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 WATERS SOUTH OF JAPAN - Throughout history nations have
maintained their thorough control of the seas, from the Royal
British navy that reigned for nearly 300 years, to the Imperial
Japanese navy of the early 1900's, and today the U.S. Navy.
Not to be forgotten in the discussion of defense and freedom of the
seas, is the U.S. Coast Guard.
Together, the Navy and Coast
Guard create the sword and shield of America's maritime strategy.
Even though the Coast Guard specializes in drug interdiction and
search and rescue, it is also their responsibility to augment the
Navy's mission abroad whenever needed. To do this, the Coast Guard
must maintain qualified surface warfare officers, a privilege given
to roughly 100 of the Coast Guard's 5,000 commissioned officers.
This process involves Coast Guardsmen being stationed on and
embarking Navy vessels.
Among these chosen few is Coast
Guard Lt. j.g. Jacob Christopher Hauser, from North Salem, N.Y.,
currently embarked aboard Arleigh Burke class guided-missile
destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63).
“The Coast Guard sends about
two or three officers per year into the Navy's fleet,” said Hauser.
“In which time we learn everything Navy surface warfare officers
learn, so that we may seamlessly integrate with the fleet when
called upon.”
Hauser has sailed with two Navy ships, and six
Coast Guard vessels, holding a number of jobs including assistant
navigator, fire control officer, public affairs officer, and is a
qualified “cutterman,” the Coast Guard equivalent to a Navy surface
warfare officer.
Working closely with Mr. Hauser during his
time aboard Stethem is Lt.j.g. Colcord Moore, the ships navigation
officer and qualified surface warfare officer.
“Mr. Hauser
and I have worked together on general navigation during his time on
board,” said Moore. “His Coast Guard cutterman qualification is
similar to the Navy's surface warfare qualification, but it deals
less with warfare tactics and more with Coast Guard regulations and
maritime traffic laws.
“Hauser brings something special to
the table, with his expertise in celestial navigation, which would
be crucial in a GPS denied environment. He held training for the
entire wardroom and I think we all took away a lot from it. His time
aboard has really been a testament to how much our branches can
learn from each other.”
Hauser spoke on his views of the
similarities and differences between the Navy and Coast Guard.
“Navy Sailors have made a strong impression on me since I've
been working alongside them,” said Hauser. “They are incredibly
hardworking people, and each a subject matter expert in their
respective rates. I believe we all share the hardest job in the
world, and that is going to sea. The drive Sailors show, even when
separated from their loved ones by miles of ocean is incredible. I'm
proud to be a Coast Guardsman, and I'm proud to be able to say that
I have sailed with of the United States Navy.”
Stethem,
operating from Yokosuka, Japan, if forward deployed to the 7th Fleet
area of operations and is underway supporting security and stability
in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.
By U.S. Navy Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alonzo M.
Archer
USS Stethem Public Affairs
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2014
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