By Navy Office of
Community Outreach
ROTA, Spain – An El Camino in Oceanside, California graduate and Queens, New York
native is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided
missile destroyer, USS Donald Cook.
Petty Officer 1st Class Eric Stubbs is a boatswain's mate aboard the
forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer operating out of
Rota, Spain. Donald Cook is one of four
destroyers homeported in Rota.
A Navy boatswain's mate is responsible for the general upkeep of the ship and in charge of taking
on fuel, ship supplies, and conducting helicopter operations.
“The best thing about my job is that it's diverse,” said Stubbs. “Every day is something different. We are in charge of
so much that I could be doing ten different things.”
Commissioned in 1998, the
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, Donald
Cook, is 509
feet long; the length of more than 3 football fields. The ship is named after Donald cook, a Vietnam War prisoner of war who died in
captivity.
Donald Cook is a
tactical multi-mission surface combatant capable of conducting anti-air
submarine surface warfare in conjunction with being outfitted with aegis
ballistic missile defense capabilities.
BMD enables the ship to conduct long-range surveillance, tracking, and
engagement of short and medium-range ballistic missiles.
"Donald Cook is Sixth Fleet's
premier forward deployed unit with an extremely high operational tempo," said Cmdr. Timothy Moore, commanding officer aboard USS Donald Cook. "My sailors continue to impress me with how hard they work, the pride they
possess and the dedication they show day in and day out in the execution of
their duties. Being able to command a ship with such a great group of
professional sailors is an enduring honor and a privilege."
Approximately 30 officers and 300 enlisted men and women
make up the ship's company. Their jobs are highly specialized and keep each
part of the cruiser running smoothly. The jobs range from maintaining engines
to handling weaponry and everything in between.
“What I like most about serving on this ship is being
overseas,” said Stubbs. “We go to a lot of different ports and I've gotten to
see the world.”
Although it is difficult for most people to imagine living
on a ship, the challenging living conditions build strong fellowship among the
crew. The crew is highly motivated, and quickly adapt to changing conditions.
It is a busy life of specialized work, watches, and drills.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon
assets, Stubbs and other Donald Cook sailors know they are part of a
legacy that will be last beyond their lifetimes.
“For me, serving in the Navy is about helping people,
bringing aid to different countries,” said Stubbs. "Sometimes when we come in to port we have volunteer oportunities. Just because it's a warship doesn't mean
people have to be scared of people working on the ship.”