Navy Office of Community Outreach
SASEBO, Japan – A Saginaw, Michigan, native and 2014 Arthur Hill High School graduate is serving in Japan in the U.S. Navy aboard one of the forward-deployed mine countermeasures ship, USS Pioneer.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Vicente Lopez 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.
Lopez is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of Saginaw.
“I learned from my school and the teachers to treat everyone with respect,” said Lopez. “Since in the Navy I’m always meeting new people, the best approach is to be respectful, to be open with everyone.”
Lopez thus far is proud of finishing the search and rescue (SAR) school. It was a tough school for him. It is his biggest accomplishment since joining the Navy.
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, Pioneer is 224 feet long and weighs approximately 1,300 tons. Pioneer 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’ve been overseas for some time now, I was in Bahrain before coming here, so the work can be exhausting,” said Lopez. “I do enjoy the bond I have with everyone, we all work together and support each other through the hard times. Since joining the Navy I’ve become more mature.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Lopez and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“Every time I come back home I notice how much of an impact I have on some people,” said Lopez. “I’m so proud of serving in the Navy.”
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 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.
Lopez is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of Saginaw.
“I learned from my school and the teachers to treat everyone with respect,” said Lopez. “Since in the Navy I’m always meeting new people, the best approach is to be respectful, to be open with everyone.”
Lopez thus far is proud of finishing the search and rescue (SAR) school. It was a tough school for him. It is his biggest accomplishment since joining the Navy.
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, Pioneer is 224 feet long and weighs approximately 1,300 tons. Pioneer 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’ve been overseas for some time now, I was in Bahrain before coming here, so the work can be exhausting,” said Lopez. “I do enjoy the bond I have with everyone, we all work together and support each other through the hard times. Since joining the Navy I’ve become more mature.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Lopez and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“Every time I come back home I notice how much of an impact I have on some people,” said Lopez. “I’m so proud of serving in the Navy.”
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.