By Mass
Communication Specialist 1st Class Tim Miller, Navy Office of Community
Outreach
Photo by Senior
Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward
YOKOSUKA, Japan- A 2013 John
Bowne High School graduate and New York native is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard USS Blue Ridge.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Mondestin is a damage contolman aboard the forward-deployed amphibious command
ship operating out of Yokosuka, Japan.
A Navy damage contolman
is responsible for the ship’s survivability using firefighting and dewatering
equipment, making sure the ship stays afloat and sustains any casualties.
“Growing up in Queens, I
learned that anything can happen and danger is always around the corner," said Mondestin. "In the Navy
the same attitude applies with my job as a damage controlman.”
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 Mondestin. "I have a lot of people back home supporting me. It
feels good to start a tradition and be a role model to my siblings, showing
them that you can reach your goals by working hard. I try to do that every day. I’m glad that I was able to leave the country and experience
something new. No one in my family has ever been to Japan. This gives me a
great sense of pride.”
Sailors serving abroad in
Japan are highly motivated and quickly adapt to changing conditions, explained
Navy officials.
“I like being part of something
bigger than myself and feel like I’m making a difference in the world,”
added Mondestin.
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.