SAN DIEGO – Petty Officer 3rd Class Angel Rivera, a native of Ponce, Puerto Rico, joined the U.S. Navy because he has a family history of serving in the military.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown |
Now, two years later, Rivera 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.
“I get to work with very professional sailors and I like being able to see my family every day,” said Rivera.
Rivera, a 2007 graduate of Miami Senior 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.
“We maintain and troubleshoot engines, transmissions, and fuel cells to keep the aircraft mission ready,” said Rivera.
Rivera credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Ponce.
“I learned the value of teamwork to get the job the done, and being a responsible mentor to sailors who are younger and junior to me,” said Rivera.
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.
“I get to work with very professional sailors and I like being able to see my family every day,” said Rivera.
Rivera, a 2007 graduate of Miami Senior 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.
“We maintain and troubleshoot engines, transmissions, and fuel cells to keep the aircraft mission ready,” said Rivera.
Rivera credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Ponce.
“I learned the value of teamwork to get the job the done, and being a responsible mentor to sailors who are younger and junior to me,” said Rivera.
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.
“The thing I find most unique about the aircraft is the technology that the aircraft has, I find it very interesting that we have helos that can track submarines and seeing that they can carry torpedos,” said Rivera. “I was very amazed the first time that I saw this.”
Serving in the Navy means Rivera 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, Rivera is most proud of making third class after serving the Navy for two years.
“I made Bluejacket of the Year in 2018 and I also picked up the rate that wanted,” said Rivera. “I came into the Navy and worked hard for my family to achieve everything that I have. I am very proud of all that I have achieved.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Rivera and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“The Navy makes me feel proud, I have a real sense of accomplishment at the end of the day,” said Rivera.