Amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) hosted a steel beach picnic on the flight deck, May 17, to give Sailors and Marines a chance to relax for a few hours in the middle of their deployment.

The First Class Petty Officers' Association (FCPOA) aboard New Orleans sponsored the event, which included grilled burgers, ribs, chicken, hot dogs, and bratwurst.

Culinary Specialist 1st Class Richard Martell, a member of the FCPOA, said he enjoyed being a part of the event.

"It brought the First Class mess together and helped us give back to the crew for all their hard work," he said. "It gave the whole crew some time off to relax, which was really great to be a part of."

The Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) committee provided refreshments and activities including bean-bag toss, softball catch, jump rope, football, and a basketball competition.

Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Kelsey Anderson commented on her favorite part of the day.

"My favorite part of the day was the softball toss," said Anderson. "It was great to be able to unwind and take some time away from the stresses of deployment."

Steel beach picnics are a long standing Navy tradition, and a huge boost to morale.

Senior Chief Personnel Specialist Charlene Smith, MWR's leading chief petty officer, spoke to the success of the day.

"As senior enlisted leaders, it is always a great day when you see your Sailors and Marines having fun and enjoying some well deserved down time," Smith said. "The deployment 2016 steel beach picnic was a great day for all!"

New Orleans is part of the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the 5th Fleet area of operations.

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For more news from COMPHIBRON ONE, visit http://www.navy.mil/.