SAN DIEGO - Petty Officer 2nd Class Moises Aguilar, a sailor from Guayaquil, Ecuador, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8, at Naval Air Station North Island, California.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Caleb Kissner, Fleet Public Affairs Center San Diego |
Aguilar joined the Navy five years ago. Today, Aguilar serves as an aviation electrician’s mate.
“I love aviation and I joined with one goal – to get into naval aviation,” Aguilar said. “Where I was born in Ecuador, all I could do was hear the planes but not see them because where I lived was an overpopulated, dense city. All I had were toy planes, but I never saw them in real life. For me, it was that thing that you wanted, but thought you could never have.”
The “Eightballers” of HSC-8 fly and maintain the MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, the Navy’s versatile and most advanced rotary wing maritime platform. Their missions include airborne mine countermeasures, combat search and rescue, anti-surface warfare, combat logistics and medevac.
Aguilar has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest accomplishment is every time we send aircraft off the carrier, and they come back,” Aguilar said. “As someone who works in maintenance, every time I see my team come back from deployment happy and healthy to see their families, those are my proudest accomplishments.”
This year, the Navy is commemorating its contribution to the nation’s defense as the United States celebrates 250 years of independence. According to Navy officials, for more than 250 years, the Navy has sailed the globe defending freedom and protecting prosperity.
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.
“Having the Department of War being recognized around the world is meaningful enough for me to serve,” Aguilar said. “I know there are people around me who work around the clock, and I know we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. Others may not see that, but we can feel it; that is meaningful enough.”
Aguilar is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank Aviation Electrician’s Mate 1st Class Davis Graham from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Nine (VX-9),” Aguilar said. “We pushed each other to make each other better. We take aviation really seriously. He helped me see it’s more than just a job. You never clock out of aviation; you just shut the engines down to turn them back on. I also want to thank my mom, Mercy Sanchez. Thanks for teaching me to be humble; it has helped me to understand that everyone comes from a different background. I would also like to thank God.”