
SMWDC conducts training and tactical level warfighting assessments to create a culture of tactical excellence by design.
There are many reasons to be proud of naval service, and Parsons is most proud of being able to start a family.
“It makes me happy to be able to start a family while being in the Navy, and to have the support to do it,” said Parsons. “I feel grateful that the Navy has a support system for our families, anywhere I go.”
A key element of the Navy the Nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, according to Navy officials, 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.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Parsons and other sailors and staff know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, serving as a key part of the Navy the Nation needs.
“I really like serving my country,” said Parsons. “My dad was in the Navy, and I'm really proud to carry on that tradition in my family.”
Parsons, a 2012 graduate of Anchor Bay High School, is an information systems technician at the training center located in San Diego.
“I ensure that everyone here is able to access their computer systems, and ensure that there are no technical interruptions with their training,” said Parsons.
Parsons credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in New Baltimore.
“I learned the value of patience growing up, and especially in the Navy it helps to be patient,” said Parsons.
SMWDC exists to increase the lethality and tactical proficiency of the Navy’s surface force. The command’s headquarters is located at Naval Base San Diego with four divisions spread across Virginia and California. The command is focused on anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, as well as integrated air and missile defense.
SMWDC conducts training and tactical level warfighting assessments to create a culture of tactical excellence by design.
There are many reasons to be proud of naval service, and Parsons is most proud of being able to start a family.
“It makes me happy to be able to start a family while being in the Navy, and to have the support to do it,” said Parsons. “I feel grateful that the Navy has a support system for our families, anywhere I go.”
A key element of the Navy the Nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, according to Navy officials, 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.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Parsons and other sailors and staff know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, serving as a key part of the Navy the Nation needs.
“I really like serving my country,” said Parsons. “My dad was in the Navy, and I'm really proud to carry on that tradition in my family.”