If health conditions permit, the Navy will conduct education and community outreach, including taking part in Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
While Sailors have previously participated in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Savannah Navy Week will bring between 50 and 75 Sailors from across the nation to volunteer throughout the community and discuss why the Navy matters to Savannah.
Savannah Navy Week will feature in-person demonstrations, performances, and engagements throughout the week that will include:
- Senior Navy Leaders – Flag officer and senior civilian Navy leaders with ties to Savannah and the surrounding area.
- Namesake Sailors – Sailors serving on USS Savannah (LCS2 28), an Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship, and USS Georgia (SSGN 792), an Ohio-class guided-missile submarine.
- Navy Band Southeast - Performances and masterclasses with Navy Musicians.
- Naval History and Heritage Command – Educational presentations and lesson plans about the deep ties between Georgia and the Navy.
- USS Constitution – Demonstrations about the oldest commissioned ship in the Navy.
- Navy Expeditionary Combat Command – Educational STEM presentations and fitness demonstrations by technicians, medics, and divers.
- USS Ceremonial Guard- Precision rifle drill demonstration team.
- U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command – Educational presentation on the importance of atmospheric and oceanographic science and the overall value of STEM education to the Navy
Every Sailor selected to participate in Savannah Navy Week, except those with an approved waiver for health or religious reasons, will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Furthermore, the Navy Office of Community Outreach will work closely with community partners in Savannah and follow guidance from public health officials
Navy Weeks are the service’s signature outreach program, designed to allow the citizens of Savannah to learn about the Navy, its people, and its importance to national security and prosperity. The Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO) coordinates Navy Weeks.
“We are excited to bring the first official Navy Week to Savannah and connect the people of Savannah to their Navy safely and responsibly,” said NAVCO’s director, Cmdr. John Fage. “Savannah Navy Week will allow us to show the people of Savannah what their Navy does for them and why the Navy is important to the city, the state, and the nation. We are excited to spend a week giving back to the city and connecting with those whom we serve.”
Since 2005, the Navy Week program has served as the Navy’s flagship outreach effort to regions without a significant Navy presence, with over 250 Navy Weeks held in more than 80 different U.S. markets. Savannah is the second Navy Week in 2022.
“We coordinate about 75 outreach events during a Navy Week,” said NAVCO Navy Week program manager Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Chambers. “Outreach events range from corporate, civic, government, education, media, veterans, community service engagements. The 2022 schedule is exciting for us because we will be in several brand-new markets, like Savannah.”
For more information on Savannah Navy Week, contact Lt. Cmdr. Joshua Kelsey at (901) 302-5166 or joshua.l.kelsey.mil@us.navy.mil.