Photo By Sgt. Jeff Drew | Tampa, Fla., native Lt. Kevin L. Hughes, is the current operations planner for 2nd...... read more read more
Subscribe
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Afghanistan – For some it’s the discipline; for others it’s the opportunity to be a part of the less than one percent of the United States population who serves in the military. For many, however, enlisting in the military is all about trying to satisfy an unquenchable wanderlust, an unappeasable sense of adventure. This was the case for Tampa, Fla., native Lt. Kevin L. Hughes, the current operations planner for 2nd Marine Division (Forward).
Hughes knew the Navy was right for him in 1986 after graduating from Chamberlain High School. The excitement of being out in the open air on a ship, traveling to far-off exotic places, mixed with a Navy recruiter making a phone call at the right time, led him down a path that would take him across the globe.
“I’ve always had an adventure streak in me; it called to me,” said Hughes. “Being on a ship, seeing all different parts of the world, you’re always going to different places and seeing different things, and I have.”
From Australia to China, the Philippines to Korea and Pakistan, Hughes has traveled the world with the help of the Navy. But he seemed to quench his thirst for adventure and travel in 1990 when he returned to being a civilian. He began a family and continued serving his country in the Navy reserve for 10 years.
“In 2000 that sense of adventure reared its head again; I talked to my wife and re-enlisted,” said the 2008 Excelsior University graduate. “I was a petty officer first class, and I had to take an administrative reduction to come back in the Navy as a second class. I worked my way back up and was meritoriously promoted to first class in 2003.”
The enlistment was different this time around for Hughes. He had a family to think about, and being able to excel and focus on his job while spending time with his family required that he balance both aspects of his life.
“When I’m home, I’m home; I’m not there to discuss work. I’m there for them,” Hughes said. “It’s all about being able to maintain that balance instead of having your mindset off somewhere else.”
In 2006 he was commissioned as a naval officer, achieving his ultimate goal. Hughes said he’s always wanted to demonstrate to junior enlisted sailors that through hard work and dedication, anything can be accomplished.
“I love leading sailors and mentoring them,” said Hughes. “I have a diverse background, what with being on active duty, in the civilian community, and then back to active duty. I can bring a different skill set to the table when I mentor junior sailors.”
Hughes has worked with a Marine Corps unit for the past three years and is currently the officer with the longest track record in the 2nd Marine Division (Forward) operations office, a rare feat for a naval officer.
“He’s got an operational background, he’s prior enlisted, and that brings instant credibility when dealing with Marines,” said Lt. Col. John Golden, the deputy operations officer for 2nd Marine Division (Forward). This (job) is outside the box for a Navy officer; he’s probably seen a lot more from both services than anybody who’s been in one service for an equal period of time.”
For now it seems as though his youthful sense of adventure has been satiated, yet the possibility of his next journey is never far from his thoughts.
“Being underway on a ship with the sailors when there’s 150 feet of churning water between you and another ship and the wind is blowing at your back – there’s nothing better to me, its just great,” Hughes said.
Editor’s note: Second Marine Division (Forward) heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Force and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.
| Date Taken: | 10.06.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 10.06.2011 14:57 |
| Story ID: | 78135 |
| Location: | CAMP LEATHERNECK, HELMAND PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 170 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Wanderlust: A Florida sailor’s search for adventure, by Sgt Jeff Drew, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
