MAYPORT, Fla. - Petty Officer 2nd Class Ronaldo Alberts, a native of Brooklyn, New York, is serving aboard USS Jason Dunham, a U.S. Navy warship, operating out of Mayport, Florida.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Bryan Niegel |
Alberts, a 2019 graduate of The High School for Enterprise Business and Technology, joined the Navy three years ago.
“I joined the Navy to see the world, experience different cultures and use my military service as a stepping stone in life,” said Alberts.
Today, Alberts relies upon skills and values similar to those found in Brooklyn to succeed in the military.
“I've learned how to be humbled and how to treat others with respect,” said Alberts. “Growing up in Brooklyn, you also need to know how to read different situations and how to handle them accordingly.”
These lessons have helped Alberts while serving in the Navy.
Jason Dunham is a 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 Jason Dunham. 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.
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."
Serving in the Navy means Alberts is part of a team that is taking on new importance in America’s focus on strengthening alliances, modernizing capabilities, increasing capacities and maintaining military readiness in support of the National Defense Strategy.
“The Navy is a deterrence for anyone who seeks to disrupt our values or inflict harm and terror on the innocent,” said Alberts.
Alberts and the sailors they serve with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.
“My proudest accomplishment in the Navy is making rank and influencing a few of my friends to join to change their lives for the better,” said Alberts. "I received a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for helping three of my friends join the Navy."
As Alberts 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 having financial stability and being able to experience the joy of meeting different people in their walks of life,” said Alberts. "It also gives me real-world experience and the ability to network with others on how to be better than I was yesterday."
Alberts is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to thank my wife, Taja, because I wouldn't be where I am today without her keeping on pushing me to be and do better for myself,” said Alberts.
“I recently bought my first house at the age of 22, which I couldn't ever imagine happening without the help and support from the mentors I've had in the Navy,” added Alberts.