Friday, June 29, 2018

Detroit Native reenlists in U.S. Navy


by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jordan Crouch, CTF-76 Public Affairs

Sasebo, Japan - A 2007 Frank Cody High School graduate and Detroit native recently reenlisted after serving four years in the the U.S. Navy serving aboard USS Pioneer (MCM 9), an Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship, homeported in Sasebo, Japan.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Christian Sims-Faulk (right), a deck mineman, is the major deck equipment operator responsible for administrative matters, training junior sailors in both basic mine sweeping and boatswain's mate skills and leading the Multi-Cultural Committee, as MWR Secretary.

"What I enjoy most about my job is taking taking care of the Sailors and being the one they count on to square away their skills as a deck mineman," he said. "I enjoy teaching junior sailors to lead with integrity and not ego."

When asked what reenlisting in the Navy means to him, Sims-Faulk said, "The Navy gives me a direct way to honor and serve my country which is what I wanted. I have also strengthened a set of personal skills that I can take with me long after my time in the military is over, so I am grateful for that. Reenlisting on a Japanese ship was my way to give a respectable contribution towards positively impacting US and Japanese relations. What better way to show gratitude to my host country than to reenlist onboard a Japanese military vessel? So that’s what I did."

Lt. Cmdr. Robert Wayland, executive officer of Pioneer, praises Petty Officer Sims for staying in the Navy. "Today was a big win for the Navy," he said. "MN2 Sims, a talented Sailor in the mine warfare force, has decided to stay Navy. Even better, PIONEER's sister ship, the Yakushima, was a terrific setting for the ceremony."

USS Pioneer's mission is to clear the ocean bottom and water volume of anti-ship mines. A combination of stealth, endurance, and the latest mine countermeasures technology allows the PIONEER to conduct sustained, full-spectrum, mine countermeasures operations in the world’s critical maritime regions. A product of intense research and unique construction, the PIONEER plays a vital role in America’s enduring objective to maintain uninterrupted access to the world’s strategic waterways.

Serving in the Navy has made Sims-Faulk a better person both professionally and personally.

"The Navy has had a tremendous effect on my life," he said. "I’ve made friends that have become like family. The morals and values instilled in me from the Navy have made me a stronger person and better man overall."

Sims-Faulk graduated from Alabama State University in 2012 with a degree in computer information systems.

His late father, Styron Faulk, was in born in Inkster, Michigan and his mother, Cynthia Sims-Braxton, in Detroit. 

**See links below for additional photos**
https://www.flickr.com/photos/navyoutreach/43094759851/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/navyoutreach/43094787811/in/dateposted-public/