Mastic Beach native participates in Ice Exercise 2022 in the Arctic Ocean

A Mastic Beach, New York, native, is serving with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 supporting Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2022 in the Arctic Ocean.

ICEX 2022 is a three-week exercise designed to research, test and evaluate operational capabilities in the Arctic region.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Cheyenne Irizarry joined the Navy three years ago to gain experiences and to see what the world has to offer.

Irizarry, a 2017 William Floyd High School graduate, has taken the skills learned from education and those learned in Mastic Beach to become the sailor they are today.

“Growing up in my hometown has showed me that you have to work hard to get the things you want, and working harder to keep those things,” said Irizarry. 

With more than 90 percent of all trade traveling by sea, and 95 percent of the world’s international phone and internet traffic carried through fiber optic cables lying on the ocean floor, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity and security of the United States is directly linked to a strong and ready Navy.