More than 30 children from McCool Middle School onboard Naval Base Guam toured submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40), Feb. 16, as a partnership between the school and the ship's crew.

The students were taken on a walking tour of the quarterdeck, the fantail, bridge, and the crew's mess decks to eat lunch. They were shown a display of firefighting gear and taught how to conduct damage control.

"This was their first time coming to a Navy ship," said Viola Salas, McCool Language Arts teacher. "The purpose of this visit was stem driven to support the kids, teach them science, educate them on new technology, and for them to see how the Navy operates."

For Chief Yeoman Jeremy Griffin, one of the ship's tour guides and native of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, the highlight of the tour was "their genuine enthusiasm and interest leading to great questions and discussion."

The children expressed their excitement by asking their tour guides many questions and waving to the Sailors as they walked around the ship.

For Halie Evenson, her excitement wasn't just about touring the ship; it was about seeing her father, a Sailor aboard.

"It was great to have a chance to show my daughter where I work and being able to eat lunch with her," said Electrician's Mate 1st Class John D. Rogers, maintenance and material management (3M) assistant and native of Leland, North Carolina. "My daughter really liked the ship. Her favorite part was going up to the bridge."

After the tour, the students departed the ship, where they received individual distinguished visitor packets and lithographs.

"These tours are important for children because they provide a unique experience to learn about the Navy from a Sailor's vantage point," said Griffin. "The initial awe of seeing a large ship up close to actually walking on board and learning about the ship's mission, equipment, and crew using all the senses, create a lasting impression of the Navy that cannot be achieved through watching TV and movies."

Frank Cable is forward deployed to the island of Guam and conducts maintenance and support of submarines and surface vessels in the 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operations.

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