A Sailor serves aboard a submarine based in Kings Bay, Georgia.

From 734 miles away, a member of the Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO) speaks to the service member during a public broadcast. Nearly 3,000 miles away, a viewer from Seattle asks a question of the Sailor, who now becomes more than just a uniform.

This is the U.S. Navy’s newest endeavor into the world of virtual outreach.

The live interviews are hosted on NAVCO’s social media sites with Sailors around the country and world. As the virtual outreach program continues to grow, plans are in place to extend the broadcast to a wider variety of platforms.

The interviews are a mixture of stories, demonstrations, humor and insights that bring the viewer into an intimate view of their Navy that would otherwise not be readily available. The wide range of participating demographics, jobs, ranks, and experiences are the highlight of the program.

The livestream is a part of the “Ship2Shore” initiative, created by NAVCO in response to the COVID-19 public health crisis as a means to help  Americans stay connected to their Navy, said Lt. Cmdr. Ben Anderson, NAVCO’s event planning department head.

“The American people trust their Navy to do what's right around the world, and we don't want to miss any opportunity to tell them what we're doing and thank them for that trust,” Anderson said, adding, “Our hope is that we can use virtual means to have meaningful, ongoing conversations and build lasting relationships in communities around the nation."

Sailors come from every state. They are the product of the pride and commitment of communities throughout the nation, and bring those backgrounds into the ranks of the nation’s seapower.  While many of these Sailors return to their hometowns on well-deserved time off, countless Americans will rarely get a glimpse into the diversity of the jobs, places and people that create the most effective and well-trained maritime force the world has ever known.

Ship2Shore works with Sailors stationed around the world to coordinate live interviews, taking questions from viewers and sharing stories with a public viewing from a mobile phone, tablet, computer, or streaming devices, said Dustin Good, Navy veteran and Ship2Shore live interview host.

“I joined the Navy because of my love of learning and sharing stories,” Good said. “I knew right away, seeing the diversity in not only the jobs, but the skillset each Sailor brought from their home, there was no better place to tell the human story. I am beyond proud to be a part of sharing our Navy, our Sailors, with people throughout the country and the world in our new media endeavor.”

The Navy Parachute Demonstration Team, Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians, submariners, musicians, a commanding officer, and even a Rear Admiral serving in the United Kingdom have been featured on the show. With so much diversity in the fleet, these are just the first stories of the book that Ship2Shore Live is writing.

Sailors wanting to share their stories are encouraged to contact their command’s Public Affairs officer or NAVCO at NavyOutreach@navy.mil.Visit the Ship2Shore landing page to view past interviews and preview upcoming events, as well as numerous other virtual multimedia resources: www.outreach.navy.mil/virtual-outreach.

Stay informed and up to date on the Ship2Shore Live show and the stories of your Navy by joining the conversation:

www.facebook.com/navyoutreach

www.instagram.com/@US_Navy_Outreach