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SAN DIEGO (April 20, 2016) – As the Sailors of the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) prepare for the ship’s third deployment, they know that they’ll set sail this fall without one very beloved and influential shipmate. After serving nearly five years aboard, Afloat Recreation Specialist, aka Fun Boss, Kristen Venoy, from Gainesville, Florida, will bid farewell to Makin Island. Her final event will be the friends and family cruise on April 29. Her patriotic service to our nation will continue as she prepares to embark the USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), where she will undoubtedly bring the hospital ship’s crew morale to unprecedented new heights.
Venoy has served aboard Makin Island since August 2011, a tour that included the ship’s 2011 and 2014 Western-Pacific deployments. She fulfilled several duties while serving alongside the crew of over 1,100 Sailors and 1,500 Marines.
As Fun Boss, Venoy provided a comprehensive Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) program to the crew, including managing and maintaining the gym, planning and executing special events and tours, providing recreation and fitness opportunities, and keeping the crew and their families informed of local events.
“I will remember Kristen’s service with great pride recalling how she inspired a crew during a deployment that spent 115 straight days at sea,” said Commanding Officer Capt. Jon P. Rodgers. “Although she does not don a uniform, Kristen is every bit a shipmate whose service to our nation was and will remain significant. “Kristen worked from the heart during deployments, summer picnics, talent shows, Tiger cruises and Christmas parties, and she served as the great integrator for the crew and the San Diego community.”
Venoy began her journey to becoming the Makin Island Fun Boss through internships she filled while attending Florida State University. After college, she held MWR positions in Pensacola, Florida and China Lake, California. While she said these experiences were fulfilling, they also fueled her desire to support deployed service members.
“I wanted a challenge right out of college,” said Venoy. “I needed to know what Sailors and Marines go through on sea duty to truly be able to provide the best MWR support.”
After two months on Makin Island, Venoy got her wish when the ship departed San Diego for its first Western-Pacific deployment.
Venoy said she has too many fond memories of her time aboard to pick just one favorite, although, she said, “taking Sailors and Marines to visit Petra, outside of Aqaba, Jordan, was one of the coolest things I have ever done!”
Venoy played a crucial role during her two deployments, as well as during in-port periods, in keeping Sailors and Marines physically and mentally strong through a wealth of MWR activities.
Venoy said meeting so many Sailors and Marines really helped her appreciate the sacrifices service members make and gain a better understanding of how her work benefits them and the mission.
“I will never forget the people I met,” Venoy said, “and I am forever indebted to them for allowing me to work alongside them on Makin Island, and for accepting me as part of the crew.”
Venoy set a high bar when it came to fun. Electronics Technician 2nd Class Levi Stidham, from Westfield, Indiana, has worked with Venoy since November 2015, helping organize MWR events for Makin Island.
“A lot of moving pieces happen behind the scenes,” Stidham said. “She really puts a lot of hard-work and dedication into keeping crew morale high onboard.”
Her outgoing personality and ability to relate and talk to anyone also won her over with the crew.
“Everyday, people come up just to say hi and talk about what’s going on with MWR,” Stidham said. “Whether it’s fitness-related, a cooking class, an awesome tour or volunteering at a local organization, she has something for everyone.”
Although she knows leaving her Makin Island family will be difficult, Venoy is excited about her future.
“The opportunity on Mercy will allow me to see other ways in which our afloat recreation program serves our Navy, and it is truly the opportunity of a lifetime,” she said.
Venoy said her time onboard Makin Island provided the perspective she needed to fully understand the positive impact that recreation and fitness can have on a command. Even as she prepares to say farewell, Venoy continues to enhance the wellbeing of the Makin Island crew.
“I encourage everyone to never lose the passion for play and for health, because they are our basic mental and physical needs,” she said, in a parting message to the Makin Island crew. “Take time to decompress from work, because everyone needs a little me-time, even when you're in the middle of the ocean. Stay positive, stay strong, and try to be better each and every day. Smile more, laugh more, and embrace the good over the bad. You are in charge of your personal happiness, so don't waste your time on negative energy. Be kind to one another. Thank you for your service, and I wish y'all happiness, health, and safety.”
Venoy plans to depart Makin Island after the conclusion of the final MWR event organized under her purview, the 2016 Friends and Family Day Cruise.
“Makin Island was very fortunate to call Kristen shipmate for so many years,” said Rodgers. “She will be missed and the entire Makin Island crew wishes her the best as she moves forward in her career.”
| Date Taken: | 04.20.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2016 16:28 |
| Story ID: | 196806 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 104 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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