Genoa grad supports Navy’s nuclear deterrence efforts

By: 
Lt. Cmdr. Gustav Hein

A 2004 Genoa High School graduate and Toledo native in the U.S. Navy supports the nation's nuclear deterrence mission.
        Petty Officer 1st Class Allen Dorner is a Navy aviation electrician's mate serving with Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 4, a versatile command capable of operating E6-B Mercury aircraft under USSTRATCOM operational control providing a survivable and endurable airborne communications link to the nation's strategic forces.
        Dorner is a 2007 graduate of Full Sail University and is responsible for maintaining all the electrical systems on the E-6B aircraft.
        Dorner credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned growing up in Toledo.
        "If you don't like your surroundings try to do something different," said Dorner. "The world is large and has many things to offer."
        The mission stems from the original 1961 Cold War order known as 'Take Charge and Move Out!' Adapted as TACAMO and now the command's nickname, today, the men and women of TACAMO continue to provide a survivable communication link between national decision makers and the nation's nuclear weapons.
        The commander-in-chief issues orders to members of the military who operate nuclear weapons aboard submarines, aircraft or in land-based missile silos. Sailors aboard TACAMO E-6 Mercury aircraft provide the one-of-a-kind and most-survivable communication needed for this critical mission.
        "I love the fact that we are behind the scenes carrying out a very important mission," said Dorner.
        The Navy's presence aboard an Air Force base in the middle of America may seem like an odd location given its distance from any ocean; however, the central location allows for the deployment of aircraft to both coasts and the Gulf of Mexico on a moment's notice. This quick response is key to the success of the nuclear deterrence mission.
        "We are the silent guardians of the night keeping America safe," said Dorner.
        Sailors serving from America's heartland take pride in the vital mission they support as well as the nuclear deterrence they help provide.
        "Being in the Navy reminds me of one of my favorite quotes, 'if you don't stand up for something you'll fall for anything,'" said Dorner.
 

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