By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Robert Zahn, Navy Office of Community Outreach
SASEBO, Japan- A Covington, Louisiana, native and 2014 St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Catholic High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy with U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka (USNH Yokosuka), Branch Health Clinic (BHC) Sasebo.
Hospitalman Sean Gipson is serving with BHC Sasebo, operating out of Sasebo, Japan.
A Navy hospitalman is responsible for the prevention and treatment of disease and injury, assisting health care professionals in providing medical care to personnel, conducting preliminary physical examinations, and maintaining treatment records and reports.
Gipson is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of Covington.
“My dad did a lot for me, he’s my role model,” said Gipson.
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.
BHC is a branch health clinic of USNH Yokosuka. Yokosuka and Sasebo together are the largest U.S. military treatment facilities on mainland Japan. Branch health annexes are located at Camp Fuji and Hario, while Branch health clinics are located in Iwakuni, and Atsugi in mainland Japan; Chinhae, Korea on the southern tip of South Korea; and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
“You make a difference every day,” said Deputy Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet Joey Dodgen. “We are the most prepared, highly trained and the most capable force in the Indo Pacific. Our carriers, amphibious assault ships, aircraft and most importantly, our people, are ready today to face regional challenges and lead our Navy’s forces in this theater, just as the officers and Sailors of 7th Fleet have done for 75 years. So thank you for all that you do.”
The hospital provides all medical, dental, and emergency services. BHC Sasebo strives to be the premier provider of healthcare to active duty forces and their families in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region through Joint Partnerships.
“Serving in the Navy motivates me to do better because when you are doing well, you can then help others,” said Gipson. “We all have to work together to get the job done right.”
Gipson is also proud of the training that he has completed. He has been qualified in driving the ambulance, emergency medical technician, and immunizations. He feels most prepared for the mission when he is learning as much as he can.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Gipson and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
"It’s hard to believe that I’ve completed as much training as I have,” said Gipson. “Being at this command has given me a second chance at my career. I’ve learned better skills and I feel more prepared for life both in and outside of the Navy.”
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.