Texas Border Business
By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Erica R. Gardner, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Pearl Harbor – A Donna, Texas, native and 2006 Dona High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy at United States Pacific Command.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Lima, a yeoman, is serving at Camp H. M. Smith in the area of operations where U.S. Pacific Fleet Headquarters is located. According to Navy officials, the U.S. Pacific Fleet is the world’s largest fleet command, encompassing 100 million square miles, nearly half the Earth’s surface, from Antarctica to the Arctic Circle and from the West Coast of the United States into the Indian Ocean.
As a yeoman, Lima is responsible for administrative duties relating to officer’s of all four branches of the military to include travel arrangements, credit card issues, and pay.
“I transferred life lessons learned from my parents into what I do in the Navy,” said Lima.
Being stationed near Pearl Harbor often referred to as the gateway to the Pacific in defense circles, means that Lima is serving in a part of the world that is taking on new importance in America’s national defense strategy.
The Navy has been pivotal in helping maintain peace and stability in the Pacific region for decades, according to Navy officials. The Pacific is home to more than 50 percent of the world’s population, many of the world’s largest and smallest economies, several of the world’s largest militaries, and many U.S. allies.
The Navy has plans, by 2020, to base approximately 60 percent of its ships and aircraft in the region. Officials say the Navy will also provide its most advanced warfighting platforms to the region, including missile defense-capable ships; submarines; reconnaissance aircraft; and its newest surface warfare ships, including all of the Navy’s new stealth destroyers.
Lima has military ties with family members who have previously served and is honored to carry on the family tradition.
“My brother was in the Navy,” said Lima. “He played a big part in my decision to join the Navy.”
Lima’s proudest accomplishment was earning a Joint Service Achievement Medal in 2017 for being an outstanding travel coordinator.
As a member of the U.S. Navy, Lima and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“Serving my country and knowing that my family is safe when I am deployed is a benefit of Navy life,” added Lima. “It’s good to know that military will take care of my family.”
