Commissary to be closed for reset ... The NAS Pensacola Commissary (5800 West Highway 98) has been advised by DeCA headquarters that it will undergo a total store reset in September. To accomplish the reset, the commissary will shut down early Sept. 16. Store officials said the commissary will close at 4 p.m. Sept. 16 instead of at the regular 7 p.m. closing time. Officials said the commissary will be closed Sept. 17 and Sept. 18 and will reopen at its normal time (8 a.m.) Sept. 19. Store officials regret the inconvenience the closing will cause patrons. For more information, call 452-6880.
Vol. 76, No. 37
VISIT GOSPORT ONLINE: www.gosportpensacola.com
September 14, 2012
Sept. 11, 2001, attacks remembered at NASP Story, photos by Janet Thomas Gosport Staff Writer
It has been 11 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, but ATAN David Pietri said he would never forget the day. The planes that crashed into the twin towers hit close to home for Pietri, a native of upstate New York. “I remember how beautiful it was upstate that day, and when I got home my family told me what happened,” he said. “I tried to call my friends and other family, but it was difficult to get a hold of them. Thankfully, no one I knew was there, but a few were on their way to the towers.” Pietri, a student at Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC) and a member of the performing unit vocal team, delivered emotional renditions of “God Bless America” and “Amazing Grace” during a Sept. 11 commemoration
ceremony at the Naval Aviation Memorial Chapel on board Naval Air Station Pensacola. It was another beautiful, fall morning as about 300 participants and attendees gathered on the lawn in front of the chapel to pay their respects to the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives when terrorists high jacked four airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., and a rural field in Shanksville, Penn. The solemn event opened with the national anthem and an invocation from Chaplain Lt. Joe Robbins. The steady breeze presented a challenge as three Sailors wrestled with a giant U.S. flag, which was raised to halfstaff for the ceremony. In his welcoming remarks, NASP Public
See Sept. 11 on page 2
(Top) Bugler Mary Brockmeier performs “Taps” at the conclusion of the ceremony. (Above; left-right) About 300 people gather at the Naval Aviation Memorial Chapel for a ceremony commemorating the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; firefighter EMT Rick Lubarsky of Fire & Emergency Services Gulf Coast rings a bell to remember victims of the terrorist attacks; guest speaker base CO Capt. Christopher Plummer.
USS Alabama hosts Gulf Coast CPO selects By MCC Russ Tafuri Blue Angels PAO
The USS Alabama (BB 60) was the site of an overnight community relations and training evolution as part of the induction process for some area chief petty officer selects Sept. 7-8. Chief selects from commands aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Corry Station Center for Information Dominance, NAS Meridian, Navy Band Command, New Orleans and Eglin Air Force Base descended upon the historic ship in Mobile Bay to learn lessons in naval heritage and tradition, and the importance of maintaining that heritage. “This overnight at the USS
Alabama is a chance for us to look back at where we came from as Sailors and to remember the rich heritage that has brought us to where we are today,” said
ACCS Trent Hathaway. “As chief petty officers, we are the stewards of naval tradition and are charged with passing this along to the future of the Navy.”
The chief selects took part in teamwork exercises, conducted tours of the ships, participated in
See CPO selects on page 2
Navy marks Ombudsman Appreciation Day today (Sept. 14) From Phyllis Hain FFSC Education Services Facilitator
NASP-area CPO selects gather on the deck of USS Alabama. Photo by Owen Miller
Congressman Miller visits EOD school Story, photo by Ens. Elizabeth Allen Center for Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Diving PAO
Congressman Jeff Miller discusses a remote-controlled Talon EOD robot with EODCS Joseph Severino while on a tour of NavScolEOD Aug. 23.
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE – Congressman Jeff Miller, U.S. Representative for Florida’s 1st District (R-Fla.), visited the Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (NavScolEOD) Aug. 23 to receive an update on the school’s mission, interact with staff members and students, and observe high-risk training evolutions. Miller was briefed on the EOD School and the disposal community’s history, cul-
ture and unique mission while receiving a glimpse of current and future facilities and infrastructure used to train aspiring EOD technicians. “As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, it’s important for me to stay current with what’s going on with the military in Northwest Florida,” said Miller. “With improvised explosive devices being one of the biggest threats to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, the training here at the EOD School is exceptionally important.”
See EOD on page 2
Don’t forget to say “thank you” to your command’s ombudsman on Ombudsman Appreciation Day, which is celebrated each Sept. 14, or as close to that day as operational schedules will allow. The ombudsman role is one of high visibility and importance in the Navy. Ombudsmen are professionally trained information and referral volunteers who serve as a vital twoway communication link between the command and family members. The Navy’s ombudsman program is run by the Fleet and Family Support Program, which reflects the program’s commitment to promote the resilience and self-reliance of Sailors and Navy families and to help them navigate the uniqueness of military life.
See Day 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.