By Lieutenant Jill Ryan, Navy Office of Community Outreach
LEMOORE, Calif. – A Justin F. Kimball High School graduate and Dallas, Texas native is serving in the U.S. Navy with Commander Strike Fighter Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CSFWP).
Petty Officer 2nd Class Curio McGrew works as an aviation ordnance man and operates out of Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, California.
McGrew is responsible for armament equipment.
“I like the people that I get to work with. We all perform our job to the best of our ability,” McGrew said.
“Lemoore has been home to the Navy’s west coast strike fighter community since 1980, when strike fighter squadron VFA-125 was the first squadron established to train Navy and Marine Corps aviators in the F/A-18 Hornet,” said Vice Adm. Mike Shoemaker, Commander, Naval Air Forces.
The strike fighter wing, headquartered at NAS Lemoore, ensures that each squadron is fully combat-ready to conduct carrier-based, all-weather, attack, fighter and support missions for the Pacific Fleet.
“The triad in the command is very understanding. They take into account that everybody has different circumstances in life both personally and professionally,” McGrew said.
With the CSFWP consisting of more than 20 squadrons, highly specialized jobs range from training new aviators to maintaining airframes and engines, to handling and flying aircraft.
“I have learned that all things count in the Navy. Diversity is important. It makes problem-solving easier because you can approach a circumstance from many different angles and come up with the best solution,” McGrew said.
