By Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
A 2009 Riverview High School graduate and Tampa, Florida native is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard Naval Air Station Jacksonville, the largest base in the Southeast Region and third largest in the nation.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Jadahiel Montilla is a naval air crewman serving with Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11.
A naval air crewman is responsible for operating the radar aboard the P-8.
“I utilize the onboard systems to locate and track surface and subsurface contacts as well as monitor and report my findings,” said Montilla. “We also conduct search and rescue with the Coast Guard, depending on our location. The flying part is what I like about my job and to say that is my office. The crew can be together for a year so we become close and depend on each other. It’s good camaraderie.”
According to Navy officials, Wing 11’s history and reputation remain unparalleled since being commissioned on August 15, 1942. Throughout the decades, Wing 11 has continued to fly combat missions in direct support of the troops on the ground and delivered traditional maritime capabilities, real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Beginning in the 1960s, the P-3C Orion, a land-based, long-range anti-submarine warfare patrol aircraft, replaced the P-2V Neptune fleet. After 50 years of faithful service and the 50th anniversary of Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force, the P-3C Orion is being phased out of the fleet, according to Navy officials.
The P-8A is a modified Boeing airframe featuring a fully connected, state-of-the-art, open architecture mission system designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, Navy officials explained.
“The U.S. Navy sometimes asks the impossible of our people. It is sailors that make the impossible possible,” said Capt. Anthony Corapi, Commodore, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11. “Petty Officer Montilla is one example of a selfless servant of our nation. These heroes ask for very little recognition and perform their daily job with pride and professionalism defending freedom and our way of life around the world. Each member of the Navy’s combat team is crucial to our success. I am very proud to have Petty Officer Montilla on our team!”
Montilla is part of a crew that has begun transition to the P-8A Poseidon and is preparing for deployment in the future.
“I like this command for the professional consistency and the high priority placed on the mission,” said Montilla. “Being stationed in Florida is not bad either.”
According to Navy officials, the Navy continues to meet milestone after milestone on this world-class mission and is providing an aircraft with superior capabilities to the men and women in uniform that will have a lasting legacy promoting a global maritime strategy.
“The Navy has taught me about responsibility as I transitioned from high school to petty officer,” said Montilla. “I can take that aspect and apply to everything else and succeed in any endeavor.”
For more information, please visit http://navyoutreach.blogspot.com/2016/05/tampa-fla-native-keeps-navy-wing-flying_42.html.
