By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Robert Zahn, Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
YOKOSUKA, Japan- A Suisun, California, native and 2015 Rodriguez High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy forward-deployed aboard USS Blue Ridge.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Carla Vallejos is an information systems technician 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 information systems technician is responsible for electronic mail systems, shipboard control systems, and special intelligence (SI) systems. They have a broad range of responsibilities including network administration, database management and computer hardware and software implementation.
Vallejos is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of Suisun.
“My mother taught me the value of integrity and also taught me a good work ethic,” said vallejos.
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 like I’m a part of something bigger, being a part of my command because we are a flag ship,” said Vallejos.
Vallejos is also proud of her role in the installation of the new equipment aboard the ship which is vital to the ship’s mission. As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Vallejos and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
"Being deployed here has been good for me because it helped me better myself as a person,” said Vallejos. “I’m more structured and confident with my work. I also feel like we are making a change for the better for our country.”
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.