OAK HARBOR, Wash. – Chief Petty Officer Daniel Jackson, a native of Goldsboro, North Carolina, joined the Navy for the structure.
Now, 13 years later, Jackson serves as an aviation electrician’s mate with the “The Golden Swordsmen” of Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron (VP) 47, working with the Navy’s cutting-edge maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington.
“The people that you meet here are amazing because of the diversity,” said Jackson. "It's a microcosm of the entire United States."
Jackson, a 2003 graduate of Eastern Wayne High School, serves with VP-47, a high-tech maritime patrol and reconnaissance squadron tasked with monitoring the world’s oceans in the state-of-the-art P-8A “Poseidon.”
“I’m responsible for managing maintenance on the P-8 aircraft,” said Jackson.
Jackson credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Goldsboro.
“My hometown helped me learn that life is going to be tough, but hard work pays off in the end,” said Jackson. "Being in the military is challenging to begin with. In 13 years I've been on eight deployments and there's ebbs and flows and you have to take in the good times to get through the challenging times."
VP-47's primary mission is to conduct maritime patrol and reconnaissance as well as long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and intelligence gathering missions. They deploy around the world to monitor the world’s oceans wherever they are needed.
The P-8A Poseidon, the Navy’s newest maritime, patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, is a replacement aircraft for the legacy P-3C “Orion”. According to Navy officials, leveraging the experience and technology of the successful P-3C “Orion” with the needs of the fleet, the P-8A is designed to be combat-capable, and to improve an operator’s ability to efficiently conduct anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
As the Navy transitions to the full capacity with the P-8A “Poseidon”, the aircraft continues the work- horse tradition established by the P-3C “Orion”. The P-8A has a planned state-of-the-art open architecture mission system and next-generation sensors. These capabilities give warfighters added protection. The aircraft empowers the fleet with more combat capability, responsiveness, and interoperability with traditional manned forces and evolving unmanned sensors. The P-8A “Poseidon” has significant growth potential, with planned, phased-in technological improvements that extend global reach, payload capacity and higher-operating altitude.
“The types of missions the P-8 can do are so widely varied,” said Jackson. "Sometimes you don't know what you're getting into, but you always have a mission to accomplish."
Serving in the Navy means Jackson 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, Jackson is most proud of earning the rank of chief petty officer.
“Making chief was my proudest accomplishment because it's all about the people who help and mentor you but also the people you help and mentor,” said Jackson.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Jackson and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“Serving in the Navy has been an awesome story,” said Jackson. "I wasn't in a great spot before I joined and the Navy has taught me so much about leadership and helped me grow up through my career."
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Emilia Hilliard |
“The people that you meet here are amazing because of the diversity,” said Jackson. "It's a microcosm of the entire United States."
Jackson, a 2003 graduate of Eastern Wayne High School, serves with VP-47, a high-tech maritime patrol and reconnaissance squadron tasked with monitoring the world’s oceans in the state-of-the-art P-8A “Poseidon.”
“I’m responsible for managing maintenance on the P-8 aircraft,” said Jackson.
Jackson credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Goldsboro.
“My hometown helped me learn that life is going to be tough, but hard work pays off in the end,” said Jackson. "Being in the military is challenging to begin with. In 13 years I've been on eight deployments and there's ebbs and flows and you have to take in the good times to get through the challenging times."
VP-47's primary mission is to conduct maritime patrol and reconnaissance as well as long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and intelligence gathering missions. They deploy around the world to monitor the world’s oceans wherever they are needed.
The P-8A Poseidon, the Navy’s newest maritime, patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, is a replacement aircraft for the legacy P-3C “Orion”. According to Navy officials, leveraging the experience and technology of the successful P-3C “Orion” with the needs of the fleet, the P-8A is designed to be combat-capable, and to improve an operator’s ability to efficiently conduct anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
As the Navy transitions to the full capacity with the P-8A “Poseidon”, the aircraft continues the work- horse tradition established by the P-3C “Orion”. The P-8A has a planned state-of-the-art open architecture mission system and next-generation sensors. These capabilities give warfighters added protection. The aircraft empowers the fleet with more combat capability, responsiveness, and interoperability with traditional manned forces and evolving unmanned sensors. The P-8A “Poseidon” has significant growth potential, with planned, phased-in technological improvements that extend global reach, payload capacity and higher-operating altitude.
“The types of missions the P-8 can do are so widely varied,” said Jackson. "Sometimes you don't know what you're getting into, but you always have a mission to accomplish."
Serving in the Navy means Jackson 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, Jackson is most proud of earning the rank of chief petty officer.
“Making chief was my proudest accomplishment because it's all about the people who help and mentor you but also the people you help and mentor,” said Jackson.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Jackson and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“Serving in the Navy has been an awesome story,” said Jackson. "I wasn't in a great spot before I joined and the Navy has taught me so much about leadership and helped me grow up through my career."