Navy Office of Community Outreach
SASEBO, Japan – – A Junction City, Oregon, native and 2011 Junction City High School graduate is serving in Japan in the U.S. Navy aboard one of the forward-deployed mine countermeasures ship, USS Chief.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Larsen is a mineman aboard the Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship, operating out of Sasebo, Japan. The ship routinely deploys to protect alliances, enhance partnerships, and be ready to respond if a natural disaster occurs in the region.
A Navy mineman is responsible for assisting in the detection and neutralization of underwater mines. They test various electronic components to ensure proper repair and make sure that the mine works properly. They are also responsible for safe storage, handling and loading of mines for transporting.
Larsen is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of Junction City.
“My high school football and wrestling coach told me that hard work pays off in the end,” said Larsen. “Success in the Navy is a lot like success in other places, the harder you work people will learn to respect you.”
Larsen thus far is proud of becoming the work center supervisor qualification. He believes he has stepped up in a leadership role. He sees things that need change so he takes charge, steps up, and changes it himself.
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, Chief is 224 feet long and weighs approximately 1,300 tons. Chief 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 minesweepers 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.
“I’m used to being forward deployed, so it’s what I know,” said Larsen. “I enjoy visiting other countries and cultures. Serving in the Navy has taught me to have a great respect for authority and following the rules.”
Larsen is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of Junction City.
“My high school football and wrestling coach told me that hard work pays off in the end,” said Larsen. “Success in the Navy is a lot like success in other places, the harder you work people will learn to respect you.”
Larsen thus far is proud of becoming the work center supervisor qualification. He believes he has stepped up in a leadership role. He sees things that need change so he takes charge, steps up, and changes it himself.
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, Chief is 224 feet long and weighs approximately 1,300 tons. Chief 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 minesweepers 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.
“I’m used to being forward deployed, so it’s what I know,” said Larsen. “I enjoy visiting other countries and cultures. Serving in the Navy has taught me to have a great respect for authority and following the rules.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Larsen and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“Some people wake up in the morning wondering what they’re going to do for the day, there’s others who go to bed wondering what they did all day,” said Larsen. “I don’t have that problem. I feel like I can wake up and walk into work feeling proud of what I’m doing, that’s serving my 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.