Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Johans Chavarro | 150702-N-IU636-267 PEARL HARBOR (July 2, 2015) A Sailor holds up Coalition of Sailors...... read more read more
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PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - The first one was unexpected.
The second was a little less startling, but still a surprise.
When the third one rang out, it became clear that it might just become a, “thing,” the honking.
By then, the fourth quickly became the fifth, and shortly after, pinpointing the location of the honking became too complex. Every other car seemed to be joining in, with every other driver throwing a “shaka” sign out their window, reminding the group to “hang loose."
Across the intersection, reciprocatory shakas flew up in the air, followed by a verbal cascade of, “Keep What You've Earned!,” “CSADD cares!” and “don’t be that guy!”
“They can’t miss us,” said Pearl Harbor Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD) President Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Anthony R. Ramos, assigned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) Port Operations Dock Masters. “We’re at one of the main entrances of the base, so they have no option but to stop and see the messages. Now, it’s just up to them to make the right decision.”
As an organization ran by Sailors for Sailors, CSADD gives junior Sailors the opportunity to get involved in the community and meet other people, while promoting positive choices.
And on this particular morning, armed with posters and their aloha salutes, Ramos and a handful of other CSADD Sailors strategically positioned themselves throughout the intersection of Makalapa Road and North Road to promote responsible decision-making on the eve of one of the most popular U.S. holidays, the Fourth of July.
“We’re trying to show the rest of our shipmates, and anyone else who works here on the base, that we care about their well-being,” said Ramos. “We have the Fourth of July weekend coming up, and while it’s a great time for everybody to get some time off and relax, we also want to remind everybody to keep what they earn.”
“You don’t want to go out there and do things that can damage your career or damage your family,” said Ramos. “So, you know, go out there and have a good time, but do it smartly. Make smart decisions.”
And with each passing car, horn sounding or not, triumphantly the CSADD Sailors held their posters out in front, or over their heads, vigorously urging those passing by to heed their message.
“Drive Sober, or Get Pulled Over,” read one sign.
Another, “CSADD Cares.”
“Don’t Text and Drive.”
And finally, “Keep What You've Earned.”
“This could be that difference maker for someone who is having a bad day, just seeing one of these signs could help them. They might realize, ‘OK, somebody cares,’” said Ramos. “We’re here for them and we just want them to know that. We’re physically out here trying to show them we really are here for them.”
Which, for Ramos, is what CSADD is all about, Sailors helping Sailors.
“Sailors helping Sailors is where it starts,” said Ramos. “When you go home, your family doesn’t always know what goes on at work and when you’re at work, your coworkers don’t always know what goes on at home, but they see you everyday, that’s for sure.”
Originally from Compton, California, Ramos joined the Navy seven years ago as a way to get more out of life.
“I was doing security before I joined the Navy, and I felt like I just wasn’t getting enough out of it,” said Ramos. “I really wanted to add more on to my life, do something different. I’m also the oldest of five, so I kind of wanted to set a good path for my brothers and sisters too.”
It was at his first duty station that Ramos was initially introduced to CSADD and gravitated toward it. So, when the opportunity came up to lead the program, shortly after arriving at Pearl Harbor, Ramos didn’t hesitate to seize the opportunity.
“Since he’s got here, he’s just been rolling with everything, trying to get everything going,” said Chief Boatswain’s Mate Michael Espita, assigned to JBPHH Port Operations Dock Masters.
“One of our first conversations was how he could be more of an asset while he was at the command,” said Espita. “So, one of the things I told him was to try and get involved outside of the shop and with the command. A couple of weeks go by and he comes back and is like, ‘I’m the CSADD president.’”
“I took on running CSADD because I love what it is and what it stands for,” said Ramos. “I felt like I should be giving back in some way, [and as CSADD president], I’m in a good position to do so.”
Since then, Ramos and his CSADD team have been working hard to spread the CSADD message, increase membership and CSADD’s involvement in the community.
“We recently went out to some of the other ships, the [USS] Chung Hoon and Michael Murphy, and talked to those guys over there,” said Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Mark Bonner, a new CSADD member and one of the Sailors on Makalapa and North Road that morning. “We also talk to the Sailors that dock the ships about making right decisions.”
Like Ramos, Bonner also emphasized the importance of Sailors helping Sailors, and the responsibility one has to those values when holding any particular leadership position.
“When I was an LPO [leading petty officer] a lot of the other Sailors looked up to me; looked at what I was doing, how I carried myself and how I bettered myself” said Bonner. “When you’re out there supporting these causes, people respond and are like, ‘Wow, people are taking the time out of their day to show they care.’ ... As a collective whole, we feel like our voices will help out the younger generations, and the generations after that. And that’s what we’re trying to do today, and every other day.”
An effort, Ramos and the CSADD Sailors showed they were fully committed to as the sun rose higher and higher over Makalapa and North road.
With their brows sodden, Ramos, Bonner and the rest of the CSADD Sailors stood their ground against the Hawaiian heat, signs held high and smiles one their faces, making sure that each passerby was reminded to, “Keep what you've earned!”
| Date Taken: | 07.02.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 07.08.2015 20:23 |
| Story ID: | 169457 |
| Location: | PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 227 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Spreading the message: CSADD reminds Sailors to ‘Keep What You've Earned’, by PO2 Johans Chavarro, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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