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(Photo by Mass Communication Specialist First Class Andrew Waters)
Since 1942, sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy’s Construction Force have been building and fighting around the world. Petty Officer First Class Elijohana Cole, a native of Cutler Bay, is one of those Sailors.
Eighty-two years ago, members of Navy Construction Battalions were fittingly nicknamed, “Seabees,” a play on the C and B initials. They are responsible for building military bases and airfields, supporting humanitarian efforts and conducting underwater construction projects. The Seabees’ motto is “We Build, We Fight.”
Cole is a steelworker currently serving with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 at the headquarters for naval construction forces in Gulfport, MS, which serves as a home base for the Atlantic Fleet Seabees.
Cole, who graduated from Miami Palmetto Senior High School in 2013, is working on an associate degree in computer science through American Military University and is expected to finish in 2027.
Cole joined the Navy nine years ago.
“I wanted to do more with my life and see more than just South Florida,” Cole said. “My father, who immigrated to the States, was a big advocate of the military and wanted my brother and I to lead good and fulfilling lives. My brother joined the Army National Guard. A Navy recruiter called me and asked me to come by to hear about the opportunities they had and I did.”
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Cutler Bay.
“Growing up, I lived in a bustling city,” Cole said. “Having to learn different trades as well as meeting different people really helped within the Seabees on having that sense of unity and being able to learn a diverse set of skills.”
With 90 percent of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Cole serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”
Cole has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I was part of a small team of Seabees who built the desks for the offices of the secretary of the Navy and the vice president while stationed in Washington, DC,” Cole said. “Being chosen as the steelworker was a big honor because I will never have this opportunity again, stationed in DC. I kind of have a legacy now. I have my name on this desk and my team of Seabees, a small community doing big things for the Navy. It was the biggest highlight of my career.”
The desks were made from timber and other materials from notable Naval ships, including frigates and World War II battleships. The Seabee team used wood, copper, and nails from USS Constitution, wood from USS Chesapeake and USS Constellation, steel plating from USS Texas and USS Arizona, and deck bolts from USS New Jersey, according to Navy officials. The timber for the vice president’s desk came from USS Constitution.
Cole can take pride in serving America through military service.
“Serving in the Navy means that life can give you many opportunities but the Navy opens those doors to set yourself apart from the average American,” Cole said.
Cole is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my mom and dad, Yolis Velasquez and Martin Hernandez,” Cole said.
“Their love and hard work taught me to strive for excellence. My brother, Eli, and my sister, Eillen, are the best older siblings the youngest can ask for. Also want to thank my husband Yeoman First Class Andrew Cole, for being my rock through all of it, the exhaustive nights and early mornings.”
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