By Lt. Jake Joy, Navy Office of Community Outreach
YOKOSUKA, Japan – Fireman Apprentice Dylan Edwards, a native of New Braunfels, Texas, wanted to further his education, so he chose to use service to his country to take classes and avoid student debt.
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| Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward |
“We’re real tight aboard the ship, everyone knows each other, everyone lends a helping hand when you need it, and at the end of the day, everyone's family,” said Edwards.
Edwards, a 2017 graduate of New Braunfels High School, is a machinist's mate aboard the Yokosuka, Japan-based ship, one of three cruisers forward-deployed to the region.
“I’m making sure the ship’s machinery - HVAC, fresh water – making sure all of it is up and running,” said Edwards.
Edwards credits part of his success in the Navy to lessons learned in New Braunfels.
“Work hard, don't stop until the job is done and stay positive,” said Edwards.
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.
“Japan is different,” Edwards said. “We work a lot harder than most, and the experience of living in Japan is very unique. I've never lived in a different country before. There's new food, new people, new language. It's great.”
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 Yokosuka 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."
A Navy cruiser is a multi-mission ship that can operate independently or as part of a larger group of ships at sea. The ship is equipped with a vertical launching system, tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, guns, and a phalanx close-in weapons system.
Approximately 300 men and women serve aboard the ship. Their jobs are highly specialized and keep each part of the cruiser running smoothly, according to Navy officials. They do everything from maintaining gas turbine engines and operating the highly sophisticated Aegis weapons system to driving the ship and operating small boats.
Serving in the Navy means Edwards 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. Edwards is most proud of earned two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals in his first seven months aboard.
“Earning that recognition has blown my mind,” he said. “I've talked to people who didn't get any awards after being in the Navy for five or more years. I earned the first one when I stayed up 36 hours straight to rebuild broken HVACs. The second was during one of our critical ship inspections, one of the inspectors gave me a shout out for really knowing my stuff and doing a good job.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Edwards 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 really helps you grow up and kind of find out who you are and what you want to do with your life,” Edwards said. “If you still don't know, hey, at least you've got a job.”