<h3>By Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs</h3>
A 2000 Battery Creek High School graduate and Beaufort native is serving in the U.S. Navy with Naval Beach Group TWO (NBG 2).

Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Cook is an aviation structural mechanic with the beach group operating out of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

A Navy aviation structural mechanic is responsible for maintaining hydraulics, tires, break systems, and paint systems aboard the aircraft.

“My job is awesome because it allows me to use my hands, get dirty, and not be enclosed at a desk,” said Cook.

Commissioned in 1948, NBG 2 is designed to organize, man, train and equip forces to execute, combat support, and combat service support missions.

NBG 2 is made of four commands, Assault Craft Unit TWO (ACU 2), Assault Craft Unit FOUR (ACU 4), Amphibious Construction Battalion TWO (PHIBCB 2), and Beach Master Unit TWO (BMU 2); who have their own individual missions that assist to ensure the overall mission of NBG 2 is complete.

Cook serves with ACU 4 who operate the Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) and provide combat ready craft that fully meet operational tasking worldwide, on time, every time.

“The people in this command make it awesome,” said Cook. “We come from different backgrounds and I enjoy learning from the different experiences that everyone has.”

Approximately 30 officers and 300 enlisted men and women make up the beach group. Their jobs are highly specialized and keep each part of the command running smoothly. The jobs range from operating boats to maintaining engines and handling weaponry.

"The Sailors here never cease to impress me with the effort they put into their daily work," said Capt. Jeffrey Hayhurst, commodore commander of NBG 2. "Their dedication and hard work make me proud to be in command of Naval Beach Group Two."

Although NBG 2 is made up of four separate commands, they all work together to complete their mission of providing the Navy personnel and equipment to support an amphibious operation or exercise.

These exercises can include evacuation of American citizens from a hostile territory, delivery of food and medical supplies after a natural disaster, the bulk delivery of fuel or fresh water from a ship anchored off the coast through a pipeline to a shore facility, and nearly any other task that involves moving from ships offshore to the beach.

“I have learned patience since joining the Navy,” said Cook. “I learned how to handle stressful situations with people that have different ideas than me and come to a reasonable conclusion.”

As a member of the one of the U.S. Navy’s most unique commands, Cook and other NBG 2 Sailors understand that they need to have the ability to complete a variety of missions to help keep America safe from enemies foreign and domestic.