TAMPA, Fla. – A Tampa, Florida, native was recently named Sailor of the Quarter, for the third quarter in 2022, serving at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay, Greece.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Rebecca Brook is a boatswain’s mate assigned to the Port Operations department as the Leading Petty Officer at NATO Marathi Pier Complex.
“My primary job here is oil spill prevention,” said Brook. “When a U.S. ship pulls in, we put an oil barrier boom around the ship. If the ship were to leak, the oil would be contained. Besides the oil spill prevention, we also have harbor patrol boats that provide for high value assets. The additional security allows assets that have reactors, like submarines and aircraft carriers, to be pier side. We can support pretty much anything that comes in, which is a great benefit to the fleet.”
Port Ops is on call 24/7 in case of an oil spill and have a duty crew that stays within a reaction time of 30 minutes. They are the first on scene to evaluate, and are constantly on standby.
“Our team in Port Ops is really good and works well together,” said Brook. “They have learned how to communicate with each other really well. If one person doesn’t know then the next one does. For example, during Facility Response Training drills, a lot of them really stepped up to learn the maneuvers and everything, so they have the knowledge. They also really love driving the boats. You can see the passion in their eyes when they go out there.”
Located on the island of Crete, Greece, NSA Souda Bay is an operational ashore installation which enables and supports U.S., Allied, Coalition, and Partner nation forces to preserve security and stability in the European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility.
“I really enjoy the view here,” said Brook. “The view is crazy, especially in the winter time when we are out on the water. I like seeing the white caps on the mountains and the scenery is here is very nice.”
“Something that is interesting is that they have an olive oil season,” added Brook. “Most places have rainy season, but they have olive oil season and the roads are just as slippery.”
Brook has been in the Navy for more than 10 years and is the third generation in her family to join the military. Brook arrived at NSA Souda Bay in April 2021 and was named the Honor Boatswain for the change of command in July 2022.
“My long term goal was to make BM1,” said Brook. “It is a huge goal for any E-5. I am also a junior in college, currently studying for a Bachelor’s in Data Science. I can code Python now, so that’s a fun fact.”
When not at work, Brook stays home to do homework and just recently took up yoga.
“I’m trying to ease my mind and have good stress management,” added Brook.
As Brook and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the United States Navy.
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