Creating connections through community relations

Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan EstradaEguizabal | 230209-N-FQ639-1067 YOKOSUKA, Japan (Feb. 9, 2023) Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Brenda Acosta, from Aurora, Illinois, assigned to the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), plays soccer with students from Yokosuka Middle School onboard Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Feb. 9. Ronald Reagan Sailors visited the middle school as part of a community relations event aimed to strengthen the relations between the command and the Yokosuka community. Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, and supports Alliances, partnerships and collective maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jonathan EstradaEguizabal)  

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, JAPAN

02.23.2023

Story by Seaman Jonathan EstradaEguizabal 

USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN 76)   

Strengthening ties with the local community is part of the essential mission as a forward-deployed naval force. Whether in a foreign port, further establishing partnerships with Allies or back at home with close friends and loved ones, community relations (COMRELs) events provide Sailors with a platform to be a positive role model and ambassador for their respective commands and the U.S. Navy.
While in-port Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY), volunteer opportunities are tailored towards integrating with Japanese locals and the CFAY community through various events. One recent event was held at the Yokosuka Middle School, where Reagan Sailors spent time with students playing games, serving school lunch and providing Sailor-to-student mentorship.
“I feel that COMRELs are about helping others,” said Religious Program Specialist 2nd Class Onisha Simmons, the Reagan COMREL coordinator. “We talked to a group of boys and they said that their teachers are educating them about financing and how college works … so I gave my thoughts on that, because they are interested about college and different opportunities.”
Reagan Sailors have consistently volunteered at the schools on CFAY since its homeport shift to Yokosuka. Even though COMREL events typically only last for a few hours, the bonds made leave a long-lasting effect on the community.
“The schools love every minute of the COMREL visits,” said Lt. Jacob Meyer, a Navy chaplain aboard Ronald Reagan. “At mass, many of the kids in the school will mention the Sailors and want to see them. When we put on the uniform, we are role models that represent the nation. When we leave the school, the kids think we are the coolest people on the planet.”
Just as the students benefit from the time spent with the Sailors, service members who volunteer share a passion for making connections, especially with the future generation.
“I enjoy volunteering because it gives me a chance to connect with other people,” said Electronics Technician 3rd Class Miles Warren. “The kids were hilarious. They remind me of how I was at that age and so it’s always good to reflect back.”
Each volunteer opportunity is unique in its own way but to its core, these COMRELs allow the local community to better understand the ship’s mission while giving the Sailors a greater sense of purpose.
“It lets the community see the Sailors in a different light,” said Meyer. “Seeing the Sailors who are sacrificing a lot of their lives for [the community’s] protection … gives us a greater sense of purpose and meaning to what we do here on the ship.”
For Sailors who are interested, check emails and Command Religious Ministries Department board [CRMD] or the CRMD library.

• Date Taken: 02.23.2023
• Date Posted: 03.10.2023 02:12
• Story ID: 440094
• Location: YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, JP