More than 40 U.S. Navy enlisted Sailors and officers, and U.S. Coast Guardsmen participated in a group re-enlistment and promotion ceremony on the 9/11 Memorial plaza as part of 2017 Fleet Week New York (FWNY), May 26.

Adm. Phil Davidson, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, spoke briefly before beginning the ceremony.

"There are two extraordinarily special places to take this oath. The first is at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.," said Davidson. "This is the other place."

Machinist Mate 1st Class Enver L. Sibiliamartinez, currently stationed aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56), was a sophomore in high school in New York when 9/11 occurred. He had just sat down to start class, when he looked out his window and saw the plane had just hit the first tower.

"We ended up having a half day pretty much," said Sibiliamartinez. "The next day was a day off because of the fact that the whole city came to a standstill. We had a whole bunch of smoke, papers flying through the streets. The subway system was shut down. Everyone had to walk home that day. It was chaotic"

Sibiliamartinez has served 11 years in the Navy. He chose to re-enlist a year early on his contract in order to be able to re-enlist at the memorial this year.

"It's definitely a special spot for me, especially for being from Brooklyn," said Sibiliamartinez. "Having the opportunity to come out and serve for another six years is the best decision I could ever make. I wanted to give back to the United States for everything it has done for me and my family."

The ceremony was viewed by hundreds of onlookers as Davidson raised his hand to re-enlist the sea service members.

"It is an honor to pledge the oath, it is an honor to stake our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor upon this country," he said. "Look around here, no one will push us off this rock."

FWNY, now in its 29th year, is the city's time-honored celebration of the sea services. It is an unparalleled opportunity for the citizens of New York and the surrounding tri-state area to meet Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, as well as witness firsthand the latest capabilities of today's maritime services. The weeklong celebration has been held nearly every year since 1984.

For up-to-date information on all FWNY events, visit the official FWNY website at www.fleetweeknewyork.com, "Like" FleetWeekNewYork on Facebook, or "Follow" @FleetWeekNYC on Twitter.

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

For more news from Commander, Navy Region Mid Atlantic, visit www.navy.mil/.