thedrifter
04-28-08, 07:46 AM
Posted on Mon, Apr. 28, 2008
Fleet Week is back in full force
BY NATALIE P. McNEAL
Fleet Week begins Monday in Broward County, with five U.S. Navy ships and a Coast Guard cutter carrying more than 2,500 sailors, Marines and Coast Guard personnel for the annual celebration of maritime services.
The ships will be docked in Port Everglades all week. Most are coming in Monday morning, but the USS Iwo Jima arrived at the port Sunday evening.
The Air & Sea Show, which has wowed spectators on Fort Lauderdale beach for 13 years, was canned this year for lack of a sponsor, so many folks figured the simultaneous Fleet Week wasn't happening, either.
Not true.
''People think that this may not be going on because of the Air & Sea Show cancellation,'' said U.S. Navy Lt. Brian Hoyt, Fleet Week spokesman. ``But that's a separate event produced by a different company. We are continuing our tradition.''
Organizers blamed the weakened economy and high fuel prices for calling off the air show this year.
Through Saturday, anyone can take part in about 15 Fleet Week events, from five Fort Lauderdale beach parties on Wednesday (each representing a different Navy ship) to a Damage Control Olympics on Tuesday, a competition in which squads battle to see who is the best at firefighting, flood control and first aid.
Held at Port Everglades, the Olympics features events like rigging a hose, patching a pipe and a search and rescue drill.
''We are battling for bragging rights,'' said Paul Taylor, a Fleet Week spokesman.
On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning, the sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen will be out in Broward visiting hospitals and schools and working on a Habitat for Humanity project. They will also take part in a blood drive competition those three days to see which unit can donate the most.
On Friday, Lauren Conrad, starlet from MTV's The Hills, will visit Port Everglades to tour ships with the sailors, Marines and the Coast Guard.
This year's event includes sailors from the assault ship USS Iwo Jima, the guided missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf, the guided missile destroyer USS Mitscher, guided missile destroyer USS Ramage, and amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall, all from Norfolk, Va.; fast-attack submarine USS Pittsburgh from Groton, Conn.; and Coast Guard Cutter Reliance from Portsmouth, N.H.
U.S. Marines from the Second Marine Division based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., will also be in town for the events.
''It's not just about the Navy. It's about all of our brothers and sisters in the sea services,'' Hoyt said.
Broward Country Transit is providing free bus service to military personnel visiting Broward during Fleet Week. They must be in uniform or have military ID to get the free rides.
For more information on Fleet Week 2008, visit www.browardnavydays.org.
Ellie
Fleet Week is back in full force
BY NATALIE P. McNEAL
Fleet Week begins Monday in Broward County, with five U.S. Navy ships and a Coast Guard cutter carrying more than 2,500 sailors, Marines and Coast Guard personnel for the annual celebration of maritime services.
The ships will be docked in Port Everglades all week. Most are coming in Monday morning, but the USS Iwo Jima arrived at the port Sunday evening.
The Air & Sea Show, which has wowed spectators on Fort Lauderdale beach for 13 years, was canned this year for lack of a sponsor, so many folks figured the simultaneous Fleet Week wasn't happening, either.
Not true.
''People think that this may not be going on because of the Air & Sea Show cancellation,'' said U.S. Navy Lt. Brian Hoyt, Fleet Week spokesman. ``But that's a separate event produced by a different company. We are continuing our tradition.''
Organizers blamed the weakened economy and high fuel prices for calling off the air show this year.
Through Saturday, anyone can take part in about 15 Fleet Week events, from five Fort Lauderdale beach parties on Wednesday (each representing a different Navy ship) to a Damage Control Olympics on Tuesday, a competition in which squads battle to see who is the best at firefighting, flood control and first aid.
Held at Port Everglades, the Olympics features events like rigging a hose, patching a pipe and a search and rescue drill.
''We are battling for bragging rights,'' said Paul Taylor, a Fleet Week spokesman.
On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning, the sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen will be out in Broward visiting hospitals and schools and working on a Habitat for Humanity project. They will also take part in a blood drive competition those three days to see which unit can donate the most.
On Friday, Lauren Conrad, starlet from MTV's The Hills, will visit Port Everglades to tour ships with the sailors, Marines and the Coast Guard.
This year's event includes sailors from the assault ship USS Iwo Jima, the guided missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf, the guided missile destroyer USS Mitscher, guided missile destroyer USS Ramage, and amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall, all from Norfolk, Va.; fast-attack submarine USS Pittsburgh from Groton, Conn.; and Coast Guard Cutter Reliance from Portsmouth, N.H.
U.S. Marines from the Second Marine Division based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., will also be in town for the events.
''It's not just about the Navy. It's about all of our brothers and sisters in the sea services,'' Hoyt said.
Broward Country Transit is providing free bus service to military personnel visiting Broward during Fleet Week. They must be in uniform or have military ID to get the free rides.
For more information on Fleet Week 2008, visit www.browardnavydays.org.
Ellie