OAK HARBOR, Wash. – Petty Officer 3rd Class Tam Nguyen, a native of New Iberia, Louisiana, joined the Navy to make a difference and provide stability for their family.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Emilia Hilliard |
“Life in the command is non-stop because we are an extremely busy squadron who are constantly learning together and working together to achieve excellence for the overall goal,” said Nguyen.
Nguyen, a 2010 graduate of New Iberia Senior High, 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 tracking and hunting submarines,” said Nguyen.
Nguyen credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in New Iberia.
“My hometown taught me to always work hard and that everything you do, your name is attached to,” said Nguyen. "I come from a town of hard working blue collar environment. We work hard and take care of each other, just like the Navy."
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 P-8A gives us the best patrol and reconnaissance capabilities in the world,” said Nguyen.
Serving in the Navy means Nguyen 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, Nguyen is most proud of completing all training to master his craft.
“I'm proud to complete the training that I have had,” said Nguyen. "It was a very long process between boot camp, naval aircrewman candidate school, my jobs and fleet replacement squadron. There was an overall year and a half training mentally and physically to get to the point I'm at now."
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Nguyen 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 means being part of something bigger,” said Nguyen. "You make a greater difference in the world for the better."