Weston native serves at Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center

By Megan Brown, Navy Office of Community Outreach

      PANAMA CITY, FL — Seaman Sebastian Mojica, a native of Weston, Florida, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center, the largest diving facility in the world.

Mojica graduated from Cypress Bay High School in 2020.

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Weston.

“Growing up in my hometown, I learned that if you want to change your life, you have to do it yourself,” said Mojica. “In the Navy, you have to make stuff happen for yourself because no one else will do it for you.”

Mojica joined the Navy one year ago.

“I joined the Navy because I wanted to do an important job that served a greater purpose,” said Mojica.

More than 1,200 students from the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard train at Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center each year. These students include candidates for submarine SCUBA, U.S. Navy deep sea divers, Seabee underwater construction divers, joint service diving officers and explosive ordnance disposal officers.

Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center houses 23 certified diver life support systems, which include two diving simulation facilities capable of pressing divers to a depth of 300 feet, an aquatics training facility with the second largest pool in the U.S., a submarine lock-out trunk that holds nearly one million gallons of water and two 133-foot Yard Diving Tenders for open ocean diving support.

“Having a cadre of students who are eager to learn and extremely hardworking, ensures the future of our Navy Diver and Explosive Ordnance Disposal communities,” said Cmdr. Troy Lawson, commanding officer, Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center.

Serving in the Navy means Mojica is part of a team that is taking on new importance in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.

“The Navy is important to national defense because we take care of problems that most Americans are not even aware of,” said Mojica.

With 90% 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 trained sailors and a strong Navy.

Mojica has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

“I am most proud of getting to come to the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center,” said Mojica. “Not a lot of people can make it to this point, so I am proud that I got this far.”

As Mojica and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the U.S. Navy.

“Being in the Navy means serving a bigger purpose,” said Mojica.

Mojica is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

“I want to thank coach Allen Held for teaching me to have a strong work ethic and for changing my life,” added Mojica.