By Megan Lemly, Navy Office of Community Outreach
OKLAHOMA CITY – Every sailor’s story of naval service is unique. For Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Sullivan, this story began in Merchantville, New Jersey, where they learned skills and values that would be foundational to their success in the Navy.
“I learned in my hometown the strength of everyone working towards the same goal,” Sullivan said. “I went to a school where people from all sorts of backgrounds worked together to create an awesome environment. In the Navy, we all come from different backgrounds, but we are all moving to the same common goal. From admin to operations specialists, we all have our piece to play and are all pushing towards the same common goal.”
Sullivan graduated from St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia in 2002.
Sullivan joined the Navy 19 and a half years ago.
“I originally enlisted in the Navy out of college but then was picked up for a commissioning program,” Sullivan said. “My family also has a strong naval heritage. I am a fourth-generation naval officer.”
Today, Sullivan serves as a general aviation officer assigned in Oklahoma City. Sullivan supports the nation’s nuclear deterrence mission at Strategic Communications Wing One (STRATCOMMWING ONE). Its “Take Charge and Move Out” (TACAMO) mission provides airborne communication links to nuclear missile units of U.S. Strategic Command.
The TACAMO mission originated in 1961 when a Marine Corps aircraft was used to test the feasibility of an airborne Very Low Frequency (VLF) communications system. Once the test was successful, funding for the program was granted, and it has continued to grow ever since.
The U.S. Navy’s presence on an Air Force base in a landlocked state may seem strange, but the position is strategic, allowing squadrons to quickly deploy around the world in support of the TACAMO mission.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Sullivan has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest accomplishment in the Navy is serving as a mission commander and taking a crew with me to various sites outside of the continental U.S.,” Sullivan said. “We represented not just the Navy, but the United States of America. It was cool to feel that level of authority and responsibility at the same time.”
Sullivan serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy is a means of working towards something bigger than yourself,” Sullivan said. “We provide security and peace to people all over the country, even if they don’t always see it.”
Sullivan is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my wife, Rachel, for her constant support and for holding down the home front despite having a full-time job,” Sullivan added. “I also want to thank our daughters, Ashe and Evie, for being a constant source of inspiration and joy in my life. Lastly, I want to thank my dad, mom, grandfather and my great-grandfather for motivating me. I wear my great-grandpa’s crest, which is another motivating factor for me.”
Posted 8th September by Navy Office Of Community Outreach