Sailors and Marines Serve Guam

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Peter Lewis and Oyaol Ngirairikl, Joint Region Marianas Public Affairs

June 8, 2010 - TALOFOFO, Guam (NNS) -- Sailors and Marines from USS Dubuque (LPD-8) and 15 Marine Expeditionary Unit (15th MEU) were eager to serve the Guam community at two community service projects on the island June 3.

More than a dozen service members visited the Yona/Talofofo Senior Citizens Center in Talofofo, where they had the opportunity to converse, eat, play music, and even dance with local seniors.

Lt. Cmdr. Mike Foskett, the chaplain for the ship, said that his command and the entire Navy are fully dedicated to fostering good relations with local communities, wherever Sailors and Marines travel.

"This is the essence of the Navy and the Marine Corps," he said. "The individual Sailor and Marine that joins to make a difference and they want to get out and interact with the community. I hope that's the message [the seniors] get."

Foskett added that community service projects performed while in foreign ports are a great opportunity for Sailors and Marines to absorb local culture and get a better understanding of the world.

"One of the reasons they joined the service was to see the world and experience different cultures," he said. "So I think that community service projects are so important for widening their horizons."

The Sailors and Marines agreed with the chaplain, and said that they were eager to learn from people who were so rich in culture and had experienced so much during their long lives.

"I saw an opportunity to get to know the people on the island, explore, and meet new people and see new faces," said Boatswain's Mate Seaman Francisco Vazquez.

The seniors were also excited and eager to interact with the servicemen.

"They were enthused and excited to have people from the mainland, on Navy ships, visiting the island and to bring them out here to mingle and share stories," said Johnny Afaisan, the center manager.

Rosa Rayes-Newby, whose husband was a retired Navy chief, told the Sailors and Marines that they brightened her day, and that she appreciated their visit.

"I enjoy having you guys over here at the center," said Rayes-Newby. "We are having fun this afternoon."

As they mingled, they found out that they had things in common with the elders, and that the seniors had led interesting lives.

"I'm already playing the ukulele with someone," Vazquez said. "He's teaching me some of the chords, and I'm teaching him some of my stuff. Cool."

"I was just talking to one of the seniors, and she was telling me what it was like back in the war," Foskett said. "That's just unbelievable!"

The visiting servicemen said that they hoped the seniors enjoyed the visit and realize that there are people thinking about them and caring for them.

"I hope that at the end of the day they had a great experience and that we hopefully made their day better," Vasquez said. "And that they know that there are people really caring out there."

Sailors and Marines were also on hand to help feed and care for abandoned animals at Guam Animals In Need (GAIN) in Yigo.

As a nonprofit organization, GAIN relies on help from volunteers to help them care for animals housed at the shelter. Currently, more than 130 dogs, cats, rabbits and other animals call GAIN home.

The Sailors and Marines cleaned out kennels, fed the animals and took them out of their kennels for some exercise.

Cpl. Nicholas Turner, of the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), said the volunteer effort at GAIN was a great way for Sailors and Marines to reciprocate the hospitality they've received, as well as enjoy Guam's tropical weather.

"We came here as a joint force of Marines and Sailors to give back to the community; basically spend some time cleaning kennels (and) taking care of animals," he said. "As Sailors and Marines we keep very busy with active training schedules and it's nice to be able to find time to be able to do something different."

Turner said it's important for service members to take an active role in the community.

"I think not only just as people helping other people or helping animals, I think it's also important that people see — civilians see — that the military is about more than just the ability to fight and to defend the country," he said. "We do care about other issues and we do want to spend our time being well rounded basically in the community."

Machinist's Mate Fireman (SW) Edward Burgos said he enjoys helping others and volunteering at GAIN seemed like a good opportunity to give back to the community.

"It's good for the blue/green team, and the military in general, when you go out and do something positive wherever you go," Burgos said.

Cpl. Jason Leavitt, 1st Battalion 4th Marines 15th MEU, said he volunteers at various community events and organizations, such as GAIN, since he joined the Marines as a way to say "Thank you" to the communities that support him and his fellow brothers- and sisters-at-arms.

"From personal experience the communities helped me out a lot," he said. "This is a good way for Sailors and Marines to give back to them."

The mission of the MEU is to provide geographic combatant commanders with a forward-deployed, rapid-response force capable of conducting conventional amphibious and selected maritime special operations at night or under adverse weather conditions from the sea, by surface and/or by air while under communications and electronics restrictions.

Dubuque, homeported in San Diego, is part of the USS Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Group and is deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.