SASEBO, Japan – Chief Petty Officer Eduardo Davila, a native of Moore Haven, Florida, decided to join the U.S. Navy together with his best friend. He said they’re still good friends, and his buddy is also a chief in Tampa, where they just recently got together to tell sea stories.
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| Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward |
“It’s a challenging schedule, but it's been rewarding,” he said. “It feels good to lead junior sailors and it's an honor to be with them while forward deployed.”
Davila, a 2005 graduate of Moore Haven Junior Senior High School, is a culinary specialist aboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Wasp in Sasebo, Japan.
“I handle the operation, sanitation and serving of food in the main galley, the chief's mess and bakery,” he said. “I oversee more than 50 culinary specialists in the daily preparation of food on board.”
Davila credits some success in the service to lessons learned in Moore Haven.
“No matter what you do in life, do it to the best of your ability,” he said. “That has helped me greatly in the Navy.”
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.
“Navy history runs deep here,” he said. "To me, that was really an interesting part of being able to serve out here and see those things firsthand. That and the ramen.”
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 Davila 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. Davila is most proud of being selected to work in the personal dining hall of the Secretary of the Navy.
“It was exciting, being able to come from a small town and work my way to the highest echelon of my job,” he said. “It was a very rewarding tour at the Pentagon.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Davila and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“The Navy has a lot of potential benefits and opportunities, like education, travel and learning a trade,” he said. “They just require you to show up on time, work hard and you'll advance and be rewarded. There’s a lot of rewards.”