Navy Super Bowl Festivities

[Navy for Moms Admin]

A few articles I wanted to share about some Navy Super Bowl parties. Always nice to hear happy stories :)

Ronald Reagan, NFL Unite for Super Bowl Extravaganza
Release Date: 2/3/2009
By Lt. Ron Flanders, USS Ronald Reagan Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) partnered with NFL Network and the San Diego Chargers Feb. 1 to throw a special Super Bowl party for the ship's crew.

The ship was an on-location site for NFL Network's
"Hang Time" program, with comedian Jeff Ross hosting a special Super Bowl-themed edition of the show from Ronald Reagan as the crew enjoyed the Super Bowl while in port at Naval Air Station North Island.

"I couldn't ask for a better way to spend Super Bowl Sunday than to spend it at a tailgate party with so many heroes," said Ross, who has performed comedy shows for service members all over the globe. "I mean, I'm on an aircraft carrier! How cool is that?"

Ross was joined in celebrating the nation's biggest football game by four members of the San Diego Chargers' dance team, the "Charger Girls." The Charger cheerleaders spent their Super Sunday watching the game with and signing autographs for Ronald Reagan Sailors.
"We really appreciate all of the Sailors staying back and protecting us on Super Bowl Sunday," said Charger Girl Heather. "We just wanted to make their Super Bowl party a little more exciting."

More than 100 Ronald Reagan Sailors sat together on the mess decks, some in Navy uniform, others sporting the colors of their favorite NFL teams.

"This party is awesome," said Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Ravneet Bains of Ronald Reagan's Security Department. "I never would have expected something like this on the ship. It was great to see such a huge turnout."

Three NFL Network cameras scoured the ship the afternoon of the game, interviewing more than two dozen Sailors and profiling the newest aircraft carrier on the west coast. The special edition of NFL Network's "Hang Time" will air in mid-February.

Ronald Reagan is the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 7 and the ninth of 10 Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. The ship is named for the 40th U.S. president; its motto, "Peace through Strength," was a recurring theme during the Reagan presidency.

For more news from USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) - Ronald Reagan Strike Group, visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn76/.



Deployed San Antonio Sailors Enjoy Super Bowl Festivities
Release Date: 2/3/2009
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Brian Goodwin, Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group Public Affairs

USS SAN ANTONIO, At Sea (NNS) -- Sailors aboard amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17) gathered on the mess decks for a party and watched the Super Bowl Feb. 1.

The ship's Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) committee provided food, snacks and drinks during the game featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers versus Arizona Cardinals.

"We wanted to ensure we provided an atmosphere that might help our Sailors watch the game like we were at home with our family and friends," said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SW/AW) Shaletha Bynum, San Antonio's MWR president.

"This was a chance to get the crew together like a big family and mingle while watching the Super Bowl," said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SW) Rebecca Mayfield. "It was a huge morale booster."

Sailors enjoyed the set-up MWR had arranged for them to watch the game.

"It was great that I was able to sit with my friends and eat chicken wings and cheese sticks while watching a football game that happens once a year," said Engineman 3rd Class Ryan Wright. "The food was great, the game was great and I had a good time."

Fans sat on the mess decks and cheered for their teams.

"The Cardinals were the underdogs going in to the Superbowl," said Wright, a Cardinals fan. "I've been following them ever since Kurt Warner left the St. Louis Rams, so I was really looking forward to seeing the Cardinals win the big game."

"I'm from Pittsburgh and it's a long tradition that's been instilled in me since I was born," said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SW) Joseph Nayock. "It was great seeing my team win."

"Watching football on deployments is nothing new in the military, but it's great to have your team at the Super Bowl, my Steelers," said Command Master Chief Tom Meglen. "I grew up in a small town about 20 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, playing football with the Steelers trainers' son. It gave me opportunities to attend practices at Three River Stadium on the field passing the ball with Steelers Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw."

"The Super Bowl party aboard San Antonio was wonderful, better than I thought it would be," said Yeoman 1st Class Richard Campbell. "The mess personnel and MWR really outdid themselves."

San Antonio is part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Operations to conduct maritime security operations (MSO). MSO helps develop security in the maritime environment. From security arises stability that results in global economic prosperity. MSO complements the counterterrorism and security efforts of regional nations and seek to disrupt violent extremists' use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons, or other material.

For more news from Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group, visit www.navy.mil/local/iwoesg/.