A Leesburg native and 2020 Leesburg High School graduate is currently playing a vital role in supporting the United State Navy’s fighter jet and air combat missions from a premier naval facility in Nevada.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert Rowe serves as a yeoman assigned to the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC) aboard Naval Air Station Fallon.
According to a press release issued by the Navy, Rowe joined the Navy five years ago to pursue higher education, travel the world, and provide an inspiring figure for his family to look up to. He attributes his foundational work ethic, drive, and personal values to the lessons passed down by his loved ones in Lake County.
“The biggest lessons that were given to me would have to be from my family,” said Rowe in an interview. “They are some of the hardest working people I know, and a lot of my drive and compassion comes from them. The biggest piece of advice ever given to me was to never say I can’t do something, because not trying is worse than quitting.”
At NAS Fallon, Rowe’s command is responsible for providing comprehensive support, advanced flight training, academic instruction, and operational intelligence assistance to Navy aircrews, squadrons, and air wings. The command is comprised of 211 officers, 418 enlisted members, 50 civilians, and more than 100 contractors. It operates and maintains a highly diverse tactical fleet that includes FA-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, F-16 Fighting Falcons, MH-60S Seahawk helicopters, and E-2D Hawkeyes.
As the Navy’s primary authority for air combat training and tactical innovation, NAWDC establishes and enforces the combat proficiency standards that dictate the fleet’s official tactical doctrine.
Rowe finds his greatest professional fulfillment in a leadership and mentorship role and considers his top military accomplishment to be the direct support, time, and compassion he invests in helping younger personnel find their footing.
“My biggest accomplishment would have to be helping all my junior sailors succeed and giving them a chance to shine and be the best versions of themselves,” Rowe explained. “It’s about helping the younger generation. Coming into the Navy nowadays can be a struggle at first, especially when it comes to keeping up and maintaining composure. It takes compassion and time for them to adapt to the new environment. I’m in a good position now to be able to teach.”
For Rowe, the daily sacrifices of military service are deeply tied to protecting the people back home who gave him his foundation.
“Serving in the Navy, in my eyes, means being a symbol of hope, giving yourself the chance to be better than anything you thought you could ever be and protecting those loved ones that give you strength,” Rowe said.
Rowe extended his gratitude to his family for their ongoing inspiration, sharing special thanks for his late mother, Yirka Rowe, his sister, Kaeylim Gallardo, and his father, Robert Rowe Sr.
Send words of encouragement to Petty Officer Robert Rowe and other local service members representing Lake County worldwide in a comment below or through a letter to the editor.