Page 32 - San Diego Woman Magazine

UNDER THE C OL ORS

and maintaining military readi- ifornia, serves the U.S. Navy as-
ness in support of the National signed to Strike Fighter Squad-
Defense Strategy. ron 106 in support of the F/A-18
As Gill and other sailors and Super Hornet.
civilians continue to train and Jacob Brooker joined the
perform missions, they take Navy seven years ago. Today,
pride in keeping fellow sailors Brooker serves as a weapon sys-
and civilians safe and serving tems officer.
their country in the United “I joined to follow in my fa-
States Navy. ther's footsteps and to fly jets,”
“I love being a part of the said Brooker. "After my freshman
oceanography community," year of college, during ROTC
said Gill. "My degree is in ocean- training, I was exposed to differ-
ography so it's great to be able ent communities. One of them
to serve in an area I'm so pas- was aviation; I went up in the
sionate about.” trainer aircraft and had such a
La Jolla native and meteorological data to pro- Naval Oceanography di- great time, I knew it was for me."
Growing up in Santee,
duce forecasts and warnings in rects and oversees more than
wins Navy golf support of safety of flight and 2,500 globally-distributed mili- Brooker attended Central Kit-
championship navigation. tary and civilian personnel who sap High School in Silverdale,
Washington, and graduated in
“Naval Oceanography oper-
collect, process and exploit en-
ates simultaneously at the stra- vironmental information to as- 2011. Today, Brooker relies upon
By Alvin Plexico, Navy Office of
Community Outreach tegic, operational and tactical sist Fleet and Joint Command- skills and values similar to those
levels of warfare in every the- ers in all warfare areas to make found in Santee to succeed in
GULFPORT, Miss. - Lt. Cmdr. ater around the globe,” said Rear better decisions, based on as- the military.
Laurel Gill, a native of La Jolla, Adm. Ron Piret, commanding sured environmental informa- “Growing up in a military
California, won the Navy golf officer, Naval Meteorology and tion, faster than the adversary. family I learned to be flexible,”
championship recently and Oceanography Command. “We said Brooker. "I knew I would be
earned third place in the Armed pride ourselves in our ability to moved around a lot.”
Forces tournament. characterize the battle space These lessons have helped
“The first tournament and then predict changes in the Brooker while serving with the
takes the best golfers in the environment over time. Every Navy.
Navy to compete for a spot on ship that sails, every aircraft that The Super Hornet is one of
the Navy Team,"said Gill. "The takes flight, every submarine the most advanced aircraft in
top three women and top six that dives beneath the surface the world, according to Navy
men compete at the Armed of the ocean has to go to sea officials. The aircraft takes off
Forces Championship against with the information that Naval from and lands on Navy aircraft
the other services. I won the Oceanography provides.” carriers at sea and is capable of
Navy championship and came Naval Oceanography per- conducting air-to-air combat as
in third at the Armed Forces sonnel demonstrate expertise well as striking targets on land.
Championship." in Hydrography, Geospatial In- Navy aircraft carriers are
Gill currently serves as the formation and Services (GIS), designed for a 50-year service
officer in charge of the Naval datum issues, and Tactical Deci- life. When the air wing is em-
Meteorology and Oceanog- sion Aids (TDA). They combine barked, the ship carries more
raphy Reserve Detachment in knowledge of the operating than 70 attack fighter jets, he-
environment with a thorough Santee native
Jacksonville, Florida. licopters and other aircraft, all
Naval Oceanography en- understanding of warfighting supports U.S. Navy of which take off from and land
sures the U.S. Navy maintains capabilities to assess and pre- aboard the carrier at sea. With
dict environmental impacts to Super Hornet Jet
freedom from the ocean floor more than 5,000 sailors serving
to the stars. friendly and enemy platforms, Aircraft aboard, the aircraft carrier is a
Sailors and civilians work- sensors and weapon systems. self-contained mobile airport.
ing throughout Naval Ocean- Serving in the Navy means By Petty Officer 1st Class Patricia Aircraft carriers are often
ography collect, measure, and Gill is part of a team that is Rodriguez, Navy Office of Com- the first response to a global
analyze the elements of the taking on new importance in munity Outreach crisis because of their ability to
physical environment (land, America’s focus on strengthen- operate freely in international
sea, air, space). They synthesize ing alliances, modernizing ca- NORFOLK, Va. – Lt. Jacob waters anywhere on the world’s
a vast array of oceanographic pabilities, increasing capacities Brooker, a native of Santee, Cal- oceans.

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