Ghana native serves aboard USS Milius while conducting operations in the Philippine Sea

ByPettyOfficer1stClass

GregoryJohnson

Commander Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron 15

A Kumasi, Ghana, native and 2000 graduate of Garden City Secondary School is servingaboardtheArleighBurke-classguided-missiledestroyerUSSMilius(DDG69).

Personnel Specialist 3rd Class Abdul

Razak Mohammed joined the Navy in 2018 andisnowforward-deployedaboardMilius to Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan.

“I originally wanted to join the Army and was actually set to go to boot camp, but I changed my mind,” said Mohammed. “I wasworkingandgoingtoschoolforawhile, butImadeapledgetoservemycountry,soI joinedtheNavy.”

Originally serving as an undesignated seaman, Mohammed qualified to convert to a wide range of other jobs He eventually chosepersonnelspecialist,adecisionhesaid hedoesnotregret.Heisnowresponsiblefor theadministrativesupportofmorethan300 MiliusSailors

“The fact that everybody passes through theAdministrativeDivisionisunique,”said Mohammed “Nomatterwhatrate everyone has to get paid, take leave, transfer, retire. Everyone gets served by the PSs at some point, that’s what makes it unique and I’m happytoservethem.”

Mohammedsaidhefirmlybelievesinthe ideaofcitizensgivingbacktotheircountry “Asacitizen,youshoulddosomethingfor othersinthenameofyourcountry whether theyareinyourpresenceorinyourabsence,” said Mohammed. “Everyone should try to findawaytodosomethingtobenefitothers, whether it’s military service, community serviceorotherwise.”

AccordingtoMohammed,oneofthegreat rewards of service is the public respect for thatservice

“Whenpeopleseeyou,thekindofrespect theygiveyou,howitfeelstocomebackafter a long deployment where you leave everythingbehind, saidMohammed.“Youserve your country and you come back and the way people treat you with the highest level ofrespect that’sunique.”

Mohammed offered a word of advice for those who are thinking about military service.

“It’s one of the best decisions you can make, said Mohammed “To be among the threepercent,amongthefewtostepupand serve you can look back and feel proud everydayofyourlife Nothingcancompare to being able to look back someday and be abletosay‘Ionceserved.’”

Milius is assigned to Commander, Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15 the Navy’s largest forward-deployed DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surfaceforce

7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with Allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacificregion