By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Storm Henry, USS Stockdale Public Affairs
MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Chief Petty Officer Jon Browne will return to San Diego from a seven-month deployment serving aboard USS Stockdale, a U.S. Navy warship that recently conducted operations in the Middle East.
“I joined the Navy because I got married and wanted to be able to provide for my new family,” said Browne.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Griffin.
“My dad always told me, ‘As a man, all you have is your word. If you say you are going to do something, do it well,’” Browne said. “This simple saying has helped me succeed in the Navy.”
While on its seven-month deployment, USS Stockdale conducted combat operations against the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden, maintaining free and open sea lanes and regional stability. Stockdale also built continuing relationships with the militaries of Egypt and the Republic of Maldives, important partners of the United States.
“Learning to fight as a team prior to deployment and seeing all that pay off on deployment was rewarding,” Browne said. “We set the bar high and showed the world why America has the best Navy.”
Homeported in San Diego, Stockdale is a guided-missile destroyer and the third U.S. Navy ship named in honor of Vice Adm. James Bond Stockdale, an aviator who was awarded the Medal of Honor based on his service in the Vietnam War, during which time he was a prisoner of war for over seven years.
A Navy 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.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
With 90% 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 recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Browne can take pride in serving America through military service.
“Serving in the Navy means everything,” Browne said. “I've grown as a man, a husband and soon to be father. I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for the Navy.”