A Navy officer who grew up in Nicholasville just finished his first week as the new commander of Amphibious Squadron 5, which is based in San Diego. It’s the fourth command for Captain James Harney. He says his love of the sea began when he was a boy.
“Growing up in central Kentucky, once a year dad would get us to either to beach and Florida or Hilton Head, South Carolina. And now it'd be the one time of year we'd leave the state in the ocean was, was pretty neat.”
Harney said a great-grandfather who served in World War II encouraged him to apply for the Naval Academy, from which he graduated in 1996. After a week at his new command, Harney called it pretty awesome.
“So when we composite and deployed together here shortly after the new year, we will deploy, deploy and command of 4500 Navy Sailors and Marines, which is pretty cool.”
Harney described the mission of amphibious squadrons as being America’s 9-1-1 force – and he encouraged young Kentuckians to consider a career in the military – even if it’s not the Navy.
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