Every Thursday evening applause roars as Sailors from different decks and departments of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) come together on the mess decks to showcase their talents at the ship's Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR)-sponsored Open Mic Night.

George Washington's (GW) MWR team has hosted Open Mic Night on Thursdays during patrols since 2012, and the tradition continues due to the high demand from Sailors on board.

"Open Mic Night is something I look forward to throughout the week," said Machinist's Mate Fireman Apprentice Seth Washington, from Richmond, Virginia. "I use [it] as an opportunity to be a source of entertainment for the other Sailors. I enjoy singing publicly and I'm glad that we have events like this on board the ship to give us something to get excited about."

On the night of the event, the MWR team sets up microphones and speakers for Sailors to perform. They can also enjoy music by a live DJ in between acts. Singers, dancers, poets and instrumentalists are among the talents showcased. A few of the regular participants agreed that having the Open Mic Night on board helps relieve stress from work and gives them a means to express themselves artistically, freely and openly.

"I am always blown away by some of the talent we have on board," said Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Calvin Crumbley, a host of GW's Open Mic Night. "You have violinists from Deck Department, singers from almost every department and guitarists and poets from all around the ship. People who you rarely hear speak get up here and blow us all away with their art. It's amazing. It's nice to be able to provide such a comfortable environment for people who are shy and timid to get up here and give us their all."

Every Thursday night, all who desire to perform are welcome to sign up.

"It is rewarding for me to see Sailors come together at these events," said Momoyo Harris, GW's MWR afloat recreation specialist, also known as the ship's Fun Boss. "This helps Sailors meet each other and make new friends, which is something they might not be able to do because of their schedules. Whether it's playing instruments, singing, or even telling a joke, the ultimate goal is to bring Sailors together. Our events help boost the morale of the ship along with building stronger relationships among the crew to assist with strengthening overall mission-readiness."

George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, are on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. George Washington will conduct a hull-swap with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) later this year after serving seven years as the U.S. Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier in Yokosuka, Japan.

For more news from USS George Washington (CVN 73), visit www.navy.mil/.