Capt. Vincent Johnson, commanding officer, Pacific Missile Range Facility, Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Borgmann, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Korey Brower from PMRF Seaborne Powered Targets Department participated in Kekaha Elementary School's Career Day Nov. 16.

The Navy representatives joined community professionals from across Kauai in sharing their knowledge, insight, and experiences, and answered questions about their respective professions to help young students gain a head start in exploring a variety of potential future careers available in the Navy. Representatives also helped students to learn about the responsibilities and rewards which accompany each profession.

Johnson, Borgmann, and Brower were assigned to a third grade class, and shared what it is they do every day as well as what life is like as a Sailor in the U.S. Navy.

"Is the Navy fun?" asked one curious third grader, to which Borgmann replied, "Yes, it sure is. The Navy has given me the chance to see the world. I've been to over 12 different countries like Italy, Greece, Spain, and Japan. Best of all, I was assigned to Kauai. What could be more fun than that?"

When asked what skills and traits were required to be successful in the Navy, Borgmann and Brower replied, "If you want to be successful in the Navy, you need to work hard, study hard, and you'll have the opportunity and ability to advance in rate and move on to other exciting careers within the Navy. You also need to be able to communicate and have good people skills, as you have to work with a diverse group of people from all over the United States and the world."

Laughter filled the room when Borgmann asked the students if they knew what type of ships the Navy had, to which one eager student raised her hand and replied, "Sailboats!" Another shouted out, "Tanks!"

Johnson shared his personal experiences as a pilot with the students.

"I attended the United States Naval Academy, where I was commissioned as an officer and went on to flight school to receive my wings as a Navy pilot. I've flown helicopters, the (EA-6B) Prowler and the (EA-18G) Growler, which are jet airplanes that protect the good guys from the bad guys' radars. Here at PMRF, I fly a propeller plane called the C-26 which kind of looks like an 'island hopper.' We use it to transport supplies and people between Oahu and PMRF," explained Johnson.

"Is it scary flying an airplane?" asked one student.

"I'm really not scared at all; the Navy has provided me with the training and the skills I need to fly these airplanes safely," said Johnson with a smile. "I love flying so much that I've achieved over 3,100 hours of flight time."

When asked by one of the children if he liked his job, Johnson enthusiastically replied, "I love my job! I've been to so many different countries, [and] met so many different people. As a Navy captain, I've been a pilot, a squadron commander, a professor, and a base commander. I wake up every morning, especially on days when I get to fly and say, 'Yay! I get to go to work today!'"

Johnson stressed the importance of education, especially in math and science, and urged students to study hard.

"There's almost any job that you can think of in the Navy, from flying airplanes to driving boats, being a doctor or lawyer -- the Navy will pay for you to learn these skills," Johnson explained. "There are also many great jobs right here on Kauai working for the Navy at PMRF."

Kekaha School Counselor and Career Day Coordinator, Erika Davidson shared her thoughts on the event.

"I've been here for over 10 years and we hold a Career Day each year," said Davidson. "We focused on the upper grades for the last couple of years. We are really looking at teaching our kids what it takes to move on to the next level and be career- and college-ready after school; and we also want them to know that there are jobs on the west side for them, so they don't have to move off island. Whether you graduate high school and go right into the job market, or if you go away to college -- whether it's a two-year, four-year, or technical college -- they can still come back and still have jobs here."

"I don't think our kids always know what's available, and sometimes they think that there are only just limited industries because they haven't been exposed to everything," she continued. "It's important for them to know what is available."

The Career Day also featured speakers from PMRF Fire and Emergency Services, local law enforcement, an electric cooperative, a tropical botanical garden, Department of Land and Natural Resources, a local shrimp farm, agricultural company, and a local veterinarian.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more information on Pacific Missile Range Facility, visit http://cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrh/installations/pacific_missile_range_facility_barking_sands.html/ or http://www.facebook.com/PacificMissileRangeFacility/.