By Dustin Good, Navy Office of Community Outreach
OAK HARBOR, Wash. – Seaman Recruit Zachary Lyon, a native of Summerville, South Carolina, joined the Navy to follow his grandfathers footsteps and have a stable future.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Emilia Hilliard |
“Life in the command is busy, but the nature of our job is to be busy,” said Lyon.
Lyon, a 2018 graduate of Ashleyridge 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.”
“In simplest terms, I am responsible for human resources,” said Lyon.
Lyon credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Summerville.
“My hometown taught me that the key to success was to work hard and get along with others,” said Lyon. "As adminstrative sailors, we are always helping people out and we always have so many people we have to be able to work well with them."
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.
“I haven't been here long, but the support roles for the P-8 are just as important as every team member,” said Lyon. "Everyone has a place and without us working together, we can't accomplish our mission."
Serving in the Navy means Lyon 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, Lyon is most proud of graduation from boot camp and his job's schooling at the top of his class.
“It took a lot of hard work and dedication,” said Lyon. "I was always striving to be the best."
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Lyon 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 I get to travel the world and experience other cultures first hand,” said Lyon. "That is something I've always dreamt of doing and the Navy has given me the opportunity to fulfill that dream."