Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown
SANTA RITA, Guam – A 2011 Delano High School graduate and Delano, California, native is providing a critical maintenance capability to the U.S. Navy’s submarine force in the Pacific as part of a hybrid crew of sailors and civilian mariners working aboard the expeditionary submarine tender, USS Frank Cable.
Machinist’s Mate (Nuclear) 2nd Class Kris Galindo is serving aboard the Guam-based submarine tender, one of only two such ships in the U.S. Navy. The Frank Cable and its crew provides maintenance and resupply capabilities both in port and at sea. Nuclear power-trained machinist’s mates also perform duties in nuclear propulsion plants operating reactor control, propulsion and power generation systems.
“When I was on a carrier, being a part of machinery division, we were a part of providing electricity to the ship and creating potable water for showering and drinking," Galindo said when describing his favorite part about his rate.
Galindo credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Delano.
“My hoemtown was such a small town, there weren't as many opportunities to succeed for work, so it propelled me to look elsewhere,” Galindo said.
Guam is also home to four Los Angeles-class attack submarines, Frank Cable’s primary clients, but the ship can also provide repair and logistic services to other Navy ships like cruisers and destroyers. The submarine tenders provide maintenance, temporary berthing services and logistical support to submarines and surface ships in the Pacific Ocean as well as the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.
With a crew of more than 600, Frank Cable is 649 feet long and weighs approximately 23,493 tons.
According to officials at the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet headquarters in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the ships, submarines, aircraft and Navy personnel forward-deployed to Guam are part of the world’s largest fleet command and serve in a region critical to U.S. national security. The U.S. Pacific Fleet encompasses 100 million square miles, nearly half the Earth’s surface, from Antarctica to the Arctic Circle and from the West Coast of the United States into the Indian Ocean. All told, there are more than 200 ships and submarines, nearly 1,200 aircraft, and more than 130,000 uniformed and civilian personnel serving in the Pacific.
The integrated crew of sailors and civilian mariners builds a strong fellowship while working alongside each other. The crews are highly motivated, and quickly adapt to changing conditions. It is a busy life of specialized work, watches and drills.
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career, Galindo is most proud of completing two years of nuclear training to become qualified.
“It’s not an easy school, a lot of content to learn at a fast pace,” Galindo said.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Galindo and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, one that will provide a critical component of the Navy the nation needs.
“Serving in the Navy means protecting our country and our loved ones back at home,” Galindo said.