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As you might imagine, telling a group of Sailors that you will be spraying them in the face with oleoresin capsicum, known as “OC spray”, before they are expected to fight their way through a training course of adversaries is not easy.
For Master-at-Arms 1st Class Charles Tucker, stationed aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), he does it with the natural ease of a subject matter expert who is knowledgeable and motivated to ensure the safety of not only the Sailors he trains, but the crew and ship as well.
Tucker, who has now been in the Navy for 13 years says it wasn’t that long ago when he was back in his hometown of Phoenix, Ariz., getting the news that his best friend enlisted into the delayed entry program of the Navy.
“My best friend enlisted at the end of his junior year at North Canyon High School, where we both attended,” said Tucker. “I knew I wanted to serve in the military, so I joined as a referral under him at the end of my junior year.”
Tucker graduated high school in 2004 and headed off to Recruit Training Command at Great Lakes, Ill.
He was drawn to the Master-at Arms rating, which he says he wouldn’t call a “surface rating” so much as it is an everywhere rating.
“I can go anywhere the Navy goes,” said Tucker. “I think what really drew me into my rating was the ability to be world-wide assignable as well as the variety of mission sets I could train into.”
Tucker shared that he believes a lot of people outside of the Navy might be surprised to learn the different mission sets his job involves, from collecting urine samples for drug testing, to managing a laser safety program aboard the ship.
“Yes, it might be surprising for some to learn my job entails training Sailors to carry out Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection missions and standing machine gun watches to conducting maintenance on ship board equipment,” said Tucker. “Another thing people are sometimes puzzled about is the fact that I have spent more time deployed on the ground than I have at sea.”
For Tucker, he says while it may be unusual to be a Sailor with more boots on the ground experience than out to sea, he has been fortunate enough during that time to do things and go places most of the population will never be able to.
“I met then Presidential candidate John McCain at the Presidential Palace in Afghanistan while working in a personal security detachment,” said Tucker. “I’ve met the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, stood guard in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, attended Fleet Week in New York City three times and so many other things I would never have been able to do if I hadn’t joined”
Tucker explained that he has learned a few lessons during his time in the Navy and one of them is what makes a good leader.
“I think a good leader has to be flexible and mentally tough,” said Tucker. “Things change around you constantly, and I feel you need to be able to operate through those events in order to accomplish your goals.”
Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Jenna Shafer, a native of Fredericksburg, Va., says Tucker has inspired her to want to take a closer look at more security training after completing her recent reaction force team member training.
“It was a very well done class,” said Shafer. “It is a difficult subject to teach, but he made it fun and made me confident and excited to be a part of the security force aboard Bataan.”
Tucker said his job also calls for the mentoring of junior Sailors and Marines in many aspects of military service and life in general. The advice he has for them is simple.
“Stay positive,” said Tucker. “Learn something from everyone, good or bad. Everyone will teach you something.”
Bataan and its ready group are currently deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of maritime security operations to reassure allies and partners, and preserve the freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in the region.
| Date Taken: | 08.06.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 08.06.2017 03:28 |
| Story ID: | 243905 |
| Location: | PHOENIX, AZ, U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY |
| Web Views: | 217 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Bataan Master-at-Arms: More Than Just A Surface Rate, by PO2 Mutis A Capizzi, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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