By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Robert Zahn, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo By Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward
YOKOSUKA, Japan – A Houston, Texas native and 2014 Madison High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the guided missile cruiser, USS Antietam.
Seaman Kel Veliz works in the deck department 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 seaman in the deck department maintains the exterior surfaces of the ship, handles deck machinery and equipment, handles mooring lines, handles cargo, operates small boats, and takes part in various evolutions such as search and rescue and underway replenishment.
“To respect others and to look at the positives in life is a lesson I learned from family and friends back home,” said Veliz.
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.
“I like the people I work with and some people keep me going throughout the day,” said Veliz. “There's always one friend that will get me through each day.”
Sailors serving abroad in Japan are highly motivated and quickly adapt to changing conditions, explained Navy officials.
“I didn’t expect how nice and respectful people are here in Japan and this is what makes it easier to be stationed here,” said Veliz.
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 system.
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.