Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown
NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN – Seaman Kathleen Sloan, a Tampa, Florida, native, joined the Navy to take care of her family.
Sloan, a Hillsborough graduate of Hillsborough High School, is an intelligence specialist at U.S. 5th Fleet, headquartered in Manama, Bahrain.
“As an intelligence specialist, I ensure the commander and all personnel are informed of anything going on,” said Sloan.
Sloan credits success at U.S. 5th Fleet, and in the Navy, to many of the lessons learned in Tampa.
“Growing up in Florida gave me the opportunity to be surrounded by different cultures and people of different backgrounds,” said Sloan. "That has helped me transition into serving in such a diverse Navy.”
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.
“I enjoy the weather, and the different cultural aspects of serving in Bahrain,” said Sloan. “Being surrounded by officers and interacting with them on a day-to-day basis is rewarding as well. Not everyone gets the opportunity to do this.”
Serving in the Navy means Sloan 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, Sloan is most proud of being nominated for Junior Sailor of the Quarter, Second Quarter 2019.
“This is great because of my work ethic speaking for itself, I am known and respected,” said Sloan.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Sloan and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“I am actually responsible for my accomplishments and taking charge of my life while making sure my family will always be taken care of,” said Sloan. “This gives them something to be proud of.”