NORFOLK, Va. — In this edition of Military Matters, KIII News Reporter Bill Churchwell kicks off a month-long series of special reports after he recently received a rare invitation to travel to Norfolk, Virginia. There, he got a taste of life in the U.S. Navy and even spent 24 hours aboard an aircraft carrier in the Atlantic Ocean.
Along the way, he also got to meet a few hometown heroes with ties to South Texas.
This story begins with some heroes you might already know -- the men and women who were seen plucking people out of the flood waters during search and rescue missions in Texas in the days that followed Hurricane Harvey.
Two years later and those same Navy heroes are still out there putting their lives on the line to help people around the world.
"We always want to be the first ones out there and save the people in need," said Lt. Blake Nixon, a pilot with HSC 28.
Nixon is stationed at Naval Station Norfolk, home base for Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28, also known as the Dragon Whales.
"The Dragon Whale represents the fighting spirit of the Navy," Nixon said.
It's a fighting spirit that Lt. Nixon takes pride in every time he jumps into the pilot seat of a MH-60 S Knighthawk helicopter.
"When you execute a mission to perfection, there is no better feeling than that sense of accomplishment," Nixon said.
Nixon happens to be a Texas native. He grew up in Austin and even got some flight training in at Naval Air Station-Corpus Christi before trading in planes for helicopters.
"That time was instrumental to all the rest of my flight school and career," Nixon said. "Absolute fundamental foundation for the rest of my flight training."
The MH 60's are multi-mission helicopters used for both combat and search and rescue. In fact, his squadron was among those responsible for several hundred rescues in the Houston area during Hurricane Harvey.
"Picking people up off of houses, making med-evac runs out the back side of the hurricane, and the cleanup process," Nixon said.
Nixon is one of thousands of sailors and aviators stationed in Norfolk who are ready and willing to set out on maritime security missions around the globe.
"It's really an amazing place to be stationed," Cmdr. Dave Hecht said.
Hecht is with Naval Air Force Atlantic and helped 3News get an inside look at the world's largest Navy base and all of its assets.
"You will find dozens of cruisers, destroyers, submarines, supply ships, and of course six aircraft carriers here in the Norfolk area," Hecht said.
For instance, the USS Abraham Lincoln. It's a Nimitz class carrier, home to 5,000 sailors and aviators, and it's one of six that the Navy has on the East Coast alone.
"This base is vital to the defense of the United States of America," Hecht said.
Nixon said the Navy has given him the opportunity to do something greater.
"You are not going to find a better opportunity to serve your country, give back to the U.S. and the world, and just have an adventure," Nixon said. "Sometimes I lose sight of how cool flying a helicopter really is, because I spend every day doing it. How exciting a daily job can be."
There are things he can't deny he misses about his time living in South Texas.
"Corpus Christi has the best breakfast tacos," Nixon said. "Shout out to Taqueria Almeida #4. They have the best tortillas!"
Military Matters: Heroes at Sea Part I
In a special Military Matters series, 3 News received a rare invitation to get an insight of Navy life at the largest Naval base in the world located in Virginia.