By Alvin Plexico, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Every sailor’s story of naval service is unique. For Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Hardt, this story began in Elgin, Illinois, where skills and values learned there would be foundational to success in the Navy.
“I was a wrestler in high school, and that taught me the importance of dedication and determination in completing what I started,” Hardt said. “Those lessons have served me well in the Navy.”
Hardt graduated from Elgin High School in 2015.
Hardt joined the Navy ten years ago.
“I joined because I have a family history of military service,” Hardt said. “My grandfather served in the Air Force, one uncle served in the Marines and I had another uncle who served in the Army.”
Today, Hardt serves as a naval air crewman (mechanical) assigned to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Three (VQ-3) in Oklahoma City. Hardt supports the nation’s nuclear deterrence mission at Strategic Communications Wing One (STRATCOMMWING ONE). Its “Take Charge and Move Out” (TACAMO) mission provides airborne communication links to nuclear missile units of U.S. Strategic Command.
The TACAMO mission originated in 1961 when a Marine Corps aircraft was used to test the feasibility of an airborne Very Low Frequency (VLF) communications system. Once the test was successful, funding for the program was granted, and it has continued to grow ever since.
The U.S. Navy’s presence on an Air Force base in a landlocked state may seem strange, but the position is strategic, allowing squadrons to quickly deploy around the world in support of the TACAMO mission.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
With 90% 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.
Hardt has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am proud of being named Junior Sailor of the Year in 2024,” Hardt said. “I’m also proud of completing the aircrew training pipeline and becoming an air crewman.”
Hardt serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy gives me the opportunity to protect the future for my kids and to give back to this country,” Hardt said. “It’s an honor to continue my family’s tradition of military service.”
Hardt is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents, Michael and Deanna, for their continued support and everything they’ve done to help me in my career in the Navy,” Hardt added. “Most importantly, I want to thank my wife, Jazmin, and our kids, Jaxson, Braxton, and Sylvie, for the sacrifices they make that allow me to follow this dream of serving in the Navy.”
