MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Petty Officer 2nd Class Veronica Morioka, from Honolulu, Hawaii, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to USS Michael Monsoor, currently forward deployed to the Indo-Pacific region.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Honolulu.
"I learned growing up the importance of accepting and respecting different cultures," Morioka said.
Morioka joined the Navy three years ago.
"I joined the Navy to challenge myself," Morioka said.
Today, Morioka serves as an electronics technician.
"Electronics technicians operate, maintain and repair radar, communication and navigation equipment onboard the ship," Morioka said.
Monsoor, a Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyer, was commissioned in 2019 and is named in honor of Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor, a Navy SEAL who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for saving the lives of three other SEALs and eight Iraqi Army allies during an insurgent attack in Iraq in 2006. Zumwalt-class destroyers maximize stealth, size, power and computing capacity, fielding an array of weapons systems and cutting-edge technologies to fight forces in the air, on and under the sea, and on land.
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.
Morioka has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
"I am most proud of learning a demanding technical job," Morioka said. "One of the best parts of the Navy is the people. I've met incredible, hard-working people who are passionate about their job and sacrifice a lot of their personal lives to get their job done."
Morioka 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 doing our job so the people in our country can live their lives in peace and freedom," Morioka added.