Navy Office of Community Outreach
SASEBO, Japan – – A San Antonio native and 2017 Business Careers High School graduate is serving in Japan in the U.S. Navy aboard one of the forward-deployed mine countermeasures ship, USS Chief.
Seaman Luis Correa 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 performing their duties at sea aboard minesweepers assisting in the detection and neutralization of underwater mines. They are also responsible for safe storage, handling and loading of mines for transporting.
Correa is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of San Antonio.
“My boxing coach would work pads with me and always told me to be aware of the random punches that will come when I am not ready or aware. That’s a lesson that has always stuck with me,” said Correa.
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 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.
“I am very proud and happy to be here and getting qualifications, more quals than my peers and that makes me proud,” said Correa. “The Navy has made me more disciplined and pushed me to be more hardworking than I was before I joined the Navy."
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Correa 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 means making your work experiences the best you can for college and the Navy will reward you,” said Correa.
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 performing their duties at sea aboard minesweepers assisting in the detection and neutralization of underwater mines. They are also responsible for safe storage, handling and loading of mines for transporting.
Correa is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of San Antonio.
“My boxing coach would work pads with me and always told me to be aware of the random punches that will come when I am not ready or aware. That’s a lesson that has always stuck with me,” said Correa.
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 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.
“I am very proud and happy to be here and getting qualifications, more quals than my peers and that makes me proud,” said Correa. “The Navy has made me more disciplined and pushed me to be more hardworking than I was before I joined the Navy."
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Correa 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 means making your work experiences the best you can for college and the Navy will reward you,” said Correa.
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.