Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Sailor from Concord serving aboard guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy

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Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Chester Gaza. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael H. Lehman.

GULF OF ADEN (Feb. 13, 2020) Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Chester Gaza, from Concord, California, strikes eight bells signifying noon aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60). Normandy is part of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points.

Concord native, Ygnacio Valley High grad serves with “The First and Finest” Naval helicopter strike squadron

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Petty Officer 3rd Class Ahren Aaron. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tim Miller.

By Megan Brown, Navy Office of Community Outreach

SAN DIEGO – As a member of the oldest Maritime Strike Squadron helicopter squadron, Petty Officer 3rd Class Ahren Aaron is a part of a Naval legacy. Aaron is an aviation electrician’s mate who is responsible for maintaining all the electrical components on the aircraft. He is currently serving with of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 71, which supports the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis.

“My favorite part of my job is being able to travel and see new countries,” said Aaron. “My favorite country I have been to, was Japan because I could take a 45-minute train ride to Tokyo every weekend when I was stationed there.”

Aaron is a 2015 Ygnacio Valley High School graduate and native of Concord, California.

According to Aaron, the values required to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Concord.

“Concord taught me to be accepting of people,” said Aaron. “I was born in Northern California and I was exposed to a lot of different cultures. I do take people at face value and accept different cultures.”

With more than 90 percent of all trade traveling by sea, and 95 percent of the world’s international phone and internet traffic carried through fiber optic cables lying on the ocean floor, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity and security of the United States is directly linked to a strong and ready Navy.

Sailors assigned to HSM-71 are a part of history, flying with “Romeo” helicopters, the newest and most advanced in the fleet. Helicopters are equipped with the ability to conduct replenishments at sea, search and rescue missions and support operations.

The members of HSM-71 achieve excellence in military performance and create an example for other squadrons to follow through operational readiness, innovation and weapon development.

HSM-71 sailors play a critical role in supporting the Navy’s aircraft carriers. Aircraft carriers and carrier strike groups remain the centerpiece of our nation’s security strategy, supporting and protecting America’s national interests around the world. Carrier strike groups operate across the entire spectrum of military operations, according to Navy officials.

According to Admiral Mike Gilday, the Chief of Naval Operations, the focus of today’s Navy is squarely on warfighting, warfighters and the capabilities needed for the Navy of the future.

“I am confident we will maximize the Navy we have today while delivering the Navy that our nation will rely upon tomorrow,” said Gilday. “And we will do so with urgency. Our fleet will be a potent, formidable force that competes around the world every day, deterring those who would challenge us while reassuring our allies and partners.”

There are many opportunities for sailors to earn recognition in their command, community and careers. However, Aaron is most proud of making third class petty officer.

“I took a lot of time studying for it and then had to take a placement exam that I passed,” said Aaron.

For Aaron, serving in the Navy is a tradition passed down from generations and one Aaron hopes to continue.

“My dad was in the Navy,” said Aaron. “I joined the Navy because the Navy sat down the morale foundation of how he wanted to be as a man.”

As a member of the U.S. Navy, Aaron , as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a service tradition providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance. Their efforts will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who will follow.

“Serving in the Navy means I am there for my shipmates whenever they need me,” said Aaron.

Walnut Creek sailor serves in Gulf of Aden

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U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael H. Lehman.

GULF OF ADEN (Jan. 3, 2020) Fire Controlman 2nd Class Michael Read, left, from Walnut Creek, Calif., and Fire Controlman 3rd Class Justin Janssen, from Crofton, Neb., perform a routine inspection on the surge antenna of the starboard close-in weapon system aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60). The Normandy is part of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points.

Concord sailor serves aboard U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush

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PORTSMOUTH, Va. (Dec. 20, 2019) Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Rodolfo De Castro III, from Concord, California, discharges a fire extinguisher aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). GHWB is currently in Norfolk Naval Shipyard for its Docking Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA). (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Michael Joseph Flesch)

Navy recognizes sailor from Alamo as a Recruiter of the Year

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SAN ANTONIO – (Dec. 12, 2019) Lt. Jeffrey Underwood (center), of Alamo, Calif., assigned to Navy Recruiting District (NRD) San Antonio was recognized as the NRD’s Active Officer Recruiter of the Year during an annual awards banquet held at the Embassy Suites Landmark. Presenting the awards were (left to right) NRD Command Master Chief Francisco Valdovinos, NRD Commanding Officer Cmdr. Nicholas Gamiz, NRD Chief Recruiter Master Chief Navy Counselor Matthew Maduemesi, and NRD Executive Officer Cmdr. Michael Files. For his meritorious service, Underwood was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. NRD’s area of responsibility includes more than 34 Navy Recruiting Stations and Navy Officer Recruiting Stations spread throughout 144,000 square miles of Central and South Texas territory. (U.S. Navy Photo by Burrell Parmer, Navy Recruiting District San Antonio/Released)

Seaman from Pittsburg serving aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt

