Lakeland, Fla., Native serves aboard USS John S. McCain while conducting operations in the South China Sea

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Markus Castaneda | Machinist Mate 3rd Class Jasmine Booker, from Lakeland, Fla., stands watch in an auxiliary machinery room aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56). McCain is assigned to Destroyer Squadron Fifteen (DESRON 15), the Navy’s largest forward-deployed DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Markus Castaneda)  

SOUTH CHINA SEA

01.05.2021

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Markus Castaneda 

Commander, Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron 15

SOUTH CHINA SEA – A Lakeland, Fla., native and 2019 Tenoroc High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS John S. McCain (DDG 56).

Petty Officer Third Class Jasmine Booker is a machinist mate, or MM, serving aboard John S. McCain, homeported out of Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan.

Machinist mates operate, maintain, and repair ship propulsion machinery, auxiliary equipment and outside machinery such as steering engine, hoisting machinery, food preparation equipment, refrigeration and air conditioning equipment.

“My rate involves a lot of hands-on work and that has to be one of my favorite parts about being a machinist mate,” said Booker. “I enjoy learning new things, learning about how each equipment functions and understanding its purpose.”

Air conditioning and potable water are amenities utilized on a daily basis aboard the ship. Machinist mates do their parts to ensure that these services are always available through thorough and continuous maintenance.

“Maintenance is an important aspect of the job,” said Booker. “Knowing that the equipment we work on has a direct impact to the ship’s daily mission pushes me to keep getting better at my rate.”

With the recent Navy-wide advancement results, Booker was promoted to the rank of Petty Officer Third Class. Being in a supervisory position, Booker welcomes a new challenge in her Naval career.

“I am expected to lead from the front and to perform at an even higher level,” said Booker. “It’s motivating to me. I work very well under pressure. I see it as an opportunity to showcase my talents.”

While on deployment, John S. McCain has contributed to various critical missions in support of regional peace and prosperity. Most recently, John S. McCain transited Peter the Great Bay to conduct a Freedom Navigation operation, upholding the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea recognized in international law by challenging excessive maritime claims.

John S. McCain has also participated in integrated operations with the French Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force where they focused on anti-submarine warfare tactics between the three navies, the Royal Australian Navy and JMSDF for the first phase of Malabar 2021, and transited to the Andaman Sea through the Strait of Malacca with the Royal Australian Navy.

John S. McCain also worked as part of the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group and operated in the South China Sea, East China Sea, Indian Ocean and Philippine Sea.

U.S. 7th Fleet conducts forward-deployed naval operations in support of U.S. national interests in the Indo-Pacific area of operations. As the U.S. Navy’s largest numbered fleet, 7th Fleet interacts with 35 other maritime nations to build partnerships that foster maritime security, promote stability, and prevent conflict.

• Date Taken: 01.05.2021
• Date Posted: 01.05.2021 22:31
• Story ID: 386476
• Location: SOUTH CHINA SEA