By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson G. Brown, Navy Office of Community Outreach
OAK HARBOR, Wash. – Petty Officer 1st Class Sylvano Pante, a native of Yigo, Guam, joined the Navy to follow a legacy created by their father.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marc Cuenca |
“Being attached to a high operational tempo command, the workload can add up,” said Pante. "Working as a team and conducting training is key to the completion of our tasks and overall mission accomplishments."
Pante, a 2005 graduate of Simon A. Sanchez High School, is a personnel specialist with VAQ 135, a high-tech electronic attack squadron capable of altering the outcome of any engagement with the EA-18G “Growler.”
“I’m responsible for providing customer service in maintaining and auditing pay and personnel records for military personnel, and I also determine their pay and travel entitlements,” said Pante.
Pante credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Yigo.
“Raised on the island of Guam, I was taught the values of respect and community,” said Pante. “I apply these values in conjunction with the Navy core values, honor, courage, and commitment, which has played a role in my success while serving in the Navy.”
VAQ 135's primary mission is to conduct airborne electronic warfare while embarked with a carrier air wing. They deploy aboard aircraft carriers and to airbases around the world to project electronic attack dominance anywhere in the world at any time. This includes suppression of enemy radar systems, sensor jamming and electronic protection.
The EA-18G “Growler” is the most advanced airborne electronic attack (AEA) platform in production today, according to Navy officials. The Navy invests in advanced “Growler” capabilities to ensure it continues to protect all strike aircraft during high-threat missions for decades to come.
“The EA-18G is a variant of the F/A-18F Super Hornet, it provides tactical jamming and electronic protection to U.S. military forces and allies around the world,” said Pante.
Serving in the Navy means Pante 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, Pante is most proud of seeing subordinates accomplish their goals.
“It shows that all the leadership and guidance I provide for them lead to their success,” said Pante.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Pante and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“Since the day I enlisted in the Navy, I have gained an enormous amount of knowledge and experiences,” said Pante. “Within the knowledge and experiences, I've received tools that I apply in my daily life to better myself professionally and personally.”