By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Erica R Gardner, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo By Mass Communication specialist 1st Class Jesse Hawthorne
PEARL HARBOR –A Carthage, Missouri, native and 2014 Carthage High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy at United States Pacific Command.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Jose Alberto, a yeoman, is serving at Camp H. M. Smith in the area of operations where U.S. Pacific Fleet Headquarters is located. According to Navy officials, the U.S. Pacific Fleet is the world’s largest fleet command, encompassing 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.
As a yeoman, Alberto is responsible for administrative duties including sailor evaluations, fitness reports, awards, mailroom responsibilities, and pay related issues.
“I was taught to respect people, especially elders,” said Alberto “That trait transferred over well to the military ranks. I’m also very confident with my own abilities.”
Being stationed near Pearl Harbor, often referred to as the gateway to the Pacific in defense circles, means that Alberto is serving in a part of the world that is taking on new importance in America’s national defense strategy.
The Navy has been pivotal in helping maintain peace and stability in the Pacific region for decades, according to Navy officials. The Pacific is home to more than 50 percent of the world's population, many of the world's largest and smallest economies, several of the world's largest militaries, and many U.S. allies.
The Navy has plans, by 2020, to base approximately 60 percent of its ships and aircraft in the region. Officials say the Navy will also provide its most advanced warfighting platforms to the region, including missile defense-capable ships; submarines; reconnaissance aircraft; and its newest surface warfare ships, including all of the Navy’s new stealth destroyers.
Alberto has no military ties with family members who have previously served, and is honored to start the family tradition.
“I am the first in the family to join the military. I was unsure of what to expect at first, but it has been a good learning experience,” said Alberto. “My family was shocked at my decision to go Navy. Everyone seems to associate the Army as being military service.”
Alberto’s proudest accomplishment was earning Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist pin in 2017. He also earned a Navy Achievement Medal for assisting the chief yeoman with her duties while stationed in Bahrain.
As a member of the U.S. Navy, Alberto and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.