The U.S. Navy has a historical and critical presence in our state, but not everyone may fully understand what it is like to serve. Now, a Connecticut native is setting out to change that.
Megan Torrey has been named the state’s first U.S. Navy community ambassador. In her new role, she serves as a liaison between local communities and service members.
Many people may have a relative that served in the military, but for the general public, that personal connection is dwindling.
“We are at a time in history, when less than one half of 1% of the American public serves in our armed forces,” Torrey said. “When you know, many years ago, you had a grandfather or father that served, that's no longer the case in our communities now.”
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
Torrey’s position as Navy community ambassador is part of a new initiative from the Secretary of the Navy.
“We have to find new and creative ways to make sure we're connecting our communities to what it means to serve,” Torrey said. “I can use my platform to reach out to students, to reach out to new audiences, to bring in high level speakers. So our community learns more about the critical role of the United States Navy.”
A Newington native, Torrey’s background is in security and defense as CEO of the nonprofit World Affairs Council of Connecticut.
Local
She was named Navy ambassador in March and since then, she's had briefings with Navy leadership in Washington D.C.
Torrey’s travel engagements took her to the Groton Sub Base on Tuesday.
“We are home to the United States Navy's largest fleet of submarines,” she said. “I had the extraordinary opportunity to tour a Virginia class submarine here in Groton, and learn about everything that our Submariners do, and how they keep our nation safe.”
Now she is headed to Fleet Week in New York. Torrey’s role demands she create engagement between service members and communities outside of Navy circles.
The concept is not foreign to Torrey, the daughter of a Navy veteran.
“He served on a Naval ship, he was a sonar specialist and served as part of the Cuban Missile blockade,” Torrey said about her dad. “I know he would be very proud.”
She carries on her father’s legacy while building bridges of understanding, in a state where the Navy leaves a big wake.
“Connecticut, as a state has a has a large portion of its economy that's dependent on defense. The role of the Navy and particularly in Southeast Connecticut plays a very big one, as one of the state's largest employers,” Torrey said. “We ask our sailors, our Navy to do a lot for our nation, and being able to see up front and up close the courage and bravery that our Navy has is extraordinary.”
