SASEBO, Japan – Seaman Ueldiv Ortiz, a native of El Paso, Texas, said he saw how his father’s service in the Army had contributed to the quality of life he grew up enjoying.
“It was because of his sacrifice,” Ortiz said. “I wanted to do the same.”
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| Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward |
“It’s busy and interesting,” he said. “We do a lot of operations, it's a steep learning curve.”
Ortiz, a 2012 graduate of El Dorado High School, is an operations specialist aboard the forward-deployed amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay in Sasebo, Japan, where he credits some of his success in the fleet to lessons learned in El Paso.
“I learned how to deal with people,” Ortiz said. “You don't always get a good attitude from them, but you've got to keep yourself cool, calm and collected. You setting that example sometimes brings out the best in others. That lesson stayed with me ever since my first job.”
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.
“You get to see another culture,” Ortiz said. “The differences in culture are immense. You get to see how people interact together from both sides, and it's in a location where we're both comfortable with each other, so it's easy to do.”
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 Ortiz 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. Ortiz is proud that just two weeks after arriving at the ship, he helped play a role in saving lives during an emergency flight deck crash response.
“We helped rescue 27 passengers with our fast action,” he said. “I was hands on during the operation. It was an intense moment, as soon as I came to the ship. It was like a slap in the face.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Ortiz and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“Before you join, you take for granted what other people sacrifice for you as a civilian,” he said. “Once you join, you get the pride of feeling like you're doing it for someone else.”