By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Robert Zahn, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo By Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward
YOKOSUKA, Japan – A Moreno Valley, California native and 2014 Oak Grove Center graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the guided missile cruiser, USS Chancellorsville.
Seaman Ashley Keistler is a ship’s serviceman 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 ship’s serviceman is responsible for managing and operating all shipboard retail and service activities such as the ship's store, vending machines, barber shops, laundry, and tailor shops.
“One lesson I learned from back home and my mom always taught me was to be independent and this has definitely helped me serving in the Navy,” said Keistler.
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 mom served in the Army and she encouraged me to join the military because she thought it would better my life, just as the military did for her,” said Keistler. “I was recognized as Sailor of the Week last year for assisting the helmsman driving the ship and I thought it was great to be recognized for my hard work."
Sailors serving abroad in Japan are highly motivated and quickly adapt to changing conditions, explained Navy officials.
“Serving in the Navy makes me feel like I'm making a difference in the world and I’m very proud to serve,” added Keistler.
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.