Rushmore, Cleveland Arrive in Singapore for Port Call

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Eva-Marie Ramsaran, Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group Public Affairs

SINGAPORE (NNS) -- USS Cleveland (LPD 7) and USS Rushmore (LSD 47) from the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) arrived in Singapore Oct. 28 for a scheduled port visit.

The visit comes after Cleveland and Rushmore's participation in Marine Exercise 2009, a multilateral training exercise with the Indonesia military.

Sailors and Marines from both ships and the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are scheduled to participate in several community service projects during the port visit.

Cleveland's 40 volunteers will help maintain the grounds at the Archdiocesan Commission for Missionary Activity and will interact with elderly residents at a local Peace-Connect facility.

Sailors and Marines from Rushmore will visit with local residents at the Peace Haven Nursing Home and the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped.

"This is my first time going to Singapore, and I'm very excited about the visit and participating in a community service project to help the local people," said Yeoman 3rd Class Angie Morales, a Rushmore crew member and community service volunteer.

Sailors and Marines from both ships are also scheduled to play soccer, basketball and volleyball with local youth teams.

The Bonhomme Richard ARG is transiting the 7th Fleet Area of Operations and reports to the Commander, Amphibious Force 7th Fleet, Rear Adm. Richard Landolt, who is headquartered in Okinawa, Japan.