LEMOORE, Calif. - Every sailor’s story of naval service is unique. For Lt. David Cochrane, this story has ties to Columbia, South Carolina, where skills and values learned there are foundational to success in the Navy.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Mitch Meppelink |
“Growing up I worked construction after college,” Cochrane said. “Learning the value of hard work and being counted on has helped make me stand out in my command. I learned that no job is too small or below anyone. Every task has a purpose and every cog has a role in the bigger machine.”
Cochrane graduated from Ben Lippen High school in 2011.
Cochrane joined the Navy nine years ago.
“From a very young age I always wanted to fly. The Navy allows me to fly for a career while also giving back to my country and protecting my family,” Cochrane said. “I went to college for business and organizational leadership and thought these skills could be useful to this country and I wanted to serve.”
Today, Cochrane serves as a pilot assigned to the “Rough Raiders” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125 onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore.
NAS Lemoore is home to Commander Strike Fighter Wing Pacific and Commander Joint Strike Fighter Wing. More than half of the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft reside here, and it is the only Navy installation to house the F-35C Lightning II.
Carrier strike groups, and the embarked aviation squadrons, are the cornerstone of U.S. naval power projection and sea power. They can quickly maneuver thousands of miles with the world’s most capable warships and top-notch Sailors, remaining on station in areas of interest without relying on land bases or overflight agreements. U.S. Navy aircraft carriers are the most adaptable, lethal, and survivable airfields in the world and their presence serves as the most credible commitment to our Allies and partners.
Naval aviation provides the Navy and our nation with a flexible, adaptable, and lethal force to preserve peace, respond in crises, and win decisively in combat. The U.S. Navy maintains and operates more than 2,000 aircraft to fulfill various mission sets in order to preserve the American way of life and ensure freedom, security and 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.
Cochrane has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“It is an honor to have been able to enroll and complete aviation pre-flight induction and then initial flight school which has made me into the pilot I am today," Cochrane said. “I now have over 800 flight hours under my belt and have flown over not only this great country but also over the Mediterranean and completed joint flight exercises with the Italian & French military.”
Cochrane serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
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. More information is available here: https://www.navy.mil/navy-250/
“Serving in the Navy and for my country means giving it my 110% each and every day for the betterment of my fellow Americans,” Cochrane said. “It is my honor to defend and protect the freedoms of my fellow sailors and my family back at home. No matter where any U.S. Sailor comes from or what their background is, we have one mission and that is to defend those who need it most and always stand up for the little guy.”
Cochrane is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank God for allowing me to have this amazing life and career,” Cochrane said. I would also like to thank my wife, Diana, for being my rock and always being by my side. Together we have a beautiful boy and are now expecting a baby girl. Dan McCort will always be special to me for welcoming me and taking me under his wing when I was new to the fleet. Thank you for making me feel welcome and helping to mold me into the pilot I am today.”