Volunteerism of Guam Navy Commands honored

File photo shows Lt. J.G. Maria Jarett, right, and hospital corpsman 3rd Class Melissa Malavemaria preparing to take children from the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam Child Development Center on an ambulance tour in March 2018.  Jarett captures the children’s attention by demonstrating the loud ambulance siren.
(U.S. NAVAL HOSPITAL GUAM PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE)

ASAN, Guam—Given the opportunity to enrich and uplift the island’s youth, the volunteers of three Guam-based Navy commands were recently recognized by the Navy Community Service Program for their superb outreach efforts in the local community.

Winning the 2018 Personal Excellence Partnership Flagship Award in the large overseas command category were the 390 volunteers of U.S. Naval Hospital Guam, who provided 3,154 volunteer hours; and, taking the small overseas command category award, were the 41 volunteers of Naval Airborne Weapons Maintenance Unit 1, who provided 589 volunteer hours. The submarine tender USS Frank Cable received honorable mention for their sailors’ 266 volunteer hours.

USNH Guam executive officer Capt. Steven Kewish expressed how excited his command’s volunteers become when community service opportunities arise, and the value of partnership.

“We have volunteer activities all the time and we never have a shortage of people signing up for them,” he said. “It just strengthens the relationships we have with the local community, and this is a good thing for everybody.”

NAWMU-1 commanding officer Cmdr. Stephen Folsom shared how good ethics and teamwork pay off.

“This was accomplished by acting in the highest ethical manner, while working with each other and the community at large,” he said. “Volunteers showed compassion for the personal and spiritual wellbeing of the community and helped others strive for positive change and personal improvement.”

According to Frank Cable commanding officer Capt. Jeff Bierley, his sailors are at their best when they selflessly devote themselves to the development and wellbeing of the next generation.

“We believe in investing in the encouragement, development, coaching and mentoring of local youth,” he said. “Sailors take seriously the opportunity to enhance and transform local children’s lives by productive engagement and by providing positive role models that encompass the values of honor, courage and commitment.”

Among the wide variety of activities the command volunteers participated in were sports coaching, student mentoring, career day presentations, judging science fair projects, tutoring, environmental stewardship and humanitarian aid for various local nonprofit organizations. 

The annual Navy Personal Excellence Partnership Flagship Award distinguishes commands that have gone above and beyond to volunteer in community service activities that promote academics, life skills and civic education in the youth population. (PR)

File photo shows sailors assigned to Naval Airborne Weapons Maintenance Unit 1 participating in a dive cleanup in waters off a cemetery in Agat last March 14, 2018. The cleanup yielded 17 bags of debris.
(NAVAL AIRBORNE WEAPONS MAINTENANCE UNIT 1)

A sailor assigned to USS Frank Cable plants a tree during a tree planting event with the Guam Department of Agriculture Forestry and Soil Division in Merizo last Oct. 6, 2018.
(USS FRANK CABLE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE)