MILITARY BRIEFS March 28, 2009

At the invitation of Saipan Mayor Juan Tudela, 15 sailors will clean, bushcut and trim vegetation at Sugar King Park and Central Park in Garapan, the Japanese bunker at the airport, and the Last Command Post in Marpi.

Frank Cable is visiting Saipan on their annual Family and Friends Cruise. Frank Cable offers the cruise to familiarize guests with what sailors accomplish while underway.

“I understand the sacrifices that Navy families deal with when service members are deployed or overseas,” said Capt. Pat Scanlon, Frank Cable commanding officer. “I hope that this cruise will enlighten them to the professionalism and dedication every sailor onboard Frank Cable displays.”

As commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet’s only operational submarine tender, Frank Cable readily deploys to ports throughout the Western Pacific to provide services to both submarines and surface ships in the Seventh Fleet area of responsibility. [B][I](PR)[/I][/B] [B]Sailors support Guam community [/B] [B]SANTA RITA, Guam[/B]—Sailors from Navy commands on island will be participating today in a variety of events as part of the Navy’s Community Relations Program.

-Naval Facilities Engineering Command Marianas and Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Guam Sailors will support the Saturday Scholars program by tutoring students in grades 5-7 at Vicente S.A. Benevente Middle School at 9am-11am.

-Naval Facilities Engineering Command Marianas Sailors will perform monthly cleanup with parents and teachers at Harry S. Truman Elementary School at 9am-noon.

-Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 7 Sailors will assist at the Guam Animals in Need animal shelter by walking dogs, cleaning cages and performing grounds maintenance at 9am-noon

The volunteer work is part of the Navy’s commitment to build and harbor strong and lasting relationships with the community and support the island through various community relations projects and events. [B][I](PR)[/I][/B] [B]USS Antietam visits Guam, helps local farmers [/B] [B]SANTA RITA, Guam[/B]—Crew members from visiting ship USS Antietam will help renovate the Farmer Co-Op building in Dededo today at 9am.

Sailors will scrape paint, lift tiles, and assist with other renovations of the old Dededo police station. They will work with members of the Dededo Mayor’s staff, Dededo Municipal Council, University of Guam College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Agriculture, and Guam Soil and Water Conservation districts.

According to Tom Camacho, of the Farmer’s Co-Op, the combined effort will accelerate the opening of the farmer’s market scheduled to be held in and around the building. A barbecue will be held for the volunteers using local produce.

USS Antietam, a Ticonderoga-class cruiser, is on Guam for a routine port visit. The ship has extensive combat capability with their purpose to detect, classify and track hundreds of potential targets simultaneously in the air, on the surface, and under the sea. Antietam is homeported in San Diego. [B][I](PR)[/I][/B]