By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Theodore Quintana, Navy Office of Community Outreach
SASEBO, Japan – A Richmond, Virginia, native and 2007 John Marshall High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy with Commander Fleet Activities Sasebo (CFAS).
Petty Officer 1st Class Ronnell Fair 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, I learned to stay humble,” said Fair. “Being in the Navy has allowed me to see that the world has a lot more to offer outside of your hometown. My grandparents taught me to work hard and not become a statistic.”
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 overseas has its pros and cons,” said Fair. “I like that I get to meet a lot of people and become close with them.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Fair 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 is the best decision I’ve ever made,” said Fair. “It gives me a purpose in life and has helped me mature into the person I am today.”
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.