Fredriksted’s Rainbow Beach greeted many visitors on Saturday morning in camouflage pants and rubber gloves. The mission was simple: to clean up the beach. Their weapon of choice: black garbage bags.
The V.I. National Guard Recruiting and Retention Command is participating in a “Guard the Environment” event by cleaning up beaches during the weekend of October 23-24.
More than 300 Guard units across the country take on environmentally-friendly activities over the Oct. 16-17 and Oct. 23-24 weekends.
On St. Croix, approximately 35 members of the V.I. National Guard Recruit and Sustainment Program (RSP) are cleaning up two beaches, Rainbow Beach and Little Bay Beach (Altoona Lagoon) in Christiansted.
St. Thomas guard members are conducting the cleanup of the Leonard B. Francis Readiness Center at the National Guard Armory, Nazareth and Vessup/Red Hook Bay.
“National Guard Bureau has mandated that we conduct training to show that the National Guard is green-friendly,” said Master Sgt. Roy Vialet, the RSP Coordinator.
The Army National Guard has taken steps to ensure that new recruits are engaging in green activities during their drills. While their core mission is to protect and serve our country and communities, they are leading the way in showing how this huge organization can minimize its impact on the environment.
Most of the soldiers conducting the cleanups are newly enlisted members of the VING, and have not yet completed basic training. Part of the RSP program is to educate and train its members to become active participants in their community, and positive stewards of the environment.
Lt. Col. Elroy Stout, commander of the Recruiting and Retention Command, led the guardsmen in the cleanup effort, while Sgt. Philip Grant, a recruiter and newly graduated drill sergeant, ensured the mission was being carried out effectively.
