ST. LOUIS (NNS) -- U.S. Sailors attended two St. Louis sporting events Sept. 2-3 as part of St. Louis Navy Week.
St. Louis Navy Week began Sept. 2 with area service members from the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard standing on the sidelines to welcome the St. Louis Rams at their pre-season game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Seventy Sailors lined the first and third baselines at Busch Stadium Sept. 3 during a pre-game Navy ceremony where 87 recruits were sworn into Navy service. The 87 recruits make up the 52nd Cardinal Company.
Commander, Naval Air Systems Command, Vice Adm. David Architzel, administered the oath of enlistment to this year's Cardinal Company.
"Cardinal Company has a long tradition - 52 years. What Cardinal Company represents is a total of 87 young, new Sailors coming in to the Navy that is a global force for good, spreading across all the competencies and all the warfare specialties we have," said Architzel. "It's an enthusiastic group, and I am honored to be here."
Prior to their arrival for the St. Louis Cardinals' game, the recruits enjoyed a picnic with family members at Soldiers Memorial. They then marched in formation through the streets of downtown St. Louis to the ballpark.
The Cardinals and Navy Recruiting District (NRD) St. Louis have worked together with the St. Louis Navy League to form and sponsor Cardinal Company since 1958. Each year's company consists of recruits in the region, which stretches across Missouri, Illinois, Kansas and Kentucky, who are scheduled to ship off to boot camp in September. They train together before their arrival at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, and become their own company during basic training.
Cardinal Company family members also participate in the tradition. Many family members traveled hundreds of miles to accompany their soon-to-be Sailor at the enlistment ceremony.
Family and friends of Seaman Recruit Zane Johnson of Ashland, Mo., had T-shirts printed with Johnson's name on the back for the event.
"It's kind of scary, since I don't come from a military family," said Megan Cockrum, Johnson's girlfriend from New Bloomfield, Mo.
Johnson's entourage included Cockrum, her mother, his grandparents, uncle and siblings, all from central Missouri.
"I joined because I want to be a combat medic," said Johnson, who has his emergency medical technician license, is a volunteer fireman and works with the Neo-Natal Children's Transport Team at the University of Missouri Children's Hospital in Columbia, Mo.
Johnson plans to be a hospital corpsman and serve with the Marines.
The Navy Office of Community Outreach, NRD St. Louis, Navy Operational Support Center St. Louis and the Navy element of U.S. Transportation Command joined forces this week to provide opportunities for citizens to meet Sailors and learn about America's Navy.
The schedule of events for the rest of the Navy week will include civic, corporate and media engagements by Deputy Commander, U.S. Transportation Command, Vice Adm. Mark D. Harnitchek, and Commander, Carrier Strike Group 8, Rear Adm. Philip S. Davidson.
Navy Band Mid-South "Freedom" will perform at high schools and city venues, including the Big Muddy Blues Festival.
Interactive displays such as the Navy simulator, featuring live-action Navy films programmed to move in sync with point-of-view imagery presented on a large screen, will provide additional entertainment during Navy Week events at a variety of locations.
Navy Week culminates with performances by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels during the Airpower Over the Midwest Air Show at Scott Air Force Base Sept. 11-12.
For more St. Louis Navy Week information, news and schedule of events, visit www.navyweek.org/stlouis2010.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment