Inalåhan, Guam -- In celebration of Earth Day, held annually on April 23, Sailors assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 15 and Naval Submarine Training Center Pacific, Det. Guam, partnered with the command’s sister village of Inalåhan to clean trash from the beaches and surrounding areas.
The event, which marked the third annual Earth Day clean up between CSS-15 and Inalåhan, was organized to inspire and promote a clean and healthy environment.
“This event connects us all on a national scale,” said Lt. Kate Clark-Dawe, assigned to CSS-15, from Webster, New Hampshire. “Our mission here is to help our earth flourish by clearing trash from the beach. Our actions will hopefully continue to develop our relations with the community and bring awareness to a clean environment.”
Sailors grabbed their tools, bags, gloves and motivation, to assist Inalåhan community members in cleaning over 15 bags of trash from beaches and roadways.
“This event was extremely successful for the village because it allowed us to clean an area that is frequently used by our families,” said Inalåhan Mayor Anthony Chargualaf. “This effort helps set an example for the community and those that visit our island. We want to work together to keep Inalåhan clean.”
Earth Day is celebrated worldwide as a way to encourage people to take care of the environment through recycling initiatives, trash removal programs, and environmental education.
“We ended up removing clothes, beer bottles, plastics, rope, glass and natural debris from the beach,” said Yeoman (Submarine) 2nd Class Christian Price, assigned to CSS-15, from Waldorf, Maryland. “We’re trying to set a precedence to keep the beach clean. Every bag helps; every bag is a start.”
Sailors on the island routinely help local schools and villages throughout the year as part of the Navy’s Sister School, Sister Village community relations program. The purpose of the program is to create, foster, and develop sustained positive relationships between the military and the local Guam population
CSS-15 is located at Polaris Point, Naval Base Guam, in Piti, Guam, and consists of multiple Los Angeles-class fast attack submarines. The squadron staff is responsible for providing training, material and personnel readiness support to these commands. Also based out of Naval Base Guam are submarine tenders USS Frank Cable (AS 40) and USS Emory S. Land (AS 39). The submarines and tenders are maintained as part of the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed submarine force and are readily capable of meeting global operational requirements.
For more news from Commander, Submarine Squadron 15, visit our official CSS-15 website at http://www.csp.navy.mil/css15 and our official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SubmarineSquadron15/
Are you interested in taking orders to Guam? Want to learn more about the duty station and life on our island? For more information, check out the ‘Go Guam!’ website at http://www.csp.navy.mil/go-guam/ and download the ‘1st Fifteen’ checklist.