Sugar Hill native serving at Camp Smith in Hawaii

Petty Officer 2nd Class Zachary Swanson, a yeoman, is serving at Camp H. M. Smith in the area of operations where U.S. Pacific Fleet Headquarters is located. 

According to Navy officials, the U.S. Pacific Fleet is the world’s largest fleet command, encompassing 100 million square miles, nearly half the Earth’s surface, from Antarctica to the Arctic Circle and from the West Coast of the United States into the Indian Ocean. 
 

As a yeoman, Swanson is responsible for administrative duties for the command.
 

“Growing up, I was taught the importance of staying determined and focused,” said Swanson. “In the Navy, you take it day-by-day. Each day is a lesson learned and you just keep moving forward.” 
 

Being stationed near Pearl Harbor, often referred to as the Gateway to the Pacific in defense circles, means that Swanson is serving in a part of the world that is taking on new importance in America’s national defense strategy.  
 

The Navy has been pivotal in helping maintain peace and stability in the Pacific region for decades, according to Navy officials. The Pacific is home to more than 50-percent of the world's population, many of the world's largest and smallest economies, several of the world's largest militaries and many U.S. allies. 

 

The Navy has plans by 2020 to base approximately 60-percent of its ships and aircraft in the region. Officials say the Navy will also provide its most advanced warfighting platforms to the region, including missile defense-capable ships, submarines, reconnaissance aircraft, and its newest surface warfare ships, including all of the Navy’s new stealth destroyers.

 

Swanson has military ties with family members who have previously served and said he is honored to carry on the family tradition.

 

“My father was in the Navy,” said Swanson. “It set him straight in life. Once he joined the Navy, he got a clear picture of what he wanted to do. He went from a child, to an adult, to a father. The Navy showed him what he really wanted to do.”

 

As a member of the U.S. Navy, Swanson and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.

 

“Serving in the Navy means supporting and fighting for the right cause on the right side,” added Swanson. “It means giving back.”