Meet Gene Casterlin – MPE Lead, Navy Veteran and Precise Systems’ Employee Spotlight for July 2024.
Gene is part of our PMA-281 Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Team as the Mission Planning Environment (MPE) lead, supporting Joint Mission Planning Systems (JMPS). Supporting this vehicle allows him to tap into his love for aircraft every day, something he has taken with him throughout his life. Even from a young age, he knew that no matter what, he wanted to work with aircraft. At the age of 15, Gene was able to visit the USS Nimitz on its first trip to Florida. After that, he knew joining the Navy was exactly what he wanted to do. He spent a large part of his career working on the mighty F-14 Tomcat and ended his time in the Navy by flying the final Tomcat deployment with VF-31 on the USS Theodore Roosevelt from 2005 to 2006.
His naval career also included serving in many historic operations, the first being in the Iranian Hostage Crisis starting in 1979. His most impactful, however, was his final deployment – Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Persian Gulf. He was sent to Al Asad, Iraq, where he served as the LCPO for an aircraft rescue detachment. Each and every day, he saw several Marines that would go out beyond the fence at night and risked their lives. It truly inspired him, seeing their courage and sacrifice, all in support of our nation’s safety.
As a big WWII history buff, especially when it comes to naval operations, Gene loves to imagine what it would be like to serve on aircraft carrier in the Pacific during that time. When asked why he would choose to be part of this particular historical event, he says, “It was, to me, the time to show how important U.S. naval air power and the aircraft carrier was to our country and the world.”
When the time came for Gene to retire from the Navy, he knew Precise would be the perfect fit for the next step in his professional career. Finding a job can always be a huge stressor for a veteran and their family, but Precise’s “family first” attitude made him confident he had found a home. He is happy to be here and grateful that he has found a truly great place to work.
Thank you, Gene, for your service to our country and our Precise mission. We are grateful for the unique experiences and skills you bring to our Team!