Petty Officer 2nd Class Steffany Jobe
By ALVIN PLEXICO
NAVY OFFICE OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH
GULFPORT, Miss. — Since 1942, sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy’s Construction Force have been building and fighting around the world.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Steffany Jobe, a Santa Barbara, native, is one of those sailors.
Eighty years ago, members of Navy Construction Battalions were fittingly nicknamed, “Seabees,” a play on the C and B initials. They are responsible for building military bases and airfields, supporting humanitarian efforts and conducting underwater construction projects.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Jobe graduated from San Marcos High School in 2010 and from Santa Barbara City College in 2013.
“I’d like to thank my friends and family for their support,” she said. “I also want to recognize my daughter. She’s the reason I continue to serve.”
The values required to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Santa Barbara.
“From my parents, I learned to work hard and try to do your best every day,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Jobe.
She serves as a utilitiesman with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 at the headquarters for naval construction forces in Gulfport, Miss.
Serving in the Navy means Petty Officer 2nd Class Jobe is part of a team who is taking on new importance in America’s focus on strengthening alliances, modernizing capabilities, increasing capacities and maintaining military readiness in support of the National Defense Strategy.
“The Navy provides a global force to keep the peace around the world and maintain our freedom at home,” she said.
With more than 90% of all trade traveling by sea, and 95% of the world’s international phone and internet traffic carried through fiber optic cables lying on the ocean floor, Navy officials continue to emphasize the importance of accelerating America’s advantage at sea.
“Maintaining the world’s best Navy is an investment in the security and prosperity of the United States, as well as the stability of our world,” said Adm. Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations. “The U.S. Navy — forward deployed and integrated with all elements of national power — deters conflict, strengthens our alliances and partnerships, and guarantees free and open access to the world’s oceans. As the United States responds to the security environment through integrated deterrence, our Navy must continue to deploy forward and campaign with a ready, capable, combat-credible fleet.”
Petty Officer 2nd Class Jobe has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m proud that I’ve made it eight years in the military,” she said. “I’ve dealt with some personal adversity, which has made me more resilient. The structure in the military helped me get through these times.”
Petty Officer 2nd Class Jobe can take pride in continuing an 80-year legacy of service in the United States Navy.
“Serving in the Navy means I can show my patriotism to this great nation.”
email: dmason@newspress.com
