Fleet Week shows off New York City, Coast Guard Silent Drill Team

NEW YORK CITY—Erick Berrios is spending his first weekend in New York City mostly on board his ship, but he doesn't mind it.


"I enjoy this," said Berrios, a Marine from Carolina, Puerto Rico, who is in New York City for the first time as part of Fleet Week.


Over the next few days, thousands of U.S. military members will be walking the streets of Manhattan, participating in the annual Fleet Week celebrations and giving civilians a closer look at the military of their country.


Fleet Week is held every year in New York City over Memorial Day weekend, and is meant to introduce the members of the Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard to civilians so the military has a human face, rather than seeming like an impersonal institution. Other Fleet Weeks at different times around the country serve the same purpose. This year's Fleet Week in New York City started May 26 and runs through Thursday.


Berrios joined the Marines about a year ago. "I want to travel some," he said, "and I want to be a defense of my country." Berrios is working on his ship this week, "because I'm the new guy," he said. According to him, other Marines can show off the military more because they have been in it longer.


Berrios said he never dreamed he would arrive in New York City so fast, though he had wanted to come for a long time.


Fellow Marine Michael Porfidio is also enjoying his time in the City. "It's actually a big morale booster being here, having everybody thank us and being around the people that we serve and protect."


But serving and protecting is not all the military do. Members of the U.S. Coast Guard Silent Drill Team from Alexandria, Va., performed in Times Square on Friday afternoon for about fifteen minutes, then had their pictures taken with onlookers, both children and adults. One child asked three drill team members to sign her autograph book.


"I love it," said seaman Kyle Black, speaking about being on the drill team. Black was one drill team member who signed the autograph book. "I mean, we get to travel all around and represent the Coast Guard. It's fun to interact with everybody. They're always very welcoming to us."


"It's been real great," agreed seaman Albert Girth, another drill team member who signed the book. "Everybody's real receptive to the military. It's all positive comments. We don't really hear anything negative." No protesters had showed up to protest the military, he said, and he said he hoped it would stay that way.


The drill team has not performed in Times Square before. "We came last year," said seaman Trent Hemphill, to New York City for Fleet Week. "We didn't get to do this, though, so it's a first time experience for all of us at Times Square. It's pretty cool." Hemphill was the third drill team member to sign the child's autograph book.


The drill team which the seamen participate in is unique for the Fleet Week performances because it is silent—no music plays while the team members drill, unlike the Friday performance by the Navy Band Northeast that followed the drill team's performance. Only the stomping of the drill team members' boots and the clanking of their guns is heard in rhythm with the routine they perform.


To add to the atmosphere, drill team members wear identical blue uniforms, white hats and gloves, and aviator sunglasses. They must go through a rigorous selection process before becoming a member of the drill team. Then they drill at least three hours to get their routine perfect.


The silent drill team's performance was not listed on the official Fleet Week schedule of events from the U.S. Navy. Passersby simply stopped to watch the display, giving the seamen a round of applause at the end.