By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Theodore Quintana, Navy Office of Community Outreach
SASEBO, Japan – A Bangor, Pennsylvania, native and 2012 Bangor Area High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy with Commander Fleet Activities Sasebo (CFAS).
Petty Officer 2nd Class Ricardo Flowers is a master-at-arms serving with the security department at Commander Fleet Activities Sasebo, operating out of Sasebo, Japan.
A Navy master-at-arms is responsible for ensuring the safety of the base.
“In the Navy I have learned to build camaraderie and the importance of leadership,” said Flowers. “I like that we are able to help and protect people. Our chain of command is really good about mentoring and guiding us. They have our back.”
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 Sasebo is part of that long-standing commitment, explained Navy officials.
“Even though there is a language barrier, serving here has allowed me to volunteer with this country’s orphans,” said Flowers. “It makes me proud to help out.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Flowers and other Sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“Serving in the Navy means giving up my freedoms and being a part of the chain link to what is protecting my family and my community,” said Flowers. “It means I have a direct hand in their well being. The Navy has taught me a lot about myself. I know I can push past any limits I thought I had.”
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.