Last modified Wed., July 16, 2008 - 06:38 PM
Originally created Thursday, July 17, 2008

RGB Bring Smiles, Hope To Community

By Ensign Joshua Cowart, USS Robert G. Bradley

The Sailors of the USS Robert G. Bradley are taking an active role in their community. Electronics Technician Third Class (Surface Warfare) Telemax Morgan has begun coordinating with Wendy Layton, of the USO, and local outreach groups, to use the energy and skills of his RGB shipmates.

On June 12 and 21, several service members voluntarily gave up their time off, which in the Navy can be hard to come by, to step up and aid From Smoke to Hope, an organization dedicated to rebuilding churches that have burned down.

The church, Christ Ministry for Changing Lives, was the target of an arsonist earlier this year. Pastor Daniel Jones might have found the answers to his prayers for help in the five Sailors from RGB: Electronic's Technician 3rd Class Telemax Morgan, Seaman Jamar Allen, Storekeeper 2nd Class Julian Green, Operations Specialist 2nd Class Christifer Johnson, and Damage Controlman 3rd Class Michael Sleeper.

Following their work with local churches, the Sailors of RGB visited Wolfson Children's Hospital on June 23 bringing smiles to all of those they saw. The previous Friday, Naval Recruiting District Jacksonville donated items such as balls, sunglasses, pens, and bumper stickers to pass out.

Along with these items, RGB's Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Clint Carroll, brought several CO's coins and ball caps to hand out to the children. Carroll "meritoriously" promoted several brave children to CO rank, placing on their heads an RGB cap, complete with the "scrambled eggs" of a full commander.

Carroll, Morgan, Information Systems Technician 1st Class Wymon Bonner, Seaman Carlos Garcia, Operations Specialist Seaman Eric Klepe, and Seaman Michael Sajnaj went to three different floors of the hospital, working with the staff to bring smiles and hope to the children. One parent noted of her son "this is the first time I have seen him smile since his surgery."

Morgan and the Sailors of Robert G. Bradley are planning on continuing their community involvement. Some of the organizations that they are planning to aid are Senior Citizen's homes, the Children Read program, and various other outreach groups, including hospital visits such as the one at Wolfson's.

These Sailors are giving up their time to become involved in rebuilding lives, both at the spiritual and physical level. They swore an oath to defend their country, but they have taken that oath to an even higher plain. The Sailors have begun to bolster up the citizens that they have sworn to protect.