Photo By Lt. Caroline Ready | 191106-N-FS190-0302 PORTSMOUTH, Va. (Nov. 6, 2019) Sailors assigned to the aircraft...... read more read more
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PORTSMOUTH, Va. -- The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) has been cruising through the waters of the U.S. Fifth Fleet Area of Responsibility for several months now. After an extension due to operational requirements, Sailors were uncertain when they may return home according to a post on Lincoln’s Facebook page. The crew was running low on personal amenities and had no way to stock up on supplies.
Senior Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Shannon Hawkins, assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77), felt the need to help these deployed Sailors. He coordinated Sailors in GHWB’s air department to donate items to create care packages.
“I saw a message on social media that really touched me,” said Hawkins. “The ship store was very limited and wouldn’t be able to serve the more than 5,000 Sailors aboard. I reflected how on deployment I needed toiletries, snacks, and different items that came in care packages.”
With his past deployment experience in mind, Hawkins came up with a solution. He sent out an email to his department asking for their donations and help making care packages for deployed Sailors. Before long, donations started pouring in.
“We have feminine products, lots of hygiene products like soap,” said Hawkins. “We also knew that they needed to do their laundry so we put in laundry pods. And of course, we put different sorts of candies and snacks.”
After collecting enough items, Sailors from all divisions of air department came together to assemble the packages. They were able to fill eight 20-pound containers to send to the Sailors in need.
“I think it would definitely be something to boost morale,” said Airman Malik Keaton, assigned to V-4 division aboard GHWB. “I know if I was out to sea and constantly extending, I would look forward to hearing from people I have comradery with. Whether it’s candy, toiletries, or laundry pods, getting anything at all would boost my morale.”
Keaton helped assemble the packages and has a personal connection with their intended recipients. Specifically, he hopes to boost the morale of four shipmates from the GHWB air department that were temporarily assigned (TAD) to the Lincoln for deployment.
“We have four people from our division alone that went to the Lincoln who mentored me when I first checked aboard,” said Keaton. “They were getting ready to deploy but they still helped me. It is definitely something personal for me to send something to repay them for mentoring me.”
Whether TAD or ship’s company, all Sailors experience the difficulty of being away from home. Being away from friends and family can be especially difficult during the approaching holiday season. Hawkins wants to remind them that there are people looking out for them.
“Everyone gets excited when they get a package,” said Hawkins. “To put a smile on all those Sailors’ faces and say, ‘hey, push through it. It’s tough but here's some stuff to hold you off until the end of the cruise.’ We just want to ensure that they’re being taken care of and to show them that we’re thinking about them.”
If you, like Hawkins, would like to send care packages to the Lincoln, send packages with the following information:
Last Name, First Name, Rank (or department)
USS Abraham Lincoln
CVN 72
UNIT 100349
DIV
FPO AE 09520
Additional information on other ships’ mailing addresses can be found on that ship’s official homepage.
| Date Taken: | 12.03.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 12.11.2019 16:23 |
| Story ID: | 355343 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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