OAK HARBOR, Wash. - Petty Officer 1st Class Sherman King, a native of Wendell, Idaho, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 142 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
King graduated from Wendell High School in 2002.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Wendell.
“Growing up, I learned the importance of hard work,” said King. “I grew up in a very small town and worked in a lot of labor jobs. Everything was manual labor-related. I’m not afraid of hard work. Being in aviation, you need to have an eagerness to do things, to want to work and to be physically active. Hard work pays off.”
King joined the Navy 15 years ago. Today, King serves as an aviation machinist’s mate.
“I wasn’t progressing in my life or taking life seriously,” said King. “I joined the Navy to re-instill a work ethic into me. I wanted that back in my life and, at the time, I wanted to use that and the G.I. Bill to go back to school.”
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.
King 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.”
King has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m most proud of advancing to petty officer first class,” said King. “It’s a milestone in my career and now I can retire. Plan to retire at 20 years, but it’s still a goal of mine to try to make chief.”
King can take pride in serving America through military service.
“Serving in the Navy means, for one, that I’m able to support my wife and daughter,” said King. “Serving has also given me the ability to retire while still being able to provide for my family. At first, I wanted to serve the four years to go to college. Now, I have a steady job and I can provide for my family. I can pass my GI Bill to my daughter and will be able to retire in my mid-40s to move on to something else.”
King is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my wife, Ashley, and daughter, Pasha,” added King. “I also want to thank my family, my brothers, sisters and my parents, especially my late father, for all their support, patriotism and love.”