OAK HARBOR, Wash. - Lt. Skyler Fox, a native of Charleston, South Carolina, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 142 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
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| Photo by Ashley Craig |
Fox graduated from Wando High School in 2013. Additionally, Fox earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of South Carolina in 2017.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Charleston.
“I started working very young with my parents in the tourism industry,” said Fox. “I started in middle school and learned all the pleasantries that come with that, like how to deal with people at a young age. I quickly learned how people aren’t inherently nice, but also how to deal with people in more dynamic situations. All the Navy commercials are about learning discipline and how to be a leader and how to commit to something, they don’t mention the behind-the-scenes stuff. I lead sailors, they don’t teach you how to handle all of the situations with the people you lead. That’s why I enjoy the people skills I have.”
Fox joined the Navy five years ago. Today, Fox serves as a naval flight officer.
“I joined the Navy kind of on a whim,” said Fox. “I read Chris Kyle’s book, ‘American Sniper,’ when I was in high school and thought it was cool. I tried to get into the U.S. Naval Academy but didn’t get in. After college, I got a job at a chemical plant and worked there for 14 months. I told my boss about trying to get into the Navy and he said one of his biggest regrets was not going into the Navy. I called the recruiter that night. I had no idea what I wanted to do. The recruiter asked if I wanted to fly planes and I said sure.”
VAQ-142 deploys with aircraft carriers to project electronic attack dominance anywhere in the world at any time.
The EA-18G Growler is a carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft and the cornerstone of the naval Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) mission. Its platform is derived from the combat-proven F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft and adds a sophisticated electronic warfare suite that enables it to suppress enemy air defenses as well as electronic attack operations.
The Growler has two seats, is over 60 feet long and can weigh up to 66,000 pounds when fully loaded with all missiles and electronic jammers. It can travel at speeds over 1,100 miles per hour, around 1.5 times the speed of sound.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Fox serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”
Fox has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m most proud of making it this far in my career, through my first deployment and flight training,” said Fox. “I was able to take part in Air Defender 2023, a NATO exercise. It was a cool opportunity to work with our allies and to see different parts of the world.”
Fox can take pride in serving America through military service.
“I saw serving in the Navy was a good way to make it through COVID because it was a steady job,” said Fox. “I feel like serving really tests your character and resolve and perseverance. Being on the ship is what you make of it. There are good moments when you’re with your friends hanging out in the ward room, cooking and joking. Then there are days when it’s hitting the fan.”
Fox is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.“I want to thank my former boss for putting the thought back in my head to join the Navy,” added Fox. “I also want to thank my swim coach. He’s a retired Marine and when he found out I was planning to join, he was good encouragement. I’m also grateful for the many friends who supported me.”
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Charleston.
“I started working very young with my parents in the tourism industry,” said Fox. “I started in middle school and learned all the pleasantries that come with that, like how to deal with people at a young age. I quickly learned how people aren’t inherently nice, but also how to deal with people in more dynamic situations. All the Navy commercials are about learning discipline and how to be a leader and how to commit to something, they don’t mention the behind-the-scenes stuff. I lead sailors, they don’t teach you how to handle all of the situations with the people you lead. That’s why I enjoy the people skills I have.”
Fox joined the Navy five years ago. Today, Fox serves as a naval flight officer.
“I joined the Navy kind of on a whim,” said Fox. “I read Chris Kyle’s book, ‘American Sniper,’ when I was in high school and thought it was cool. I tried to get into the U.S. Naval Academy but didn’t get in. After college, I got a job at a chemical plant and worked there for 14 months. I told my boss about trying to get into the Navy and he said one of his biggest regrets was not going into the Navy. I called the recruiter that night. I had no idea what I wanted to do. The recruiter asked if I wanted to fly planes and I said sure.”
VAQ-142 deploys with aircraft carriers to project electronic attack dominance anywhere in the world at any time.
The EA-18G Growler is a carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft and the cornerstone of the naval Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) mission. Its platform is derived from the combat-proven F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft and adds a sophisticated electronic warfare suite that enables it to suppress enemy air defenses as well as electronic attack operations.
The Growler has two seats, is over 60 feet long and can weigh up to 66,000 pounds when fully loaded with all missiles and electronic jammers. It can travel at speeds over 1,100 miles per hour, around 1.5 times the speed of sound.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Fox serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”
Fox has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m most proud of making it this far in my career, through my first deployment and flight training,” said Fox. “I was able to take part in Air Defender 2023, a NATO exercise. It was a cool opportunity to work with our allies and to see different parts of the world.”
Fox can take pride in serving America through military service.
“I saw serving in the Navy was a good way to make it through COVID because it was a steady job,” said Fox. “I feel like serving really tests your character and resolve and perseverance. Being on the ship is what you make of it. There are good moments when you’re with your friends hanging out in the ward room, cooking and joking. Then there are days when it’s hitting the fan.”
Fox is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.“I want to thank my former boss for putting the thought back in my head to join the Navy,” added Fox. “I also want to thank my swim coach. He’s a retired Marine and when he found out I was planning to join, he was good encouragement. I’m also grateful for the many friends who supported me.”