Courtesy Photo | Information Systems Technician 1st Class Jason Dingle, a recruiter assigned to Navy...... read more read more
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Growing up in Merced, California, Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Red River Information Systems Technician 1st Class Jason Dingle spent his free time fishing with his dad at various lakes, rivers and aqueducts throughout the San Joaquin Valley.
Now relocated to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, the recruiting command’s Support Sailor of the Year has turned his love of fishing into a successful sport and lucrative weekend getaway.
“My dad and I would fish anywhere that there was a body of water,” Dingle said. “This was my dad’s favorite activity, and I was right there with him on a daily basis. This is where my love for fishing began.”
Dingle joined the Navy as a Seabee in 2005 and spent eight years as a construction electrician stationed in Gulfport, Mississippi, working with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion SEVEN and Naval Construction Group TWO as an instructor for technical communications. In 2014 he cross-rated into the information field. While going to “C” school in Dam Neck, Virginia, he discovered a new way of being on the water.
“Cross-rating to IT was a very challenging time in my life, and I wanted to get back to doing things I love,” Dingle said. “I decided to get back into fishing, so my wife and I bought two inflatable kayaks. At that point, I realized how much stress I had on my shoulders and how being on a kayak brought me peace and tranquility. It got me through stretches of water that couldn’t be disturbed by roaring motors, jet skis or boats.”
Dingle reported to NTAG Red River after completing the Navy Recruiting Orientation Unit school in Pensacola, Florida, in March 2020—the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdowns and restrictions were beginning to be implemented. Being new to Texas, he relied on his kayak and fishing rod for stress management.
“Texas was new to me, and then COVID happened,” Dingle said. “I wasn’t familiar with any bodies of water and didn’t know a single soul outside of my family, so I started to participate in online fishing tournaments where you could fish any body of water during the month and submit fish by the length on a mobile app.”
His favorite spot is Lake Fork Reservoir in East Texas, a big producer of largemouth bass, white bass and catfish. The largest fish he’s caught is a 24-inch bass.
Dingle’s love of the outdoors helped connect him with Navy Bass Anglers, a group based in Emory, Texas. Its mission is to support service members get outdoors and cope with an array of mental health issues. He wears the group’s jersey at fishing tournaments throughout Texas and is an active competitor in the North Texas Kayak Fishing Championships.
“I finished in the top three on numerous occasions, which helped me get out of my comfort zone,” Dingle said. “I’m now a Pro Staff Member for Navy Bass Anglers and aspire to fish national tournaments in the future.”
The command had a need for more network and computer support and moved Dingle from recruiting to system administration. He now helps manage all technology and programs for 275 users, 43 recruiting stations and three Military Entrance Processing stations. His ability to manage home and work life was vital for his selection as NTAG Red River’s 2021 Support Sailor of the Year.
“IT1 has a calm nature about him,” said Commander Rick Dorsey, NTAG Red River’s executive officer. “He doesn’t’ let much bother him. He’s very patient. That’s a great trait to have on the water or in the office.”
NTAG Red River encompasses 150,000 square miles that includes North Texas and Oklahoma, and consists of 39 Enlisted Recruiting Stations, three Officer Recruiting Stations and three Military Entrance Processing Stations.
Navy Recruiting Command consists of a command headquarters, two Navy Recruiting Regions, 15 Navy Recruiting Districts and 11 Navy Talent Acquisition Groups that serve more than 815 recruiting stations across the world. Their combined goal is to attract the highest quality candidates to assure the ongoing success of America’s Navy.
For more news from Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, go to http://www.cnrc.navy.mil. Follow Navy Recruiting on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NavyRecruiting), Twitter (@USNRecruiter) and Instagram (@USNRecruiter).
| Date Taken: | 05.20.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 05.20.2022 11:02 |
| Story ID: | 421164 |
| Location: | DALLAS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 189 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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