By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Theodore Quintana, Navy Office of Community Outreach
SASEBO, Japan – – An Imus Cavite, Phillippines, native and 2008 Lighthouse Science High School graduate is serving in Japan in the U.S. Navy aboard one of the forward-deployed mine countermeasures ship, USS Warrior.
A Navy culinary specialist is responsible for operating and managing Navy messes and living quarters established to subsist and accommodate Navy personnel.
Benedicto is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of Imus Cavite.
“Growing up in the Philippines I learned the importance of having a good work ethic and doing what I do passionately,” said Benedicto.
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 more than 80, Warrior is 224 feet long and weighs approximately 1,300 tons. Warrior is one of the Navy’s 11 Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships that are designed to neutralize mines from vital waterways and harbors. There are four minesweeper in Sasebo as part of the forward-deployed mine countermeasures force that are on-call to respond in the event of a mine-clearing operation in the Indo-Pacific.
MCMs in Sasebo routinely operate with allies and partners to build mine countermeasures proficiency and sustain our alliances.
“Being forward deployed teaches you how to work under pressure and in a timely manner with a short schedule,” said Benedicto.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Benedicto and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“The Navy has made me more professional and a better ambassador in a foreign country,” said Benedicto. “Serving in the Navy means doing something that not a lot of people will do especially during the hard times and willing to defend home, loved ones and people all over the world.”
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.
With a crew of more than 80, Warrior is 224 feet long and weighs approximately 1,300 tons. Warrior is one of the Navy’s 11 Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships that are designed to neutralize mines from vital waterways and harbors. There are four minesweeper in Sasebo as part of the forward-deployed mine countermeasures force that are on-call to respond in the event of a mine-clearing operation in the Indo-Pacific.
MCMs in Sasebo routinely operate with allies and partners to build mine countermeasures proficiency and sustain our alliances.
“Being forward deployed teaches you how to work under pressure and in a timely manner with a short schedule,” said Benedicto.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Benedicto and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“The Navy has made me more professional and a better ambassador in a foreign country,” said Benedicto. “Serving in the Navy means doing something that not a lot of people will do especially during the hard times and willing to defend home, loved ones and people all over the world.”
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.