By
Kayla Good, Navy Office of Community
Outreach
SAN DIEGO – A 2013 Arleta High School
graduate and South Central, California
native
is serving in the U.S. Navy as part of a crew working aboard one of the
country’s newest and most versatile combat ships.
Fireman Benjamin Ruiz is a damage controlman and
a member of Crew 209,
also known as the Hydras, who serve aboard
littoral combat ships based in San Diego.
A Navy damage controlman is responsible for the all firefighting gear onboard.
“If there is any trouble, we are
the first responders so people look to us for guidance on any emergencies,”
said Ruiz. “I enjoy that leadership aspect of the job.”
Ruiz is part of a 53-person
crew, one of several crews that rotate between USS Independence and
USS Coronado, as part of a unique crewing concept called “3-2-1,” where three
crews serve aboard two different littoral combat ships, one of which is
deployed. This innovative manning
concept allows the LCS to spend
more time forward deployed without overtaxing the crew, according to Navy
officials.
Designed to
defeat threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft, the
Independence variant of littoral combat ships are 419 feet long and weigh
nearly 3,100 tons fully loaded. Twin gas turbine engines push the ships through
the water at more than 40 mph.
“At this command, I am one of the most junior sailors
here,” said Ruiz. “I get a lot of one on one training with my senior chief who
puts me in the right career path to have a successful Naval career.”
According the
Navy officials, the path to becoming an LCS sailor is a long one. Following an 18-month training pipeline,
sailors have to qualify on a simulator that is nearly identical to the
ship. This intense and realistic training
pipeline allows sailors to execute their roles and responsibilities immediately
upon stepping onboard.
"Sailors that work aboard this platform are expected to
be capable of performing a variety of tasks to assist in the completion of the
LCS mission," said Capt. Warren R Buller, Commander, LCS Squadron One.
"The training that is required of our sailors is
rigorous and difficult. This ensures that they are mission ready to defend and
protect America at all times."
As a crewmember
aboard one of the Navy’s newest ships, Ruiz explained they are building
a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes. Crewmembers know how important
it is for the Navy to develop new war fighting capabilities to continue their
success on the world’s oceans.
“The Navy gave me
different opportunities and different ways to view the world as whole,” added
Ruiz. “Being in the military allows me to see everything in a different light.
It gave me a new perspective of the world.”
Through
innovative planning, the design of systems, and crew requirements, the LCS
platform allows the fleet to increase forward presence and optimize its
personnel, improving the ability of the Navy to be where it matters, when it
matters.