Syracuse Navy Week begins on Monday, June 6th at a local middle school, where sailors, with the use of a dive tank, will provide students with demonstrations on underwater robotics. It will be one of many visits to area schools where the Navy's emphasis will be on science, technology, engineering and mathematic (STEM) related activities, Naval history and music clinics alongside Navy Band Northeast members.

"Syracuse Navy Week is the culmination of a lot of coordination, hard work and planning from everyone involved," said Ian Lundy, the lead planner for Navy Week Syracuse. "The city has been tremendous in supporting our assets. This Navy Week is the first one the city of Syracuse has hosted."

Later in the day, the Onondaga County Sherriff's Office Bomb Squad and the an Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team will be teaming up for a training exercise where explosives will be both diffused and detonated. Navy Band Northeast will also play a concert in honor of WWII veterans at a local high school. The week-long event will feature Navy Day at the MoST, a patriotic opener at a Syracuse Chief's game, community service projects at local organizations and various public performances by Navy Band Northeast.

"Our role as active-duty service members is vital in translating the mission of the Navy to the American people," said U.S. Navy Lt. Liza Dougherty, Explosive Ordnance Group 2 public affairs officer. "Those opportunities to have face-to-face conversation, demonstrating robotics or providing encounters with personnel performing dives in the dive tank or local aquariums, are the ones that have real lasting impact. When we are able to share our stories, people understand the importance of the U.S. Navy and what it does for them."

The official proclamation is open to the public and will take place on Wednesday, June 8th, at 6:00 p.m. in Clinton Square. It will include remarks by Parks Commissioner Lazarus Sims and Rear Admiral Michael E. Jabaley and a performance by Navy Band Northeast Ceremonial Band and Rhode Island Sound. An outdoor screening of "Top Gun" (1996) will follow.

Every year, America's Navy comes home to approximately 15 cities across the country to show Americans why having a strong Navy is critical to the American way of life.

Since 2005, the Navy Week program has served as the Navy's principal outreach effort into areas of the country without a significant Navy presence, with 181 Navy Weeks held in 68 different U.S. cities. The program is designed to help Americans understand that their Navy is deployed around the world, around the clock, ready to defend America at all times.

Navy Weeks focus a variety of outreach assets, equipment and personnel on a single city for a week-long series of engagements with key influencers and organizations representing all sectors of the market. During a Navy Week, 75-100 outreach events are coordinated with corporate, civic, government, education, media, veterans, community service and diversity organizations in the city.

The Navy Parachute Team, Navy bands, Navy divers, namesake ship and submarine crews, hometown Sailors, medical personnel, environmental displays, USS Constitution Sailors and equipment, and Navy recruiting properties all participate in the Navy Week program.

For more information about Navy Week events visit http://outreach.navy.mil