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News | Oct. 20, 2016

Houston Navy Week Kicks Off In the Lone Star State

Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

HOUSTON, Texas - HOUSTON (NNS) -- Navy Week kicked off in the most populous city of the Lone Star State as citizens and community leaders welcomed the weeklong series of outreach engagements in Houston, Oct. 17.

Navy Week coincides with the Wings Over Houston Airshow and will focus a variety of assets, equipment, and personnel designed to bring America's Navy closer to the people it protects, in a city that does not have a large naval presence.

Rear Adm. Thomas Ishee, deputy commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike, alongside more than 20 Sailors met with Houston's Mayor Sylvester Turner and received a proclamation declaring it Navy Week in the city. Ishee also met with a variety of corporate, civic, and government leaders throughout the city.

"We came to Texas to inform the American public about what their Navy is doing around the world and thank them for their support of our men and women in uniform," said Ishee. "In Houston, we discovered an extremely patriotic and supportive community offering genuine appreciation for what our Navy does each day. It was heartwarming to see the interest and concern the citizens have for our Sailors."

Sailors, to include their commanding officer, from namesake vessel Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Houston (SSN 713) are in town augmenting to the outreach mission of Navy Week. Houston, the fourth U.S. Navy vessel named in honor of the city of Houston was constructed at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia, and was commissioned Sept. 25, 1982.

"A close relationship with our host city means so much to Houston Sailors," said Cmdr. Scott McGinnis, commanding officer of Houston. "A country's relationship and support of their Navy has always been integral to the success of America's Navy."

Since 2005, the Navy Week program has served as the Navy's principal outreach effort into areas of the country without a significant Navy presence, with 181 Navy Weeks held in 68 different U.S. cities. The program is designed to help Americans understand their Navy is deployed around the world, around the clock, ready to defend America at all times.

Events throughout the week will include several speaking engagements, community relations projects, hospital visits, band concerts, and performances by the Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, and the Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.

"The Navy is made up of many people, and by reaching out to Houston residents who may not otherwise see the Navy day to day means we continue to revive the best and brightest to join the world's finest Navy," said McGinnis.

Houston Navy week will continue through Oct. 23.

For a complete schedule and more information about Houston Navy Week, visit https://www.outreach.navy.mil.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.