Former Liberian Soccer Star retires from US navy after twenty years of service

Hospital Corpsman
First Class Petty Officer 
Surface Warfare
Philip K. Klah Sr.
 United States Navy

Petty Officer Philip K. Klah enlisted in the United States Navy on April 20, 1988. He was recruited at the Naval Recruiting Center in Brooklyn, New York. Immediately, thereafter, he was sent to Boot Camp in Great Lakes, Illinois where he successfully completed his basic training.

Petty Officer Philip K. Klah was sent to the Hospital Corps School in Great Lakes, Illinois where he successfully passed intensive training in the following health-medical areas; patient care; emergency medical care; and medical administration, pharmacology among others. Upon graduation from the Hospital Corps School, he was transferred to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland to undergo practical training or regular duty.

Petty Officer Klah was deployed on the Hospital Ship USNS Comfort for operation Desert Storm-Desert Shield in 1990. After his tour of war duty, he returned to Bethesda Naval Hospital for a short Stay. He was later transferred for temporary assigned duty to Fort Sam Houston in Texas. While there, he attended the Respiratory Technician School. In 1993, he was transferred to Naval Hospital in Newport, Rhode Island where he served until 1994. Thereafter, he was given temporary assigned duty at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba during the height of the Cuban flotilla and Haitian boat crises.

Petty Officer Philip K. Klah was transferred to the Naval School of Health Science for X-Ray at the Naval Hospital Balboa in San Diego, California in 1995. Upon completion of his technical training, he was transferred to the USS Austin for three years as an X-ray Technician and a Hospital staff. In 1998, after serving for another three years on the USS Austin, he was transferred to the Branch Naval Health Clinic at the Naval Weapon Station in Earle, New Jersey.

Petty Officer Philip K. Klah served at the Naval Weapon Station at Earle, new Jersey for five years (1998-2003) He was later assigned to the Naval Hospital in Guam (a U>S> territory in the South Pacific) where he served for two years until his assignment at the Branch Health Clinic in Lakehurst, New Jersey where he currently serves and will serve until his retirement on April 30, 2008.

Petty Officer Philip K. Klah has been actively involved in sporting, social and other community-based activities fro many years. Before his enlistment into the United States Armed Services, he played competitive soccer at the local, national and international levels. During the 1980-81 seasons, he was selected an All American Division I soccer player while playing for St. Francis College in Brooklyn, New York.

Petty Officer Philip K. Klah was captain for the Invincible Eleven, one of Liberia’s top soccer clubs. He played for the Liberian Lone Star, the Liberian National Team, at home and in many foreign countries. Most importantly, he spearheaded the formation of several Liberian sports clubs in almost every state he was stationed for duty (i.e. The Ambassadors in Virginia/Maryland/Washington D.C area, the Lone Star Soccer Club in providence, Rhode Island, and the unofficial USS Austin Soccer team when he was stationed on the warship.

Petty Officer Philip K. Klah is currently serving as the National President of the Union of the Invincible Eleven and Majestic Sports Association, Inc; which has thousand of members, fans and supporters throughout the United States. He is also the National co-chair of the Wells-Hairston Alumni Association in the Americas.

Petty Officer Philip K. Klah majored in Sociology and minor in Criminal Justice at St. Francis College where he earned an associate degree in Criminal Justice. Thereafter, he enlisted in the United States Navy. Currently he is enrolled at Monmouth University in New Jersey where he is completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice.

Petty Officer Klah is married to the gorgeous, wonderful, intelligent and caring Vickie Klah, who is proud to say out loud and clear that, “Philip is a great husband, an enviable father, and a first-class soul mate”. The family has eight children, some of whom are grown and independent of them. But, hey do not loose sight of their youngest, which is eleven years old.

Phil, there is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: it is YOU. Your life does not change when your friends change, when your parents or boss changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs. YOU have examined yourself. YOU were not afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses. YOU are a winner. YOU have build yourself and your reality It’ the way you face Life that makes the difference

FOR TWENTY YEARS THIS SAILOR STOOD THE WATCH. TODAY WE (THE NAVY) ARE HERE TO SAY-“SHIPMATE….THE WATCH STANS RELIEVED” RELIEVED BY THOSE YOU HAVE TRAINED, GUIDED, AND LEAD!!

SHIPMATE, YOU STAND RELIEVED… “WE HAVE THE WATCH….)