Greenwich man based in Bahrain with Navy

GREENWICH >> Steven Desnoyers, a 2005 Greenwich Central High School graduate, is serving overseas on the navy’s coastal patrol ship USS Whirlwind (PC-11), based in Manama, Bahrain.

Desnoyers, a petty officer second class, plays a vital role aboard ship.

He is a culinary specialist, responsible for cooking and meal preparation.

“I enjoy the camaraderie and personnel on board this ship,” Desnoyers said. “Everyone is helpful and pitches in to complete a task.”

Bahrain is a small island country near the western shores of the Arabian Gulf. The Whirlwind was commissioned in 1995 and is one of the navy’s 10 Cyclone class ships designed for coastal patrol and interdiction surveillance.

Such ships give the navy a fast, reliable way to respond to crises in shallow-water situations.

The Whirlwind is 179 feet long, 25 feet wide and has four diesel engines that power the ship to speeds of more than 40 mph. Its armament is comprised of eight machine guns and two grenade launchers.

With approximately four officers and 25 enlisted people comprising the ship’s company, jobs are highly varied. Those on board must do everything from washing dishes and preparing meals to handling weaponry and maintaining the propulsion system.

“You learn how to deal with different personalities and make the best of a situation,” said Desnoyers. “You turn negatives into positives.”