Sailor in the Spotlight--ABH3 Joshua Brown

ABH3 Joshua Brown works in the Operations Department and is from Ocala, Fla.

Overseeing the operations of Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella, the air operations department is in charge of providing airfield, air terminal, and port operations support and facilities to U.S., NATO, and coalition forces. It takes Sailors like Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Joshua Brown to ensure that the nuts and bolts of NAS Sigonella’s operations are running smoothly and efficiently.

Brown works as one of five liaison officers in the Port Operations division, which is in charge of ensuring that ships pulling into the nearby Augusta Bay port are provided with various support services to make their time in port seamless and productive. When U.S. Navy or NATO ships arrive, the liaisons ensure that their transiting and mooring evolutions are conducted safely. They also brief the ship’s leadership on the various NAS Sigonella base services that are available to the ship’s crew. And they are also responsible for maintaining facilities at the port and being on call to assist with any logistical issue that arises.

Brown attests that although he didn’t anticipate using his aircraft handling skills for port operations, he is still getting a lot out of his experience.

“I look at it as a blessing because I get to use my talent of talking to people and put it to good use,” said Brown. “I get to talk to commanding officers and build relationships.”

Beyond the technical aspects of his job, he also sees the value that he provides to the people he services.

“I love being there when a vessel comes back from being out to sea and they are itching to get off the boat,” said Brown. “It’s nice to see their worn-out faces be so excited to finally be in port.”

Sigonella is Brown’s second tour in the Navy. His first was with the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), which he called home for five years, from 2013 to 2018. It was the first step in the grueling five-yearsat-sea, three-years-on-shore rotation that

Sailors in the ABH rate are subject to. Brown says that although he’s enjoyed being in the Navy, he plans on joining the civilian world and continue doing port operations as a contractor. He knows that all the good relationships he’s built during his time at Sigonella will help him make that transition.

But for now, Brown is making full use of the immense travel opportunities available to him. His group of four friends routinely makes plans on or off the islands and so far, his favorites destinations have been Bucharest and the Swiss Alps. On the horizon are trips to Portugal, Barcelona, Madrid, and Austria.

When his group travels, they tend to only spend about a day in the popular tourist area, and then either drive or take public transportation to the outskirt areas that tourists typically don’t see. Brown is hopeful that he’ll be granted an overseas tour extension so that he can continue exploring all that Sicily and Europe have to offer.