YOKOSUKA, Japan – Petty Officer 3rd Class Mohammed Shoyeb, a native of Bronx, New York, had a close friend from high school who joined the Navy, and it compelled him to give service a shot, too.
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| Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward |
Now, just a year later and half a world away, Shoyeb serves aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville, patrolling one of the world’s busiest maritime regions as part of the leading-edge of U.S. 7th Fleet.
“It’s very dynamic here, always changing,” he said. “You have to learn to adapt fast.”
Shoyeb, a 2016 graduate of Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School, is an operations specialist aboard the Yokosuka, Japan-based ship, one of three cruisers forward-deployed to the region.
“Underway, I monitor radar to keep a clear picture so the ship is able to safely navigate through all conditions,” he said.
Shoyeb credits part of his success in the Navy to lessons learned since leaving the Bronx.
“Perseverance - the Navy has definitely instilled that in me,” Shoyeb said. “You always have to expect something new around the corner. The mission doesn't stop. The job doesn't have a clock in or clock out. You have to expect there will be something after the thing you're trying to finish.”
U.S. 7th Fleet spans more than 124 million square kilometers, stretching from the International Date Line to the India/Pakistan border; and from the Kuril Islands in the North to the Antarctic in the South. U.S. 7th Fleet's area of operations encompasses 36 maritime countries and 50 percent of the world’s population with between 50-70 U.S. ships and submarines, 140 aircraft, and approximately 20,000 sailors.
“There’s great people here and there’s a good relationship between us and the locals,” Shoyeb said. “They understand and respect what we do for them, and we appreciate that a lot, especially since we're far from home.”
With more than 50 percent of the world's shipping tonnage and a third of the world's crude oil passing through the region, the United States has historic and enduring interests in this part of the world. The Navy's presence in Yokosuka is part of that long-standing commitment.
"The Navy is forward-deployed to provide security and strengthen relationships in a free and open Indo-Pacific. It's not just the ships and aircraft that have shown up to prevent conflict and promote peace," said Vice Adm. Phil Sawyer, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. "It is, and will continue to be our people who define the role our Navy plays around the world. People who've made a choice, and have the will and strength of character to make a difference."
A Navy cruiser is a multi-mission ship that can operate independently or as part of a larger group of ships at sea. The ship is equipped with a vertical launching system, tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, guns, and a phalanx close-in weapons system.
Approximately 300 men and women serve aboard the ship. Their jobs are highly specialized and keep each part of the cruiser running smoothly, according to Navy officials. They do everything from maintaining gas turbine engines and operating the highly sophisticated Aegis weapons system to driving the ship and operating small boats.
Serving in the Navy means Shoyeb 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.”
There are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career. Shoyeb is most proud of his role in conducting the Navy’s Freedom of Operation mission to ensure the free passage of ships on international waters.
“Taking part in that mission feels like that's something you'll be reading about in the history of the Navy later, like you're a part of something significant,” said Shoyeb.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Shoyeb and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“I’m here just giving back and providing service for the nation as a whole,” he said.