Photo By Staff Sgt. Benjamin McDonald | MANAMA (March 7, 2023) – U.S. Marine Sgt. Steven Ramos assigned to Task Force...... read more read more
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U.S. Marine Sgt. Steven Ramos, a network administrator with Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade’s Deployable Joint Command and Control (DJC2) detachment, earned the Navy Surface Warfare insignia on February 28, 2023 aboard the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3).
A Staten Island native, Sgt. Ramos joined the Marine Corps Reserves in 2017 at the age of 17 out of Recruiting Station Staten Island. “I was in the Marine Corps JROTC program in high school and always knew I wanted to be a Marine when I graduated,” said Ramos. “I spoke to a recruiter, and he told me about the Marine Corps Reserves, and I liked the idea of being able to be a Marine but also go to school.”
After completing his initial training, Sgt. Ramos checked into 6th Communications Battalion, Force Headquarters Group in Brooklyn, New York. There, he was activated for active-duty service with Task Force Commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic in Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. While attached to the task force, Sgt. Ramos transported poolees from the airport to the COVID-19 quarantine areas before beginning training. After finishing Task Force Commitment, Sgt. Ramos activated again with DJC2 and deployed to Bahrain to support Naval Amphibious Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Task Force 51/5). “6th Comm supports DJC2 a lot and when I heard about it, I knew I wanted to hop onto one of the rotations,” said Ramos. “I have been in Bahrain for three months and so far, I have loved this deployment.”
Sgt. Ramos was assigned to the USS Puller in January to assist in preparing Task Force 51/5 to execute command and control from the sea. DJC2’s presence aboard the USS Puller will enable the task force with communications capabilities while afloat.
During his time recently embarked with the ship, Sgt. Ramos took it upon himself to go through the process of earning the Navy Surface Warfare insignia. To earn the device, he trained with different sections of the crew who then tested his knowledge in shipboard engineering, naval history, and damage control. “It took me about a month to do all of the training required for the surface warfare pin,” said Ramos. “I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to try and earn the device and learn more about the Navy and my naval counterparts aboard the ship.”
Task Force 51/5 is a Joint Task Force-Capable (JTF-C) Headquarters that responds to crises and contingencies; coordinates, plans, and executes operations; conducts theater security cooperation; and advances emerging Naval concepts at sea, from the sea, and ashore in support of U.S. Central Command, Fifth Fleet and Marine Forces Central Command theater objectives. Task Force 51/5 is a fully navally integrated command led by Brig. Gen. Matthew S. Reid and is staffed by a team of Marine Corps and Navy professionals.
“Ever since I read the Commandant’s 2030 Force Design, I knew the Marine Corps was going to be more navally integrated,” said Ramos. “This was a great opportunity and experience for me to get ahead of that. I went underway with the crew four times learning all about how the crew and ship operate and I got to do a .50 caliber machine gun range while we were at sea. I joined the Marine Corps Reserves for new opportunities to learn new things and I have gotten all of that since I have been in Bahrain.”
| Date Taken: | 03.09.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.09.2023 05:56 |
| Story ID: | 440015 |
| Location: | MANAMA, BH |
| Web Views: | 363 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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