NORFOLK, Va. - Chief Petty Officer Ruben Cuadrado, from Carolina, Puerto Rico, serves aboard a U.S. Navy warship operating out of Norfolk, Virginia.
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| Photo by Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class Beverly Taylor, Navy Office of Community Outreach |
Cuadrado graduated in 2006 from Jose M. Lazaro High School.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Carolina.
“Working in food service back at home actually taught me to be flexible, capable and versatile,” said Cuadrado. “I started at the register, then moved back to the kitchen, then ordered supplies, then became assistant manager and then store manager. I learned that no matter how insignificant one position seems, it plays a vital role in the big picture.”
Cuadrado joined the Navy 15 years ago. Today, Cuadrado serves as a yeoman aboard USS Ross.
“I joined the Navy looking for new opportunities after I lost my college scholarship,” said Cuadrado. “I didn’t want to live with my mom forever.”
Ross, a guided-missile destroyer, provides a wide range of warfighting capabilities in multi-threat air, surface and subsurface environments.
A destroyer is a multi-mission ship that can operate independently or as part of a larger group of ships at sea. The ship is equipped with tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, guns and a phalanx close-in weapons system.
More than 300 sailors serve aboard Ross. Their jobs are highly specialized, requiring both dedication and skill. Their jobs range from maintaining engines to handling weaponry, alongside a multitude of other assignments that keep the ship mission-ready at all times, according to Navy officials.
Serving in the Navy means Cuadrado is part of a team that is taking on new importance in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.
“The Navy is always training, ready to fight and ready to win,” said Cuadrado.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to trained sailors and a strong Navy.
Cuadrado has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m proud of advancing to chief petty officer,” said Cuadrado. “I’m also proud that sailors know they can come to me for help. I won’t always have the answers, but I have the tools to help find them.”
As Cuadrado and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the U.S. Navy.
“Serving is a job that few get to do,” said Cuadrado. “I want to do it and do it right. And being able to retire after 20 years sounds pretty nice.”
Cuadrado is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“My mom and my sister are my pillars,” added Cuadrado. “They keep me going.”