Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Toni Burton | INDIAN OCEAN (Nov. 11, 2019) Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Joshua Smith, from...... read more read more
Lumberton, N.C. Native Serves aboard Amphibious Warship Half A World Away
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Toni Burton
Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Toni Burton
INDIAN OCEAN – Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Joshua Smith, a native of Lumberton, North Carolina, joined the United States Navy to be a positive role model for his younger sisters while doing something great for himself.
“I wanted my three little sisters to see that there was more to life then sitting around our hometown,” said Smith. “You can get out, view the world and do something special.”
Half a world away at Fleet Activities Sasebo, Smith serves aboard the Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) as part of the Forward Deployed Naval Force, patrolling one of the world’s busiest maritime regions, the U.S. 7th Fleet.
“Life is very rigorous on the ship,” said Smith, who is currently the leading petty officer of the Chief Petty Officer (CPO) Mess.
“I am responsible to maintain the CPO Mess and such spaces, I have two Food Service Assistants working for me and I’m making sure their meals are the best they could be each and every day,” said Smith.
Smith credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Lumberton.
“I learned to be humble from my parents, and it has pushed me along through my Naval Career,” said Smith. “Being humble, respectful and having manners can take you a long way in life and it has moved me forward working in the CPO Mess.”
Chief Hospital Corpsman Andres Santamaria also credits Smith’s manners and professionalism for his successful in the CPO mess.
“He creates an environment that allows the Chiefs to unwind and overall increases mission effectiveness by giving a large chunk of morale to the senior enlisted on the ship,” said Santamaria. “He owns his craft and make sure the job is done to 100 percent capability every time. CS3 is a professional who takes his leadership role seriously in the Chiefs Mess.”
U.S. 7th Fleet spans more than 124 million square kilometers, stretching from the International Date Line to the India/Pakistan border; and from the Kuril Islands in the North to the Antarctic in the South. U.S. 7th Fleet's area of operations encompasses 36 maritime countries and 50 percent of the world’s population with between 50-70 U.S. ships and submarines, 140 aircraft, and approximately 20,000 Sailors.
“My favorite part about being deployed to the 7th fleet AOR is meeting new people and the port visits,” said Smith. “You are out to sea for two- three weeks and visit some very nice places such as Philippines, Singapore, and India that put a smile on your face for being able to see something different.”
Germantown, part of Commander, Amphibious Squadron 11, is deployed to the Indo-Pacific region to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force for any type of contingency.
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career, Smith is most proud of making Culinary Specialist 3rd Class.
Smith is now, one year and six months into his career, “I was able to make CS3 in a short period of time after coming in as a seaman apprentice,” he said.
Serving on with the Navy-Marine Corps team on Germantown, Smith and other Sailors know they are part of a legacy of services that stretches beyond their lifetimes.
“Serving the Navy mean to a lot to me,” said Smith. “Because it allows me to represent the United States Navy and show my family and friends back at home more to life.”
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| Date Taken: | 11.10.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 11.12.2019 19:49 |
| Story ID: | 351491 |
| Location: | U.S. 7TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY |
| Web Views: | 89 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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