Official U.S. Navy website - Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet

HONOLULU - Hawaii-based Sailors volunteered their time and set up displays and demonstrations for Hawaii boy scouts at the annual Boy Scout Makahiki (annual harvest celebration) at Ala Moana Beach Park in Honolulu April 24.

Sailors assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 1; Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam; Seal Delivery Vehicle Team 1; Afloat Training Group Middle Pacific (ATG MIDPAC); Naval Health Clinic Hawaii and commander, Navy Region Hawaii took part in the event.

During the Makahiki, boy scouts had the opportunity to try on a diving helmet, view weapons that Navy SEALs use and learn about fingerprints, among other activities.

"The scouts enjoyed a lot of the equipment that we had set up at our display booth, especially trying on the diving helmet and playing tic-tac-toe with our personnel in the dive tank," said Navy Diver 1st Class Joseph Hoegg, assigned to MDSU 1. "This event was a great opportunity to show these young scouts some of the things that the Navy does, and it's always good to help out in the community."

Quartermaster 1st Class Andrew Lowe, assigned to ATG MIDPAC, noted how the scouts were eager to earn Navy merit badges.

"The scouts really seemed to have liked trying to solve our navigation merit badge activity that we had set up at our booth," said Lowe. "It took them a little while to figure out how to put the pieces together, but ultimately they all finished the activity."

The director of the Makahiki for the Navy, Cmdr. Rick Goodwin, assigned to commander, Submarine Force U.S. Pacific Fleet, expressed his gratitude to all of the Navy personnel involved in the event.

"I want to thank all of our Navy personnel for supporting scouting in Hawaii through the participation in this year's Boy Scout Makahiki and making it the best one yet," said Goodwin.


For more news from Commander, Navy Region Hawaii, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnrh/.