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U.S. FIFTH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS – It’s early in the morning on a beach far away from what you would call “usual surroundings”. The hum of giant engines in massive vehicles and the sight of the breaking sun over cracking waves is what Engineman (EN) 3rd Class Clarisa Morel wakes up to as she prepares for just another day at the beach.
Morel is a team member of Beach Master Unit (BMU) 2, based out of of Norfolk, Virginia. The team is currently embarked onboard the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) for their scheduled deployment.
A native of Passaic, New Jersey, she decided to join the Navy in August 2015, right after graduating high school in her hometown that same year.
“I've been interested in the Navy since high school,” said Morel. “My brother Felix, who is now EN2 Morel, went to boot camp before I did, which gave me the courage to actually join and begin a new chapter in my life.”
On her most recent operation, she says she worked diligently and went on to explain her duties once she lands on the beach.
“I am the dozer mechanic and traffic controlman. Directing vehicles, being vigilant, making sure unauthorized personnel or vehicles do not enter our beach,” said Morel. “Paying attention to everything that is going on can become tedious sometimes but it’s a hazardous environment we work in, but that’s my job, to control this beach.”
Even though her work can be demanding and last from sun up to sun down she has wisdom to share to keep the process moving.
“As long as your head is on a swivel, the evolution will go by smoothly,” said Morel.
Morel enjoys being a part of a team and always keeps an open mind to the next task to come down the line while wearing a smile on her face.
“I am always willing to learn and take on tasking, that way in the future I can teach my Sailors what I learned while becoming who I am today,” said Morel. “I love to work so why frown when I am doing what I love to do.”
Morel is currently on temporary assignment from her parent command, Assault Craft Unit 2, which is also embarked with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group.
The Bataan and Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is deployed as part of a regular rotation of forces to support maritime security operations, provide crisis response capability, and increase theater security cooperation while providing a forward naval presence in the U.S. 5th and U.S. 6th Fleet areas of operation.
| Date Taken: | 07.16.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 07.16.2017 13:01 |
| Story ID: | 241317 |
| Location: | PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY, U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY |
| Web Views: | 70 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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