Braden Vincent
Age: 27
City of residence: St. Marys, GA
Current title: Sonar Technician Submarines and Command Public Affairs Officer
Place of business: USS Wyoming (SSBN 742)
Professional responsibilities: As a Sonar Technician, you’ll use the most advanced sonar equipment to quietly track contacts that may be lying beneath the waves. Deploy sonar sounds from submarines and gather intel from the depths. Sea surveillance is essential to navigation—you’ll be able to track everything from enemy ships, to marine life, while directing your ship accordingly.
Public Affairs Officers choose the best method to deliver information, respond to reporters and provide vital insight to top-level Navy decision-makers. With a growing world of digital media and lightning-fast news cycles, it’s up to you to make the right message always gets across. Being able to tell the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay story through the voice of our proud Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen! I also get to help service members be involved in the local community through volunteer events such as cleaning NPS Cumberland Island, the bases WW2 Memorial week, and different community events.
Accomplishments/Honors: STS2 was selected as the Blue Jacket of the Quarter for second quarter in 2022. He has earned two Flag Letter of Commendations, and was integral in documenting via photography highlights from several weeks of Midshipmen Operations and a multi-day Tiger Cruise.
Petty Officer Vincent currently resides in St. Marys, GA. He loves engaging with the National Park Service, the local Morale, Welfare, and Recreation program and the citizens of Camden County. In 2022 he was selected to star in an MWR Kings Bay’s Commissions for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agency Gold Medal Award video.
STS2 Vincent is authorized to wear the Submarine Warfare device and SSBN deterrent patrol insignia, as well as a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal , National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Sea Service Ribbon, Rifleman Ribbon, and Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal.
Community Involvement: I actively engage with the Submarine Veterans, Camden-Kings Bay Navy League, St. Marys Submarine Museum, National Park Service Cumberland Island, and the Military Affairs Committee for the Chamber of Commerce. Also engaged with Civil Air Patrol cadets, NJROTC, Sea Cadets, Veteran groups that hold command reunions at the base, and other community groups.
Why did you go into your particular field? I was looking for a challenging career that was going to allow me to grow as a person and leader.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Definitely wanted to serve other people as either a Police officer or in the military. Always had a call to serve others in a higher capacity.
What was your first job? I worked waiting on tables and bartending at a social club.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? There are two types of people you are going to deal with; the ones you look up to and the ones you don’t like. The ones you don’t like will always teach you more in the way of you don’t want to be that way. In that logic they build you in better as long as you take caution and positively learn.
What’s your favorite thing about your job? My favorite part of being a Sonar Tech is playing the best game of hide and go seek! As a Public Affair Officer I get to capture moments and stories from service members to be able to share with the world. I also get to listen and create memories with veterans and the next generation of leaders, doctors, and service members!
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started your career? Exactly how cool my experience was going to be! I have been able to serve in roles and experiences that I would have not been able to do in the civilian world.
Who do you consider to be your greatest mentor and why? I have had so many mentors it is really hard to choose. I am going to say Keith Post. Four years ago when I reported to Wyoming I went to the St. Marys Submarine Museum where I met a retired Sonar Senior Chief Keith Post. Ever since then he has been someone to show me its ok to be me, gave me some of the best advice on how to deal with junior personnel under me, and how to push my career and experience to the max. Without Keith's amazing mentorship along with many others from my command and the community I would not be where I am today here in Camden County!
When you’re not at work, what do you do to relax? When he is not at work you can find STS2 enjoying the outdoors and pursuing his photography hobby.
What is something about you that most people don’t know? I am really not sure, I am a relatively open person. If I had to pick one, when I was younger I played the piano.
How do you hope to grow in your career? I am hoping to have more in depth knowledge on Naval Warfare and Joint Operations. I also want to commission as either a Naval or Coast Guard officer. One of my biggest lessons that will always be continuous is being able to mentor, grow, and lead people so you can see them succeed in life and professionally.
If you couldn’t do what you’re doing now, what would you be doing? It would really hard to say. I would say something in the law enforcement or possibly in education.
