By Mass
Communication Specialist 1st Class Tim Miller, Navy Office of Community
Outreach
Photo by Senior
Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward
YOKOSUKA, Japan- A 2014 Bluffton
High School graduate and Bluffton, South Carolina native is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard USS Blue Ridge.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Daniel Falcocchio is a hospital corpsman aboard the forward-deployed amphibious command
ship operating out of Yokosuka, Japan.
As
a Navy hospital
corpsman is responsible for providing health care to sailors aboard the ship. He
serves as pharmacy technician, medical technician, nurse’s aide, physician’s or
dentist’s assistant. He also provides first aid and minor surgery, patient
transportation, patient care, prescriptions and laboratory work.
“Coming from the south, I
was always taught to treat others with respect and always practice good manners," said Falcocchio. "In the Navy the same applies as I interact with others in my day-to-day job.”
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."
USS Blue Ridge serves as
the flagship for the U.S. Seventh Fleet. It is one of only two U.S. Navy
command ships in the world, providing command and control for fleet commanders.
Forward-deployed sailors are
crucial to the success of the global Navy mission and earn high praise from
their leaders.
“I'm the first of my
family to join the military," said Falcocchio. "I have a lot of people back home supporting me. I
believe I'm being a role model to my younger brother by serving. I'm proud that I have had
the chance to see different countries around the world and embrace different cultures as well."
Sailors serving abroad in
Japan are highly motivated and quickly adapt to changing conditions, explained
Navy officials.
“Serving in the Navy means considering others needs before my own," added Falcocchio. "It also gives me a great sense of
satisfaction. I'm honored to serve in the military.”
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.