Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Mutis A Capizzi | 170126-N-HP188-071 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (January 26, 2017) Logistics...... read more read more
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Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Bill Bonner he is a part of team that keeps air operations possible on the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5).
As the assistant leading petty officer (ALPO) for the Aviation Support (S-6) division of Supply Department, it is Bonner’s job to make sure that the embarked squadrons, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 26 and Marine Medium Tiltrotor 365 (Reinforced) have the parts and equipment they need to maintain the high operational tempo the Bataan conducts daily.
“The primary job of S-6 is to make sure the aircraft is flying,” said Bonner. “We expedite parts and whatever else the aircraft need to the ship, to issue to the squadrons attached to Bataan. We take care of Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Division (AIMD), 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 26.”
Bonner, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, has learned a lot of life lessons since the time he graduated from Shore High School in Cleveland and enlisted into the Navy at the age of 24 in 2010.
“The biggest lesson I learned from being in the Navy and specifically on Bataan is the importance of using your time wisely,” said Bonner. “There are a lot of qualifications you can get here. There are various platforms here; you can get your aviation, surface, and/or information enlisted warfare pins and it is rare to have the opportunity to complete all three at one command. I definitely used my time here to ensure I leave with all three of those pins.”
Bonner arrived at Bataan, his second command, in October of 2012 as a Third Class Petty Officer and jumped right into preparations for his first deployment in 2014.
“The most significant memories I have from that deployment are the liberty ports we were able to visit,” said Bonner. “While we didn’t get to hit many ports early on in the deployment; however, toward the end, what we did and it was fun. We got to go on a lot of tours. I was able to see countries that I would probably never get to see or even dreamed of going to if not for the Navy and my time here on Bataan.”
Bonner went on to say that the liberty ports balanced out the high tempo of operations during deployment and he learned a great deal from his experience overseas. He added that from his time here, he has grown and went from a frocked Third Class Petty Officer to a Second Class Petty Officer and just this March was able to take the First Class Petty Officer exam.
“My advice to junior Sailors coming onboard is don’t be afraid to stick out of the crowd in a good way,” said Bonner. “Someone is always watching you on the ship, so don’t get lost in the crowd. Once you get lost in the crowd, that’s when you start to fall by the wayside and you might make wrong decisions on the ship that might hinder your career. You want to make sure you get all the qualifications that you can.”
Bonner said his advice for deployment is to make sure to take advantage of tours. He believes the tours are made available to help Sailors experience the world.
Bonner is turning over his ALPO position as well as training the new administrator for the Naval Aviation Logistics Command Management Information System (NALCOMIS), the system that provides the capability to manage maintenance and supply functions. Soon he will transfer from Bataan to attend a follow on technical school and report to his new command, Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center in Maryland. He said he is excited for the next chapter in his naval career and treasures his time here on Bataan, the mightiest warship in the Atlantic Fleet.
| Date Taken: | 04.13.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 04.13.2017 12:48 |
| Story ID: | 230259 |
| Location: | AT SEA |
| Hometown: | CLEVELAND, OH, US |
| Web Views: | 170 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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