YOKOSUKA, Japan – Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Sodano, a native of Thomaston, Connecticut, earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and joined to Navy to learn more about electrical engineering.
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| Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward |
“It's pretty fast paced, especially in Yokosuka,” Sodano said. “The operational tempo is high because of where we're positioned in the world. We're near a lot of potential adversaries. The ship has a big requirement to fill the Navy's needs, particularly in the South China Sea.”
Sodano, a 2012 graduate of Thomaston High School, is a gas turbine systems technician (electrical) aboard the Yokosuka, Japan-based ship, one of several in its class forward-deployed to the region.
“I’m working on gas turbine engines, fixing discrepancies, and taking care of damage control equipment,” he said, noting he’s also one of two search and rescue swimmers on board.
Sodano credits success in the Navy to lessons learned since trekking out from Thomaston.
“I always wanted to join the military, ever since I was young,” Sodano said. “I chose the Navy because of the travel opportunities. Also, I've always been good at problem solving. Here in the Navy, especially in engineering, you have to be a good problem solver.”
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.
“You definitely get to explore a different kind of lifestyle here, where the people are very friendly,” he said. “It's a different kind of environment, you can see a lot of places.”
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."
Destroyers are warships that provide multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities. They are 510 feet long and armed with tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, Standard Missile-3 and newer variants of the SM missile family, advanced gun systems and close-in gun systems.
Destroyers are deployed globally and can operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, or amphibious readiness groups. Their presence helps the Navy control the sea. Sea control is the precondition for everything else the Navy does. It cannot project power, secure the commons, deter aggression, or assure allies without the ability to control the seas when and where desired.
John S. McCain has anti-aircraft capability armed with long range missiles intended for air defense to counter the threat to friendly forces posed by manned aircraft, anti-ship, cruise and tactical ballistic missiles.
Serving in the Navy means Sodano 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. Sodano is most proud of his recent selection to become a surface warfare officer and becoming a search and rescue swimmer.
“It was difficult, and making it through that course lets you prove to yourself that you can make it through hardship,” Sodano said. “It's pretty cool, because you get to be active and have a great side job on the destroyer.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Sodano and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs.
“There's a lot of skills you can learn here that will translate to the civilian world, especially in my career field, and you can make some pretty good money at it,” he said. “Anywhere from helicopters to airplanes, generators, you can learn to work on all these types of engines.”