Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson G. Brown
NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN – Chief Petty Officer Robert Andrews, a Beaumont, Texas, native, joined the Navy to see what the world had to offer.
“I have never been stationed on this side of the world,” said Andrews. “This opportunity has given me the chance to see a different culture and a different side of the Navy.”
Andrews, a 1999 graduate of West Brook High School, is a machinist mate with the Manama, Bahrain-based squadron, overseeing 10 cyclone-class coastal patrol ships (PCs) forward-deployed to the Arabian Gulf in the Navy’s 5th Fleet.
“I am responsible for maintaining and operating main propulsion and auxiliary equipment on board the ship,” said Andrews.
Andrews credits success in the coastal patrol force, and in the Navy, to many of the lessons learned in Beaumont.
“My parents taught me the importance of respect and responsibility,” said Andrews. “These principles have helped guide me throughout my naval career.”
PCs are 179 feet long, 25 feet wide and weighs nearly 320 tons. Four diesel engines help push the ship through water at 40 miles per hour. They are perfectly suited for the complex waters of the Arabian Gulf, where over 80 percent of maritime security operations take place in less than 39 feet of water. The ship’s light tonnage, powerful propulsion plants and shallow draft mean it can move nimbly in crowded coastal waters.
This platform is also used to escort larger ships such as destroyers, protect infrastructure like oil platforms and distilling platforms, and frequently participates in exercises with regional partners.
The PCs operate under U.S. 5th Fleet’s Task Force 55, responsible for surface ships in the region. The Navy’s U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of ocean, and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.
“The culture in the middle east is very unique,” said Andrews. “This whole experience has helped me gain a better understanding of the world.”
Serving in the Navy means Andrews is part of a world that is taking on new importance in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.
A key element of the Navy the nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, and that the nation’s prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world’s oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world’s population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea.
“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career, Andrews is most proud of his selection to chief petty officer in 2018.
“In the Navy culture, chief petty officer is one of the highest promotions an enlisted Sailor can achieve,” said Andrews. “It is a big milestone in a Navy career and one I will never forget.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Andrews and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“Being part of the Navy is a very rewarding feeling,” said Andrews. “It means I have an opportunity to serve my country and help shape the future of the Navy.”