Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan Batchelder | 160914-N-EH218-275 SAN DIEGO (Sept. 14, 2016) – Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Dean...... read more read more
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Fleet week honors the men and women of the sea services and is an opportunity for service members to participate in events and show off their pride in a community that has an enduring relationship with the military.
“This is my third fleet week but my first fleet week in San Diego,” said Chief Culinary Specialist Pearl Amako, a Washington D.C. native assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100). “As integral as the Navy is to a sea-loving community like San Diego, it's important to remember how much the support of the citizens means to us and the Navy, as well.”
Sailors took the opportunity to give back to the local area by clearing brush, removing fences, prepping surfaces for painting, sealing roofs and laying the groundwork for new fences to be built in support of two Habitat for Humanity houses in Imperial Beach.
“Everyone everywhere I've been during fleet week has been very appreciative of the efforts of our service members,” said Fire Controlman 2nd Class Brenda Ezenwaokpala, a St. Louis native assigned to the pre-commisioning unit guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113). “We bring a lot of helping hands wherever we go, and that efficiency helps us to accomplish a lot of great things in a short amount of time.”
Fleet week featured events such as the Sea & Air Parade, along with community service projects and ship tours, showcasing America's maritime forces and providing a chance for the San Diego community to interact with members of the military who serve in the region, as well as Sailors from the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Winnipeg (FFH 338). These events help to foster and preserve the bond that the sea services have with the communities who help support them.
“As Sailors, we're seen out and about on the streets, but the public doesn't really get to see a whole lot of our jobs and what we do as their military,” said Amako. “Fleet week gives us a chance to provide much-needed interaction so that both the public, and service members, gain more awareness while we continue work alongside and support each other.”
After sharing more than a century of history, San Diego and the Navy go hand-in-hand. More than 115,000 active duty Navy, Marine Corps, and members of the Coast Guard call San Diego County their home. For many service members, giving their time to help build equity in the community they call home is one of a satisfying experiences.
“Upholding morale is important in the Navy, and for us as volunteers during fleet week, that mentality filters into the people and places that we interact with on a daily basis,” said Ezenwaokpala. “It's a great team-building setting, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. It's been very rewarding for everyone involved.”
Fleet week offers the public an opportunity to meet Sailors, Marines, and members of the Coast Guard and gain a better understanding of how the sea services support the national defense of the United States and freedom of the seas.
| Date Taken: | 09.14.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 09.15.2016 00:28 |
| Story ID: | 209640 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 117 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Sailors Lend a Hand During San Diego Fleet Week 2016, by PO1 Ryan Batchelder, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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