COURTESY OF NAVY OFFICE OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH
NORFOLK, Va. – A 2001 Young Magnet High School graduate and Chicago, Ill., native is serving aboard USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), one of the world’s most versatile multi-mission combat ships.
Petty Officer 1st Class Corey Howard is an interior communication electrician aboard the Norfolk-based ship, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that is longer than 1.5 football fields long at nearly 510 feet long. The ship is 66 feet wide and weighs more than 9,200 tons. Twin gas turbine engines can push the ship through the water at more than 30 mph. USS Forrest Sherman is named for Admiral Forrest Percival Sherman, and is the second U.S. Navy ship to bear the name.
As a seasoned Sailor with numerous responsibilities, Howard is the leading petty officer for his division and is responsible for 15 Sailors. He explains his past experiences to his Sailors and provides professional guidance, so they can understand how the Navy works. “I teach my Sailors to become better technicians for themselves and the Navy,” said Howard. “What they take from me, along with their personal experiences, can help set them up for success.”
He also said he is proud of the work he is doing as part of the Forrest Sherman’s crew, protecting America on the world’s oceans. “I’ve seen other places and how bad others have it. I know how fortunate we are as Americans and I want to make sure we preserve that,” said Howard. “I appreciate our rights as Americans. I enjoy my job and leading Sailors of the future Navy.”
Sailors’ jobs are highly varied aboard USS Forrest Sherman. Approximately 34 officers and 253 enlisted men and women make up the ship’s company, which keeps all parts of the destroyer running smoothly — this includes everything from washing dishes and preparing meals to handling weaponry and maintaining the engines.
“As John Paul Jones said, men mean more than guns in the way you run a ship and it’s still true today. It’s all about our people, I am proud and amazed by the knowledge they display and the work my sailors do every day,” said Cmdr. John A Krisciunas, the ship’s commanding officer. Their professionalism, motivation and commitment to the Navy are genuinely inspiring.”
Fast, maneuverable, and technically advanced, destroyers provide the required warfighting capabilities and operational flexibility to execute multi-mission evolutions such as surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare and anti-air warfare. USS Forrest Sherman can operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, amphibious ready groups, and underway replenishment groups.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most versatile combat ships, Howard and other USS Forrest Sherman sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes.
“The Navy is a rewarding experience because we do a lot of great things and I have a great appreciation for America,” said Howard. “It also gave me the opportunity to see other things and without the Navy that would not be possible.”
