Local Scouts tour USS Ford

Friday, JUNE 18, 2010 • Northwest Navigator > KITSAP/EVERETT EDITION
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Local Scouts tour USS Ford
By Lt.j.g. Julien Geiser
USS Ford Public Affairs
Nine members of Boy
Scout Troop 420 from
Bothell, Wash. and several
of their parents were welcomed aboard the Everett
home ported frigate USS
Ford (FFG 54) for a ship
tour, June 5.
Although ship tour
requests are not uncommon amongst Everett ships,
this one was unique in
that it was the first time
in recent memory that any
Boy Scouts had crossed the
Ford’s brow.
The
United
States
Navy and the Boy Scout
Community share an
unavoidable link as both
organizations share numerous qualities in common,
specifically their commit-
ment of service to country and the development
of tomorrow’s leaders. The
tour on board Ford allowed
the young Scouts to form
a better idea of how they
might continue to serve
their country in the future.
The Scouts and their parents were able to visit the
most important controlling
stations onboard including
Ford’s Combat Information
Center, Pilothouse and
Central Control Station.
Of particular interest to
them, as is the case with
many tour groups, were the
berthing and work spaces
in which crew members
spend months at a time in
extremely close proximity.
Ford’s 175 enlisted crew
members share three berthings and every shipboard
Members of Boy Scout Troop
420, from Bothell, are introduced to a 76mm gun during
a tour on board USS Ford (FFG
54). June 5. USS Ford’s Lt.j.g
Julien Geiser and FC2 Gabriel
Milbauer provided the tour.
USS Ford photo
division usually has at least
one workspace, which also
serves double duty as a divisional common area.
The Scouts were also
interested in the subtle
Navy working uniform
insignia differences and the
significant occupational differences between the officer
and enlisted ranks.
Fire Controlman 2nd
Class Gabriel Milbauer,
who spent time explaining
the finer points of much
of Ford’s combat systems
equipment, said he enjoyed
the chance to share his
knowledge with the boy
scouts.
“It’s not often that you
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get the chance to potentially
influence the decisions that
members of another generation may one day make.
I’m glad that I was able to
answer their questions and
spend a few hours with the
scouts,” said Milbauer said.
The Scouts were lucky
they were able to catch Ford
and crew in port. The ship
was busy preparing to get
underway for a two-month
cruise in support of the
semi-annual Rim of the
Pacific exercises.
Ford’s segment of participation begins with a fiveday in port visit to Victora,
British Columbia where
they will join the numerous
warships from other nations
in celebrating the Canadian
Navy’s 100th anniversary
before transiting the Pacific
Ocean to Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii for the continuation
of Rim of the Pacific exercises.