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CARAT Sailors Stretch Their Legs in Malaysia

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070709-18
Release Date: 7/9/2007 5:11:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Mark Alvarez, Commander Task Force 73 Public Affairs

KEMAMAN, Malaysia (NNS) -- Sailors from dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49), guided-missile frigates USS Ford (FFG 54) and USS Jarrett (FFG 33) and the Royal Malaysian Navy made friends at Kebangsaan Teluk Kalong elementary school July 3, as a part of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2007.

CARAT is an annual series of bilateral maritime training exercises between the United States and six Southeast Asia nations designed to build relationships and enhance the operational readiness of the participating forces.

Sailors visited a nearby school in an effort to promote friendship between the local Malaysian people and the U.S. Navy. The Sailors donated soccer balls, volleyballs and basketballs to the school.

“It’s really easy to interact with the kids when it comes to sports,” said Storekeeper 1st Class (SW) Gregory Desir. “In the states, soccer may not be as popular as basketball or football, but for the rest of the world it is the universal sport. All we needed was a ball and room to run and I was just like a kid again”

One of the highlights for the students was to collect signatures from the different event participants. This gave Sailors a chance to give the students a personal note or thank you to each student who wanted one.

“This was the first time I have ever experienced anything like this and I hope to do it again real soon," said Culinary Specialist Seaman Gary L. Horne.

This type of community involvement project is one of the main focuses of CARAT. Since the start of CARAT 2007, Harpers Ferry, Ford and Jarrett have participated in multiple friendship building projects in the Republic of the Philippines and Thailand.

“Community involvement projects like this one are a definite “win-win” for our Sailors and the school children they meet,” said Harpers Ferry Executive Officer Lt. Cmdr. Kevin P. Meyers. “These projects are pivotal since they allow the local children to see our Sailors as everyday men and women and our Sailors get to see how life is for children here in Malaysia.”

Harpers Ferry is the flagship for CARAT 2007 with Commander Destroyer Squadron 1 embarked onboard.

Harpers Ferry is part of the Navy’s forward-deployed amphibious force serving under Commander, Task Force 76. Task Force 76 is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with an operating detachment in Sasebo, Japan.