#VeteranOfTheDay Navy Veteran Danny Shaffstall

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Navy Veteran Danny Shaffstall, who served for three years as an operations specialist third class.

Danny Shaffstall was born in Anacortes, Washington. He enlisted in the Navy Sept. 24, 1984. At the age of 24, he desired to see the world and followed the service of his father, who was also a Navy sailor.

Shaffstall completed basic training at the Recruit Training Command Great Lakes in Chicago, Illinois. He recalls the experience as being life-changing and full of hard work. After graduating from boot camp, Shaffstall went to Dam Neck, Virginia, where he attended Operations Specialist “A” school.

During his three years of service, Shaffstall deployed to the western Pacific Ocean, where he served aboard USS Lynde McCormick (DDG-8). The ship visited liberty ports in the Persian Gulf, Bahrain, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Singapore. While on board, Shaffstall served as an operations specialist third class, a position that entrusted him to manage ship navigation systems as well as surveillance and communications equipment. Shaffstall also earned his shellback over the course of his deployment, honoring the sailor’s first crossing of the equator.

Shaffstall’s deployment to the Western Pacific was personally significant for several reasons. Sentimentally, as a Navy sailor, Shaffstall’s father traveled to the region 20 years earlier, which forged a special connection between the pair. Additionally, following his return from Bahrain, Shaffstall recalled working in the ship’s combat information center when he was informed by a quartermaster that the space shuttle Challenger had exploded. Shaffstall said that he will never forget that day.

Shaffstall currently resides in Chula Vista, California, where he has resided for over 40 years.  He currently works as the operations manager for the Us4Warriors Foundation, where he supervises organization activities and facilities. Shaffstall also allocates resources to support programs such as Food4Warriors and Work4Warriors, which work to support active military personnel, Veterans and their families in the San Diego county area.

Shaffstall is a proud recipient of the Sea Service Ribbon.

Thank you for your service!

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Contributors

Writer: Hannah Randolph

Editor: Christopher Wilson

Fact checker: Alexandria Davenport

Graphic artist: Katie Rahill