Navy Lieutenant Jacob Schmidt, a native of Leonardtown, Maryland, has been serving the United States Navy for nine years. Currently stationed in San Diego, California, he works with the Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30. Schmidt’s father served in the Navy, inspiring him to join the military and make a difference.
Schmidt, a Leonardtown High School graduate of the class of 2010, credits his upbringing for his success in the Navy. He was taught to be hardworking, humble, and kind, traits that have helped him work with the diverse population in the military. His job as a Navy pilot is to fly VRM aircraft, the Navy’s version of the U.S. Marines’ V-22 Osprey, which provides logistical support to aircraft carriers.
Navy officials say that the mission of VRMs is to provide timely, persistent air logistics for sustained carrier strike group lethality, anywhere in the world. The VRM aircraft are vertical takeoff and landing tilt-rotor aircraft, providing faster cargo loading and unloading, an increased operational range, enhanced communications, and greater survivability compared to the C-2A Greyhound, which they are designed to replace.
Adm. Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations, emphasizes that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to trained sailors and a strong Navy. He says that the Navy’s mission is to provide the best fully combat-ready Navy at all times, with a focus on warfighting excellence and superior leadership at every level.
Schmidt has deployed three times to the Middle East as an MH-53E helicopter pilot and is now one of the first Mission Commanders of the CMV-22B Osprey. He is fully responsible for the aircraft and everything that goes on with it, as well as the crew who work aboard it. He takes pride in his role as a sailor and being part of an organization that maintains maritime dominance, strengthens partnerships, and sustains combat-ready forces in support of the National Defense Strategy.
Schmidt’s story is an example of how small-town values can translate to success in the military. It’s a reminder that the Navy’s mission remains timeless and crucial to the United States’ security and prosperity.