Photo courtesy of the Department of Defense

Umatac Students Visit Big Navy

GUAM - Students from Umatac's Francisco Q. Sanchez Elementary School recently took a trip to Santa Rita to visit Big Navy. The southern students were fortunate enough to have a chance to speak with members of the Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 or the "Island Knights" as they showed off their MH-60 Sierra Knighthawk helicopter and B-52 bomber.

As the students climbed aboard the helicopter, Naval Aircrew explained the role of the Island Knights in "search and rescue operations over land and water" using their Knighthawk and B-52, per the US Navy.

The Island Knights also "do humanitarian missions...if something happens in Saipan or any islands close around here, we'll go out there and help out," according to Naval Aircrewman 2nd Class (NAC) Rudy Perez.

Here is the original announcement from the U.S. Navy:

Guam Students Tour HSC 25 Helicopter, B-52 Bomber

By Jesse Leon Guerrero, Joint Region Marianas

SANTA RITA, GUAM (NNS) 11/6/2009 -- Sailors and Airmen forward deployed to Andersen Air Force Base spoke to students from a Guam public school about their missions during a tour Nov. 4.

Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25, 20th Bomb Squadron, and 36th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron hosted students from Francisco Q. Sanchez Elementary School to get a closer look of a MH-60 Sierra Knighthawk helicopter and B-52 bomber.

Naval Aircrewman 2nd Class (NAC) Rudy Perez, of HSC-25, explained how the Navy uses MH-60 helicopters to perform search and rescue operations over land and water. Perez and fellow shipmates had the students sit inside the helicopter and also try on safety gear.

Perez said it was good to see the students interested in what the Navy does for Guam. Nicknamed the "Island Knights," HSC-25 promotes the maritime strategy through security for American citizens, the application of sea power and strengthening partnerships with allied nations.

"We also do humanitarian missions," Perez said. "If something happens in Saipan or any islands close around here, we'll go out there and help them out."

Air Force Capt. Andrew Jerz, of 20th Bomb Squadron, also answered questions about how the 60-year-old bomber still performs as an offensive tool against enemy forces around the world. Also known as the Stratofortress, the B-52 can travel about 3,500 miles before it needs to be refueled, which can be done in flight.

"I love having the kids out here [and] anything we can do to encourage them to have a good education and take the most out of the education they have now," Jerz said.

Both Air Force squadrons are deployed to Andersen Air Force Base from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana as part of the continuous bomber presence in the Pacific region.

Roy Cruz, the school's guidance counselor, said he appreciated the opportunity for students to learn from and interact with the Sailors and Airmen.

"A lot of them have parents in the military and this is like a different perspective having them be up here," Cruz said.

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