SASEBO, JAPAN – Petty Officer First Class Andrew Sickert, a 1994 Lake-Lehman High School graduate, is serving in Japan in the U.S. Navy aboard USS Germantown.
Sickert is a culinary specialist aboard the ship operating out of Sasebo, Japan, according to a news release from the United States Navy Office of Community Outreach and Media Outreach Department.
A Navy culinary specialist is responsible for operating kitchen and dining facilities, budgeting for food service management, and ensuring morale aboard the ship.
“I learned family values and friendships from back home,” Sickert said in the release. “That helped open up my mind to all the cultures and people that I come across.”
Sickert thus far has volunteered helping out with a Moral, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) youth baseball league. He enjoys helping out a great organization while working with kids.
“It is a lot harder being stationed our here; you don’t have the time to enjoy family time. We are very busy,” Sickert said in the release. “I do enjoy experiencing a different culture. The Navy has taught me to be more understanding of cultures and people. This is a great experience.
“Serving in the Navy makes me proud to be an American,” Sickert said in the release. “Not that many people can say they can serve for their country.”