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SOUDA BAY, Greece -- Sailors stationed aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) participated in day and evening tours during the aircraft carrier’s visit to Souda Bay, Greece, Feb. 6-9.GHWB Sailors took advantage of the port visit not only to relax and enjoy some liberty, but also to learn about Greek culture and explore the island of Crete.
“It feels incredible to step foot in another country and continent, and explore,” said Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Leslie Perez. “It’s quite a privilege representing the Navy and the U.S.”
All tours were organized by GHWB’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) office, and were designed to keep Sailors safe and ensure they had a good time. Several of the tours were led by local nationals who speak both Greek and English.
“We not only have a reliable tour guide leading the tour, but several MWR staff members are on hand as chaperones,” said Internal Communications Electrician 2nd Class Kirsten Gilbert, an MWR chaperone. “All Sailors are supervised, and we work hard to make sure each tour is both fun and safe.”
Despite being the third time Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Christopher Gilbreath has made this port visit, he enjoyed taking advantage of the tours instead of being left to his own devices.
“Ultimately, I had an absolute blast on the tours I went on, and with all the photos and videos I took, I’ll be able to pass on my experiences to my family,” said Gilbreath. “I thoroughly enjoyed taking in the local culture, especially the first night when I took part in the Greek dancing and ate traditional Greek food. That was something I’ll be able to remember for the rest of my life.”
While some Sailors enjoyed more active tours like kayaking, Fire Controlman 3rd Class Donna Linsenmann enjoyed the experience of learning ancient history during the tours of Spili, Gortyna and Festos.
"I love history, so taking a tour where we explore ancient sites was fantastic," said Rocha. “I definitely felt like I learned something new, and just being at these places in person was an incredible bonus.”
Many Sailors, including Perez, purchased souvenirs for their loved ones.
“I always feel like if I don’t buy something for my family, I won’t have proof that I was there,” said Perez. “It’s a fun thing to do, and the hardest part is deciding what to buy because there’s a lot to choose from.”
The MWR tours gave GHWB Sailors a glimpse of post-Hellenic Greek culture.
“I highly encourage more people go on these MWR tours,” said Gilbreath. “I’m not new to the Navy, but I can still say I walked away a little more knowledgeable about the world.”
The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests.
For more news from USS George H.W. Bush visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn77 or www.facebook.com/ussgeorgehwbush/.
| Date Taken: | 02.11.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 12.11.2017 18:58 |
| Story ID: | 258336 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 69 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, GHWB Sailors Enjoy Crete MWR Tours, by PO2 Mario Coto, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
