LUZON STRAIT, Philippine Sea – Petty Officer Second Class (E-5) Oren Martinez Eshedo, Chief Petty Officer (E-7) Aaron Justin Azuma, and Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 2nd Class (AZ2) Eric Michael Tiongson are all crew members of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), a United States Navy (USN) warship.
There is also one more thing that binds them together: their Filipino roots.
Eshedo, Azuma, and Tiongson are among the estimated 150 Filipino-American sailors assigned with the USS Ronald Reagan. In total, the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier carries more than 5,000 sailors who are of different nationalities.
The Manila Bulletin joined a Philippine delegation that boarded the aircraft carrier when she sailed in the Philippine Sea on Wednesday, Oct. 25.
In an interview, the three sailors shared what it’s like working in the US Navy as a Filipino-American, their views on the alliance of the United States and the Philippines amid various security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, and the things that they look forward to during their deployment in the Philippines.
The USS Ronald Reagan is the only “forward-deployed” aircraft carrier of America. While other USN carriers are homeported in the US and deployed periodically, USS Ronald Reagan is based in Yokosuka, Japan since 2015. It made a port visit in Manila in 2019.
‘Pusong Pinoy’
Eshedo is a 23-year-old logistics specialist (LS) in the USN. He is responsible for the maintenance of military supplies onboard USS Ronald Reagan, and has been in the service for three years and eight months.
Back in the Philippines, Eshedo’s hometown is in Malasiqui, Pangasinan where he spent most of his teenage years with his family before joining the Navy in 2020.
“It’s definitely a very achieving feeling knowing that I’m representing the Philippines, fighting side by side with the Philippines. ‘Yung parang (Like) making the alliance stronger with the Filipino and United States supporting each other,” Eshedo shared.
“Knowing that I’m representing the Philippines while in the service makes me proud. Pusong Pinoy! (The heart of a Filipino!),” he added.
Once USS Ronald Reagan arrives in Manila this week, Eshedo said that his family will visit him as sailors are only allowed to go to select areas.
Eshedo is looking forward to eating Filipino food, and bringing “pasalubong” or souvenirs for his beloved mother like beauty and anti-aging Japanese products.
‘Sense of pride’
Azuma, in his own words, manages the USS Ronald Reagan’s money as he is a logistics specialist chief (LSC). The 27-year-old sailor has been in the Navy for eight years. His hometown in the Philippines is in Subic Bay, Olongapo City, Zambales.
As a kid, Azuma often saw ships docking in Subic Bay which inspired him to be a sailor.
“Coming from Subic Bay, lagi kong nakikita ‘yung mga Navy ships na nagpupull in (I always see Navy ships pulling in). Laging sinasabi ko (I told myself) ‘oh that’s cool, I want to be like them.’ Now I’m here, helping support the mission. It’s really humbling, it’s really special and I’m really proud to be a Filipino citizen in the United States Navy,” he said.
Azuma brought his Filipino values in the Navy, and that is what he is most proud of.
“Being a Filipino in the Navy [brings] really a sense of pride right kasi tayong mga Pilipino matiisin (because we, Filipinos, are tough). Sometimes it’s really hard but when the going gets tough, it’s not just the Filipinos but we lean on each other,” he shared.
“It’s really humbling to be here knowing you’re from the Philippines and now you’re here serving a bigger purpose,” he added.
Throughout his stay in the USN, Azuma has always been deployed in the Philippines but it brings a different kind of feeling every time he gets back here, he said.
“Naeexcite ako sa pagkain. (I get excited with the food). Filipino food is the best food. I always tell that to my guys. Kapag nagpupunta kami ng Pinas, lagi kong sinasabi ‘kumain kayo ng balut, barbecue.’ And then lagi silang kakain dapat sa mga karinderya kasi that’s where the real home-cooked food is, right? (If we go to the Philippines, I always tell them ‘you should eat balut [fertilized duck egg], barbecue. And they should always eat in a karinderya [eatery] because that’s where the real home-cooked food is, right?) It’s always the best food,” he shared.
“I’m just really excited to be back in the Philippines, have a good time, get some food, see the sights.”
‘See the world’
Tiongson’s clan still lives in Nueva Vizcaya in Cagayan Valley (Region 2) including his mother and two siblings. In 2009, he moved to America and joined the Navy four years later “to see the world.”
Now, the 33-year-old is an aviation maintenance administrationman 2nd Class. He is tasked with scheduling all the maintenance for all the aircraft, components, and armaments of the USS Ronald Reagan. He has been in the service for 10 years.
Tiongson said he was “very excited” when he learned the news that they will be deployed to the Philippines as he will be able to see his family.
“It’s very special, we go on deployments every year because we are stationed in Japan and we get to see back home in the Philippines,” he stated.
When asked about his thoughts on the strong alliance between the Philippines and US amid security issues that both nations face, Tiongson said that part of the US Navy’s efforts to help their Filipino counterparts is through joint trainings and capability upgrades.
“We’ve been partners and allies with the Philippines for a very long time so it’s nothing unusual for us to be part of their exercise in the Philippines. We support all the way with Philippines,” he noted.