NORFOLK, Va. - Lt. Taylor Parra, a native of Tucson, Arizona, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5.
Parra graduated from Mountain View High School in 2014. Additionally, Parra earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 2018 from Vanderbilt University.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Tucson.
“I learned through high school and sports the value of buy-in and investing in people,” Parra said. "I went to high school with a good group of folks and I really enjoyed how we invested in each other. That translates well into what we do here because we constantly have people coming and going, but we have to continue to invest in people while they are around."
Parra joined the Navy seven years ago. Today, Parra serves as a pilot.
“I joined the Navy for three reasons,” Parra said. "For one, I was inspired by a lot of my friends from high school who served in the Navy and Army. I was also reading a lot of biographies at the time and a common theme I noticed was military service among historical leaders. Lastly, I joined because I just wanted to fly."
Members of HSC-5 fly and maintain the MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter within Carrier Air Wing SEVEN (CVW-7). The MH-60S's primary missions are Search and Rescue, Naval Special Warfare Support and Anti-Surface Warfare. Additional missions include logistic support, vertical replenishment, medical evacuation, non-combatant evacuation operations and maritime interdiction operations. In short, HSC-5 "Rescues, Protects and Delivers!"
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.
Parra has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am most proud of being part of, probably the last Combat Logistics Force Detachment,” Parra said. “I am proud of that because I got to experience all of that while getting very good at my craft and getting to fly for vertical replenishment missions.”
Parra serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation's prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy is an avenue that allows you to have an impact on our foreign policy efforts and relations domestically,” Parra said. “It also allows you to do more than you ever could as an individual.”
Parra is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents, Robert and Kathy, for adapting to the demands this job has placed on me and for always making a point to travel to see me,” Parra added. “I am also grateful that they are always understanding if my schedule changes.”