SASEBO, Japan – Petty Officer 2nd Class Ricardo Soto, a native of El Paso, Texas, said he wanted to see the world and earn college benefits. He thought service in the U.S. Navy was the way to do it.
“I just wanted to broaden my horizons,” he said. Now, seven years later and half a world away, Soto serves aboard one of the Navy’s most advanced amphibious ships at Fleet Activities Sasebo, patrolling one of the world’s busiest maritime regions as part of U.S. 7th Fleet.
“It's challenging, but you learn something new every day,” he said. “You become better and it becomes easier. It's a growing experience. You get to know yourself a lot more with the challenges that come up and the way you deal with them.”
Soto, a 2009 graduate of Riverside High School, is an intelligence specialist aboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Wasp in Sasebo, Japan.
“I’m part of the work center that deals with satellite imagery and produces intelligence products,” said Soto.
Soto credits some success in the Navy to lessons learned in El Paso.
“You have to have faith in people and look deeper than the surface level,” he said. “There's a lot of problems you can't solve if you don't get to know people first.”
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.
“It’s interesting, being exposed to the Japanese culture and others through all the port visits, just seeing how other people live,” Soto said. “We’re right at the forefront of Navy policy and needs in the Pacific.”
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 Sasebo 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."
Wasp, one of the Navy's most advanced amphibious ships, is designed to deliver Marines and their equipment where they are needed to support a variety of missions ranging from amphibious assaults to humanitarian relief efforts.
Sailors' jobs are highly varied aboard USS Wasp. More than 1,000 men and women make up the ship's crew, which keeps all parts of the ship running smoothly, from handling weapons to maintaining the engines. An additional 1,200 Marines can be embarked. USS Wasp is capable of transporting Marines and landing them where they are needed using helicopters, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and other water-to-shore landing craft.
These ships support missions from sea to shore, special operations and other warfare missions. They also serve as secondary aviation platforms. Because of their inherent capabilities, these ships have been and will continue to be called upon to support humanitarian and other contingency missions on short notice, according to Navy officials.
Serving in the Navy means Soto 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. Soto was glad to help his crew support hurricane relief efforts.
“I worked to help find places for helicopter landings to bring relief supplies,” he said. “It actually felt impactful, like I was making a difference.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Soto and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“If you want to give back to your country, this is a really good way to do it,” he said. “You feel like you're actually representing and accomplishing something, unlike some other generic jobs. Every time you tell people what you do, you're actually proud to say it.”