By Fox23.com News Staff
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKla. — A local sailor is being recognized for her contributions to the U.S. Navy’s “Take Charge and Move Out” mission.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Cheryl Florea, of Inola, said the skills she learned would the the foundation to her success in the Navy.
“I was in a lot of clubs growing up,” Florea said. “That taught me about the importance of camaraderie and working hard for what you want. In the Navy, camaraderie is important because we are all working as a group toward the same goal. Hard work is also important because you need to work hard to advance your career.”
Florea graduated from Inola High School in 2013. She joined the Navy shortly after that.
“I joined the Navy to explore the world outside of my small hometown and to follow in my mom’s footsteps,” Florea said. “She served in the Navy as an aviation mechanic for 17 years.”
Florea serves as an operations specialist in Oklahoma City and supports the nation’s nuclear detterence mission at Strategic Communications Wing One. Its “Take Charge and Move Out” mission provides airborne communication links to nuclear missile units of U.S. Strategic Command.
The Take Charge and Move Out mission started in 1961 when Marine Corps aircraft was used to test the feasibility of an airborn Very Low Frequency communications system.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
“Serving in the Navy makes my family proud,” Florea said. “It also means continuing a family tradition of military service since I followed in my mom and grandfather’s footsteps in the Navy. My grandpa was actually stationed at Tinker and my mom worked there as well. So, it is full circle.”
You can find out more about Petty Officer 2nd Class Cheryl Florea by going here.
