OAK HARBOR, Wash. – Aviators in the U.S. Navy fly some of the most technologically-advanced aircraft in modern history. The driving force behind keeping naval aviators safely in the air are the maintainers on the ground making repairs and ensuring the aircraft are mission-ready.
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| Photo by Ashley Craig |
Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Fox serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Fleet Readiness Center Northwest (FRCNW), aboard Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
Fox’s parents, Stephanie and James Fox, live in Pahrump, Nevada. Fox earned a GED diploma in 2008.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Pahrump.
“We moved around a lot because my father was in the Navy, but I spent a good 14 years in Nevada and I learned plenty while living there,” said Fox. “One of the biggest lessons I learned was how to not let problems overcome you. It is pivotal to pick and choose what battles you will fight and which to let go.”
Fox joined the Navy 15 years ago. Today, Fox serves as a logistics specialist.
“I joined the Navy to follow in my father’s footsteps,” said Fox. “He served in the Navy on active duty from 1982 to 1992 and then went into the reserves for 10 years where he received a commission. He met my mother while stationed in Scotland serving on a submarine tender and that is where I was born.”
FRCNW is the premier intermediate maintenance activity of the Pacific Northwest. With more than 1,000 sailors, civilian and contractor personnel, FRCNW provides intermediate and more sophisticated depot-level repair of more than 12,500 different aviation components. Repair services are provided for jet engines, airframes, avionics, armament, aviation life support systems, ejection seats and more than 2,300 pieces of support equipment directly supporting 22 local and deployed squadrons, 10 aircraft carriers, three overseas operational sites and numerous Pacific Northwest Regional commands and activities.
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 have had many accomplishments and failures throughout my career,” said Fox. “To pick my proudest one is difficult. Overall though, I think my proudest accomplishment is that I am still here. Prior to the military, I was working dead-end jobs and the longest I had ever been in one place was about two years. Now, I have been with the military for 15 years and I am still very much enjoying the job. I have already accomplished more than most people.”
Fox can take pride in serving America through military service.
“Serving in the Navy has meant many things at many different times for me,” said Fox. “There have been times when I have been extremely proud to be in the Navy and it meant everything to me. At other times, I hated it more than anything. Sometimes I am learning amazing new things. Other times, I am bored senseless. I have been awarded and I have been disciplined. Overall, it has been a love/hate relationship with the Navy. Most of all though, it has been an experience. I would not be the man I am today without the many things I have gone through and learned through my time in the Navy. I am continuing to grow and learn to this very day. So, what does the Navy mean to me? It means a valuable life lesson that I would never replace.”
Fox is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents for raising me and helping me learn good morals,” said Fox. “I also want to thank my wife, Tiffany. She’s supported me through thick and thin and has always been there for me.”
Fox had advice for anyone considering a path in the military.
“Check it out for yourself and try not to form an opinion based on what others say,” added Fox. “Every person’s experience will be different. Serving in the military may not be for everyone, but it is an amazing experience. It is a valuable lesson that cannot be replaced and you can grow to greatness within it. You will need to be able to take the good with the bad though. Plus, it does come with some awesome benefits. I thought I was a one-and-done kind of guy, but here I am working towards retirement.”