MUKILTEO — Tacoma native Cheol Kang expected to see the world when he enlisted with the U.S. Navy 11 years ago.
Instead, Kang, 31, was stationed to Whidbey Island. He spent most of his six years in active duty close to home, working as a mechanic on Prowler jets.
In 2002, he spent about a year in the Persian Gulf aboard the aircraft carrier USS Constellation supporting the Iraq war. But all he saw was the inside of the ship.
Then he returned to the Northwest and for the past six years he’s been working as a Mukilteo police officer, while staying on in the Navy as a reservist.
On Sunday, Kang again is being deployed to the Middle East. This time, he’s going to Bagram Air Base in the Afghanistan desert.
“It’s a shift,” Kang said, who is a lieutenant commander and supervises a team of about 40 mechanics, also reservists. “It’s go, go, go, man. It’s nonstop.”
Kang said he’s expecting to spend at least two months in Afghanistan, but it could be longer.
“My orders are open ended,” he said.
Kang’s Naval Reserve job is to help keep a squadron of about five Prowler jets in the air. For every hour of flight time, the sophisticated jets require up to 50 hours of maintenance, he said.
During the Cold War, the Prowler was used to jam communications and radar. Today, the jet’s role has been expanded and the high-tech electronics aboard the planes allow the military to gather all sorts of information.
Asked if Kang’s work will help intercept the latest communique from al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, Kang would only say, “It could possibly be.”
Mukilteo police Chief Mike Murphy said he’s just looking forward to welcoming Kang back, safe and sound.
Kang said he’s received good wishes from the whole city, including many residents.
“They’ve been really supportive,” he said. “It’s kind of a warm feeling you get.”
Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437, jholtz@heraldnet.com.
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