SAN DIEGO - Petty Officer 3rd Class Wyatt Myers, a native of Eureka, Illinois, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joey Sitter, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West |
Myers graduated from Eureka High School in 2017.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Eureka.
“One of my football coaches taught me that the past and what people think or how people label you doesn’t really matter,” Myers said. “What matters is how you handle your future, how you form yourself in the future and how you hold yourself going forward.”
Myers joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Myers serves as a naval air crewman (tactical helicopter).
“I joined the Navy because I was in nursing school at the time and it was always in the back of my mind to join the military,” Myers said. “I joined the Navy specifically because I wanted to stay in the medical field and do search and rescue.”
Members of HSM 35 fly and maintain the MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, the Navy’s most advanced rotary wing maritime strike platform. The Navy MH-60R is able to perform many different missions. Some of the most common operations include strikes on maritime targets, submarine hunting and attack, electronic warfare, search and rescue, medical evacuations and supply support.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
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.
Myers has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m most proud of getting my aircrew wings, graduating from that pipeline and progressing in my career,” Myers said. “It’s my biggest accomplishment and was the longest training. It took a lot physically and mentally to get through.”
Myers serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Being in the Navy makes me proud to live where I live,” Myers said. “Serving in the military in general has made me realize how important family is and how important my time with them is.”
Myers is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my mom and brother for being right next to me through all the challenges of leaving home and not seeing each other as often as we would like,” Myers added. “I also want to thank my football coach for being a father figure when I was younger. He steered me in the right direction when I was a teenager and helped me get into working out in high school, which has helped me out in this job tremendously. He also taught me a lot of life lessons.”