Navy SEAL Foundation Hosts Naval Special Warfare Teen Camp

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Geneva G. Brier, Naval Special Warfare Public Affairs

JULIAN, Calif. (NNS) -- The Navy SEAL Foundation sponsored a Teen Camp for 23 Naval Special Warfare (NSW) teenagers Aug. 5-10 at "Camp Marston."

The teen camp provided a six-day venue for NSW teens to come together for fun, team-building, and an opportunity to build and develop resilience skills.

 NSW families piloted the same camp concept last year and has offered three additional camps this summer, including a Gold Star camp, designed for the children of the NSW fallen. The purpose of the camp is to instill aspects of resiliency, leadership, confidence building and is designed to be a place for NSW kids to come together and relate with one another.

"The community realizes that the kids also take on the burden for being at war for 10 years," said Steve Gilmore, NSW Family Support Program director. "The kids are dealing with things that most kids don't have to worry about."

The camps are staffed by professional counselors assisted by Families Overcoming Under Stress (FOCUS) personnel and Military Family Life counselors (MFLCs).

"As the counselors we try to focus on fun and camp activities," said Jewlz Romulado, a Camp Marston counselor. "The kids deal with the military and war every day; this is a worry-free getaway for them."

Each day the camp's itinerary includes a team-building exercise, an adventure activity, and a friendly competition. Each day before 'lights out,' the campers participate in a reflection session which allows them to speak as a group about the pros and cons throughout the day.

"This camp is all about the kids, each day we just try to focus on them and make each day better than the previous one," said Romulado.

The camp concluded with a presentation of honorary certificates making each camper a plankowner, meaning they were present during the first year of the camp's origination.

"Everyone who has been associated with the planning and coordination of the NSW Teen Camp including the camp staff, NSW Family Support, and the kids and parents can only be described as amazing," said Gilmore. "It really is an amazing opportunity and program for amazing kids."