Sailor deployed
Boatswain's Mate Seaman Cheyenne Strausser, Pottsville, is serving aboard the Navy's forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard, the flagship of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group.
The USS Bonhomme Richard is conducting joint force amphibious operations in the 7th Fleet area of operations with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Commander, Amphibious Squadron Eleven. The sailors and Marines onboard are currently conducting search and rescue operations as requested by the Republic of Korea Navy near the scene of the sunken ferry Sewol in the vicinity of the island of Jindo.
Strausser enlisted in the Navy on March 12, 2012, and graduated from Blue Mountain High School. She reported to USS Bonhomme Richard on June 18, 2012.
While assigned to as a boatswain's mate seaman to Deck Department, Second Division, Strausser qualified as an enlisted surface warfare specialist and enlisted aviation warfare specialist. She has served as well deck control phone talker and ramp marshall, and in those capacities helped to safely move LCACs (hovercraft), LCUs (landing craft) and CRRCs (combat rubber raiding craft) in and out of the ship's well deck that carries vehicles, artillery pieces and infantry to the beach for amphibious assaults.
Strausser carries out many duties onboard the Bonhomme Richard. As a maintenance person, she is responsible for the upkeep, maintenance and preservation of 61 spaces and associated equipment throughout her division, which is vital to the success of the crew's mission and to maintain optimal readiness.
As a damage control team leader, Strausser is responsible for leading damage control parties into affected spaces while donning firefighting ensembles and self-contained breathing apparatus, in the event of fire or flooding sustained through casualties or during battle.
As a ship's reaction force team leader, Strausser said she may be called upon at any time during the performance of her duties to don protective gear and neutralize threats to the ship, such as small boat attacks, intruders or terrorist threats through the use of small arms and extensive tactical training.
While on watch, Strausser said she acts as a lookout to steer clear of other vessels, keep the ship safe while at sea and for the protection of marine life. She is also a helmsman, responsible for maintaining a set course and sending orders to the propulsion plant, which controls the ship's speed through the water.