SAN DIEGO – Chief Petty Officer Craig Micka, a native of Windsor, Vermont, comes from a long line of military service members on both sides of the family.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown |
“It makes me proud to carry on that family tradition,” said Micka.
Micka, a 2006 graduate of Windsor High School, is a fire controlman, aegis, at the Center for Surface Combat Systems (CSCS) in San Diego which specializes in training sailors in the employment of shipboard weapon systems. Specifically, Micka was hand selected to help oversee the Navy’s warfighting curriculum in its newest combat trainer the Combined Integrated Air and Missile Defense / Anti-Submarine Warfare Trainer (CIAT), a state-of-the art tactical simulator that allows instructors like Micka to train a more capable fleet.
Micka credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Windsor.
“Hard work always pays off in the end," said Micka. "Playing football at Windsor set the foundation for many of the qualities that have led to my success in the military.”
Micka, a 2006 graduate of Windsor High School, is a fire controlman, aegis, at the Center for Surface Combat Systems (CSCS) in San Diego which specializes in training sailors in the employment of shipboard weapon systems. Specifically, Micka was hand selected to help oversee the Navy’s warfighting curriculum in its newest combat trainer the Combined Integrated Air and Missile Defense / Anti-Submarine Warfare Trainer (CIAT), a state-of-the art tactical simulator that allows instructors like Micka to train a more capable fleet.
Micka credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Windsor.
“Hard work always pays off in the end," said Micka. "Playing football at Windsor set the foundation for many of the qualities that have led to my success in the military.”
There are many reasons to be proud of naval service, and Micka is most proud of making chief in 2017 and then being selected as a limited duty officer this year.
“The sky is the limit in the Navy and your success is determined by the amount of work you want to put in,” said Micka. “So far the Navy has provided me with the opportunity to earn a college degree, travel the world, and gain experience I will be able to use in my next career.”
CSCS’s mission is to develop and deliver surface ship combat systems training to achieve surface warfare superiority. The Command provides over 538 courses and trains over 38,000 sailors each year. CSCS delivers specialized training for Officer and Enlisted sailors to tactically operate, maintain, and employ shipboard and shore-based weapons, sensors, and command and control systems utilized in today’s Navy.
“Micka represents the very best of our Navy team,” Lt. Cmdr. Reisheid Dixon, the officer in charge of CSCS San Diego, added. “The high level of knowledge and tactical expertise of our instructors ensures we are providing the most challenging and valuable training to the waterfront.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Micka 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.
“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.”
America is a maritime nation, and 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.
“Serving in the Navy has provided me with a sense of accomplishment that could not be compared to anything else," said Micka. "You get to see first-hand how lucky we are to be Americans when you visit some of the third-world countries out there. Seeing our constant impact on the world and the amount of love and appreciation some of these countries have when we pull in really justifies the sacrifice of being away from family and friends.”