By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Robert Zahn, Navy Office of Community Outreach
YOKOSUKA, Japan- A Catoosa, Oklahoma, native and 2014 Catoosa High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy forward-deployed aboard USS Blue Ridge.
Seaman Lauren Shew is a culinary specialist aboard the ship operating out of Yokosuka, Japan. The ship routinely deploys to protect alliances, enhance partnerships, and be ready to respond if a natural disaster occurs in the region.
A Navy culinary specialist is responsible for operating kitchen and dining facilities, budgeting for food service management, and ensuring morale aboard the ship.
Shew is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of Catoosa.
“I’ve learned the value of treating everyone like family,” said Shew. “It’s a very small, close-knit community and I cherish the friendships I’ve made here.”
Moments like that makes it worth serving around the world ready at all times to defend America’s interests. 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. The Navy's presence in Yokosuka is part of that long-standing commitment, explained Navy officials.
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.
“I feel a lot of pride being on this ship and find it very rewarding,” said Shew.
Shew is also proud of having the unique position of being the only cake decorator on the ship. She says the best part is seeing the smiles she brings to people's faces when they see her work.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Shew and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
"I enjoy the diversity that the Navy has brought into my life,” said Shew. “I’ve met people from different cultures and I enjoy learning and experiencing new things everyday.”
Seventh Fleet, which is celebrating its 75th year in 2018, spans more than 124 million square kilometers, stretching from the International Date Line to the India/Pakistan border; and from the Kuril Islands in the North to the Antarctic in the South. Seventh Fleet's area of operation encompasses 36 maritime countries and 50 percent of the world’s population with between 50-70 U.S. ships and submarines, 140 aircraft, and approximately 20,000 Sailors in the 7th Fleet.