MWR Hosts Celebratory 5K on GW Flight Deck

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brian Sloan, USS George Washington Public Affairs

BANDA SEA (NNS) -- Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) took part in a 5-kilometer run on the ship's flight deck, July 19.

The run was planned and hosted by the ship's Navigation Department and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Division.

"A lot of Sailors aboard are runners, so being outside in the sun is a nice break from the indoor treadmills," said Brandon Bourgeois, George Washington's fitness coordinator, or "fit boss."

The run also served as a celebration of the conclusion of exercise Talisman Sabre 2015 (TS 15).

"Running in the 5K was a wonderful way to wrap up TS 15," said Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Carlos Harris, from Columbia, South Carolina. "It is not often we get to run on the flight deck, and on a beautiful day like today it was a huge stress relief after all the hard work."

George Washington's Supply Department set up hydration stations, Combat Systems Department provided a sound system, Security Department brought cones to establish a running route, and Air and Operations Departments coordinated to position aircraft and other equipment to provide the space on the fight deck.

"The camaraderie from the crew working together toward common goals improves morale by breaking the monotony of the everyday routine," said Bourgeois. "The results of George Washington's crew have surpassed my expectations."

George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, are on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. George Washington will conduct a hull-swap with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) later this year, after serving seven years as the U.S. Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier in Yokosuka, Japan.