SASEBO, Japan – Petty Officer 3rd Class Kenny Monzalvo, a native of Henryville, Indiana, knew he wanted a future in information technology, but was finding difficulty in securing a related job fresh out of high school. When his best friend decided to join the U.S. Navy, he said it inspired him to follow suit in the pursuit of his career goals.
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| Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward |
“It's very busy,” Monzalvo said. “There's a lot of things going on that everyone's taking part in. Real world exercises, drills, more than 600 Marines onboard when you go underway, there's always something new.”
Monzalvo, a 2016 graduate of Henryville High School, is an operations specialist aboard the forward-deployed amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay in Sasebo, Japan.
“I handle ship navigation and surface tracking,” he said. “I’m just getting started into the rate now, really getting hands on in the coming year and I’m looking forward to learning a lot more about the job.”
Monzalvo credits some success in the Navy to lessons learned in Henryville.
“I learned that patience is very important,” he said. “I learned that pretty well growing up, and it's helped a lot dealing with how the Navy works.”
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 a lot of action in 7th Fleet,” he said. “There's a lot happening. It's pretty fun, being in Japan. It's new and you see a lot of different things.”
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 Monzalvo 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. Monzalvo is proud of sticking it out through recruit training and getting started out to sea.
“I've already learned a lot of life lessons and gotten a lot of experience I don't think I would have gotten anywhere else,” said Monzalvo.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Monzalvo and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“It makes my parents happy and proud, and that makes me happy and proud,” he said. “They're satisfied with what I'm doing with my life, and I'm doing really well after high school. I wouldn't have it any other way.”