Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 25, 1995 TAG: 9505260001
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-19 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LISA M. NOVAK SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: ON BOARD USS ASHLAND LENGTH: Medium
As a sailor on the USS Ashland, William Clements of Roanoke, Va., witnessed the plight of Cuban migrants.
"These weren't poor people. They just gave up everything they had except what they could carry," Clements said. "Some were doctors, and they helped our medical staff. We even had an 8-week-old baby on board."
"Even though we spent a lot of long hours working, it was worth it. The whole experience had a lasting effect on me. It makes you appreciate the small things in life," said Clements, a 1988 graduate of Cave Spring High School. "I get a lot of personal satisfaction in helping others."
Clements gets the chance to help others quite often. His assignment to the Norfolk, Va.-based amphibious dock landing ship has resulted in many humanitarian missions, including hurricane relief efforts in the Bahamas and in Florida.
An operations specialist, Clements works as a watch supervisor in the ship's combat information center, relaying information from other watchstanders to the officer of the deck, who in turn relays it to the bridge.
"We make sure the ship doesn't run into any other contacts. During a hostile situation, the job becomes very important. We work with those who coordinate the ship's movement,'' he said, adding his ship also transports Marines onto hostile shores.
Ships like Ashland support amphibious operations using Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCACs) hovercraft,conventional landing craft and helicopters to transport Marines onto hostile shores.
Designed specifically to operate and sustain LCACs, dock landing ships have the largest capacity for these landing craft (four) of any other U.S. Navy amphibious ship.
The landing craft move tanks, vehicles, cargo and troops from ship to shore and are essential to combat operations.
The combat troops Clements helps move ashore are then able to seize control of port and air base facilities and prepare for follow-on invasion forces, or as in recent events, provide humanitarian assistance at a moment's notice.
"My job involves a lot of traveling. It's neat to see how everything comes together to bring the troops ashore," said Clements, who joined the Navy in 1990 for the travel opportunities and technical training.
"Before I joined, I was doing odd jobs, and I wasn't going anywhere. I was tired of school, and I needed some kind of guidance."
In addition to training and guidance, Clements said he has developed a better sense of self-esteem, as well as planning and leadership ability.
Part of his future plans include attending college and studying medicine or architecture at his next command. Assigned to the Ashland since 1991, Clements is a plankowner, an original member of a ship's first crew.
"I've enjoyed the ship, but I'm ready to see something new," said Clements, who transfers to a new command in Pensacola, Fla., in August.
But the 26-year-old sailor said he values the things he's learned and the experiences he's had since being stationed on board Ashland.
"You have to learn from experience and trial and error. One of the things I've learned is the value of teamwork, and rewarding people for a job well done."
by CNB