SAN DIEGO – Petty Officer 3rd Class Jordan Baehler, a native of Comanche, Texas, joined the U.S. Navy because she wanted to do something different before attending college.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown |
Now, four years later, Baehler serves with the Raptors of Helicopter Maritime Squadron (HSM) 71, working with one of the Navy’s most advanced helicopters at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego.
“We are like a family - we have our moments like every family does but overall it is a great place to work, I like the camaraderie,” said Baehler.
Baehler, a 2015 graduate of Comanche High School, is an aviation machinist’s mate with HSM 71, a versatile squadron that’s capable of completing a number of important missions for the Navy with the MH-60R “Seahawk” helicopter.
“I am the collateral duty inspector,” said Baehler. “I am responsible for the upkeep of the engines, fuel cells, and transmissions of the aircraft.”
Baehler credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Comanche.
“The sports that I played in high school taught me teamwork and how to work other people,” said Baehler.
HSM 71'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.
“We are like a family - we have our moments like every family does but overall it is a great place to work, I like the camaraderie,” said Baehler.
Baehler, a 2015 graduate of Comanche High School, is an aviation machinist’s mate with HSM 71, a versatile squadron that’s capable of completing a number of important missions for the Navy with the MH-60R “Seahawk” helicopter.
“I am the collateral duty inspector,” said Baehler. “I am responsible for the upkeep of the engines, fuel cells, and transmissions of the aircraft.”
Baehler credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Comanche.
“The sports that I played in high school taught me teamwork and how to work other people,” said Baehler.
HSM 71'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.
“It is the only aviation platform that I have worked on and I really like helicopters, I enjoy doing my job,” said Baehler.
Serving in the Navy means Baehler 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, Baehler is most proud of making rank and being able to teach sailors that are junior to her about the aircraft.
“It is nice to see the sailors I train grow and become successful aircraft maintainers,” said Baehler.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Baehler and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“I enjoy what I do and to me it is not really work, it is fun working on helicopters and being part of an aviation squadron,” said Baehler.