Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown
NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN – Petty Officer 2nd Class Eduardo Hernandez, a Miami, Florida, native, wanted to be in the military because of the structure it provides.
“I came from a bigger ship with 1500 personnel and now I am on a ship with only 30 personnel,” said Hernandez. “Patrol ship life is much more enjoyable because we have the opportunity do different jobs.”
Hernandez, a 2012 graduate of Ronald Regan Senior High School, is an engineman aboard the Manama, Bahrain-based ship, one of 10 PCs forward-deployed to the Arabian Gulf in the Navy’s 5th Fleet.
“As an engineman, I provide propulsion and electricity for the ship,” said Hernandez. “Everything runs off of the diesel generators, enginemen maintain the engines, so, without us the ship does not move.”
Hernandez credits success in the coastal patrol force, and in the Navy, to many of the lessons learned in Miami.
“I was working with my dad at a furniture rental store since I was 16, I learned from his work ethic,“ said Hernandez. “I can worked long hours when I need to, and I try to share my knowledge with the guys I work with to help them become better sailors.”
USS Firebolt is 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. Firebolt is 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.
Serving in the Navy means Hernandez 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.
“I’m incredibly proud to serve with each of our Sailors, Coastguardsmen and Marines forward-deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations,” said Rear Admiral Paul Schlise, deputy commander for NAVCENT/ U.S. 5th Fleet. “They represent the very best of our country and serve as volunteers in a complex and dynamic region that’s vital to our security. I am honored to work alongside these warriors.”
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, Hernandez most enjoys being part of a small, tight-knit unit.
“I am proud of working alongside only 30 other people. The camaraderie is family-like,” said Hernandez. “You have to get along with everyone and it is easy with us because our chain of command supports this behavior.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Hernandez and other Sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.