By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Theodore Quintana, Navy Office of Community Outreach
SASEBO, Japan – A Hilo, Hawaii, native and 2014 Waiakea High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy with Commander Fleet Activities Sasebo (CFAS).
Seaman Isaiah Fukumitsu 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.
“Growing up in Hawaii, I was always taught to be respectful and have good manners,” said Fukumitsu. “I like the interactions I get while being a master-at-arms. The people I work with are great. We are like a big family.”
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.
“Serving here is a big change from a small island,” said Fukumitsu. “Coming out here is different but I have enjoyed it so far. It makes me want to see the world more.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Fukumitsu 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 pride,” said Fukumitsu. “The Navy has made me more strict. I didn’t have a good work ethic before but now I do.”
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.