By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Robert Zahn, Navy Office of Community Outreach
SASEBO, Japan – A Harlem, New York, native and 2012 High School for Environmental Studies graduate is serving in Japan in the U.S. Navy aboard USS Germantown.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Tiyanni Holmes is a damage controlman aboard the ship operating out of Sasebo, Japan.
A Navy damage controlman is responsible for fighting fires and repairing holes on the ship. If there is a casualty on the ship such as a fire, flood, chemical or gas leak, a damage controlman would be the first to respond. They perform maintenance on all shipboard fight fighting equipment and personal protective equipment. They are responsible for instructing the rest of the crew on how to effectively fight a fire and repair the ship.
Holmes is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of Harlem.
“Time management, I learned this from my dad, who was a former Marine. He said when you join the Navy you will learn to move faster and learn time management,” said Holmes. “What he told me helps me have more structure in my life.”
Holmes thus far has been a first responder on the ship for any firefighting, flooding, or medical emergencies. She feels proud in knowing that she can save the ship. She also enjoys training and everything that comes with it such as the inspections. She is gratified knowing that her hard work does pay off and that the work did not go unnoticed.
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.
Commissioned in 1986, Germantown is the second Navy ship named after the Revolutionary War Battle of Germantown. With a crew of more than 900 sailors and Marines, Germantown is 609 feet long and weighs approximately 16,000 tons. Designed specifically to operate landing craft air cushion small craft vessels, Whidbey Island-class dock landing ships have the largest capacity for these landing craft out of any U.S. Navy amphibious ship.
“It is hard long days, long working hours being deployed here, especially for the engineering department,” said Holmes. “But just knowing that you have a strong crew on your side to get you through the tough times is rewarding. Serving in the Navy has made me more mature, made me view life differently. There’s things in the Navy I would never have learned outside of the Navy.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Holmes and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“My favorite part about being at this command is my chain of command,” said Holmes. “Not too many people can say they feel comfortable to ask their chain of command for help. If you need someone to talk to its good to know there’s someone to talk to.”
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.