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

SAN DIEGO - The multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) held an annual Health Promotion Fair in the ship's hangar bay Dec 1.

The event aimed to promote physical, mental and financial well being for Sailors and their families by giving them the resources and tools they need.

A total of 18 separate information booths filled the hangar bay. Booths ranged from physical therapy, quit smoking programs to charity organizations such as Operation Home Front.

Operation Home Front provides emergency financial assistance to Sailors and their families.

"Primarily our mission is to serve the E-1 through E-6 and wounded warriors. There are also morale programs we do around the holidays and the back-to-school programs," said David Michael, volunteer coordinator for Operation Home Front.

"A lot of the requests we get from the military are financial. If a family member falls on hard times--especially if the service member is deployed and the spouse and children are back home. Things like missing the rent payment, an auto being repossessed, even as simple as a food need. We offer gift cards to the commissary and Albertsons and other grocery stores. We help active duty service members and their families."

One Sailor found the medical information valuable.

"I went to the physical therapy booth and asked the physical therapist about back issues and exercises. He was very informative," said Aviation Electronics Technician, Airman Alisha Padgett. "I asked him about different core workouts I can try because I do planks and sit-ups but sometime that doesn't help. I have slight scoliosis so there are specific workouts for my situation. A couple of the workouts he told me about were new to me."

"I like the fact that they're bringing it to the ship," Padgett said. "Sometimes we can't get off work to go to a different place so the fact that they're doing it in the hangar bay is great!"