By Lt. Cdr. Jennifer Cragg
Navy Expeditionary Combat Command
NEW YORK – Sea service members, including U.S. Navy Seabee personnel, assisted Habitat for Humanity New York City (Habitat NYC) on restoration projects on Brooklyn and Queens as part of a Fleet Week New York (FWNY) community service project May 25-26.
Military personnel donated their time and skills on two home building projects in Brooklyn, two revitalization projects in Queens and joined “A Brush with Kindness” project to volunteer at a local community.
“I enjoy the camaraderie of working alongside of a smaller group of Sailors serving in the Seabees,” said Construction Mechanic 1st Class Evan Allen, a Seabee and Manchester, Pa. native, assigned to Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 202 at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story.
Allen is one of the many service members who volunteered with Habitat NYC. He joined the Navy in 2002 and has deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Bahrain.
Some of the skills Allen has developed throughout his Navy career include repairing and maintaining almost every aspect of machinery operation, including troubleshooting and diagnosing computer failures.
One of Allen’s grandfathers served in World War II and was a Pearl Harbor survivor. While Allen was assigned to Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5), he participated in the burial at sea at Pearl Harbor.
Allen is the fourth generation of his family to serve in the armed forces. Both of his grandfathers served in the Marines during the Vietnam War, one as a bugler and the other as an infantryman. His father served in the U.S. Army as well.
In 2017 Allen and the U.S. Navy Seabees, past and present, celebrated the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the “Fighting Seabees.”
The goal of the volunteer effort was to give back to the local New York community for their support during FWNY, and to provide a positive impact while connecting Americans with their Navy.
Habitat NYC, a non-profit organization, transforms lives and communities by building and preserving affordable homes with hard-working families in need – and by uniting all New Yorkers around the cause of affordable housing. With the help of thousands of volunteers each year, Habitat NYC builds and preserves homes for ownership by low-to-moderate income families throughout the five boroughs, creating a stronger and more united New York. Learn more at www.habitatnyc.org.
FWNY, now in its 29th year, is the city’s time-honored celebration of the sea services. It is an unparalleled opportunity for the citizens of New York and the surrounding tri-state area to meet Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, as well as witness firsthand the latest capabilities of today’s maritime services. The weeklong celebration has been held nearly every year since 1984.
For up-to-date information on all FWNY events, visit the office FWNY website at www.fleetweeknewyork.com. “Like” FleetWeekNewYork on Facebook, or “Follow” @FleetWeekNYC on Twitter. FWNY photos can be viewed on Flickr at www.flickr.com/photos/fwnypao and Instagram at www.instagram.com/fleetweeknyc. Join the conversation on social media by using #FleetWeekNYC. Follow the Seabee Commemoration at #Seabee75th.
| Date Taken: | 05.26.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 05.26.2017 15:28 |
| Story ID: | 235480 |
| Location: | NY, US |
| Hometown: | MANCHESTER, PA, US |
| Web Views: | 77 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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