Navy Global Involvement

Navy Sailors volunteer to build Bahrain playground

In the southwestern portion of the Persian Gulf, Bahrain is a major Naval port in the Middle East, and Navy Sailors have left their mark in a memorable way. Approximately 40 Sailors, most of them volunteers, helped to paint and rehabilitate a playground at the Hope Institute for Handicapped Children in Manama, Bahrain.

Global Navies reach out to Thai citizens

In Rayong, Thailand, the Navy’s Construction Battalion, also known as Seabees, stood side by side with Royal Thai Marine Engineers on July 2, 2005, as two new additions to a local school were dedicated as part of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) project designed to benefit local communities in the exercise area. CARAT is a series of bilateral military exercises with several Southeast Asian nations designed to increase the interoperability of the respective navies while promoting friendships.

CARAT also extended goodwill measures in Zambales, Philippines, where a Seabee Battalion and Philippine Navy construction experts worked tirelessly on a two–classroom expansion of a local school. The two 18– by 48–foot classrooms are large enough to house a library, which the school didn’t have.

By coordinating efforts globally, the Seabees say that any collaboration allows them to learn new building and teamwork techniques.

Seabees help restore buildings and hope

Seabees are known for their can–do attitude, even amidst some of the most profound devastation. They’re also known for their humanitarian efforts and are some of the best ambassadors the Navy can have since they work directly with and for the citizens. In the wake of any disaster, the Navy counts on the Seabees for their hard work and ability to construct almost anything with self–reliance.

Japanese orphanage hosts Seabees

You’ll have to be quick to catch a Seabee not working! A group of 13 Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 40 visited the Ai Rin En Orphanage on March 14, 2005, in Okinawa, Japan. The group took advantage of the opportunity to play volleyball, basketball, soccer, and catch with the children despite the language barriers that were present. After a few hours of playing hard, the Seabees grilled hamburgers and hotdogs and finished the visit with silent goodbyes and waves. Their initial visit led to several more, letting the children know that they’d made a lasting impact on the hardworking construction battalions.