WESLACO – A vessel that doesn’t sleep are the words Lt. Commander Christopher Labissiere used to describe life aboard a destroyer ship.

He said work breaks are limited with drills and operations taking up the majority of the time. He added, “There's always somebody up, there's always somebody who has something to do.”

During his 18-year span of service, Lt. Labissiere has been deployed five times, each time for four to eight months.

Lt. Labissiere told CHANNEL FIVE NEWS the inside of a destroyer is modest. The layout designed for space efficiency. This includes limited storage and fold out compartments. 

He said the non-stop training is preparation for an emergency situation. It trains sailors to respond without thinking and instead react with muscle memory.

Even though the ship operates with a non-stop flow, Lt. Labissiere said he took time out every day to communicate with family.  

The main mode of communication between personnel with their loved ones at sea is via email.

However, Lt. Labissiere said receiving handwritten letters surpassed email every time. He said it brought a piece of family and home aboard the ship.