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CHIEF PETTY OFFICER ARISTEO BARZAGA, UNITED STATES NAVY
* Del Pilar Academy Class IV-A
* The Pillar - Editor

Aris attended Medicion II Elementary School then transferred and graduated
at the top of his class at Bukandala Elementary School. With some noteworthy
accomplishments as Editor of “The Pillar” and 1977 Imus Boys & Girls Week
Boy Mayor, he graduated from Del Pilar Academy with honors in 1978. The
next 5 years were spent taking up Aeronautical Engineering at PATS School
of Aeronautics, Pasay City and then Accounting at Imus Institute, Imus, Cavite.
He was employed as a business assistant of his aunt all throughout that time.

Surprisingly, his fate changed as he passed the screening examinations of
the United States Navy. Enlisting on January 1983, he completed Boot Camp
and Seaman Apprentice Training at Recruit Training Center San Diego,
California. His first tour of duty was Naval Weapons Station Concord,
California where he did a lateral conversion to the aviation field and advanced
to Aviation Support Equipment Technician (Mechanical) Third Class. His next
tour was onboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), home ported then at San Diego,
California where he advanced to Second Class Petty Officer and earned his
first warfare pin. He then transferred to Naval Air Station Cubi Point,
Philippines, where he picked up the rank of First Class. He then picked an
arduous assignment at Naval Air Station Adak, Alaska where he got his
Associate of Arts degree (Cum Laude) from the University of Alaska,
Anchorage.

Preparing for advancement, he took orders to the USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3)
that was home ported at Sasebo, Japan. He was selected for advancement to
Chief Petty Officer and earned his 2nd warfare qualification during this
assignment. He then took orders to Helicopter Combat Support Squadron
Five (HC-5) at Yigo, Guam until 1999. Being stationed overseas for too long,
he was detailed to Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Detachment Lemoore,
California. Desiring another ‘cool’ duty station, he took on orders to Naval Air
Station Keflavik, Iceland where he got to admire the famed Northern Lights.
For his last tour and his ardent desire to explore Europe, he took an
assignment at Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Detachment Sigonella, Italy.

Aris is married to Stella Maris Garcia of San Pablo, California since 1986.
They have a son - Asher (16) and a daughter – Ashley (13).