Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown
NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN – Lt. Brett Beeson, a Lynchburg, Virginia, native, joined the Navy to continue a family tradition of service.
“My grandfather and my uncle both attended the Naval Academy,” said Beeson. “I wanted to follow in their footsteps. I was not prepared to ask someone else to do something I was not willing to do, this is why I chose to serve.”
Now, five years later and half a world away at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Beeson serves at U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) / U.S. 5th fleet.
“The most interesting part of serving in this area is noticing the similaries between people back home and the people who live in Bahrain,” said Beeson.
Beeson, a graduate of Virginia Episcopal School, is a staff officer at U.S. 5th Fleet, headquartered in Manama, Bahrain.
“My primary responsibility is coordinating ship schedules for independent deployers,” said Beeson.
Beeson credits success at U.S. 5th Fleet, and in the Navy, to many of the lessons learned in Lynchburg.
“I would say that perseverance is the biggest lesson I have applied to my Navy career," said Beeson. “It is tough being away from your family for long periods of time and being with different cultures.”
U.S. 5th Fleet directs naval operations to ensure maritime security and stability in the Central Region, which connects the Mediterranean Sea and Pacific Ocean through the western Indian Ocean. They work with partner nations to ensure freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in international waterways.
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. This expanse, comprised of 20 countries, includes three critical choke points; the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.
Serving in the Navy means Beeson 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 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, Beeson is most proud of publishing a children’s book, “Of Course It Hurts.”
“I used pictures taken from my travels through Tanzania and Nepal to create a book for kids about perseverance and working through tough times and accepting moments of grief with compassion,” said Beeson. “It is due to be published this summer. It incorporates a lot of lessons I had to learn, and compassion I wish I took to heart when I was younger. I hope that it helps kids learn to accept themselves as they are. I feel this message is not out there enough.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Beeson and other Sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
Now, five years later and half a world away at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Beeson serves at U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) / U.S. 5th fleet.
“The most interesting part of serving in this area is noticing the similaries between people back home and the people who live in Bahrain,” said Beeson.
Beeson, a graduate of Virginia Episcopal School, is a staff officer at U.S. 5th Fleet, headquartered in Manama, Bahrain.
“My primary responsibility is coordinating ship schedules for independent deployers,” said Beeson.
Beeson credits success at U.S. 5th Fleet, and in the Navy, to many of the lessons learned in Lynchburg.
“I would say that perseverance is the biggest lesson I have applied to my Navy career," said Beeson. “It is tough being away from your family for long periods of time and being with different cultures.”
U.S. 5th Fleet directs naval operations to ensure maritime security and stability in the Central Region, which connects the Mediterranean Sea and Pacific Ocean through the western Indian Ocean. They work with partner nations to ensure freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in international waterways.
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. This expanse, comprised of 20 countries, includes three critical choke points; the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.
Serving in the Navy means Beeson 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 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, Beeson is most proud of publishing a children’s book, “Of Course It Hurts.”
“I used pictures taken from my travels through Tanzania and Nepal to create a book for kids about perseverance and working through tough times and accepting moments of grief with compassion,” said Beeson. “It is due to be published this summer. It incorporates a lot of lessons I had to learn, and compassion I wish I took to heart when I was younger. I hope that it helps kids learn to accept themselves as they are. I feel this message is not out there enough.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Beeson and other Sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.