Adopt A Ship Program |
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| USS Frank Cable (AS 40) Public
Affairs APRA HARBOR, Guam -- How do you spend your vacation time? Most venture to exotic locales, spend time with family, or just stay at home and relax. Canada’s Trevor Hamilton, a certified Chef de Cuisine, prefers to spend his vacation time helping others. USS Frank Cable (AS 40) culinary specialists have been receiving training in knife techniques, food preparation, and speed techniques from Hamilton for the past two weeks. A chef of 28 years, Hamilton has been all around the world with the Navy as a volunteer through the Navy’s Adopt-A-Ship program. This allows the Ontario native to pass on his experiences and skills to the Sailors he describes as "hard chargers." In an effort to ensure that Sailors have the best quality food, the Navy created the Adopt-A-Ship program to give culinary specialists the opportunity to work with civilian culinary professionals through a mentoring program. Hamilton said he could not make a definitive decision about which ship he enjoyed being on the most. "I look at all the ships as my kids, they all have their strong points," he said. Regarding Frank Cable however, he said the experience has been wonderful due to the people he has met and the leadership onboard. "I don’t think I’ve met anybody [on the ship] that I haven’t really enjoyed," he said. "I think the Frank Cable and its crew were outstanding. I was treated with the highest respect. I was really impressed with the cleanliness of the ship and the professionalism of the Sailors. More ships should follow the Frank Cables lead in this matter." Hamilton has spent 150 days at sea while volunteering to serve onboard almost every platform the Navy has to offer. He said that onboard a ship, you do not have the luxury of being able to run out to the store and pick up what you need for the day. "In the civilian community, I don’t have to worry about the electrical power, steam," he said. "I can get what I want, when I want, how I want it. On the ship, if someone hasn’t done their job, you’re out of luck." Culinary Specialist Seaman Shawn New said the knowledge he gained from the Canadian chef’s presence has been invaluable. "He has definitely helped me with my knife and speed techniques," said New, "I can move faster and still keep presentation at its peak." Culinary Specialist Seaman Recruit Adly Augustin has enjoyed Hamilton’s time on the ship. "He’s been very helpful and he’s a good guy," he said. Hamilton said he enjoyed his time on the ship and looks forward to visiting again. "I had so many great experiences on board working with the culinary specialists," said Hamilton. "Getting to see the Island was very cool. I’m looking forward to my next visit on Frank Cable." For Hamilton, this is not his job; it is his life’s work and his passion. That is the reason why he spends his vacation time each year helping young chefs to hone their skills and wield their tools of the trade more effectively. To Hamilton, it’s just another day doing what he loves. -USN-
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UNDERWAYS
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