Three local women, serving with the United States Navy in the Persian Gulf, have learned it's a small world after all.

Jocelyn (Yates) Cockrell, a 1999 graduate of Farmington High School, and Shylah Worley, a 1999 graduate of Farmington High School, are both stationed on the USS Nimitz. Casey Smith, a 1997 graduate of North County High School, is on the USS Bridge AOE-10, a supply ship for the Nimitz.

Cockrell, a Petty Officer 2nd Class, is based at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, Calif. Worley, an Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class, is based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.

Smith, an electronics technician, is based at Bremerton, Wash.

So the chances of all three of them being involved in the Nimitz's battlegroup was slim, to say the least.

All three women believe being from a small town has helped them in some ways.

"It has helped me with support," Smith said. "I have received so many e-mails and letters from schools and people I have never even met."

Worley said her small-town upbringing has helped her "deal with being in small spaces and not really having much to do."

"Seeing how people dealt with things in Farmington has helped me to learn to deal with others," Worley said. "I don't get bent out of shape over the small things, and I have learned that I am more down to earth and take just about anything dealt in my direction."

"I think the friendliness, family oriented life helped me because I feel I make friends faster," Cockrell said.

Cockrell said there is a detriment to being from a small-town, because she "saw everything through a stained-glass window," meaning she can't trust everyone. Her husband, Kedrick, reminds her of this often, saying she's "not in Kansas anymore, Toto."

Kedrick and Jocelyn have a 13-month-old daughter, Raven, whose first birthday Jocelyn missed while in the Gulf.

What were the three women's roles in Operation Iraqi Freedom?

Worley was "responsible for loading ordnance weighing up to 2,000 pounds each on an F/A-18C," while Jocelyn doesn't believe her role was significant in the war. Smith's ship supplied the Nimitz, as well as other battlegroups, including British and Australian ships, with fuel and bombs.

Smith said she works "on radar and communication gear. I also seem to spend a lot of time working on people's personal electronics, like compact disc players and DVDs. We are the Radio Shack of the ship!"

Jocelyn's job is to "keep records of aircraft from their 'birth' till now. The pilots rely on us to keep accurate information so that inspections, reworks, repairs are done on time and correctly."

Jocelyn said "it's really nice" to be serving along side Worley, adding Worley e-mailed her in January, "asking me if we were in the Persian Gulf. She was scared and I was her way of reassuring her things will be all right. This is scary if you have never done it (before)."

"It is just so cool that we got out here together," Jocelyn said. "You would think that would be almost impossible, but we did it."

Jocelyn said there are two other girls who have the same story as the Parkland Three. Both of those girls are from Philadelphia, "grew up together, real good friends, played sports together, and they are both stationed in Leemore at sister squadrons," Jocelyn said.

On May 8, Jocelyn reported the Nimitz was near the United Arab Emerance, where the temperature that day reached 104 degrees.

"I went out for like an hour and a half, stayed in the shade with sunscreen on, and still got sun. Powerful here," Jocelyn said.

The trio have no idea when they will be coming home, but Jocelyn cites rumors putting them back into port anywhere between September and November.

"So if you have a crystal ball, look at it for me. It might be more accurate than ours," Jocelyn said.

The Parkland Three had plenty to say when asked if they wanted to relay a message back to their hometowns.

"I would like to say hello to all the girls I hung out with back at home," Jocelyn said. "And thanks for all the prayers, support, e-mails, and care packages from back at home. They are all so nice and so well appreciated."

"I would really like to thank my family for all the support and belief they have given to me in the last three years," Worley said. "That has been what has helped me out the most, and knowing that they believe in me helps me keep going day to day. I want them to know that I love them and this is something that I would have never been able to (do) myself. There are no words to say how much they have been there and helped me out."