OAK HARBOR, Wash. – Petty Officer 3rd Class Arianna Newton, a native of Oregon City, Oregon, joined the Navy to find direction in life.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marc Cuenca |
“The people at this command are fun and I like my shop,” said Newton.
Newton, a 2012 graduate of Oregon City High School, serves with Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron 1, 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 maintaining the body of the P-8 aircraft,” said Newton.
Newton credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Oregon City.
“I was very shy growing up and so I learned the importance of humility,” said Newton. "It's helped me be more careful and not be too full of myself which benefits me while serving."
Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron 1'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 just cool being able to work on the aircraft,” said Newton. "There's people who get to fly on them and I'm one of the lucky people who get to work on Navy aircraft."
Serving in the Navy means Newton 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, Newton is most proud of putting effort in throughout her naval career.
“I have a tendency to drop things since I'm a perfectionist,” said Newton. "The Navy has allowed me to understand what standards are needed to get the job done."
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Newton 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 interesting experience,” said Newton. "You have the opportunity to do something cool that only a certain percentage actually do."