By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Theodore Quintana,
Navy Office of Community Outreach
SASEBO, Japan – – A Fort Walton Beach, Florida, native and 2016 America's High School graduate is serving in Guam in the U.S. Navy aboard the expeditionary submarine tender, USS Emory S. Land.
Seaman Apprentice Crissell Gravinnolebron is a logisitics 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 logisitics specialist is responsible for managing inventories of repair parts/general supplies and distributing mail for ships, squadrons, and shore-based activities.
Gravinnolebron is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of Fort Walton Beach.
“Growing up I learned how to budget money," said Gravinnolebron. "My mom taught me how to budget which has helped me in my Navy career."
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.
“I think it's awesome being forward deployed,” said Gravinnolebron. “A year ago I was living with my mom, now I'm here in Japan, which is somewhere I use to dream about. The Navy has made me respect the chain of command and the structure of the Navy allows me to see where I want to be and have a lot of role models to look up to.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Gravinnolebron 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 allows me to build charisma and self confidence and I really want to be an asset to the team,” said Gravinnolebron.
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.
A Navy logisitics specialist is responsible for managing inventories of repair parts/general supplies and distributing mail for ships, squadrons, and shore-based activities.
Gravinnolebron is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of Fort Walton Beach.
“Growing up I learned how to budget money," said Gravinnolebron. "My mom taught me how to budget which has helped me in my Navy career."
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.
“I think it's awesome being forward deployed,” said Gravinnolebron. “A year ago I was living with my mom, now I'm here in Japan, which is somewhere I use to dream about. The Navy has made me respect the chain of command and the structure of the Navy allows me to see where I want to be and have a lot of role models to look up to.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Gravinnolebron 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 allows me to build charisma and self confidence and I really want to be an asset to the team,” said Gravinnolebron.
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.