Sailors joined the commanding officer of submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40), for a visit to Captain Strong Primary School as part of their Veteran's Day celebration, in Battle Ground, Washington, Nov. 21.

Frank Cable Sailors were invited to speak to a group of approximately 120 kindergarteners and second-graders to share with them about Navy life, Frank Cable and what life is like on a ship.

Jolene Bryden, a kindergarten teacher at the school, said the students just finished learning about the different branches of the military, and that an event like this would fit right into their lessons.

Capt. Jeff Farah, Frank Cable's commanding officer, introduced himself and gave a brief background of his experiences in the Navy. He spoke about Navy history, different types of ships and various uniform insignia before fielding a variety of questions from the eager students.

"Being here in Portland has afforded us many great opportunities to strengthen ties with the local communities," said Farah. "It was an honor for us to be invited to their school, let the kids know a little about what we do as Navy Sailors, and answer as many of their wonderful questions as possible."

Each Sailor then talked about their respective jobs and experiences in the Navy before closing the day with a group photo with the students. The excitement from the visit could be seen on each child's face as they filed out of the room, giving the Sailors high-fives and handshakes.

"It meant a lot to see the jaw-dropping interest on the kids' faces from the moment we walked in the doors to the moment we left," said Gunner's Mate 2nd Class James Elmore, from El Paso, Texas.

While the visit served as an opportunity for the students to meet the Sailors and learn about the Navy, it was also rewarding for the Sailors to see the positive impact they can have on children who may someday become Sailors as well.

Elmore said, "It felt great to know that we made an influence on such young minds and know we could have sparked an interest in our possible future service members."

Frank Cable, currently in Portland, Oregon, for a scheduled dry-dock maintenance availability, is homeported in Guam and conducts maintenance and support of submarines and surface vessels deployed in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

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