MANAMA, Bahrain, a 2011 Northwestern Lehigh High School graduate and Germansville native is helping the U. S. Navy keep sea lanes safe and open in the Middle East, serving on the mine countermeasures ship USS Sentry.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Koenig is a Navy damage controlman and lives and works at a Navy base in Manama, Bahrain, where Sentry is based. Bahrain is a small island country situated near the western shores of the Arabian Gulf.A Navy damage controlman is responsible for conducting maintenance of firefighting equipment aboard the ship."I like the fact that I am trained and prepared for the worst case scenario on any U.S. Navy ship," Koenig said.The Sentry was commissioned in 1993 and is the first Navy ship to bear this name. It is one of the Navy's 11 Avenger class mine countermeasures ships that are designed to remove mines from vital waterways and harbors."I like the size of the crew," Koenig said. "It affords a close sense of camaraderie that makes the work easier."The Sentry is 224 feet long, 39 feet wide and displaces 1,312 tons of water. It is powered by four diesel engines and can reach speeds of more than 16 mph.With approximately eight officers and 80 enlisted comprising the ship's company, jobs are highly varied which keeps the ship mission ready - this includes everything from washing dishes and preparing meals to handling weaponry and maintaining the propulsion system.As a member of the crew, Koenig and other Sentry 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."I like that I get to meet new people all over the world," Koenig said.In addition to the Sentry, another Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship is forward deployed in Bahrain along with seven Cyclone class coastal patrol ships.The world is increasingly complex and crewmembers aboard the Sentry, 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, Koenig said he is learning about himself as a leader, sailor and a person."I am a better leader and I have learned to multi-task because of my time in the Navy," Koenig said.Chris Laurent is chief mass communications specialist.