SASEBO, Japan – – A San Antonio native and 2013 Luther Burbank High School graduate is serving in Japan in the U.S. Navy aboard one of the forward-deployed mine countermeasures ship, USS Patriot.
Ensign Benedict Immanuel is an auxiliary officer 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 auxiliary officer is responsible for administering the ship's engineering division in operations and maintenance of heating and air conditioning equipment, diesel engines, boat engines, and electrohydraulic and other auxiliary machinery.
Immanuel is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of San Antonio.
“Something that my mother always told me was to commit to something. What carried with me now is knowing that it’s not the difficultly or easiness of something, it’s that there are things that need to get done no matter the difficulty,” said Immanuel. “It gets very easy to get lost in the everyday grind. You have to remember that every job is equally important. You need to remember to do your job, no matter how many jobs. If you can go to bed knowing you did your best, that’s all that matters.”
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, USS Patriot is 224 feet long and weighs approximately 1,300 tons. USS Patriot 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 enjoy being here in Japan. The people are really nice,” said Immanuel. “Being here helps me put things into perspective. I feel like I’ve experienced things that I may not have been able to in the civilian world.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Immanuel and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“I grew up in poverty so joining the military is all I know,” said Immanuel. “I’m 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 auxiliary officer is responsible for administering the ship's engineering division in operations and maintenance of heating and air conditioning equipment, diesel engines, boat engines, and electrohydraulic and other auxiliary machinery.
Immanuel is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of San Antonio.
“Something that my mother always told me was to commit to something. What carried with me now is knowing that it’s not the difficultly or easiness of something, it’s that there are things that need to get done no matter the difficulty,” said Immanuel. “It gets very easy to get lost in the everyday grind. You have to remember that every job is equally important. You need to remember to do your job, no matter how many jobs. If you can go to bed knowing you did your best, that’s all that matters.”
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, USS Patriot is 224 feet long and weighs approximately 1,300 tons. USS Patriot 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 enjoy being here in Japan. The people are really nice,” said Immanuel. “Being here helps me put things into perspective. I feel like I’ve experienced things that I may not have been able to in the civilian world.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Immanuel and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“I grew up in poverty so joining the military is all I know,” said Immanuel. “I’m 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.