The Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) arrived in Souda Bay, Greece, April 15 for a scheduled port visit.

“I am excited to set foot in a new country,” Electronics Technician Seaman Austin Stanley said. “I really want to try new foods and experience the history [of the culture] while in Souda Bay.”

During their port visit, Sailors will have the opportunity to take part in a special “grete-greek” evening, where they can try foods, wine and even learn cultural dances.

“I am hoping for a very cool morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) tour,” said Seaman Catrina Diaz. “I have never been on a tour before but I hear you get to see interesting and exciting things.”

Nitze has also arranged for Sailors to have the opportunity to enjoy a tour of Knossos Palace through its MWR committee. While on this tour, Sailors will get to see excavations of the Palace as well as the treasures of the Minoan civilization.

“MWR and community relations events get people out of their compartments and allow the crew to build comradery, which is good because it makes the deployment more eventful and uplifting,” Command Master Chief Sean Bailey said. “Allowing the Sailors to get off the ship gives them the opportunity to get to experience and learn things they wouldn’t normally get to see. That is one of the best parts of being in the Navy, is being able to learn something about the cultures, try new foods and get to experience life outside the ship.”

In addition to the opportunity to experience the diverse culture of Souda Bay, Nitze Sailors will have the chance to dedicate off-duty hours to volunteering

“I want to take part in a community service where I am preserving land,” Quartermaster Seaman Valeria Olvera said. “I think doing a park clean up or something similar would be really fulfilling.”

The First Class Petty Officer Association, a professional group of Sailors aboard Nitze, is hosting a beach cleanup, where Sailors are able to walk along the beaches of Souda Bay and pick up trash as a community service.

Nitze is underway as part of Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG) deployment in support of maritime security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th, U.S. 6th and U.S. 7th Fleet areas of responsibility.

With Abraham Lincoln as the flagship, deployed strike group assets include staffs, ships and aircraft of Carrier Strike Group 12, Destroyer Squadron 2, and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7; as well as Alvaro de Bazan-class frigate ESPS Méndez Núñez (F 104).

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For more news from USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group (CVN  72), visit http://www.navy.mil/.