Photo By Chief Petty Officer Nathan Carpenter | NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (December 12, 2022) Master Chief Master-at-Arms Sergio...... read more read more
Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota security department provides support and protection to the installation, active duty personnel, civilian employees, and families in addition to assisting their Spanish counterparts with daily operations. In recent months, Master Chief Master-at-Arms Sergio Gonzalez Jr. arrived to NAVSTA Rota.
“As the newly reported Senior Enlisted Advisor for the Security Department, I will boldly say I have been very impressed with the professionalism, operational readiness, and overall dedication to mission accomplishment shown daily by our department,” said Gonzalez. “I truly feel blessed to be part of this team.”
Within his role as the senior enlisted advisor, Gonzalez emphasizes the importance of enforcing rules, regulations, and maintain good order and discipline throughout the installation.
Being the largest department here in NAVSTA Rota, security is comprised of multiple divisions to include operations, military working dogs (MWD), harbor security, counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS), force protection, antiterrorism, and administration. Each one of these mission areas plays a specific role in the security department’s overall success.
Mid-year, NAVSTA Rota’s security department completed their certification during the FY22 Command Assessment of Readiness and Training (CART) inspection. The main focus of this assessment is to assess all facets of the security department’s missions to include administration, training, antiterrorism and force protection mission, harbor security and law enforcement operations, resulting in the security department receiving an overall score of 90%, one of the top scores in the region.
“The training and preparation our Sailors put in over our 18 month work up cycle paid dividends in the end,” stated Senior Chief Master-at-Arms Joshua Balch, leading chief petty officer for operations at NAVSTA Rota Security. “I never doubted the dedication and work ethic these Sailors had, and that was demonstrated to the regional assessors during the four days of drill assessments.”
Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Edna Sototorres and MWD Chippy completed a 10-month individual augmentee (IA) mission in the Horn of Africa from July 2021-May 2022. She supported 30 tenant commands comprised of more than 5,000 people by conducting sweeps of vehicles and personnel entering the installation, and tugs and pilot boats utilized in providing services to U.S. Navy assets operating in the Sixth Fleet area of operations.
In addition to providing IA support, Rota’s MWD division provided additional support to five high profile visits to include the President and Vice President of the United States, and Secretary of State.
Another success story was that of one of three security Sailors completing an IA between four and ten months. Master-at-Arms (MA) 1st Class Carin Dooley, MA1 Hiram Flores, and MA2 Deandre Skinner deployed to Isa Air Base in Bahrain to establish its first ever security department.
Apart from operational success, the security department has led from the front on all aspects of Sailorization with regards to advancements, Sailor of the Quarter/Sailors of the Year recognitions, and retention. The security department had a very successful year by advancing 42 Sailors to next paygrade through Navy-wide advancement exams, or through the Meritorious Advancement Program (MAP), an amazing 54% advancement rate for the size of the department and well above the Navy average. Another amazing feat was the selection of three security petty officers – MAC Victor Solla, MAC Jennifer Strupp, and MAC Jesus Rodriguez – to chief petty officer.
“Being selected to Chief Petty Officer is one, if not the best achievement anyone can experience throughout their Navy careers,” said Gonzalez. “You are tasked and charged with the best job in the Navy …Taking care of Sailors in all facets of professional and personal goals, there is no better job than that.”
Finally, as part of the security department’s community outreach and to give back to the Rota community, they executed National Night Out event on Oct. 4, 2022. Security along with Spanish security forces and other first responders from around the installation celebrated the event with a parade through base housing followed by static displays and demonstrations at Seaview Pines Park. The first responders were joined with Rota community service providers offering contests and events.
“It was fun,” said Yeoman 2nd Class Sarah Weaver. “It was a great way to bring everyone together in a fun environment and incorporating all organizations on base was really cool.”
Over 300 community members attended the event, and the smiles on faces of the children proved that it was worth the effort.
“Although I have only been here six months, I could not think of a better place to be a part of other than NAVSTA Rota security department,” said Gonzalez. “The teamwork and motivation to make our department, command, and community better really resonates with me. I am looking forward for what next year brings.”
Gonzalez and the security team are looking forward to the coming year and keeping the personnel and assets of NAVSTA Rota safe!
| Date Taken: | 12.15.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 12.22.2022 10:50 |
| Story ID: | 435730 |
| Location: | ES |
| Web Views: | 309 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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