BHR Sailors Help Fellow Sailors on Iraqi Oil Terminals
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS050426-09
Release Date: 4/26/2005 6:00:00 PM
By Journalist 3rd Class Ryan Valverde, USS Bonhomme Richard Public Affairs
ABOARD USS BOHOMME RICHARD, At Sea (NNS) -- Sailors from the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) (BHR) donated more than 150 pounds of goods to Sailors providing a 24-hour security presence on the Iraqi Al Basrah and Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminals April 4.
The items included snack foods, personal hygiene products and freshly baked cookies.
The idea stemmed from BHR’s Command Master Chief (SW/AW) Dan Dyar, to help improve the security units’ quality of life.
“I think all the Sailors onboard realize it's a hard job that they do,” said Dyar. “BHR’s crew is always there when it comes to helping other people out, especially when it comes to fellow shipmates.”
Dyar said the Sailors protecting the oil terminals stand a vigilant watch, and he hopes the care packages will bring them enjoyment.
The oil terminals are significant sources of revenue for the Iraqi people – revenue that is important to the rebuilding of Iraq.
BHR and other coalition ships conduct maritime security operations (MSO) in the Persian Gulf. MSOs are aimed at setting the conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment. Illicit activity at sea has a global impact. MSO pressurizes the maritime environment and is the single most significant component of the conventional maritime effort against terrorism.
Over three days, donations were collected on the warship’s mess deck. Sailors also volunteered their time to put the care packages together.
Senior Chief Culinary Specialist (SW/AW) Pedro Magistrado, BHR’s food service division leading chief petty officer, helped collect the donations and said he was happy to help the other service members.
“Our goal is to help each other,” said Magistrado, a resident of San Diego.
The Sailors working in BHR’s bake shop struck a familiar cord with the giving spirit and baked more than 2,500 cookies to be added to the care packages.
“We worked on our day off,” said Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Christinia Sanchez, one of BHR’s bakers who prepared the cookies. “All the spare time we had was dedicated to having the cookies made on time.”
Recently, during the ship’s participation in Operation Unified Assistance (OUA), a multinational campaign to provide aid to the survivors of the devastating tsunami that struck South East Asia, BHR’s bake shop Sailors baked more than 25,000 cookies and brownies for Indonesian children.
Magistrado said he was proud of everyone who made a donation and especially the bake shop Sailors who worked extra hours to have to cookies ready in time.
Sanchez, a Merced, Calif., native, said the bake-a-thon was not as demanding as in OUA, but just as fulfilling.
“It was something small [in comparison]," Sanchez said, "but it still felt pretty good to help [the Sailors on the oil terminals] out."
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
