Navy Veteran on the Path to Harvesting the Sun's Energy
When most people think of the Navy aircraft
carriers, submarines, vast amounts of water and
picturesque views of the coast line come to
mind. But US Navy veteran and GateWay student,
Jeff Enderle never saw a ship during his time
spent in the Navy.
Shortly after graduating from Raytown South High
School in Raytown, Missouri, Enderle followed in
the footsteps of his grandfather and uncle and
entered the Navy. Here he endured 8 weeks of
boot camp, then pursued specialized training at
"A" School, where he trained to become a
parachute rigger preparing aviation life support
equipment for naval pilots.
Parachute riggers work on the air side of the
Navy, and are an essential part of the Navel
Team. They learn the ins and outs of the
parachute from packing, repairing and
maintaining them down to extensive knowledge of
the fabrics and how to sew and care for them.
After 6 years, Enderle had worked his way to
Senior Rigger but was ready for a new challenge
and in 2004, he decided not to reenlist.
"Sometimes I regret leaving the Navy," Enderle
said. "It’s a good career. It’s like a big
family."
His training served him well, serving as a
civilian parachute rigger at a private firm in
Phoenix before returning to school with
assistance from the Montgomery GI Bill.
Enderle is attending GateWay where he is taking
general education classes and works
with GateWay’s Veteran Affairs Representative as
a work-study student. "I really enjoy GateWay,"
Enderle commented. "I have great teachers, the
class sizes are great and the instructors are
easy to talk to."
Upon completion of his course work he plans to
transfer to Arizona State University to study
Electrical Engineering with a focus on
alternative energy sources. And one day, open a
Solar Technology business.
For more information on Veteran Affairs at
GateWay contact the Veteran Affairs Office at
(602) 286-8061 or visit the
Veteran’s
Club online.
GateWay Community College has been recognized as
a Military Friendly Institution of Higher
Education by
G.I. Jobs Magazine.
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