LEMOORE, Calif. - Every sailor’s story of naval service is unique. For Airman Apprentice Shane Shultz, this story has ties to Columbus, Ohio, 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 learned the importance of following orders and the importance of being trusted and having a good work ethic,” Shultz said. “Being someone so new to the command but also someone who could always be counted on has made me stand out so far.”
Shultz graduated from Bishop Hartley High School in 2023.
Shultz joined the Navy one year ago.
“I joined the Navy looking for a sense of direction and for a stable career that would set me up for success and give me a purpose,” Shultz said.
Today, Shultz serves as an aviation electronics technician assigned to the “Vigilantes” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 51 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.
Shultz has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am very proud that I have made it through boot camp, technical school and an additional school focused on F-18s,” Shultz said. “I am serving every day with hard working, like-minded individuals.”
Shultz 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 means being able to be part of a team that upholds and defends traditions going back over 250 years,” Shultz said. “Serving in the Navy gives me a purpose and allows me to give back to my country while keeping my family safe at home.”
Shultz is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my parents, Nancy and David, as well as my siblings back home for always supporting me and raising me to be the man I am today,” Shultz said. “I would also like to thank my fiancee, Madison, for making this job worth doing.”