Naval Air Station Corpus Christi has trained aviators for more than 80 years and a new generation is now carrying on that tradition.Lieutenant Junior Grade Brock Lugo is among the newest aviators to earn their Wings of Gold at the station, continuing a family legacy of military service that spans generations. Naval Air Station Corpus Christi pins wings of gold on fourth-generation military officer Brock Lugo"Brock is a fourth generation military officer, but he's also come from a family of pilots. My dad flew for 56 years and its just super special," his mother, Marybeth Lugo, said.The Coastal Bend trained 35,000 aviators during World War Two alone, and tens of thousands more have followed in that same flight path since. For Lugo, the path to aviation was one he found in college."When I was in college I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do. I always knew I wanted to do something along these lines and then it kinda hit me that that's something I see everyday, it excites me, and down the rabbit hole I went so," Lugo said.The path to this moment, it turns out, may have started in second grade. Lugo's mother held onto a photograph taken by his teacher on career day a young Brock dressed in a miniature flight suit, wearing a name tag that read "Lieutenant Brock.""This is a photo that was taken by his 2nd grade teacher on career day when she asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grew up. So he's actually wearing a little flight suit and she made a name tag for him that said Lieutenant Brock, and that's a photo that I've saved his whole life just waiting for the right moment to use it, and certainly this is it," she said. After three years of training, Lugo received an additional honor he did not see coming. He was named to the Commodore's List of Distinction, reserved for the top 5% of students."The Commodore's List of Distinction is the top 5%. You finished in the top 5%. The last 200 students to come through here. You really did well. Congratulations," the announcement said.His brother, Mitchell Lugo, said the achievement came as a surprise."I didn't know he was that smart. He really worked extremely hard for this," Mitchell said.Commander Matt O'Connel, who has served in the Navy for 25 years and is approaching retirement, said the moment carried personal meaning."I've been in the Navy for 25 years and I'm looking towards my retirement. I need people like Brock to come and take my place, so I am immensely honored that he came through my squadron and that he's going to replace me and other aviators in the future," O'Connell said.Lugo acknowledged the weight of what comes next.He said the legacy of those who came before him is what drives him forward."Yes, absolutely. The source of inspiration is everyone that's came before us and it feels good knowing that we're gonna carry the torch and then pass it onto those that come next," Lugo said.As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, the Wings of Gold tradition celebrated in Corpus Christi for more than 80 years continues.For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App. Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today! ...read more read less