From Jose Rizal University to NAS Lemoore: One Sailor’s Story

Long before he wore a U.S. Navy uniform, Paul Bernard Castro was a university graduate in Mandaluyong City, Philippines, learning the value of hard work from his parents — a lesson that would eventually carry him across an ocean and into one of the most advanced fighter wings in the world.

Today, Petty Officer 3rd Class Castro serves as a logistics specialist assigned to Commander, Joint Strike Fighter Wing aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, home to more than half of the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet and the only Navy installation to house the F-35C Lightning II. It’s a career built not on a straight line, but on a series of deliberate choices — from a Philippine classroom to America’s flight line.

A Foundation Built Long Before the Navy

Castro graduated from Jose Rizal University in 2005, years before he ever considered military service. The values he carried from that chapter of his life, he said, became the backbone of his work ethic decades later.

“From a very young age I was taught the skills, importance, value and the honor of an honest day’s work,” Castro said. “Having a good work ethic and a stellar reputation goes a long way and has helped me stand out in my command and among my peers.”

Castro moved to the United States in 2019, and five years later, he made the decision to join the Navy. “I was born in the Philippines and moved to the United States in 2019,” he said. “I wanted to join and defend this great country that has given my family and me so many opportunities as well as a future I could only dream of.”

That decision has paid off quickly. In just two years of service, Castro was named Sailor of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2026, earned an advancement in rank, and completed several qualifications — milestones he credits to the discipline instilled in him long before he ever set foot on a U.S. installation.

Serving at the Heart of Naval Aviation

NAS Lemoore isn’t just another duty station. As home to Commander Strike Fighter Wing Pacific and Commander Joint Strike Fighter Wing, it sits at the center of the Navy’s aviation power, housing the aircraft that make up the backbone of America’s carrier strike groups. Those strike groups, and the squadrons that fly from them, remain the cornerstone of U.S. naval power projection, capable of maneuvering thousands of miles without relying on land bases or overflight agreements.

The Navy operates more than 2,000 aircraft globally, a fleet Navy officials say is essential to preserving peace and responding decisively in crises. With roughly 90% of global commerce traveling by sea, and internet connectivity dependent on the security of undersea fiber-optic cables, officials have stressed that national prosperity is directly tied to recruiting sailors like Castro from across the country’s diverse population.

For Castro, the mission is personal. “I am very proud of the fact that I get to wake up every day and say I am a U.S. Navy Sailor,” he said. “Serving in the Navy means constantly improving myself as well as growing as part of a team and giving back to my fellow Americans.”

His journey arrives during a milestone year for the service. As the United States marks 250 years of independence, the Navy is commemorating its own 250-year legacy of defending freedom and protecting global prosperity — a history Castro now says he’s proud to be part of.

Castro is quick to credit those who shaped him long before he ever wore the uniform. “I would like to thank my mother, Josephine, and father, Virgilio, for always being by my side, giving me direction and making me the man I am today,” he said. “I work hard every day to make them proud and serve my county with honor.”