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By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chase C. Lacombe
USS George Washington Public Affairs
RIO DE JANEIRO – Sailors from aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) and other Sailors from the Brazilian navy and partner nations joined forces with the staff at Minas Geraes elementary school in Rio de Janeiro, to sand, clean and paint the interior of the aging school.
“Community Relations (COMRELs) engagements serve to enhance our crew’s involvement with local communities, fostering goodwill and strengthening the relationships between the U.S. and partner nations,” said Rear Adm. Lisa Franchetti, commander, Carrier Strike Group NINE. “Our Sailors valued the opportunity to engage with the Brazilian people, and it’s a great way to give something back to the community that welcomed us so warmly.”
The event was the second of two COMRELs that took place during UNITAS Atlantic (LANT) 2015, the first occurring in Rio Grande, Brazil Nov. 14 with Sailors from McFaul, guided-missile destroyer USS Chafee (DDG 90), and other Sailors from Brazil, Chile and Mexico.
“Giving back to the community is important at home and abroad,” said Religious Program Specialist 1st Class Victor Montoya, the project’s event coordinator for Washington. “It gives everyone a sense of pride and thankfulness to be able to help those less privileged. Some Sailors have never deployed and never experienced how people abroad live. These projects expose service members to a different reality, giving them a different point of view and make them appreciate what they have.”
During the COMREL in Rio de Janeiro, service members provided a fresh coat of paint to the interior of the building and many of the school’s classrooms.
“Giving these children cleaner and more organized classrooms will give them a sense of pride and dedication to their future,” said Montoya. “Having a clean environment will help students focus on their classes and for teachers to be more organized. The children will see that the U.S. military is there to help and promote wellness.”
UNITAS, conducted every year since 1960, is intended to train participating forces in a variety of maritime scenarios to test command and control forces at sea, while operating as a multi-national force to provide the maximum opportunity to improve interoperability.
“U.S. Sailors and Sailors from our partner navies shared experiences and learned more about each other’s culture and people during this project,” said Franchetti. “These interactions create bonds across the cultures and foster friendship and understanding among the nations. Our engagement here truly reflects the enduring partnership between our countries as well as our shared value of service.”
Washington is deployed as part of Southern Seas 2015, which seeks to enhance interoperability, increase regional stability and build and maintain relationships with countries throughout the region through joint, multinational and interagency exchanges and cooperation.
| Date Taken: | 11.24.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 11.29.2015 17:33 |
| Story ID: | 183065 |
| Location: | RIO DE JANEIRO, BR |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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