Military training exercises set for Sept. 10 and 12 ... Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola will be participating in several
exercises Sept. 10 and 12. The exercises will have minimal impact on normal operations, but there may be an occasional traffic delay including the Main Gate. Thank you for your patience; exercises like these ensure the security and protection of everyone onboard NAS Pensacola. – NASP Public Affairs
Vol. 83, No. 35
Final issue of Gosport: Sept. 27 Friends and fans of the Gosport, For the past 98 years, the Gosport newspaper has provided news and information regarding Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola. I must announce that the final edition of the paper will be printed on Sept. 27, 2019, but we will continue to provide news and information electronically through the NAS Pensacola social media sites. It was not an easy decision, but with the changing culture of more and more news being delivered electronically, the decision was made to stop printing the newspaper and push more information out through social media. NAS Pensacola currently has a Facebook page (@ NASPCOLA), Twitter (@ N A S P C O L A) and Instagram (@ naspensacola). We will also be adding a YouTube channel soon to highlight news happening on NAS Pensacola. At the NAS Pensacola Public Affairs Office, we will remain committed to providing current and relevant news and information to our diverse population stationed in the Pensacola area, have retired in Pensacola or are visiting Pensacola. Our social media sites will allow us to provide you with news faster across multiple communication platforms. I thank you for your support of the Gosport and look forward to continuing to provide you with news about the best Navy installation in the world. If you have questions about this transition, please send an e-mail to nasp_pao_ webpage@navy.mil. Thank you, Jason Bortz Public Affairs Officer NAS Pensacola
September 6, 2019
VISIT GOSPORT ONLINE: www.gosportpensacola.com
NAS Pensacola to honor Navy Gold Star Program
Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola honored the sacrifices of service members and their families Sept. 27, 2018, as part of the nationwide program Bells Across America. (Above) Damage Controlman 3rd Class Sammy Cohen presents the flag as bell ringer Airman Cole Spaid, officials and participants look on. File photo by Mike O’Connor By Carolyn Gray NAS Pensacola Public Affairs Office
The Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) will host a Bells Across America for Fallen Service Members Ceremony at 11 a.m., Sept. 26 at the Naval Aviation Memorial Chapel. The guest speaker will be Rev. Peter A. McLaughlin, a Catholic priest at NAS Pensacola and a Gold Star survivor. As an initiative of the Navy Gold Star
Program, ceremonies will be conducted concurrently throughout the United States on this date to remember and celebrate the lives of fallen service members from all branches of the military, regardless of their cause of death. The Navy Gold Star Program serves as the advocate for the families and provides support, information and services such as reserved Gold Star family parking. Base Commanders have designated parking in various locations such as the Commissary, Navy Exchanges, FFSC and Military
Treatment Facilities (MTF) to promote awareness, educate the military community on the sacrifices of families of deceased active duty and to honor their loss. Janet Thomas of the Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) has been the NAS Pensacola Gold Star liaison for two years. “The ceremony is a nice way to remember our fallen military members and to show our support to the (families) in the local community,” Thomas said. More than 800 guests attended last year’s ceremony to honor the commitment and sacrifice of the 124 names that were read aloud. Also in attendance were 35 Gold Star family members. “There are many unidentified Gold Star families in our community and want to make sure they know that they have the opportunity to participate in this ceremony and the Gold Star Program,” Thomas said. “We want to make it meaningful for the families of the fallen service members.” For this year’s ceremony, the names will be read by the NAS Pensacola Command Master Chief Mario Rivers and Patrick Nichols, a retired Air Force major and Gold Star family member. “It’s an honor to be part of this year’s ceremony honoring fallen service members and their families,” Rivers said. “In addition to remembering the service members that gave the ultimate sacrifice, we want to show our support to the families in our community.” If you wish to have a fallen service member’s name added to the list or if you need more information, contact Janet Thomas at 452-5990.
NETSAFA announces International Military Student Officers of the Year By Dustin Gautney Naval Education and Training Command Public Affairs
Four International Military Student Officers (IMSO) received the 2018 IMSO of the Year Award during the 28th Maritime IMSO Workshop Aug. 27. Civilian and military administrators who work with international military students (IMS) attend the three-day event to network and discuss topics related to the unique requirements of managing international training programs. Capt. Lawrence E. Meehan, director
for U.S. Central Command and Saudi division, Navy International Programs Office (NIPO), was the keynote speaker. “The ‘soft power’ – the ability to aid, advise and build relationships with international military students is at the heart of the IMSO,” Meehan said. “That ‘soft power’ is one of the greatest exports of the U.S. government and central to the IMSO program.” Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity (NETSAFA) conducts the workshop on behalf of See IMSO on page 2
Onboard NAS Pensacola, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Cypress prepares to get underway to pre-position for post-Hurricane Dorian response operations Aug. 29. The Coast Guard often relocates and pre-stages assets for storm avoidance to ensure they are ready to respond immediately following a hurricane. Photo courtesy of Cutter Cypress
2nd Fleet ships, aircraft depart Dorian’s path From Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet Public Affairs
Billy Martin (center), Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Simon Stewart III (left of center) and Lt. Antoine Adams (right of center) receive the 2018 International Military Student Officer (IMSO) of the Year Award from Capt. David W. Stallworth (right), Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity commanding officer, and Capt. Lawrence E. Meehan (left), Navy International Programs Office during the 28th Maritime IMSO Workshop.
NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) – Hampton Roads-based ships and aircraft are leaving the area today (Sept. 4), as Hurricane Dorian is forecast to bring high winds and heavy rain to the Mid-Atlantic coast. “Based on the current track of the storm, we made the decision to begin to sortie our Hampton Roadsbased ships and aircraft,” Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis, commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet, who gave the order said. “This allows time for our assets to transit safely out of the path of the storm.” Ships are leaving from Naval Station Norfolk and Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek and will remain at sea until the threat from the storm subsides. Aircraft See Dorian on page 2
Published by Ballinger Publishing, a private firm in no way connected with the Department of the Navy. Opinions contained herein are not official expressions of the Department of the Navy nor do the advertisements constitute Department of the Navy, NAS Pensacola or Ballinger Publishing’s endorsement of products or services advertised.