YOKOSUKA, Japan – Ensign David Williams, a native of Sagamore Hills, Ohio, said his family has a tradition of military service stretching all the way back to King Phillip's War, so he decided to serve as well.
 |
| Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward |
Now, just a year later and half a world away, Williams serves aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville, patrolling one of the world’s busiest maritime regions as part of the leading-edge of U.S. 7th Fleet.
“It’s busy,” he said. “When you're up on the bridge, it's wonderful to see weird things, like on the South China Sea, the water was so flat you would see other ships in the distance and it looks like they're floating. Driving the ship is the best. Working in an environment where you’re on the precipice of international politics is interesting.”
Williams, a 2013 graduate of Nordonia High School, is a surface warfare officer aboard the Yokosuka, Japan-based ship, one of three cruisers forward-deployed to the region. As the combat electronics officer, he’s responsible for more than a thousand pieces of equipment throughout the ship, including the navigation and communications systems.
Williams credits part of his success in the Navy to lessons learned in Sagamore Hills.
“Boy Scouting helped me learn how to be prepared for the unexpected,” he said. “Since stuff always pops up here at the last second, the Scouts helped me to grasp that and understand at a young age that there's things you just cant control.”
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.
“Our mission is very dependent on the geopolitics going on in this region,” Williams said. “We're here to reinforce the mission and goals of our country. Those plans can change at any time. We deal with the Chinese quite a bit.”
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 Williams 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. Williams is most proud of earning his surface warfare officer qualification.
“To earn it, you have to handle everything from your day-to-day job, plus learning the skills you need to be an officer – it’s essentially two years of grinding to learn everything you need to be a good surface officer and be ready to fight for the ship,” he said. “You have to somehow find extra time in your schedule to get that done.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Williams 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 a good place to learn,” Williams said. “You can easily transition the skills you learn over to civilian life and you’re developing work ethic. You also get a ticket to Japan, which can turn every weekend into a vacation, compared to sitting back home."