LEMOORE, Calif. - Every sailor’s story of naval service is unique. For Petty Officer 1st Class Mickayla Dillon, this story has ties to Philadelphia, Mississippi, 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 |
“I was in Junior ROTC throughout high school,” Dillon said. “That program helped make the adjustment much easier to the Navy lifestyle. I had great role models and my instructors gave me so much advice on how to dress, carry myself as well as knowledge of the chain of command and having self respect.”
Dillon graduated from Dickenson High School in 2015.
Dillon joined the Navy 10 years ago.
“I joined the Navy looking to travel and see the world,” Dillon said. “I knew there was more for me in the world and that the Navy was going to give it to me if I worked hard enough. I was also looking to earn a college degree and the Navy offered to pay for that which is an amazing opportunity.”
Today, Dillon serves as an aviation ordnanceman assigned to Naval Munitions Command Pacific CONUS West Division, Lemoore 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.
Dillon has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am proud and grateful for the opportunity to travel and see so much of the world while learning so much,” Dillon said. “I have had the opportunity to travel to Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Hawaii, South Korea and so many more amazing places I will never forget. I am also grateful that within my time in the Navy I was able to meet the love of my life, my husband, Bryce.”
Dillon 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 committed to a bigger picture and something bigger than yourself,” Dillon said. “I am proud to be in the Navy and being part of an organization that protects and defends the little guy all around the globe 24/7. We make sacrifices so others can live the lives they want to and enjoy their freedoms.”
Dillon is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my parents back at home and the rest of my family for always being by my side,” Dillon said. “Having people that care about you and that are in your corner makes this job that much more important. No one can imagine the impact a care package or a letter from a loved one means when you're deployed for six months.”