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A 2002 Bentworth Senior High School graduate and Eighty Four, PA native is serving overseas with the U.S. Navy Patrol Coastal Squadron 1, living and working at a Navy base in Manama, Bahrain.

BethFawcett

Petty Officer 1st Class Beth Fawcett is a gunner's mate with the Bahrain-based unit. Bahrain is a small island country situated near the western shores of the Arabian Gulf.

A Navy gunner's mate is responsible for protecting the ship, training others to protect the ship and maintaining various weapons.

"Training with high-power weapons is a really good job and fun,” said Fawcett.

PC Squadron 1 supports and administers some of the Navy’s 13 Cyclone-class ships designed for coastal patrol and interdiction surveillance. These ships provide the U.S. Navy with a fast, reliable platform that can respond to crises in a shallow water environment.

As a member of the unit, Fawcett and other PC Squadron 1 Sailors know they are part of a forward-deployed naval forces team that is heavily relied upon to help protect and defend America on the world’s oceans. “Living and working in other cultures is interesting,” said Fawcett. “Overseas pay is excellent and being able to experience different cultures is great.”

Eight Cyclone-class coastal patrol ships and two Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship are forward deployed in Bahrain.

The world is increasingly complex, and crewmembers with PC Squadron 1, as well as the other forward-deployed naval vessels in Bahrain, assist with assuring international sea lines between the Middle East and Europe remain open and help protect against possible maritime threats.

As a sailor with numerous responsibilities, deployed halfway around the world away from friends and family back home, Fawcett said she is learning about herself as a leader, sailor and a person. "I’ve learned how to interact with a variety of people and work as part of a team,” said Fawcett.

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