A Queens, New York native and 1989 Msgr. McClancy High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy Reserve as it celebrates its 100th year protecting America.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Carlos Cisneros is part of a unique group of Americans who serve their country in uniform part-time while also working full-time jobs outside of the military. Created in 1915, the Navy Reserve has played a major role in nearly every conflict the U.S. has been involved with during the past decade.
“The reserves gave me the opportunity to be closer to home and maintain my service,” said Cisneros.
Cisneros’s current assignment is with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 27, based in Gulfport. Sailors attached to NMCB 27 and other similar units, nicknamed “Seabees,” specialize in building roads, bridges, airfields and other structures for the U.S. military in areas of conflict around the world.
“My job has a lot of variety, which is what I love about it,” said Cisneros.
Cisneros and the rest of NMCB 27 are part of the Navy’s construction force that has been around for more than 70 years. Seabees have built entire bases and bridges and bulldozed and paved thousands of miles of roadway and airstrips for the U.S. military all over the world, playing a vital role in every major conflict the U.S. has been involved with since World War II.
With nearly 600 personnel assigned to the battalion, jobs are highly varied and every job plays an important role in keeping the battalion ready to deploy around the world to defend America whenever and wherever they are needed.
Cisneros plays an essential role in the battalion as an equipment operator, responsible for operating heavy construction equipment.
“I handle forklifts, bulldozers, excavators, graters and scrapers,” said Cisneros.
As a reservist, Cisneros is continually balancing both the expectations of working as a Sailor and as a civilian. Cisneros said that he gained unique skills and experience on both sides and that he’s become a better-rounded person because of it.
“The reserve has helped me take an attention to detail to my work in the civilian world,” said Cisneros.
Cisneros’s commanding officer, a reservist himself, said he is impressed every time the battalion meets to train throughout the year by the professionalism of his sailors.
“I am extremely proud to be a part of this this team, one of the best I’ve ever had the honor of serving with in my entire career in the United States Navy,” said Cmdr. Greg Schell, commanding officer of NMCB 27. “This Battalion is ready, willing, and able to deploy now to defend freedom and our way of life, anywhere around the world.”
The Reserve is a major component of the Navy representing about 20 percent of its total forces. Congress authorized the establishment of the Federal Naval Reserve on March 3, 1915. Initially, the only Sailors eligible to enroll were enlisted Navy veterans. On Aug. 29, 1916, with the prospect of America’s entry into World War I looming, the Federal Naval Reserve reorganized to allow the enrollment of non-veterans and was designated as the U.S. Naval Reserve Force.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, there have been more than 70,000 Selected Reserve mobilizations, along with an additional 4,500 deployments by full-time support sailors, including more than 8,000 who have done a second combat tour. Since the Reserve’s establishment in 1915, five U.S. presidents have served in the Navy Reserve.
By Navy Office of Community Outreach
Teaching Makes Melissa Melendez Proud
Fire Controlman 2nd Class Melissa Melendez, right, from Queens, N.Y., instructs Electronics Technician 1st Class Jason Cranford on proper grip during M9 9mm pistol weapons familiarization training aboard the dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43). Fort McHenry is a part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), and, with the embarked 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Adam Austin/Released)
