By Lt. Cmdr. 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 truly love serving as a master diver in the U.S. Navy,” said Chief Builder Brian Strantz, a Seabee and Monticello, Ind., native diver with Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 1 at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek Fort-Story, Virginia.
Strantz entered the U.S. Navy in 1999 and his grandfather served as a signalman during World War II and fought in the Pacific.
In December 2016, the U.S. Navy commemorated the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, honoring those who served such as his grandfather.
Some of the skills Strantz developed during his Navy career include building and repairing all types of structures, including piers, bridges, underwater installations, schools, offices and housing structures.
In 2017 Starntz 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: | 235502 |
| Location: | NY, US |
| Hometown: | MONTICELLO, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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