Pecatonica native trains to be a U.S. Navy future warfighter

US NAVY PHOTO The Gazette
Sailors are some of the most highly-trained people on the planet, according to Navy officials, and this training requires highly-dedicated instructors.

By Lt. Kat Smith
NAVY OFFICE OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH
At Naval Education and Training command, instructors at advanced technical schools teach sailors to be highly skilled, operational, and combat ready warfighters, while providing the tools and opportunities for continuous learning and development.
Seaman Apprentice Jacob Storey, a native of Pecatonica, Illinois, is a student at NETC, learning the necessary skills needed to be a fire controlman.
A fire controlman is responsible for maintaining weapons software onboard Navy warships.
Students attend advanced technical schools after “boot camp.” They are taught the basic technical knowledge and skills required to be successful in their new careers.
Storey, a 2018 graduate of Pecatonica High School, credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned growing up in Pecatonica.
“I’ve always been taught to show kindness and respect to everyone you meet,” Storey said.
NETC educates and train those who serve, providing the tools and opportunities which enable life-long learning, professional and personal growth and development, ensuring fleet readiness and mission accomplishment.
NETC is made up of six commands that provide a continuum of professional education and training in support of Surface Navy requirements that prepare enlisted sailors and officers to serve at sea, providing apprentice and specialized skills training to 7,500 sailors a year.
A key element of the Navy the nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, and that the nation’s prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world’s oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world’s population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea.
Storey plays an important role in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of National Defense Strategy.
“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”
Serving in the Navy is a continuing tradition of military service for Storey, who has military ties with family members who have previously served. Storey is honored to carry on the family tradition.
“My grandfather served in the Navy, and I really wanted to follow in his footsteps,” Storey said.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Storey and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“Serving in the Navy means not only serving your country, but helping other countries in need,” Storey said.