SASEBO, Japan – Petty Officer 3rd Class Dawnmarie Laing, a native of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, was in ROTC in high school and was influenced by other ROTC instructors and members. They exhibited the discipline and comraderie that she was drawn to.
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| Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward |
“The ship is very fast-paced, you have to know your job inside and out, no one else will do your job for you,” said Laing.
Laing, a 2018 graduate of Fort Lauderdale High School, is a yeoman aboard the forward-deployed amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay in Sasebo, Japan.
“I'm an administrative secretary so my main jobs are writing correspondence, instructions and awards for different divisions on the ship,” said Laing. “I’m also a secretary for the diversity counsel on board. It’s a good thing to be a part of because we make sure people are taken care of.”
Laing credits some success in the Navy to lessons learned in Ft. Lauderdale.
“My mom taught me a lot growing up,” said Laing. “Should would tell me that I am the only one who can limit myself to what I can and can’t do. I was taught to know that I can succeed at anything if I put my mind to it, to never give up. I was also taught to do things through Christ.”
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.
“We get to visit a lot of different countries, the different experiences we have from these countries is great,” said Laing. “Working on the ship is cool because we are with the same people every day so you grow closer with your shipmates. It’s a small ship so it has that tight-knit community feel here,” said Laing.
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 Laing 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. Laing is most proud of graduating in the top five of her law magnet program in high school.
“I want to get into law in the future,” said Laing. “It’s always been a dream of mine.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Laing and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“I feel like serving in the Navy that I’m being held to a higher standard,” said Laing. “I feel honored to be in the Navy.”