LEMOORE, Calif. - Every sailor’s story of naval service is unique. For Chief Petty Officer Brian Dong, this story has ties to Lockport, Illinois, 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 |
“The biggest lesson I learned growing up was that your name goes on everything you do, good or bad,” Dong said. “I’ve carried that with me for every maintenance action I’ve touched and every personnel matter I’ve dealt with since I’ve been in leadership positions. I wanted to have a good reputation when my name was attached to something.”
Dong graduated from Lockport Township High School in 2002. Additionally, Dong earned an associate degree in electronics technology from Coastline Community College in 2010.
Dong joined the Navy 24 years ago.
“Both of my grandfathers served in the Army during World War II, which inspired me to consider the military,” Dong said. “I joined the Navy because I wanted to work on Navy jets. It was what fascinated me the most – the taking off and landing on aircraft carriers. I also wanted to see the world.”
Today, Dong serves as an aviation electronics technician and is an instructor assigned to the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit Lemoore onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore. Dong also serves as the command career counselor.
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.
Dong has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“There’s a lot that I’m proud of, but the biggest one and most recent one was getting selected for chief petty officer,” Dong said. “When I first came in, I had a lot of chiefs who made me want to reach that position. I saw how they dealt with their junior sailors, how they helped out with problems and found solutions. They were highly regarded, and sailors loved them and wanted to work with them. It’s a good feeling to be part of that. It’s something that I stayed in for and worked hard for. It was a weight-off-the-shoulders moment, like, ‘Finally, I’m here. I can do this and represent the chief rank well.’”
Dong 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/
“My grandparents instilled the love of country in me and made me see the patriotic things,” Dong said. “One of my grandfathers served in the European Theater of the war, and the other was in the Pacific Theater. My dad’s parents met because of World War II. My dad’s dad was a medic in the Army, and my dad’s mom was in Germany. He got her out and brought her here to the U.S. They instilled little things like pride in service and pride in country.”
Dong is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my family, first and foremost, my wife and son, and my three brothers,” Dong said. “They’ve been there for support through good and bad times, especially in the bad times. They’ll ask me, ‘You got a way to fix it? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Perfect. Now go get it.’”
Dong is also thankful for those he’s served with.
“I want to send a shout-out to my coworkers at my first squadron, Fighter Squadron (VF) 154,” Dong said. “We helped each other out, we chided each other and we joked around. We all knew going in that this is our job, this is our work and we’re in it together. The first command is where a lot of sailors decide whether they’re staying or going. Mine made me want to stay.”