SAN DIEGO – Airman Sydney Amormino, a native of Farmington, New Mexico, serves the U.S. Navy as a member of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30 located in San Diego, California.
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| Photo by Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class Jesse Hawthorne |
Amormino joined the Navy two years ago. Today, Amormino serves as an aviation electrician supporting missions flown by the Navy’s newest long-range, medium-lift aircraft: the CMV-22B Osprey.
“I had a grandfather who was in the Navy,” said Amormino. “I only met him about a year before he passed, and I wanted to establish more of a connection to him. I also wanted some structure in my life with good job opportunities.”
Amormino attended Farmington High School and graduated in 2016. Today, Amormino uses the same skills and values learned in Farmington to succeed in the military.
“I grew up in a very diverse community, with different cultures everywhere,” said Amormino. “Being able to have an appreciation, respect and understanding of the different people you will encounter really helps when it comes to working in a diverse working environment like the Navy.”
The CMV-22B is the Navy’s version of the U.S. Marines’ V-22 Osprey. It is designed to replace the C-2A Greyhound, which has provided logistical support to aircraft carriers for four decades.
CMV-22Bs are vertical takeoff and landing tilt-rotor aircraft, which have an increased operational range, faster cargo loading/unloading, increased survivability and enhanced communications compared to the C-2A Greyhound.
According to Navy officials, the mission of the CMV-22B is to provide timely, persistent air logistics for sustained carrier strike group lethality, anywhere in the world.
“The men and women of VRM 30 deliver lethality and combat effectiveness to the Carrier Strike Group,” said Cmdr. Steve Parente, VRM 30’s commanding officer. “Through the sustainment of high priority logistics and critical personnel, our worldwide deployable CMV-22 Detachments directly enable the combat power of the world’s most powerful Navy anytime, anywhere. The Titans are extremely proud of their significant responsibility and steadfast service in the defense of our great nation.”
Serving in the Navy means Amormino is part of a team that is taking on new importance in America’s focus, rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.
“Over two-thirds of the planet is water, so I think our ability to control the sea is very important to our national interest,” said Amormino.
With more than 90 percent of all trade traveling by sea, and 95 percent of the world’s international phone and internet traffic carried through fiber optic cables lying on the ocean floor, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity and security of the United States is directly linked to a strong and ready Navy.
According to Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday, four priorities will focus efforts on sailors, readiness, capabilities, and capacity.
“For 245 years, in both calm and rough waters, our Navy has stood the watch to protect the homeland, preserve freedom of the seas, and defend our way of life,” said Gilday. “The decisions and investments we make this decade will set the maritime balance of power for the rest of this century. We can accept nothing less than success.”
Amormino and the sailors they serve with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.
“I am most proud of earning my Fleet Marine Forces Warfare Insignia,” said Amormino. “I did that while I was deployed to Kuwait last year. It was a land deployment, which is rare for a sailor. I was fortunate to have mentors who supported me along the way.”
As Amormino and other sailors continue to train and perform the missions they are tasked with, they take pride in serving their country in the United States Navy.
“I'm proud of my decision to join the Navy because it’s not something that everyone does,” added Amormino. “A lot of people say they thought about joining but didn’t. I'm proud to say I wanted it, I saw that it was hard and I did it anyway.”