Sailors participate in Guam community service project

YONA, Guam—Sailors from USS Juneau (LPD 10) and Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 1 Western Pacific Detachment teamed up to give a local Guam elementary school a facelift in the village of Yona last Jan. 28.

The community service participants, 13 in all, organized and cleaned storage spaces, buffed sidewalks, painted partitions of classrooms, applied non-skid treatment to stair cases and removed rooftop weed growth for M.U. Lujan Elementary School.

“I see this as a good way to give back a little something to Guam for what they give to us as guests on their island,” said Damage Controlman 3rd Class Marcus Perez. “It was an awesome experience!”

The administrative staff and teachers of the elementary school oversaw the various projects and were pleased with the results.

“A lot of great work has been done today,” said Michael G. Meno, M.U. Lujan Elementary School assistant principal. “Most of our resources go to the administrative and educational aspects of the school, so having the manpower to achieve some of our maintenance needs like this was a big plus.”

Meno hopes that the volunteer effort will hopefully lead to a continued partnership between the Guam public school system and the U.S. Navy.

“We have enjoyed a great relationship with U.S. Navy,” said Meno. “I think when you have something that is consistent. It is easy to build a relationship and ultimately a partnership, where somehow we can work with the Navy to teach important educational concepts.”

Juneau is a member of the Sasebo-based Forward Deployed Amphibious Ready Group, which arrived in Guam Jan. 24 to offload Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit for Training in an Urban Environment Exercise.

After successful offload of the Marines and their supplies, sailors of the ARG were given liberty in Guam, where many participated in island water-oriented activities as well as a variety of morale, welfare and recreation tours.

The community service participants from Juneau and ACU-1 were glad to have taken advantage of the project opportunity and felt the experience was like an MWR trip in the way that it was able to cross cultural horizons.

Throughout the day, elementary school staff and participants exchanged personal stories. The day ended with a special lunch provided by the elementary school staff after the project was complete. The staff served traditional Guam cuisines and laughter was abundant during the meal.

“It was some good food!” said Culinary Specialist Seaman Recruit Christopher Ruff, a self-proclaimed expert on food. “I really got to see into their lives, into their culture.”

Juneau’s commanding officer Capt. Ronald Horton applauded the group’s efforts.

“We continually express to our sailors on the Juneau, as well as sailors in the ARG and throughout Seventh Fleet, the importance of being good ambassadors,” said Horton. “By taking time out of their liberty to give back to this community, that says a lot about them and it bodes well for our mission as ambassadors.”

The three-ship Sasebo-based Forward Deployed Amphibious Ready Group consisting of the USS Essex (LHD 2), USS Juneau (LPD 10) and USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) is currently on its Spring Patrol. The Forward Deployed ARG is part of Task Force 76, the Navy’s only forward-deployed amphibious force, which is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with an operating detachment in Sasebo, Japan. (PR)