A 2014 Northgate High School graduate and Newnan, Georgia, native provides key support as part of combat operations aboard USS Philippine Sea.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Rashad Menefee is a Navy logistics specialist aboard the guided-missile cruiser.
A logistics specialist is responsible for ordering, receiving, inspecting, stowing, preserving, packaging, shipping, and issuing materials and cargo.
“The best part of my job is that it keeps me on my feet and there is always something coming up that you don’t expect,” Menefee said.
Menefee credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Newman.
“I grew up in a nice community, good schools, close to Atlanta and it was diverse just like the Navy,” Menefee said.
U.S. Navy sailors, like Menefee, are stationed both stateside and on the high seas aboard surface ships around the world. Philippine Sea is one of more than 60 ships on the east coast of the United States as part of Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet.
U.S. Navy ships are deployed globally, and their presence helps the Navy control the sea. Sea control is vital to project power, secure common areas, deter aggression and assure allies when and where desired.
Due to its extensive combat capability, Philippine Sea is able to fire Tomahawk Cruise Missiles and other weapons as part of sustained combat operations against targets on and below the sea, in addition to hitting targets hundreds of miles over the land.
The ship is equipped with the Aegis Combat System, which integrates the ship’s electronic sensors and weapons systems to defend against anti-ship missile threats. The ship’s air search and fire control radar provides continuous search and tracking of hundreds targets simultaneously.
The crew of more than 400 sailors build a strong fellowship while working alongside each other. The sailors are highly motivated, and quickly adapt to changing conditions as part of a busy life of specialized work, watches and drills.
“The best part about being on a missile cruiser is the fact that the small platform makes me well rounded in my rate,” Menefee said.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Menefee and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, one that will provide a critical component of the Navy the nation needs.
“Serving in the Navy means growth. Since I joined I have seen a lot and the Navy has made me a better person,” Menefee said.
