SASEBO, Japan – Airman Recruit Roberto Hernandez, a native of El Paso, Texas, said he joined the U.S. Navy “to set a future for myself and to better myself as a person.”
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| Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward |
“It's interesting,” he said. “There's a lot of action going on, especially underway. Always helicopters coming in. I direct aircraft and help them land safely. It's fun.”
Hernandez, a 2018 graduate of Canutillo High School, is an aviation boatswain's mate (handling) aboard the forward-deployed amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay in Sasebo, Japan.
“I’m making sure aircraft are where they're supposed to be on the flight deck,” he said. “I move aircraft to where they need to be to take off and ensure the air space is clear.”
Hernandez credits some of his success in the Navy to lessons learned in El Paso.
“I learned how to be more independent as a person,” he said. “My parents taught me to do things on my own.”
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.
“Being away from home, in Japan, is a huge culture shock,” Hernandez said. “At the same time, it's interesting to learn and it opens my eyes to what the world has to offer.”
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."
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.
Sailors’ jobs are highly varied aboard Green Bay. More than 400 men and women make up the ship's crew, which keeps all parts of the ship running smoothly, from handling weaponry to maintaining the engines. An additional 700 Marines can be embarked. Green Bay is capable of transporting Marines and landing them where they are needed using helicopters, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and other water-to-shore craft.
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.
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. Hernandez is most proud of graduating high school and choosing a path to his future.
“I can do anything I set my mind to if I try,” he said. “It got my motivation up.”
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.
“If you serve, make sure it's for the right purpose,” he said. “Make sure your mind is set. The military isn't for everybody. You've just got to strive to be your best.”