Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Samantha Oblander | 230710-N-CD453-1034 PHILIPPINE SEA (July 10, 2023) Aviation Electronics Technician...... read more read more
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SEA OF JAPAN (Oct. 4, 2023) A Miami native is serving aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113).
Petty Officer 3rd Class Dasia Gibson is an Aviation Electronics Technician, also known as an AT, attached to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 51, serving aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113), forward-deployed to Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan.
“I joined the Navy for a change of life,” said Gibson. “I had only lived in Miami and followed my high school sweetheart to Japan. I enlisted to pay off my debt while traveling and bettering myself by meeting people from different walks of life to broaden my view on the world.”
Gibson joined the Navy in fall of 2021 and looked for a rate that would give her the opportunity to see the world.
“An Aviation Electronics Technician is a mission essential piece to the MH-60R (Seahawk helicopter),” said Gibson, who added that she works with sophisticated aircraft equipment used for technology and maritime domain awareness.
“We are really just computer nerds who also get to play with screwdrivers,” she joked.
The AT rate was first established in 1955, forming from the rates of Aviation Electronicsman and Aviation Radioman, established in 1948 and 1942, respectively.
“The mission equipment we work on with the MH60-R is what makes it possible to track enemies and hunt submarines,” said Gibson. “My favorite part about being an AT is troubleshooting. I enjoy figuring out how to fix discrepancies on the aircraft since our publications usually don’t have a troubleshooting tree. (We have to solve problems) based on knowledge of how components interface.”
Gibson is an AT stationed with HSM 51 at Naval Air Field Atsugi, Japan, and is actively enjoying her time in Japan.
“I lived in Okinawa for three years, so I’m not new to Japan,” said Gibson. “Being stationed at Atsugi has taught me to enjoy small town life while still being able to enjoy places like Tokyo and Osaka on the weekends. There’s always a new adventure to go on to unwind from work.”
Even though Gibson is enjoying being back in Japan, she is also looking to the future and setting personal and professional goals.
“I look up to our LCPO (Leading Chief Petty Officer),” said Gibson. “He’s also an AT; he made Chief in eight years. Seeing the possibilities for my Navy career up close motivate me to try harder. I hope to make AT2 in 2024 and when I leave the command in 2026, I hope to buy a house at shore duty.”
Along with planning for the future, Gibson is taking the time to enjoy the simple things that she enjoys about the Navy.
“My favorite thing about being in the Navy is getting to travel to places I probably wouldn’t have planned to on my own,” said Gibson. “I’ll probably never set foot on Saipan again, but it was beautiful for a couple of days. But my favorite Navy experience so far has been has been watching the sunset from the flight deck while waving to our helicopter flying by. We get to see the fruits of our labor with the bird flying by and wave to our air crewman who are our family when we’re out to sea.”
USS John Finn is forward-deployed to Commander, Task Force 71, U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. CTF 71 is responsible for the readiness, tactical and administrative responsibilities for forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers as well as any surface unit conducting independent operations in the region.
| Date Taken: | 10.04.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 10.10.2023 19:56 |
| Story ID: | 455493 |
| Location: | SEA OF JAPAN |
| Web Views: | 129 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Miami Native Serves aboard USS John Finn (DDG 113) While Conducting Operations in the Sea of Japan, by PO1 Samantha Oblander, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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