For military veterans at Newport News Shipbuilding, building ships for the U.S. Navy is more than a job. It is an opportunity to support the same mission they once carried out in uniform.
Brent Drayton (O49), a project management analyst in the Facilities Program Management Office, lives this mission every day. After 24 years of service as an Operations Specialist, he retired from the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer on Oct. 31, beginning a new chapter while remaining connected to the mission that shaped his career.
His journey began in Philadelphia in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001.
“I was 17 years old when Sept. 11 happened,” he recalled. “The school I went to was focused on sending kids to college, so when I said I was joining the military, my counselors and teachers were actually furious. But it was my decision – it’s what I wanted to do.”
Inspired in part by his older brother, who had enlisted 12 years earlier, Drayton chose the Navy.
His first assignment was aboard USS Yorktown (CG 48), a guided-missile cruiser homeported in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Over the next 24 years, his career took him aboard other cruisers, into Navy recruiting in Charleston, South Carolina, fleet air reconnaissance in Oklahoma City, and fleet support coordination in San Diego. Following multiple deployments and a wide range of assignments, he completed his final tour at U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, supporting the Fleet Plans, Policy and International Engagement Directorate.
While operations specialists traditionally spend much of their careers at sea, his experience provided opportunities to develop leadership and organizational skills across both operational and administrative environments – yet transitioning into the civilian workforce presented an unfamiliar challenge.
“Beginning retirement felt scary at first,” Drayton explained. “I interviewed with various organizations, but it was hard to transition my experience to the civilian world easily.”
An unexpected opportunity came through a neighbor who worked at NNS. That connection eventually led to a full-time position through the Department of Defense SkillBridge program, providing an opportunity to apply decades of military experience in a new environment.
“As a veteran, I’m accustomed to working in a dynamic environment where priorities constantly shift and you have to adapt quickly. The military teaches you how to manage multiple responsibilities, think on your feet and keep things moving regardless of the challenges.”
After 24 years supporting the fleet in uniform, Drayton’s commitment to the Navy’s mission continues – this time by supporting the people and facilities that help build its future.
