Spotlight: Muskegon Native Serves On Stealth Nuclear-Powered Submarine

Petty Officer 2nd Class Felipe Avila-Groesbeck, a 2018 Muskegon High School graduate, joined the Navy three years ago. Now he's part of the US Navy's "Silent Service" on a nuclear-powered submarine.

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Avila-Groesbeck serves as an electronics technician whose responsibilities include maintaining and operating electronics systems on the boat.

Known as America’s “Silent Service,” the Navy’s submarine force operates a large fleet of technically advanced vessels. These submarines are capable of conducting rapid defensive and offensive operations around the world part of U.S. national security.

Avila-Groesbeck said of growing up in Muskegon,

"My hometown taught me that you get what you get. You don't always get a fair shake, but you keep on trucking. That's very useful in the Navy."

He added,

"The Navy offered me a chance to fulfill a childhood dream of serving on a submarine. I watched movies about subs growing up, and it really interested me.”

There are three basic types of submarines: fast-attack submarines, ballistic-missile submarines and guided-missile submarines.

Avila-Groesbeck serves on a ballistic sub. Often referred to as "boomers," these submarines serve as a strategic deterrent by providing an undetectable platform for submarine-launched ballistic missiles. They are designed specifically for stealth, extended patrols and the precise delivery of missiles.

The USS Wyoming is based at Kings Bay Base in Georgia.

Rear Adm. John Spencer, Commander, Submarine Group Ten commented,

"We do two big things here in King’s Bay: we send SSBNs on Strategic Deterrence Patrols and we forward deploy our guided missile submarines overseas. This work is essential to uphold the number one mission of the Navy: strategic deterrence. And this is the only home port for both of these types of submarines on the East Coast."