Los Angeles Fleet Week offers the public an opportunity to tour Naval ships, engage with service members, and enjoy a variety of displays and events throughout the week. It also gives the public an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the sea services and how they support our country’s national defense strategy.
“The port of LA is the largest port in the country, there is no better place for fleet week to be,” said Jonathan Williams, CEO and president of the LA Fleet Week Foundation and the Battleship Iowa Museum. “This week has a sufficient economic impact on the city as well as highlights our international cargo trade. A lot of people don’t realize that all of this cargo that we have out here at the port is here because the Navy keeps the sea lanes safe and open. A number of things that we have sitting on our coffee tables come through this port due to the United States Navy and we really appreciate it.”
U.S. Navy Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45), Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111), the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16), and the Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship USS Scout (MCM 8) as well as U.S. Coast Guard Cutters Forrest Rednour (WPC-1129) and Alert (WMEC-630) will be in attendance.
Throughout the week, service members will have an opportunity to interact with the local community, while participating in a number of community relations projects and a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) exposition assistance and disaster response (HA/DR).
The public will have the opportunity to tour the ships, view military equipment and displays and meet Sailors throughout the week in the Port of Los Angeles, next to the Battleship USS Iowa Museum. The public is encouraged to attend tours and interact with Sailors from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Friday through Monday. Visitors are asked to secure a reservation for a tour through the Los Angeles Fleet Week website,
www.lafleetweek.com. Those arriving without a reservation may be subjected to long wait times and are not guaranteed a tour.
“This is a great opportunity for our Sailors, Marines and Coastguardsmen to show the community the Navy’s capabilities and what we are about,” said Rear Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander, Carrier Strike Group One. “I look forward to sharing practices and knowledge with city leadership and first responders throughout the week.”
All visitors and media will require an escort within the security perimeter at the pier and on board the ships at all times. When arriving for public tours, visitors are recommended to wear flat-heeled, closed-toe shoes and are encouraged to bring as few items as possible. Visitors are subject to search prior to entering the security zone, and will be required to present a photo ID and pass through an airport-style security screening checkpoint prior to boarding the ships. Media should be prepared to present two forms of ID: one showing their affiliation and one government-issued photo identification.
Prohibited items aboard include the following:
- Food or drinks, including ice chests and coolers
- Pets (except service dogs for the disabled)
- Camera tripods and cameras with lenses greater than 100 mm
- Skateboards/bicycles/hover boards
- Gang related clothing
- Unmanned Aerial Systems
- Weapons, including knives, firearms and club weapons
- Defensive chemicals or sprays, including mace and pepper spray; spray cans of any type
- Fireworks, flammable liquids or other explosives
- Illegal drugs and/or drug-related paraphernalia
- Large bags, including backpacks and large camera bags (small camera bags and small handbags may be permitted, but will be subject to search)
- Strollers
-Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (e-cigs), and associated devices