By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tim Miller, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo By Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward
YOKOSUKA, Japan – An Alexandria, New Hampshire native and 2000 New Found Regional High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the guided missile cruiser, USS Antietam.
Petty Officer 1st Class William Brown is an information systems technician aboard the forward deployed Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser operating out of Yokosuka, Japan. Antietam is one of three cruisers forward-deployed in Yokosuka.
A Navy information systems technician is responsible for working with sattelite communications, network and security communications..
“Growing up, the close family ties I had carry over directly to my interaction with sailors I work with today,” said Brown.
With more than 50 percent of the world's shipping tonnage and a third of the world's crude oil passing through the region, the United States has historic and enduring interests in this part of the world.
"Our alliance is rooted in shared interests and shared values," said Adm. Harry Harris, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command. "It's not hyperbole to say that the entire world has benefited from the U.S.-Japan alliance. While our alliance helped stabilize the region after the Second World War, it also enabled the Japanese people to bring about an era of unprecedented economic growth. And for the last six decades, our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have worked side by side with the Japan Self Defense Force to protect and advance peace and freedom."
Approximately 300 men and women serve aboard the ship. Their jobs are highly specialized and keep each part of the cruiser running smoothly, according to Navy officials. They do everything from maintaining gas turbine engines and operating the highly sophisticated Aegis weapons system to driving the ship and operating small boats.
Forward-deployed sailors are crucial to the success of the global Navy mission and earn high praise from their leaders.
“My brother served in the Army and my grandfather was a Seabee during World War II," said Brown. "Their serving in the military had a positive impact on me. Last year I was selected as the Commander, Naval Forces Japan Sailor of the Year, which was very rewarding. I love being invested in my sailors.”
Sailors serving abroad in Japan are highly motivated and quickly adapt to changing conditions, explained Navy officials.
“The Navy is a lot more than just a job, it’s something I take pride in," added Brown. "I actually believe in what we are doing, especially in the 7th Fleet.”
A Navy cruiser is a multi-mission ship that can operate independently or as part of a larger group of ships at sea. The ship is equipped with a vertical launching system, tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, guns and a phalanx close-in weapons systems.
Sailors play a vital role in the overall military mission around the world.
"The U.S.-Japan alliance remains the cornerstone for peace and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region," said Harris.