SAN DIEGO – Petty Officer 3rd Class Deeana Aguiar, a native of San Diego, joined the Navy to travel and to earn some education benefits.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown |
Now, three years later, Aguiar 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.
Aguiar, a 2016 graduate of Santana High School, is an aviation structural mechanic 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 work on every part of the helicopter except the engine. From the tires to the rotors, I work on it,” said Aguiar. “It's very family-like here. I just got here but everyone gets along really well.”
Aguiar credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in San Diego.
“One thing I realized being stationed in my hometown is that San Diego isn't as big as I thought it was," said Aguiar. "The Navy has shown me a much larger world and people from all over.”
Aguiar, a 2016 graduate of Santana High School, is an aviation structural mechanic 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 work on every part of the helicopter except the engine. From the tires to the rotors, I work on it,” said Aguiar. “It's very family-like here. I just got here but everyone gets along really well.”
Aguiar credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in San Diego.
“One thing I realized being stationed in my hometown is that San Diego isn't as big as I thought it was," said Aguiar. "The Navy has shown me a much larger world and people from all over.”
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.
Serving in the Navy means Aguiar 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.
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.
“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, Aguiar is most proud of getting promoted to third class petty officer.
“That's what I've done so far," said Aguiar. I plan to make a career out of the Navy.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Aguiar and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“Working in the squadron is high risk not only for us personally, but we take other people's lives in our hands when we work on the aircraft," said Aguiar. "It's the honor getting to wear this uniform and be a part of what we are doing here.”