Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group (EODGRU) 1, Naval History and Heritage Command, the USS Constitution and the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVO) visited multiple Boys and Girls Clubs, consisting of more than 180 children, around the Fargo, N.D., area this week during Fargo-Moorhead Metro Navy Week.

Sailors from EODGRU 1 demonstrated their diving equipment, bomb suit and salvage robotics, Sailors from NAVO talked about the work that they do in mapping the ocean floors and meteorology, and Sailors from the USS Constitution taught the children about the history of the oldest commissioned warship in the U.S. Navy.

"All of the kids, and the staff as well, loved getting to see all of the Sailors come out and talk to us," said Mark Peterson, a supervisor with the Fargo Youth Commission's Eagles Elementary School Boys and Girls Club. "Everyone gained a lot more insight into everything that the Navy does, and with that knowledge came more respect too. The kids really liked the (EOD) and the Constitution (Sailors), because of the visuals that they brought with them for the kids to see and play with."

It wasn't just the children who loved the visits to the Boys and Girls Clubs groups. The Sailors also enjoyed interacting with the local youth.

"I love coming out here and talking to all of the kids," said Aerographer's Mate 1st Class Daniel Jones, assigned to Fleet Weather Center San Diego. "It's awesome to see their faces and smiles, and to hear and answer the questions that they have for us."

Navy Weeks in landlocked areas of the country provide the Navy with a unique opportunity to educate and reach out to people who otherwise may never get the chance to see a U.S. Navy Sailor.

"Navy Weeks are important to the Navy because when you have people who live in the middle of America they don't see the ships, they don't see the sea power that we have, so they aren't that familiar with us," said Chief Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technician Matthew Ludwig from the EODGRU 1. "So, when they see a Sailor, or hear a Sailor's story, it opens up the possibility that they could see themselves in the Navy. There are certain times that you are going to touch someone in their life and it's just those little impacts in their life that they're going to remember in their future, and maybe something that we did today will impact someone's life and make them make a decision in their future to join the Navy."

The Navy Office of Community Outreach uses the Navy Week program to bring Navy Sailors, equipment and displays to approximately 14 American cities each year for a week-long schedule of outreach engagements designed for Americans to experience first-hand how the U.S. Navy is the Navy the nation needs.

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