70th anniversary of D-Day ... The Normandy D-Day invasion took place June 6, 1944. The public is invited to attend a presentation of “D-Day – The Last Great Crusade” at 10 a.m. tomorrow, June 7, at the National Naval Aviation Museum. Oz Nunn is scheduled to present the program, which is part of the museum foundation’s Discovery Saturday series. Discovery Saturday presentations are free. For more information, go to NavalAviationMuseum.org or call the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation at 453-2389. For more about D-Day, see page 6A
Vol. 78, No. 22
VT-10 to change command
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NASP marks Midway anniversary Veterans honored 72 years after historic Pacific battle
From VT-10
Cmdr. Steven “Bug” Hnatt will transfer command of Training Squadron 10 (VT-10) to Cmdr. Mark “Rowdy” Yates, during a change of command ceremony at 10 a.m. June 12 at the National Aviation Museum aboard NAS Pensacola. After more than 15 months in the top spot, Hnatt will release the reins of the squadron to his executive officer, who helped the squadron earn
Cmdr. Mark Yates
numerous accolades during their tenure. Under Hnatt’s command, VT-10 executed more than 35,000 mishap-free flight hours and more than 23,000 sorties while training more than 1,100 Navy and Marine Corps student naval flight officers (SNFOs), flight surgeons, NASA mission specialists and international navigators. The squadron’s award-winning record of
June 6, 2014
Story, photo by Katelyn Barton NASP PAO Intern
More than 400 activeduty service members, veterans and local guests attended an early morning commemoration of the 72nd anniversary of World War II’s historic Battle of Midway June 4 with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Five Flags Pavilion aboard the Naval Air Station Pensacola (NASP). On June 4 1942, the Battle of Midway began changing the course of the war and world history. Midway is an island Rear Adm. Michael S. White, commander, Naval Education and Training Command Japanese forces wanted (NETC), speaks with Charles “Chuck” Wheeler, a retired chief and Battle of Midway control over in order to use veteran, as NASP CO Capt. Keith Hoskins and other officials wait to greet Wheeler it as a military base. However, historians have said following a Battle of Midway commemoration June 4 onboard the air station.
that with confidence, bravery and commitment the United States prevailed making Midway never seriously threatened again. Commander of the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), Rear Adm. Michael S. White, was the guest speaker at the commemoration. During his remarks, White spoke about the character and courage of Ens. Jewel “Jack Reid the pilot of a PBY-5A Catalina patrol aircraft that first spotted the Japanese fleet. “This is our legacy. As I look at the faces of the new Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and
See Midway on page 2
VA plans workshops, outreach events From Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System Public Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System has announced upcoming workshops in addition to events associated with VA2VETS outreach campaign. Two six-week living healthy workshops for veterans are scheduled to begin in early July. The workshops are being offered during a
morning and an evening timeframe, and both are limited to 16 total participants in each session. Veterans must register for the workshops, and be enrolled to receive VA health care benefits. The workshops are scheduled for 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. July 7 and 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. July 9, and sessions continue and are once a week for six weeks. The workshops will take place in room 1A127 at
the Joint Ambulatory Care Center, 790 Veterans Way, in West Pensacola. The workshops aim to teach veterans new skills to live an active and healthier life. Veterans will learn how to more effectively deal with arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and much more. Veterans also will learn how to manage symptoms of disease, communicate about their health with family and friends, and work with their VA health care
See VA on page 2
NHP keeps focus on preventive medicine Story, photo by MC1 James Stenberg Assistant PAO, Naval Hospital Pensacola
O
ne of the best ways to treat a disease is to prevent patients from getting sick in the first place. Cmdr. Steven Hnatt
accomplishments during this period of high productivity included the CNATRA Training Excellence Award (primary squadron), the SECNAV Safety Excellence Award and the Chief of Naval Operations Safety “S” Award. Yates takes command of VT-10 after almost 18
See VT-10 on page 2
The concept of preventing a medical condition before it has a chance to affect others is at the center of what Naval Hospital Pensacola’s Preventive Medicine Department strives to achieve. “Our job is to prevent any kind of disease or outbreak,” said HM2 Jacob Yelland, preventive medicine technician, NHP. “Every hospital has to have a Preventive Medicine Department.” Preventive medicine is a unique medical specialty recognized by the American Board of
Medical Specialties. It focuses on the health of individuals, communities and defined populations. Its goal is to protect, promote and maintain health and well-being as well as to prevent disease, disability and death, according to the American College of Preventive Medicine. History has shown that the environment can be just as deadly in a conflict as the enemy. “During the world wars, more people died because of disease and infection than in actual combat,” said Yelland. “People died
HM2 Jacob Yelland, a preventive medicine technician at Naval Hospital Pensacola, hangs a mosquito trap in the woods. Mosquitoes are capable of carrying and transmitting viruses such as West Nile, dengue fever and malaria between humans and animals.
from malaria, yellow fever and other diseases. Preventive medicine was developed to combat things of that nature.” Today, preventive medicine promotes or prevents health concerns like communicable diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, general food safety, pest management, safe drinking and recreational waters and the influenza season to name a few.
“We work in the background,” said Yelland. “Most corpsmen work at hospitals, ships or on the front lines with the Marines. With preventive medicine, we do things like water testing to see if it’s compatible for human consumption or inspecting food facilities to make sure no one gets sick.”
See Prevention on page 2
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