By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tim Miller, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward
YOKOSUKA, Japan – A Haysville, Kansas native and 2013 Campus High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the guided missile cruiser, USS Chancellorsville.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Devon Fleetwood is a quartermaster aboard the forward deployed Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser operating out of Yokosuka, Japan. Chancellorsville is one of three cruisers forward-deployed in Yokosuka.
A Navy quartermaster is responsible for working on the bridge with the captain to help plot the course ensuring the safe navigation of the entire ship.
“My parents instilled in me the importance of good discipline and character, and this applies to my work every day,” said Fleetwood.
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 is currently serving in the Navy as a cryptologic technician,” said Fleetwood. “I’ve always looked up to him and was inspired to join the Navy myself because of his lifestyle. Being master helmsman is a huge accomplishment. There are only two of us aboard and the fact that we are trusted to navigate the entire ship in and out of ports is incredible.”
Sailors serving abroad in Japan are highly motivated and quickly adapt to changing conditions, explained Navy officials.
“Serving in the Navy means you’ve got to have a good work ethic and be able to roll with the punches and take the good with the bad,” added Fleetwood.
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 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.