Thursday, May 10, 2018

Baguio Native serves with the U.S. Navy Half a World Away

By Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Zahn,
Navy Office of Community Outreach

SASEBO, Japan – A Baguio, Philippines, native and 2010 Remnant International College-Baguio graduate is serving in Guam in the U.S. Navy aboard the expeditionary submarine tender, USS Emory S. Land.

Seaman Linus Villahermosa is a logistics specialist aboard the Guam-based submarine tender, one of two submarine tenders in the U.S. Navy. The ship routinely deploys to protect alliances, enhance partnerships, and respond if a natural disaster occurs in the region.

A Navy logistics specialist is responsible for ordering, receiving, inspecting, stowing, preserving, packaging, shipping, and issuing materials and cargo. They perform postal counterwork, including sale of stamps and money orders and process incoming and outgoing mail. They process claims and inquiries, account for government materials, and prepare and maintain required forms, records, correspondence, reports, and files.

Villahermosais proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of Baguio.

“I learned to never give up and do what I'm supposed to do,” said Villahermosa. “Keep my life straight forward and keep working towards your goals. Stay faithful to what you believe in. I learned all of these values from my relatives and by the way I was raised.”

The Emory S. Land made a routine port visit in Sasebo, Japan while conducting an exercise.

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.

With a crew of 42 officers and 600 enlisted, submarine tenders are 649 feet long and weigh approximately 23,493 tons. Their mission is to provide maintenance, repairs, hotel services, weapons reload and logistics support to deployed guided-missile and fast-attack submarines. Both of the U.S. Navy’s submarine tenders are homeported in Apra Harbor, Guam, and rotate between deployment to support the forward-operating in the 5th and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility and in port in Guam to support in-port and visiting units.

Submarine tenders are additionally capable of providing repair and logistic services to deployed surface ships.

“The workload can get difficul at times, but I can't complain because I enjoy it,” said Villahermosa. “Maybe the most difficult thing is what is at stake. You have to prioritize which task is most important at that time. The Navy has given me a better future because I'm able to support myself and my family.”

As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Villahermosa 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 means that I have discipline, patience and a will to get the job done,” said Villahermosa. “Also, it's me showing my loyalty to the country.”

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.