Ensign Stephen Steen
Ensign Stephen Steen, a native of Odessa, Texas, is serving in the U.S. Navy assigned to Training Squadron (VT) 27 in Corpus Christi, where naval aviators learn the skills they need to fly missions around the world. Steen, a 2018 graduate of Permian High School, joined the Navy two years ago. Steen also earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2022.
“I never thought that I would join the military,” said Steen. “Then the opportunity to go to the Naval Academy to play football was presented to me, and after visiting and seeing the culture there, it was awe-inspiring and I knew that’s where I would go.”
Skills and values learned in the Navy are similar to those found in Odessa. “Growing up in Odessa, there is a high value placed on toughness and grit,” said Steen. “The community takes a lot of pride in that and perseverance was instilled in me from a very early age. Without a doubt that sense of toughness and never-give-up attitude has helped me in my Navy career.”
Today Steen serves as a student pilot assigned to VT 27, a U.S. Navy primary flight training squadron located at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. “This is one of the coolest jobs in the world and being part of the aviation community is amazing,” said Steen. “Learning how to fly is very challenging and rewarding. Coming back from a flight fills you with a sense of accomplishment that is unequaled anywhere else.”
The aviation squadron’s primary mission is to train future naval aviators to fly as well as instill leadership and officer values, Navy officials explained. Students must complete many phases of flight training to graduate, including aviation preflight indoctrination, primary flight training, and advanced flight training. After successfully completing the rigorous program, naval aviators earn their coveted “Wings of Gold.” After graduation, pilots continue their training to learn how to fly a specific aircraft, such as the Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter attack jet, the F-35 Lightning strike fighter jet, or the SH-60 Seahawk helicopter. These aircraft take off from and land on Navy aircraft carriers at sea.
Navy aircraft carriers are designed for a 50-year service life. When the air wing is embarked, the ship carries more than 70 attack fighter jets, helicopters, and other aircraft, all of which take off from and land aboard the carrier at sea. With more than 5,000 sailors serving aboard, the aircraft carrier is a self-contained mobile airport. Aircraft carriers are often the first response to a global crisis because of their ability to operate freely in international waters anywhere on the world’s oceans. With 90 percent 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.
Steen serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world, and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security. “We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”
Steen has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service. “Completing my first solo flight was my proudest moment so far,” said Steen. “When you realize you are up there by yourself and that it is on you to accomplish the mission and get back safely, the pride you feel is amazing.”
Steen can take pride in serving America through military service. “It is a thrill to serve and to become a pilot,” said Steen. “Flying is one of the most thrilling experiences a person can have. It fills you with a sense of feeling free and it has opened up so many opportunities that would have been closed to me otherwise.”
Steen is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible. “I want to thank my high school coaches and mentors, Blake Feldt and Thad Fortune, for teaching me toughness and for giving me the opportunity to attend the Naval Academy,” added Steen. “I also have to thank my parents, Steve and Lisa, for supporting me and my decision to serve. Without them, I wouldn’t be half the man I am today.”