CHANIA, Greece – Boatswain’s mate is one of the oldest rates in the Navy. The rate dates back to the days of sail but continues to play a vital role, both on ships and ashore, to this day. Although the U.S. Navy has embraced new technologies, and the responsibilities of a boatswain’s mate have evolved over time, the calloused hands of the boatswain’s mates aboard the first-in-class amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1), still tie knots and handle lines in much the same fashion as those who came before.

In advance of their port visit to Souda Bay, Greece, the boatswain’s mates aboard Wasp used the time-honored tradition of knot tying to construct nets for soccer goals as part of community relations event at the Daily Care Center for Children and Young Adults of Chania in Chania, Greece. Established in 1922 and located a short drive from the port of Souda Bay, the Daily Care Center for Children and Young Adults of Chania is a state-funded boys home, which provides support to boys from the ages of 12 to 16 and young adults in need of special care aged 18 or older.

A team of Sailors from Wasp and Marines of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Special Operation Capable (SOC) first visited the care center during a previous port visit to Souda Bay in September. The visit was organized by the 24th MEU (SOC) Command Element Chaplain, Lt. Cmdr. Jim Campbell, and Religious Programs Specialist 1st Class Nancy Guillermo, both part of the ministry team assigned to the 24th MEU (SOC). While at the care center, Guillermo noticed that the soccer goals lacked nets. After the first visit, Guillermo contacted Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate Brandon Ortiz, leading chief petty officer of Wasp’s Deck Department, and inquired if the boatswain’s mates aboard Wasp could use their skills to make new nets to be presented when Wasp returned to Souda Bay mid-November.

“It’s something really easy,” said Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Landing Coly, as he described the process of constructing the nets from scratch. “We used an over hand knot, started from the top and worked our way to the bottom […] I’m really excited to see [the boys’] faces and play soccer with them.”

Since departing Norfolk in early April, Wasp and 24th MEU (SOC) Sailors and Marines have visited Souda Bay seven times during their scheduled deployment for port visits and brief stops for fuel and supplies. During two of those visits, the ministry team was able to orchestrate community outreach events that brought the Sailors and Marines aboard Wasp together with the boys at the Daily Care Center.

“[Our] goal is to be good ambassadors for the United States and provide encouragement to a great group of boys and young men,” said Guillermo. “Volunteerism with Allied and partner nations shows the host community how the U.S. military is a force for good.”

Wasp is the flagship of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group (WSP ARG)-24th MEU (SOC) operating in the NAVEUR-NAVAF area of operations since June, supporting U.S., Allied and partner interests in the region, including in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, to continue promoting regional stability and deterring aggression.

The 24th MEU (SOC) is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) with a command element, Aviation Combat Element (Medium Marine Tiltrotor Squadron 365 (Reinforced), Ground Combat Element (Battalion Landing Team 1/8), and Logistics Combat Element (Combat Logistics Battalion 24).

Amphibious ready groups and larger amphibious task forces provide military commanders a wide range of flexible capabilities including maritime security operations, expeditionary power projection, strike operations, forward naval presence, crisis response, sea control, deterrence, counter-terrorism, information operations, security cooperation and counter-proliferation, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

You can follow Wasp’s adventures on Facebook and Instagram (@usswasp_lhd1).

To learn more about WSP ARG and 24th MEU (SOC) “Team of Teams,” visit their DVIDS feature page at https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/wasparg24thmeu.