Millington, Tenn.– Petty Officer 3rd Class Mei Rose Manibog, a sailor from Honolulu, Hawaii, is serving aboard USS Mason, a U.S. Navy warship, currently deployed in the Atlantic Ocean participating in the Carrier Strike Group Four Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX). COMPTUEX is an intense, multi-week exercise designed to fully integrate a carrier strike group as a cohesive, multi-mission fighting force and to test its ability to carry out sustained combat operations from the sea.
Manibog, a 2014 graduate of James Campbell High School, joined the Navy three and a half years ago.
“I joined the Navy to take a break from school, to travel the world and meet new people,” said Manibog.
Manibog relies upon skills and values similar to those found in Honolulu to succeed in the military.
“Growing up with my family, especially my parents, under one roof until I was 23 really opened my eyes to how to be a hard worker and to not give up,” said Manibog. “My parents taught me how to start my day from the moment I get out of bed and that's what I do on board."
These lessons have helped Manibog while serving in the Navy.
Today, Manibog serves as a retail services specialist aboard USS Mason.
“As a retail services specialist, I provide essential services to sailors,” said Manibog. “The ship store is almost like owning a small business where I sell items, manage money, keep records and run inventory. I also maintain other services like laundry, vending machines and the barbershop.”
Mason is an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer that provides a wide range of warfighting capabilities. The destroyer 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 tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, guns and a phalanx close-in weapons system.
More than 300 sailors serve aboard Mason. Their jobs are highly specialized, requiring both dedication and skill. The jobs range from maintaining engines to handling weaponry along with a multitude of other assignments that keep the ship mission-ready at all times, according to Navy officials.
“I like being able to see new faces and being able to talk to everyone as I work at the ship’s store,” said Manibog. “I also like being able to be on the bridge as a part of the Visual Information Team. That allows me to record a lot of the cool things I see.”
With 90 percent of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to trained sailors and a strong Navy.
"Our mission remains timeless - to provide our fellow citizens with nothing less than the very best Navy: fully combat ready at all times, focused on warfighting excellence, and committed to superior leadership at every single level," said Adm. Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations. "This is our calling. And I cannot imagine a calling more worthy."
Manibog and the sailors they serve with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.
“I’m very proud of having earned my Enlisted Surface Warfare Qualification as a third-class petty officer,” said Manibog. “I still remember all those long days of studying every day before bed. Now, I can’t wait for deployment to earn my Air Warfare Qualification.”
As Manibog and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the United States Navy.
“Serving in the Navy means being able to work with different people from all over the country and the world,” added Manibog. “It means being able to be a leader at any rank and any level. When it comes to work, I don’t think about ranks. I think about tasks that have to be done and no one is too big or too small to help get the mission done.”