SAN DIEGO – A Batangas, Philippines, native is serving in the U.S. Navy assigned to ARCO, an ARDM-5-class medium-auxiliary floating drydock used to repair and service the world’s most advanced nuclear-powered submarines.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jesse Hawthorne |
Petty Officer 3rd Class Justin Bandong joined the Navy one years ago.
“My wife is also on active duty and I saw how it changed her life for the better,” Bandong said. “I wanted to follow in her footsteps and I also knew that serving would make me a better person in the process.”
Growing up in Batangas, Bandong attended De La Salle High School and graduated in 2010. Today, Bandong uses the same skills and values learned in Batangas to succeed in the military.
“Respect goes a long way,” Bandong said. “As I was growing up, I learned that you don't just gain respect, you earn it. You earn it through the way you carry yourself and the way you treat other people.”
Known as America’s “Silent Service,” the Navy’s submarine force operates a large fleet of technically advanced vessels. These submarines are capable of conducting rapid defensive and offensive operations around the world, in furtherance of U.S. national security.
There are three basic types of submarines: fast-attack submarines (SSN), ballistic-missile submarines (SSBN) and guided-missile submarines (SSGN).
Fast-attack submarines are designed to hunt down and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships; strike targets ashore with cruise missiles; carry and deliver Navy SEALs; conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions; and engage in mine warfare.
The Navy's ballistic-missile submarines, often referred to as "boomers," serve as a strategic deterrent by providing an undetectable platform for submarine-launched ballistic missiles. SSBNs are designed specifically for stealth, extended patrols and the precise delivery of missiles.
Guided-missile submarines provide the Navy with unprecedented strike and special operation mission capabilities from a stealthy, clandestine platform. Each SSGN is capable of carrying 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles, plus a complement of heavyweight torpedoes to be fired through four torpedo tubes.
As a member of the submarine force, Bandong is part of a rich 120-year history of the U.S. Navy’s most versatile weapons platform, capable of taking the fight to the enemy in the defense of America and its allies.
“The Navy protects the American people and keeps the peace on the seas,” said Bandong.
With more than 90 percent of all trade traveling by sea, and 95 percent of the world’s international phone and internet traffic carried through underwater fiber optic, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity and security of the United States is directly linked to a strong and ready Navy.
“What our undersea forces accomplish every day is vitally important to our nation’s defense,” said Vice Adm. Daryl Caudle, Commander, Submarine Forces. “Our Submarine Force is a critical part of worldwide maritime security, humanitarian assistance operations, and the nation’s advanced nuclear triad. Every day, our submariners are at the tip of the spear, forward deployed and ready - from the depths, we strike!”
As a member of the U.S. Navy, Bandong is gaining unparalleled leadership development experience and technical knowledge, while directly contributing to the Navy’s efforts to protect the homeland and ensure global stability.
“For me, serving in the Navy is about treating everyone with respect and working with those around you to get the job done and becoming a better person,” added Bandong.