He may be the youngest retiree at Church of the Messiah, but it is true: Ethan Abbott has retired!  After twenty years of service in the United Stated Navy, Ethan retired on Thursday, August 29, 2013.  Ethan joined the Navy in 1993, the same year he graduated high school.  Having trained at Great Lakes, IL, Millington, TN, and Jacksonville, FL, Ethan reported for his first sea tour at Naval Air Station Widbey Island, WA, in 1995.  While stationed there he earned his Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist, qualified as a Microminiature Electronic Repair Technician and was advanced to Second Class Petty Officer.

In October of 1999, he reported for overseas duty at Naval Air Station, Puerto Rico. During this tour he served as work center supervisor and Avionics Quality Assurance Representative. He also completed an Associates Degree with Central Texas College.   In October of 2002, he reported for sea duty at Kaneohe Bay, HI. While checking in he learned that he had been advanced to First Class Petty Officer. During this tour he served as work center Leading Petty Officer (LPO) and Quality Assurance Representative (QAR). While attached to that squadron, Ethan made considerable contributions to the War on Terror, deploying multiple times to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations around the world.

In November of 2006, he reported to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD for his first shore duty. He was the Integrated Logistics Support Project Team Lead for Special Projects Patrol Squadron Platforms. Ethan was responsible for ensuring the fleet had up to date and accurate technical manuals and accomplishing this qualified him as an Acquisition Logistics Specialist.

In July of 2010, he again reported to Jacksonville, FL, for training as a P-3 Systems Organizational Career Maintenance Technician. Ethan then proceeded to his final sea duty tour  serving as the Line Division LPO, Work center LPO, QAR, and Maintenance Admin/Training LPO. During his final tour in the Navy, Ethan was instrumental in the squadron’s transition from the P-3C Orion to the P-8A Poseidon, also completed his Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from ECPI University.

We at Church of the Messiah already know that Ethan married his beautiful wife Peggy in 1995, and that together they have two wonderful sons: Orrin and Myles.  Join us all in congratulating Ethan and the Abbott family on a career well served in the United States Navy and thanking God Almighty for Ethan and the countless brave men and women like him who sacrifice of themselves every day so that we can enjoy the blessing of liberty.  Thank you, Ethan, and may God bless you and reward you for your service.