OKLAHOMA CITY — Every sailor's story of naval service is unique. For Petty Officer 3rd Class Parker DeLong, this story began in Bedford, Virginia, where they learned skills and values that would be foundational to their success in the Navy.
“My job after high school taught me how to have a strong work ethic,” DeLong said. "You have to have a strong work ethic in the Navy because you work odd hours.”
DeLong graduated from Liberty High School in 2021.
DeLong joined the Navy three years ago.
“My grandfather was an A-4 Skyhawk jet mechanic in Vietnam,” DeLong said. “I joined the Navy to follow in his footsteps.”
Today, DeLong serves as a naval air crewman (avionics) assigned to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Three (VQ-3) in Oklahoma City. DeLong supports the nation’s nuclear deterrence mission at Strategic Communications Wing One (STRATCOMMWING ONE). Its “Take Charge and Move Out” (TACAMO) mission provides airborne communication links to nuclear missile units of U.S. Strategic Command.
The TACAMO mission originated in 1961 when a Marine Corps aircraft was used to test the feasibility of an airborne Very Low Frequency (VLF) communications system. Once the test was successful, funding for the program was granted, and it has continued to grow ever since.
The U.S. Navy’s presence on an Air Force base in a landlocked state may seem strange, but the position is strategic, allowing squadrons to quickly deploy around the world in support of the TACAMO mission.
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.
DeLong has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest accomplishment is making it as far as I have because not a lot of people do,” DeLong said.
DeLong 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 gives me a chance to better myself while protecting the ones I love,” DeLong said.
DeLong is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents, John DeLong II and Christie Hogan, for cheering me on,” DeLong added. "I also want to thank my grandpa, John Delong I, for his support."