A 2007 Meridian High School grad has gone on to big things in the US Navy, and says he learned a strong work ethic while growing up in the Treasure Valley.  Be inspired by Tyler Blake!

Boise native and 2007 Meridan High School graduate Tyler Blake is stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii with more than three hundred other sailors on a ship that functions as a guided-missile destroyer.

It would be amazing to live in Hawaii after growing up with Treasure Valley winters, right?  But it's all business aboard the USS Michael Murphy.

Petty Officer 1st Class Tyler Blake is a gas turbine systems technician, which means he's responsible for operating and maintaining gas turbine systems aboard the ship.

He says, “Growing up in Idaho, I learned a strong work ethic....You work hard and you play hard. Taking that over into the military has worked well for me.”

The Navy Office of Community Outreach says the jobs on the ship are highly specialized, and range from maintaining engines to handling weaponry and anything else that's needed to keep the ship mission-ready at all times.  Navy guided-missile destroyers are equipped with tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, and guns, and the guys on board have to keep everything ready just in case.

Blake's grandfather served in the Navy, and it's been a good fit for him too.  He earned three Navy Achievement Medals for outstanding performance during an inspection cycle in 2012.  In other words, he's doin' Idaho proud.

“Serving, to me, means simply serving my country,” according to Blake. “It means that I can make sure my family doesn't have to worry about issues abroad. I do my part for the country so they don't have to.”

We love stories about our Treasure Valley grads that go on to make a big splash here and in other parts of the country, and with graduations coming up we'll be sharing more stories like this one.  If you have one, please send it through our contact pages.

Nice work, Tyler!  Thanks for all you do.

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