Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Donavan K Patubo | PHILIPPINE SEA (Aug. 3, 2022) Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) 2nd Class Sabrina...... read more read more
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PHILIPPINE SEA (Aug. 3, 2022) Petty Officer 2nd Class Sabrina Agnewrossbauer, a Hilton Head Island, South Carolina native and 2015 graduate of Hilton Head Island high school, is serving aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) while conducting operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.
She enlisted in the Navy in 2016, continuing her family’s long legacy of military service.
“My dad was a Navy SEAL and I have several other family members in the military that influence my decision to join,” said Agnewrossbauer. “I just always knew I wanted to serve. I wanted to be one of those people you see on the screen. I would look at the commercials and see people serving, and saw myself wanting to serve too.”
Agnewrossbauer said she wanted a job with real world applications that would align with her interests in politics and international relations. Because of this, she chose to be a linguist.
She serves as a Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive), also known as a CTI. CTIs specialize in analysis of adversary developments, radio and telephone communications, and statistical studies and technical reports requiring knowledge of a foreign language.
Upon completion of basic training, she attended the Defense Language Institute for nearly a year-and-a-half where she was immersed in the Chinese culture while learning to speak Mandarin, becoming very proficient in the language.
“Right after graduation, I was able to have long conversations about politics and business,” said Agnewrossbauer. “I could read every news article there was and watch any T.V. show in Mandarin. Now, my abilities are a little more focused toward what I do for my job and I don’t get as much speaking time but I’m still very proficient.”
Agnewrossbauer is assigned to Navy Information Operations Center, Hawaii, and has been filling a direct support billet aboard Higgins since May 2022. This is her second time serving aboard Higgins as she provided support for three months in 2021. Agnewrossbauer said that her performance during that time left a significant impression on Higgins leadership who requested her by name for the ship’s 2022 patrol.
“I really love this ship and I felt at home when I was here,” she said. “Everyone was really welcoming and it was a great time. And to know I did my job well enough that they wanted me to come back, me specifically and not just any Chinese linguist, was really rewarding.”
As a member of the ship’s operations department, Agnewrossbauer is responsible for translating and interpreting any communication the ship receives in Mandarin. She said her knowledge of the language as well as the Chinese culture and people is crucial to the ship’s ability to operate safely and confidently in the Indo-Pacific region. Still, she admits that despite her fluency in the language, the job has its challenges.
“Real time translation is the most challenging thing because if you get one thing wrong it can have a major impact,” she said. “But you can’t focus on all the ‘what if’ scenarios and all the things that could happen. You have to tell yourself ‘you know what you’re doing,’ and you have to trust yourself and your abilities. After so much practice and repetition, I’ve gotten a lot more confident in myself.”
Agnewrossbauer is slated to remain aboard Higgins until the end of the ship’s 2022 patrol to provide linguistic support as necessary before returning to her parent command in Hawaii.
Higgins is assigned to Commander, Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed DESRON and the U.S. 7th
| Date Taken: | 08.03.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 08.14.2022 18:49 |
| Story ID: | 427204 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 579 |
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