SAN DIEGO – Chief Petty Officer Noah Bartmess, a native of Spokane, Washington, serves the U.S. Navy as a member of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 50 located in San Diego, California.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jesse Hawthorne |
Bartmess joined the Navy 15 years years ago. Today, Bartmess serves as an aviation electronics technician supporting missions flown by the Navy’s newest long-range, medium-lift aircraft: the CMV-22B Osprey.
“My dad served in the Navy and the Air Force,” said Bartmess. “He was part of the reason I joined the military. I also always wanted to work with airplanes and the Navy seemed like a good fit to make that happen.”
Bartmess uses the same skills and values learned in Spokane to succeed in the military.
“Growing up around the military, my family moved around a lot,” said Bartmess. “Resilience was a big part of growing up, and that has helped me overcome a lot of challenges, which has allowed me to do what I need to do.”
These lessons have helped Bartmess while serving in 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.
“I’m amazed by what our sailors at VRM 50 have achieved over the past 10 months,” said Cmdr. Eric Ponsart, VRM 50's commanding officer. “Standing up the Navy’s newest Fleet Replacement squadron from scratch and having it ready to receive its first aircraft is a testament to their hard work and dedication to the mission. It’s been an honor serving side-by-side with these fellow SunHawks. We look forward to delivering the best pilots and aircrew to the fleet.”
Serving in the Navy means Bartmess 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.
“We are the force protection of the world,” said Bartmess. “We make sure shipping lanes are good to go, and we can deploy anywhere anytime. We make sure our country is safe and at the same time we help other countries.”
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.”
Bartmess and the sailors they serve with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.
“For me, serving as part of Operation Tomodachi, which was the U.S. military's response to the nuclear disaster at Fukushima was my proudest moment,” said Bartmess.
As Bartmess 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.
“For me, serving in the Navy is more to me than just a career,” added Bartmess. “It's a way of life that has brought me so many opportunities to better myself and to take care of my family. The Navy is incredibly important to those who serve in it, including me.”