YOKOSUKA, Japan – Petty Officer 2nd Class Rafael Balagtas, a native of Riverside, California, knew he wanted to take the road less traveled.
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| Photo By Senior Cheif Petty Officer Gary Ward |
Now, three years later and half a world away, Balagtas serves aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam, patrolling one of the world’s busiest maritime regions as part of the leading-edge of U.S. 7th Fleet.
“This is like a job that’s also my home, and the people I work with here, I look at them as my family,” he said. “I treasure it.”
Balagtas, a 2014 graduate of Leuzinger High School, is a culinary specialist aboard the Yokosuka, Japan-based ship, one of three cruisers forward-deployed to the region.
“I am the galley supervisor, responsible for daily food preparation, feeding 350 sailors every day, overseeing a dozen sailors, making sure watch captains are doing their jobs correctly, and monitoring inventories and purchases,” said Balagtas.
Balagtas credits part of his success in the Navy to lessons learned in Riverside.
“I was raised by a single mother who came from the Philippines,” he said. “Growing up wasn't easy. There were three boys, I'm the oldest, and I had to act like a father figure. I learned from my mom, by how strong she is. She brought us to the states and made our lives so much easier and I looked up to her for that. She helped me learn how to persevere, and it's been a great motivator for me and made my life in the military so much easier.”
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.
“I get to be in a foreign country,” he said. “I really enjoy being out here.”
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 Balagtas 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. Balagtas earned the rank of petty officer second class in only two years.
“I came to this command as an seaman recruit, I’m leaving here as an second class petty officer. Not a lot of people can say that, so I’m pretty proud of that,” he said. “My hard work got me here and I’m proud of those accomplishments.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Balagtas 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 is definitely worth a try if you're looking for something that's different from the real world, it's not like civilian life, you'll never get to experience something like this otherwise,” said Balagtas.