By Dustin Good, Navy Office of Community Outreach
OAK HARBOR, Wash. – Airman Shea Wright, a native of Kenton, Ohio, joined the Navy after seeing her sister in the Navy and she knew she could find success.
Now, two years later, Wright serves as an aviation maintenance administrationman with the “The Skinny Dragons” of Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron 4, working with the Navy’s cutting-edge maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington.
“The best part about the command is the opportunity to travel,” said Wright.
Wright, a 2015 graduate of Kenton High School, with VP-4, a high-tech maritime patrol and reconnaissance squadron, is tasked with monitoring the world’s oceans in the state-of-the-art P-8A “Poseidon.”
“I am responsible for launching and recovering aircraft and performing inspections,” said Wright.
Wright credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Kenton.
“My hometown is very small so when you see something you want, you have to fight for it,” said Wright. "It's the same thing as I serve. When you see what you want you have to fight for it because you are in charge of your own life and no one else will do it for you."
VP-4'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.
“It's such a new aircraft, so we get to learn all about it,” said Wright. "Once we do, we'll pass our knowledge on."
Serving in the Navy means Wright 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, Wright is most proud of the hard work put into reaching success.
“I had to do a lot out of my job field tasks and would take every opportunity to learn outside my field and did a lot of volunteer work,” said Wright.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Wright 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 gives me a sense of pride,” said Wright. "Not a lot of people have that opportunity."