Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Justin Wolpert | 150425-N-VC599-144 NEW ORLEANS (April 25, 2015) A Boy Scout looks through the scope...... read more read more
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NEW ORLEANS - Local Boy Scouts arrived aboard amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) to tour the ship April 25 as part of Navy Week New Orleans (NOLA).
Roughly 150 Boy Scouts from New Orleans Southeast Council troops 393, 263, 269, and 2000 toured Wasp to learn about the ship’s capabilities, equipment and armaments, and to meet the Sailors and Marines that serve aboard the ship.
Scouts had the opportunity to sit inside amphibious assault vehicles, learn about damage control, get up-close and personal with a .50-caliber machine gun and interact with many enthusiastic Sailors and Marines.
Donald McKoin, father of one of the Boy Scouts, said he was overjoyed to see how much fun the Scouts were having while touring the ship.
“They are just having a blast,” said McKoin. “Getting into the vehicles, touching the weapons, meeting the people, all of their faces are just lit up and smiles are everywhere.”
One of the Scouts was quick to confirm the sentiment expressed by McKoin.
“I really hope you guys come back every year,” he said. “I loved getting into the vehicles, and I really hope there’s more.”
McKoin also highlighted the internal impact the trip was having on the Scouts.
“The tour really allows the kids to grasp what you all do,” said McKoin. “Having served, I really see that it helps them connect the values we are teaching them in Boy Scouts. Things like honor, courage, sacrifice, commitment; all things that are reinforced when they are able to actually see the people defending their country.”
Tours are offered daily on each of the ships participating in NOLA, including Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Cole (DDG 67) and USS James E. Williams (DDG 95), the Duke class British frigate HMS Lancaster, Coast Guard Reliance class cutter USCG Dauntless, and Canadian Iroquois class destroyer HMCS Athabaskan.
The weeklong celebration is an opportunity for the citizens of New Orleans and the surrounding area to meet Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, as well as witness firsthand the latest capabilities of today's maritime services.
For more information, visit: http://nolanavyweek.com or https://www.facebook.com/NolaNavyWeek.
| Date Taken: | 04.25.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 04.25.2015 18:28 |
| Story ID: | 161285 |
| Location: | NEW ORLEANS, LA, US |
| Web Views: | 246 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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