F/A-18 Avionics Technician
Aviation Electronics Technician — Third Class Petty Officer (E-4)
Before writing a single line of code, the foundation was built on circuit boards, wiring harnesses, and the unforgiving standards of naval aviation.
Stationed at NAS Lemoore, CA and assigned to the USS Constellation (CV-64) until her decommissioning in 2003, the primary responsibility was maintaining and repairing the full suite of navigational and communication electronics aboard F/A-18 fighter jets — systems where failure is not an option and every repair is a life-safety decision.
Earned 2M Certification as a miniature electronics repair technician, qualifying for precision-level component replacement on circuit cards and electrical assemblies across the aircraft’s avionics systems. Also constructed and repaired wiring harnesses and cables for the F/A-18 and its supporting electrical equipment — work requiring meticulous attention to spec, tolerance, and documentation.
As a Third Class Petty Officer, took on additional responsibility for maintaining training records and ensuring all repair manuals reflected the latest technical amendments — instilling a discipline around documentation accuracy and procedural rigor that carries through every engineering role since. Also managed the 1st Lieutenant support shop, overseeing the operational readiness of the surrounding workspace and personnel.
Held a classified Secret security clearance throughout the duration of service.
The habits formed here — methodical troubleshooting, zero-tolerance for ambiguity in technical documentation, and accountability under pressure — remain the underpinning of how complex engineering problems get approached today.