NORFOLK, Va. – Lt. Cmdr. Dennis McFadden, a native of O’Fallon, Illinois, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Airborne Command and Control Squadron 126 (VAW-126), supporting the E-2D carrier airborne early warning aircraft, known as the Hawkeye.
McFadden graduated from O’Fallon Township High School in 2010 and the Illinois Institute of Technology with a degree in chemical engineering in 2014.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in O’Fallon.
“From an early age, I had a strong work ethic instilled in me by my father,” McFadden said. “He would tell me that a man is only as good as his word. At the end of the day, if you say you are going to do it, you’d better do it. You owe that to the people you work for and the people who work for you. I also learned to be coachable while playing sports, and in the Navy, you always have to be open to learning something new.”
McFadden joined the Navy 11 years ago. Today, McFadden serves as a safety officer.
“I joined the Navy because I wanted to serve, and I wanted to fly,” McFadden said. ”It is a family tradition. My dad and my granddad served, but I am the first officer from my family.”
Known as the Navy’s “digital quarterback,” the Hawkeye gives the warfighter expanded battlespace awareness. The Hawkeye’s command and control capability makes it a multi-mission platform through its ability to coordinate concurrent missions such as airborne strike, land force support, rescue operations and support for drug interdiction operations. Capable of launching from an aircraft carrier, the Hawkeye sees further and wider, equipping the warfighter for ever-evolving threats as the “eyes of the fleet,” according to Navy officials.
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.
McFadden has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest accomplishment in the Navy is having the opportunity to lead junior sailors and junior officers into combat,” McFadden said.
McFadden 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 means I am securing our future and maintaining the ability for my children to have the same opportunities I had,” McFadden said.
McFadden is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my wife, Colleen, for being my rock and dealing with the stresses of three deployments,” McFadden added. “I especially want to thank her for being the best mom in the world to our two sons. I could not imagine my life without her, and I could in no way do what I do for the Navy without her.”
“I would some day like to serve a command tour,” McFadden said.
