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EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—ROTA, SPAIN— A 2005 Colony High School graduate and Ontario, California native is serving in Spain at Naval Hospital Rota in support of ballistic-missile defense ships forward-deployed to Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Allen Sinclair is a Navy hospital corpsman working at Naval Hospital Rota and is responsible for the health care of the service members and their families.
“I was taught to set goals and work hard towards them,” said Sinclair. “If you work hard you’ll get to where you want to be.”
Naval Station Rota is operationally equipped with four forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers tasked to enhance the ballistic missile defense of the European region.
These four destroyers have a critical NATO mission, specifically to provide full coverage protection for all NATO European populations, territories and forces against the increasing threats posed by the ability to acquire ballistic missiles capabilities.
According to the NATO website, many countries have, or are trying to develop ballistic missiles. The ability to acquire these capabilities does not necessarily mean there is an immediate intent to attack NATO, but that the alliance has a responsibility to take any possible threat into account as part of its core task of collective defense.
Ballistic Missile Defense is a key defensive capability for the U.S., providing protection against the threat of short and medium-range ballistic missile attacks. Stationing four ballistic missile defense ships in Spain provides an umbrella of protection to forward-deployed forces, friends and allies while contributing to a broader defense of the United States.
“U.S. Naval Hospital Rota understands the unique demands and challenges that the fleet, forces and families of our community face,” said Capt. Judy Cynthia, commanding officer U.S. Naval Hospital Rota. “We are honored to provide operationally relevant medical care and support that not only meets all of the civilian healthcare quality standards, but is highly specialized and tailored to meet the needs of those we serve.”
Sinclair is also proud of earning his bachelor’s degree in software engineering and being advanced to the rank of petty officer second class.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Sinclair and other service members at Naval Station Rota know they are a part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“The Navy has helped me find a career I want to focus on,” said Sinclair. “The Navy also helped me get my degree within that field.”
“I have really enjoyed the opportunity to immerse myself into a foreign country,” said Sinclair. “It has helped me grow into a more cultured person.”
