Dinuba, CA Sailor Supports U.S. Navy Mission in Far-East Theater

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Gabriel Weber | 191027-N-NT769-002 MINNEAPOLIS (Oct. 27, 2019) - Hull Technician 2nd Class Ricardo Santillan, a resident of Dinuba, CA, outside the Navy Operational Support Center Minneapolis. Santillan is assigned to Navy Reserve, Commander Naval Forces Japan Headquarters, a 171-member Navy Reserve unit supporting the U.S. Navy's shore installations in Japan, Singapore and Diego Garcia. (Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Gabriel S. Weber/Released)  

MINNEAPOLIS, MN, UNITED STATES

10.27.2019

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Gabriel Weber 

Navy Reserve, Commander Naval Forces Japan, Headquarters

At a small Navy Reserve facility in Minneapolis, Petty Officer 2nd Class Ricardo Santillan, a resident of Dinuba, California, is one of more than 170 U.S. Navy sailors who gathered to support their parent command, a major Navy unit nearly 6,000 miles away, Oct. 24-27.

These sailors, assigned to Navy Reserve, Commander Naval Forces Japan (NR CNFJ) Headquarters, are the Reserve force supporting the U.S. Navy’s shore installations in Japan, Singapore and Diego Garcia. The Far-East Security Symposium (FESS), is a four-day event conducted by NR CNFJ to sharpen the unit’s ability to support the active-duty component.

“FESS is an opportunity for us,” said Capt. Dinis Pimentel, NR CNFJ’s commanding officer. “It allows us to gather our sailors under one roof and focus on building the knowledge and skills each individual needs to accomplish our mission.”

Sailors assigned to NR CNFJ provide essential support to their active-duty counterparts in Japan, fulfilling critical manpower needs for exercises with other U.S. military branches and partner nations.

To prepare for this, FESS attendees participate in training scenarios designed to mimic the real-world events they respond to in the Japan region.

“I learned how important our jobs are as Reservists,” said Santillan, a hull technician, “and how much of an asset we are for the installations in Japan.”

In addition to the training, FESS provides sailors like Santillan the opportunity to explore the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and a valuable opportunity to interact with their fellow sailors from across the nation.

“The training scenarios are quite fun,” Santillan said. “It’s a great learning opportunity, but it’s also a chance for us to work together as a team.”

“The training is crucial, but building those professional relationships also pays dividends when we deploy as a group to support the U.S. Navy’s mission in the Japan region,” added Pimentel.

For more news from Commander Naval Forces Japan, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/cnfj.
For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy, or http://www.twitter.socm/usnavy.

• Date Taken: 10.27.2019
• Date Posted: 10.28.2019 10:13
• Story ID: 349442
• Location: MINNEAPOLIS, MN, US
• Hometown: DINUBA, CA, US