Small groups of clean-cut young men and women were to be seen wandering along Tzanagaki Street in Chania on Friday, taking selfies and peering in the windows of souvenir shops. Even before they were betrayed by their accents, there were no prizes for guessing that they were crew members from the US aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush, which on Thursday had tied up at pier K14 at the US Naval Facility at Souda for a four-day visit. They were well behaved and inconspicuously dressed in anoraks and jeans, unlike the mythical US sailors of Hollywood movies who always descended on foreign ports en masse, wearing the traditional “service dress white” uniform and causing havoc amongst the local girls.

While there is the occasional case of drunkenness on these visits, such events are rare, no doubt because naval discipline is stricter than it was, and because the US naval authorities make strenuous efforts to ensure that the visits pass off smoothly, organising sightseeing and cultural trips, and enlisting the crews in local community activities. The nuclear-powered 330m-long carrier has a total complement of about 6,000 people – roughly 3,500 ship’s company and 2,500 in the air wing – which must represent a considerable logistical problem when it comes to organising shore leave. According to local reports they are being released in batches on each day of the stay to visit the city of Chania.

A US Navy press release shows that the ship’s officers and crew are well aware of the need to foster good public opinion locally:

“Our Sailors know the importance of our responsibility to represent our families, cities, states, and shipmates as Ambassadors wherever we go, and we look forward to enjoying a well-deserved port visit with our friends in Souda Bay,” said Capt. Dave Pollard. “We value the importance of the relationships we have with our allies, and we look forward to reinforcing and building upon that foundation.”

The ship’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) team worked with local and regional partners to line up a variety of tours and daytrips for Sailors to experience the region. Trips include daylong hikes and trips to well-known historical and cultural sites.

In addition to MWR trips, Sailors will also have the opportunity to participate in clean-up events organized with and through local officials.

“It will be good to spend time in a beautiful country enjoying the local food, art, and history to recharge from being on the ship,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) First Class Jose Mercado, George H.W. Bush’s Sailor of the Year. “But we know it’s also important to give back to the local community while we have these opportunities to enjoy the culture and learn about regional history.”