By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class David R. Finley Jr., Navy Office of Community Outreach
NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN – Constructionman Brant Rubio, a Lafayette, Louisiana, native, joined the Navy to better himself.
Now, two years later and half a world away at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain, Rubio serves as the leading-edge of the Navy the Nation Needs.
“Working in Bahrain is a challenging environment,” said Rubio. “There is never a dull moment and each day brings something new.”
Rubio, a 2017 graduate of Lafayette High School, is a construction electrician at NSA Bahrain, forward-deployed to the Arabian Gulf region in the Navy’s U.S. 5th Fleet.
“As a construction electrician, I am responsible for keeping the base power on and making sure this mission critical command operates effectively,” said Rubio.
Rubio credits success in Bahrain, and in the Navy, to many of the lessons learned in Lafayette.
“I’ve learned to be hard working, determined and most of all never give no matter how challenging the obstacle,” said Rubio.
U.S. 5th Fleet directs naval operations to ensure maritime security and stability in the Central Region, which connects the Mediterranean Sea and Pacific Ocean through the western Indian Ocean. They work with partner nations to ensure freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in international waterways.
NSA Bahrain enables the forward operations and responsiveness of U.S. 5th Fleet and allied forces in support of Navy Region Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia’s mission to provide services to the fleet, warfighter and family.
“My job is important because we support the 172 tenant commands on base and keep their power on,” said Rubio.
The Navy’s U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of ocean, and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. This expanse, comprised of 20 countries, includes three critical choke points; the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.
“The work week in the Middle East takes some getting used to,” said Rubio. “Working Sunday to Thursday is a unique adjustment for us here.”
Serving in the Navy means Rubio is part of a world that is taking on new importance 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, 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, Rubio is most proud of installing energy efficient LED lighting throughout the base.
“We saved the Navy money by installing these lights and we enabled that money to be spent on more important things,” said Rubio.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Rubio and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing the Navy the nation needs.
“The work we do in the Navy helps families back home rest easily at night and not have to worry about oppression,” said Rubio.
