YOKOSUKA, Japan – Seaman Kayla Lozadalugo, a native of Newark, New Jersey, needed to find a way to pay for school, and wanted to set an example for her younger sister. She decided the U.S. Navy was the way to do both.
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| Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward |
“It’s interesting here,” she said. “People are friendly. It's like family, people take care of each other. Everyone kind of mingles.”
Lozadalugo, a 2018 graduate of Great Oaks Legacy Charter High School, is trying to become a boatswain's mate aboard the Yokosuka, Japan-based ship, one of three cruisers forward-deployed to the region, where she handles a variety of roles for the deck department.
“My job depends on what needs to be done,” she said. “Getting rid of rust, priming and painting to keep the ship from corroding, it's not bad, it keeps you busy.”
Lozadalugo credits part of her success in the Navy to lessons learned since trekking off from Newark.
“I've got a sense of responsibility now,” she said. “No one's going to hold my hand. I have to make sure I'm doing what I'm supposed to do and help others. I'm open to doing more work.”
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 wasn’t my first choice, but it's not that bad,” Lozadalugo said. “The cultural differences can be confusing, but it’s good.”
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 Lozadalugo 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. Lozadalugo is satisfied that she’s growing up and becoming something her little sister can look up to.
“My sister is proud of me, she tells everyone,” she said. “Even though she's only nine, she's like ‘oh, I'm going to do what my sister does.’ So as long as I'm keeping her happy, I'm good, I feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Lozadalugo and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“I tell my friends, yeah, you're serving, but you're with people who care about each other and you all have the same goals and you're there for one another,” she said. “From movies, I thought it was just going to be strict, strict, strict. It is, but it's more family friendly than I thought it would be. If you're worried about being away from your family at home, it's okay, because here, it's like you have another family.”