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News ArticleCS
NEWS | Nov. 27, 2019

Rear Adm. Zirkle, Scouts Support Sailors aboard USS Abraham Lincoln

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Drew Verbis, CNE-CNA Public Affairs

Rear Adm. Matthew A. Zirkle, chief of staff, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (CNE-CNA), teamed up with Scouts BSA Troop 007 to make care packages for Sailors deployed aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy, Nov. 25, 2019. 

Before getting started, Zirkle addressed the scouts to talk about the importance of what they were doing for the Sailors.

"When you're aboard a ship, you can't just go get the things you like to eat or drink whenever you want," said Zirkle. "So we've gathered a whole bunch of goodies together to send to the men and women who are out on Abraham Lincoln, working hard to keep us all safe. Let's make sure we make these packages extra special for them." 

More than 30 youth ranging between the ages of 11 and 17 joined Scoutmaster Bob Adams and several other adult volunteers from the military community in putting together care packages for Sailors.

“When we found out that USS Abraham Lincoln was going to be staying down range longer than they expected, we decided to send them a little holiday cheer,” said Stacey Lindsey, one of the volunteers. “We’re super happy to have the scouts help fill these care packages.”

Within a few hours, the scouts had assembled more than 50 packages filled with toiletries, phone cards, decorations, snacks, and "thank you" cards, boxed up and ready to be shipped to Abraham Lincoln. 

“For me, it’s important to be a servant leader, so I’m really proud to be here tonight with Troop 007,” said Zirkle. “The Sailors are underway serving us, so I can’t think of anything better than helping our scouts take time to give back to them.”

CNE-CNA, headquartered in Naples, Italy, oversees joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

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