My name is Kyle Coburn. This is my second year at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy- Deck Program. I’m originally from Edgerton, Ohio, but I was born in Goldsboro, NC on Seymour Johnson Airforce Base.

When I was much younger, I moved around due to my Dad being in the airforce. One of the places I moved to was Alconbury, England where I lived for three years. I actually developed an English accent while living in England, but that was lost years ago after moving back to the states. If you listen real closely, you can sometimes pick up on my accent, but that’s coming from close friends and sometimes I don’t know what they’re talking about.

My career decisions to work on ships started when I was eight years old when I spotted my first ship passing through the Soo Locks. I started researching maritime academies in the U.S. when I stumbled upon the Great Lakes Maritime Academy and I knew right away that was my dream school. After being accepted into the program back in 2007, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to afford to pay for school after completing one semester. That led me to another career change which involved enlisting in the U.S. Navy.

I signed my life away to the Navy as a ship’s Quarter Master (ship navigator) January 2008 and was shipped out to bootcamp in March of 2008. After completing bootcamp and A School, I was stationed in San Diego, CA aboard the USS Dubuque and deployed to the Middle East. Deployment was a little scary knowing that we were at war and anything could happen, but I knew I had a job to do and a country to serve.

After a couple years in Active service, I automatically transitioned to the Navy Reserves and was stationed in Toledo, OH. There, I was apart of the Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 14 Boat Det Bravo (MSRON 14) where I worked on small boats and updated navigational equipment. After four years of good service in the Navy, I reenlisted in the Reserves as a Boatswains Mate for an additional four years and now currently stationed in Saginaw, MI.