Cape Coral sailor supporting U.S. Navy fighter jet missions
By ENSIGN ANDREW HANCHAR
Navy Office of Community Outreach
FALLON, Nev. – Every sailor’s story of naval service is unique. For Petty Officer 1st Class Cole Graham, this story has ties to Cape Coral where skills and values learned there are foundational to success in the Navy.
“Growing up I learned the importance of hard work, honesty and the power of showing up and being on time,” Graham said. “I played football and volleyball in high school and enjoyed being part of and leading a team on a single mission to victory.”
Graham graduated from Mariner High School in 2012.
Graham joined the Navy seven years ago.
“I joined the Navy to do something different and challenge myself,” Graham said. “I wanted to see the world and wanted to earn a college education at the same time.”
Today, Graham serves as an aviation ordnanceman assigned to Navy Munitions Command Fallon onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon.
The air station provides joint and allied nation rotational forces the unique opportunity to train in realistic combat scenarios while employing every element of an air carrier wing. It is the only facility in the world with this ability. The aircraft stationed at NAS Fallon support aircraft carrier missions around the world.
NAS Fallon is host to 21 tenant commands, including the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC). As the Navy’s premier tactical air warfare training center, NAWDC is home to multiple weapons training schools, including TOPGUN. In 1969, TOPGUN was introduced with the mission of reducing casualties of naval aviators sustained during the Vietnam War. Within a year, this goal was reached with the United States having one casualty for every 12 enemy deaths. Since then, TOPGUN has continued to train the finest naval aviators and has inspired two blockbuster movies, one released in 1986 and its sequel released in 2022.
Carrier strike groups and the embarked aviation squadrons are the cornerstone of U.S. naval power projection and sea power. They can quickly maneuver thousands of miles with the world’s most capable warships and top-notch sailors, remaining on station in areas of interest without relying on land bases or overflight agreements. U.S. Navy aircraft carriers are the most adaptable, lethal and survivable airfields in the world and their presence serves as the most credible commitment to our allies and partners.
Naval aviation provides the Navy and the nation with a flexible, adaptable and lethal force to preserve peace, respond in crises and win decisively in combat. The U.S. Navy maintains and operates more than 2,000 aircraft to fulfill various mission sets in order to preserve the American way of life and ensure freedom, security and prosperity.
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.
Graham has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am proud to say that I successfully completed my first deployment during the COVID19 pandemic,” Graham said. “The best part of coming home was being able to meet my firstborn son, Achilles.”
Graham serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
This year, the Navy is commemorating its contribution to the nation’s defense as the United States celebrates 250 years of independence. According to Navy officials, for more than 250 years, the Navy has sailed the globe defending freedom and protecting prosperity. More information is available here: https://www.navy.mil/navy-250/
“Serving in the Navy means being accountable to something bigger than yourself and working every day for the betterment of not only yourself but your fellow Americans,” Graham said. “We go out every day to protect our families from threats across the globe while also projecting peace through strength.”
Graham is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my incredible wife for always being by my side and making this job worth doing,” Graham said. “I would also thank the rest of my family for always being there for me, no matter where the Navy takes me.”