Photo By Oscar Garcia | ANCHORAGE, AK (Jun 16, 2025) Members of the Youth Employment in Parks and U.S. Navy...... read more read more
ANCHORAGE, AK (Jun 17, 2025) What was expected to take three days took just one, thanks to a joint effort between U.S. Navy Sailors and local youth during Navy Week Anchorage 2025. Seabees from Naval Construction Group One teamed up with other Sailors from the Washington D.C. area and members of the Youth Employment in Parks (YEP) program to restore the Virgin Creek Falls Trail—clearing brush, leveling gravel, and compacting the soil in a single day.
Navy Week, the Navy's flagship community outreach program, brought Sailors to Anchorage to connect with residents and demonstrate the Navy's mission through volunteer efforts, educational outreach, and public engagements. For the Seabees, it was a natural fit—lending their construction and engineering expertise to a service project that directly benefits the local community.
Ryan Olberding, supervisor for the YEP program said: “The Sailors were very engaging with the kids, the kids enjoyed working with them—they asked a lot of questions. We thank you very much.”
YEP is a summer program for Anchorage youth ages 18 to 19 that teaches conservation leadership through hands-on environmental work. In 2024, youth participants have removed invasive species and planted over 8,500 trees. This year, the focus was trail maintenance.
Throughout the day, Sailors formed bucket brigades, carried loads of gravel, and operated hand tools alongside the teens. The cooperation was more than logistical—it was inspirational.
“When you combine motivated young people with the Navy’s can-do attitude, anything is possible. This project went faster than expected because everyone pulled together with a common goal.” said Chief Petty Officer Tennant, who helped lead the Seabee effort.
Navy Week is a nationwide outreach program organized by the United States Navy to connect with communities that do not typically have a significant Navy presence. Held in cities across the country, Navy Week brings in Sailors from multiple commands to participate in public events, educational activities, and community service projects. The goal is to educate the public about the Navy’s mission, capabilities, and the critical role it plays in national defense and global maritime security.
Naval Construction Group One (NCG 1) is homeported in Pt. Hueneme, California, and leads and manages the overall capability and readiness of its Naval Construction Regiments (NCRs), Naval Mobile Construction Battalions (NMCBs), Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU), and Underwater Construction Team (UCT). NCG 1 provides the required engineering support that the Navy and Nation need to construct and maintain base facilities, repair battle-damaged facilities, conduct defensive operations as required, and to meet disaster preparedness and recovery missions.
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.21.2025 16:34 |
| Story ID: | 500914 |
| Location: | ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Seabees Power Through Anchorage Trail Project in One Day During Navy Week Anchorage, by Oscar Garcia, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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