Hometown Heroes: Arnold Native Serves With U.S. Navy Patrol Squadron

Lieutenant Samantha Stearns, a native of Arnold, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Patrol Squadron (VP) 26.

Stearns graduated from Severn School in 2016 and earned a bachelor’s degree in quantitative economics from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2021.

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Arnold.

“My hometown taught me to seek out new opportunities to step outside my comfort zone because that is where the most impactful growth happens,” Stearns said. “Growing up so close to the Naval Academy taught me to dream big and chase what makes me passionate. It’s helped me be comfortable in a multitude of environments; you kind of grow where you’re planted. It’s helped me make each new place my own.”

Stearns joined the Navy four years ago. Today, she serves as a pilot.

“I come from a big military family,” Stearns said. “My dad served for 43 years in the Navy. My grandfather and uncle also served in the Navy. My brother is in the Navy as well; he’s also a P-8A pilot at a different squadron. I have a cousin who is a Navy helicopter pilot in Norfolk. Growing up near Annapolis, I was surrounded by midshipmen, and I saw their passion for service and felt myself called to do the same.”

Members of VP-26 fly and maintain the U.S. Navy’s P-8A Poseidon multi-mission maritime aircraft. Designed to secure the U.S. Navy’s future in long-range maritime patrol capability, the P-8A has transformed how the Navy’s maritime patrol and reconnaissance force will train, operate and deploy, according to Navy officials. P-8A aircraft deploy around the globe to monitor the world’s oceans wherever they are needed.

“The hard work and dedication of our sailors have been the driving force behind our squadron’s success, enabling us to remain mission-effective and ready at all times,” said the VP-26 commanding officer, Commander Taylor Barros. “Their relentless commitment has shaped a forward-leaning team that consistently meets challenges head-on and excels in every operational environment.”

The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.

According to Navy officials, America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.

With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber-optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.

Stearns has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

“Earning my ‘Wings of Gold’ and becoming a pilot,” she said, naming her achievements. “Two years of flight school, a lot of hard work and sleepless nights went into making my dream come true, as well as the relentless support of my family and friends. I’d always wanted to be a pilot; it was the moment it all came together. My dad pinned my wings on me. It was pretty special.”

Stearns serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.

“Serving in the Navy means giving back to the nation that I am proud to call my home and being a part of something bigger than myself,” she said. “Seeing the dedication of the sailors around me drives me to be a better version of myself every day. The Navy has given me some of my best friends and memories I will cherish forever.”

Stearns is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

“I want to thank my dad, Chris; my mom, Suzanne; my brother, William; and my boyfriend, Kyle, who have loved and supported me through deployments and flight school,” Stearns said. “I would not be the person I am today without them.”