Kyle Brown, GHS ’07, is now one of the sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy’s Construction Force, a team that has been building and fighting around the world since 1942. He currently serves with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion One at the headquarters for naval construction forces in Gulfport, Mississippi.
“I joined the Navy to better my life and see the world,” said Brown. According to Brown, the values required to succeed in the Navy are like those found in Gorham. “I learned the lesson of hard work early in life,” said Brown who grew up working construction during the summers.
Recently, Brown was proud to receive a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medal for leading a crew during the 2021 Operation Allies Refuge. This operation was the largest Non-Combatant evacuation operation in American history in which more than 120,000 Afghan citizens, U. S. Embassy employees and other U.S. citizens were airlifted out of Kabul, Afghanistan.
“I would like to thank my father back home,” said Brown. “He has always pushed me to do my best and taught me to never sell myself short.”
Members of Navy Construction Battalions are fittingly nicknamed, “Seabees,” a play on the C and B initials. They are responsible for building military bases and airfields, conducting underwater construction projects, and supporting humanitarian efforts such as natural disaster relief.
Serving in the Navy means Brown is part of a team that is taking on new importance as America focuses on strengthening alliances, modernizing capabilities, increasing capacities and maintaining military readiness in support of the National Defense Strategy. The U.S. Navy continues to guarantee free and open access to the world’s oceans.
With more than 90 percent of all trade traveling by sea, and 95 percent of the world’s international phone and internet traffic carried through fiber optic cables lying on the ocean floor, Navy officials continue to emphasize the importance of accelerating America’s advantage at sea.
Brown takes pride in serving his country. “Serving in the Navy means making sure everyone here in the U.S. is safe.” He added, “It also means being able to better my future and provide a better future for the next generation.”