SAN DIEGO - Petty Officer 1st Class Joseph Roach, a native of Ontario, California, serves aboard USS Jack H. Lucas, a U.S. Navy warship operating out of San Diego, California.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Joseph Sitter, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West |
Roach graduated from Freedom High School in 2007.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Ontario.
“My parents taught me that taking pride in what you do will always go a long way,” Roach said. "They also taught me that hard work will always open up more doors which has been true in the Navy as well. Hard work and pride will take you a lot further than you can even imagine.”
Roach joined the Navy fifteen years ago. Today, Roach serves as a machinery repairman.
“I joined the Navy because I needed stability for my family,” Roach said. "I had a wife and a child and the Navy provided the opportunity to receive stability during the 2009 financial crisis."
Jack H. Lucas is named for Marine Corps Pfc. Jack Lucas, who served in the Marines during World War II and earned the Medal of Honor for his heroism at the Battle of Iwo Jima after saving the lives of three Marines when he was just 17 years old. Lucas is the youngest Marine, and the youngest service member in World War II, to be awarded the United States’ highest military honor for valor.
Jack H. Lucas is a Navy destroyer, 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 USS Jack H. Lucas. Their jobs are highly specialized, requiring both dedication and skill. The jobs range from maintaining engines to handling weaponry along with a multitude of other assignments that keep the ship mission-ready at all times, according to Navy officials.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
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 recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Roach has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am most proud of being meritoriously advanced to the rank of petty officer first class,” Roach said. "Most people in my job get out after making second class so having the opportunity to make first class was a testament to my hard work and diligence.”
Roach serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy means supporting our country,” Roach said. "Although it is cliche, I have the opportunity every day to go to work with a purpose knowing that I get to support my family and my country simultaneously."
Roach is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my wife first and foremost,” Roach added. "Without my wife, parents and my uncle-in-law I wouldn't be able to be where I am today."