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PACIFIC OCEAN (Dec 3, 2019) Seaman Isaiah Peralta, from Pittsburg, Calif., holds the phone and distance line on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) during a replenishment-at-sea Dec. 3, 2019. Theodore Roosevelt is underway conducting routine training in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Airman D.J. Schwartz)

Los Medanos College partners with JFK University to host Olga Custodio, the first Latina U.S. Air Force fighter pilot Tuesday, Sept. 24

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Los Medanos College (LMC) is partnering with John F. Kennedy University (JFKU) to host Olga Custodio, the first Latina to serve as a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force.  The event will be held on Tuesday, September 24, at LMC’s Pittsburg Campus in Room SC-136 (Science Building, first floor); Lt. Col. Custodio’s presentation will be held 4:00 – 5:00 p.m., followed by a reception.  The campus is located at 2700 East Leland Road in Pittsburg.   There is no charge to attend, and guests are asked to RSVP online.

The event, which is part of LMC’s fourth annual Equity Speaker Series, will feature Retired Lt. Colonel Olga Custodio sharing her story of “Passion, Patience & Persistence.”  Custodio was the first Latina to complete military pilot training in the United States Air Force (USAF), graduating in the top five percent of her class, and the first to become a USAF fighter pilot.  She went on to break even more barriers as the first female flight instructor at two major USAF bases, and later as the first Latina commercial pilot for American Airlines.  Living by the mantra, “querer es poder” – loosely translated to “where there’s a will, there’s a way” – Custodio’s perseverance, fighting spirit, leadership abilities, and passion for flying took her where few women have gone before.  Now retired, Lt. Col. Custodio continues to lead and inspire, championing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and motivating women and girls to pursue aviation and male-dominated professions.  She is involved with a number of professional and service organizations, including: Women Military Aviators Association, as an active charter member; Women in Aviation International, as executive director and treasurer of the Alamo City Chapter; the Hispanic Association of Aviation and Aerospace Professionals, as vice president; the Order of Daedalians; and the Daedalian Foundation, as a Trustee.  With her dedication to attracting more women and young people to aviation and STEM careers, she also serves as a mentor with the Aviation Explorers organization in San Antonio and with the School of Aeronautics of the Inter American University in Puerto Rico.

Collaborating on this event expands LMC’s existing partnership with JFKU.  The two institutions have previously partnered on a Student Wellness Program that provides mental health counseling to students at LMC.  In addition to marking Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) Week and National Hispanic Heritage Month, the event with Lt. Col. Custodio reflects the shared commitment of LMC and JFKU – both Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), with undergraduate student enrollment that is at least 25% Hispanic – to providing opportunities and support toward degree completion for Latino/a and minoritized students.  Lt. Col. Custodio’s visit comes on the heels of LMC celebrating its 10-year anniversary of participating in the Mathematics, Engineering, Science & Achievement (MESA) Program, which focuses on helping underserved and underrepresented students achieve success in the STEM workforce.

Questions about this event may be directed to Dr. Sabrina T. Kwist at skwist@losmedanos.edu or (925) 473-7314.

For more information about all of LMC’s Office of Equity & Inclusion, visit https://www.losmedanos.edu/equity.

 

San Ramon native, Cal High grad exemplifies “We Build, We Fight” legacy of U.S. Navy Seabees

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Constructionman Apprentice Sara Harris, U.S. Navy Seabees. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Bradley Gee

By Alvin Plexico, Navy Office of Community Outreach

GULFPORT, Ms. – “We Build, We Fight” has been the motto of the U. S. Navy’s Construction Force, known as the “Seabees,” for more than 75 years. Constructionman Apprentice Sara Harris, a 2017 California High School graduate and native of San Ramon, California, builds and fights around the world as a member of naval construction battalion center located in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Harris is serving as a Navy builder, who is responsible for building and repairing wood structures, working with masonry and concrete, and installing interior finish work.

Harris credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned growing up in San Ramon.

“Growing up San Ramon, I learned how to build things from my dad,” said Harris.

Building in austere environments can be a challenge. Fighting in harsh conditions can also be a challenge. Building in austere environments while fighting in harsh conditions takes a special kind of person with a great deal of perseverance and determination. These are the kinds of people serving here at Gulfport, the home of the Atlantic Fleet Seabees. These are the people who provide crucial support to Seabee units deployed around the world.

The jobs of many of today’s Seabees remained unchanged since World War II, when the Seabees paved the 10,000-mile road to victory for the allies in the Pacific and in Europe, according to Lara Godbille, director of the U. S. Navy Seabee Museum.

For more than 75 years Seabees have served in all American conflicts. They have also supported humanitarian efforts using their construction skills to help communities around the world. They aid following earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters.

Harris is playing an important part in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.

A key element of the Navy the Nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, according to Navy officials, and that the nation’s prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world’s oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world’s population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea.

“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”

Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community and career, Harris is most proud of graduating boot camp.

“It’s the most important accomplishment I’ve had so far,” said Harris.

As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Harris and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.

“It’s exciting to start this career,” added Harris. “I’m having a lot of fun!”