NORFOLK, Virginia – “Sailors belong on ships and ships belong at sea,” goes the old adage of naval service. While it may not mean much to those on shore duty at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, most Sailors and Marines can expect to be shipboard at least once in their tour of duty. So to better understand the experiences and challenges of the sea services personnel they support, civilian staff of the NAS Patuxent River’s Fleet and Family Readiness (FFR) department toured USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN -78) in Norfolk, Virginia Feb. 28.

 

The shipboard tour, coordinated through NAS Pax River’s N9 director Jeff Sias, sought to shed some light on what the average Sailor experiences during a sea tour, and how to better serve them.

 

“Over thirty years ago I was the ‘Fun Boss’ aboard ship,” said Sias. “It was an experience I’ll never forget working with those Sailors. But in talking to some of my teammates here at Pax I found out that some of them have never even seen a ship…let alone step foot on one, and I wanted to make sure they had an idea of how the people we serve live and work when in that environment.”

 

Working with Naval Air Forces Atlantic Public Affairs, Sias was linked up with the Ford’s staff, who welcomed the 16 Pax Pros on board and escorted them throughout the ship, including the forecastle, flight deck, GRF museum, and a swift climb up a series of ladders from the main deck to the bridge on the O9 level.

 

“Being able to tour a real Navy warship was impressive as well as eye opening,” said Keira Patterson-Rice, NAS Pax River N9 Administrative Officer. “Sailors are away from their families for long periods of time, so life aboard a ship can be both challenging and rewarding. Gaining insight into the complexity of modern naval operations, as well as the dedication and teamwork required of those serving their country at sea, reconfirms the respect I have for our military.”

 

The FFR program at NAS Patuxent River is focused on providing quality of service programs for Active Duty and their families, as well as Retired Military, DoD Civilians and Government Contractors with base access. For more information on FFR programs at Pax, visit www.navymwrpaxriver.com or www.facebook.com/mwrpaxriver .