Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexandria Esteban | 250609-N-CV021-1025 Sonar Technician (Surface) 3rd Class Aaliyah Kroening, from...... read more read more
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SOUTH CHINA SEA (July 10, 2025) An Augusta, Georgia native and 2022 graduate of Cross Creek High School is serving aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer John Finn (DDG 113), which is forward-deployed to the Indo-Pacific and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Aaliyah Kroening is a Sonar Technician (Surface). According to Kroening, Sonar Technicians take the sounds from the water surrounding the ship and they analyze all the characteristics of the vessels within range. This allows them to classify what certain objects are and helps them determine whether they are friendly, foe, or neutral.
“The militaries of the world have done a major shift in the ways of fighting,” Kroening explained. “Anti-Submarine Warfare has become a vital part of the Navy’s mission due to the advancement of Russian and Chinese submarines. They are getting quieter and able to travel further than before. Their capabilities are increasing so being a good Sonar Technician and having a good team to hunt and find these subs are important in knowing where they are in the world and their intent. It helps maintain a free and open ocean.”
Kroening was selected as John Finn’s Bluejacket of the Quarter for the 3rd quarter of the fiscal-year 2025. In her words, being able to culminate all of her training into real-world scenarios and getting good data gives her knowledge that she can use in training future Sailors.
“I want to continue moving up in rank and learn as much as the Navy will allow,” Kroening said. “I also want to just be able to say I’ve travelled to multiple places and have stories from all over the world.”
Kroening joined the Navy in August 2023. She was assigned to John Finn in April 2024 which is currently stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. This is her first sea command. She has gotten the opportunity to visit the Great Buddha Statue in Kamakura, and she wants to climb Mount Fuji before she is transferred to her next duty station.
“I love being in Japan,” Kroening said. “The food is great. I love trying all different types of ramen. I also enjoy going to the street vendors and seeing the unique food that they serve.”
Kroening expressed her gratitude for her division and her family back at home. Her favorite part about serving aboard John Finn is her division because they make being away from home a lot easier and she has learned a lot from them. According to Kroening, her family is also a big support system in her Naval career, attending her graduations and bragging about her accomplishments every chance they get.
“Being in the military is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Kroening said. “I always wanted to travel outside of Georgia and serve my country. It gave me a way to break out of being stuck in the same place as most of the people I grew up with. You also just meet so many new people and learn so many new things on a day-to-day basis.”
John Finn is forward-deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alexandria Esteban)
| Date Taken: | 07.10.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.17.2025 02:31 |
| Story ID: | 543021 |
| Location: | SOUTH CHINA SEA |
| Hometown: | AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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