By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tim Miller, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo By Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward
YOKOSUKA, Japan – A San Antonio native and 1986 P.R. Yanco High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the guided missile cruiser, USS Antietam.
Senior Chief Petty Officer Joel Fababier is a logistics specialist 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 Navy logistics specialist is responsible for shipping, receiving and the budget for the entire ship. He is also responsible for ordering all requirements and parts for maintenance.
“Before I joined the Navy, I was working in the U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility in Subic Bay," said Fababier. "In the Philippines, it is hard to find work, so I learned to appreciate the job I had. I am also thankful that I could apply the skills I learned then to my Navy job now.”
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’m thankful that I was one of the last recruits from the Philippines before they closed the base,” said Fababier. “What I love about the Navy is the opportunity it provides.”
Sailors serving abroad in Japan are highly motivated and quickly adapt to changing conditions, explained Navy officials.
“I love being in the Navy because of the opportunity I have now. The Navy actully changed my life," added Fababier. "It gave me a different and better perspective and outlook look in life. Family is very important to me. In the five years I’ve served in the Navy I've seen many things and had great experiences. Everything I do revolves around the Navy. Seeing my son join the Navy on his own is very fulfilling to me.”
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 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.