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Celebrating 20 years of serving the Hampton Roads Navy family
Vol. 21, No. 50 Norfolk, VA | flagshipnews.com | 12.19.13-01.08.14
SnowballExpress
They didn’t have a Band-Aid big enough to fix the airplane,
and they didn’t have a Band-Aid
big enough to fix dad.”
-Gavin Stidfole, at 2 years old
This was Gavin’s first verbalization about the accident he witnessed when he was only 2 years old – when his father, U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 James Lawrence Stidfole, test pilot, died when his private airplane backfired and crashed at Chesapeake Regional Airport. “The second year is harder than the first, because the first, I was just numb,” said Sharron Stidfole, Gavin’s mother. “But, this second year I think I've come out of that numbness and it's real.” For families like this, the nonprofit organization Snowball Express offers an all-expense paid, four-day event during the holidays for children and spouses of American military heroes who lost their lives while on active duty. “I have made some friends already,” said Stidfole. “These people get it and they know what we’ve gone through. It’s like hope.” The mission of Snowball Express is to help families like Stidfole’s heal by giving them the opportunity to share experiences and forge new friendships.
Service members and volunteers clap as 5-year-old Gavin Stidfole boards an American Airlines flight during the annual Snowball Express event. Snowball Express benefits the families of fallen service members by flying them to Dallas, Texas for four days of recreational activities.
» see SNOWBALL | A11 By MCSN Desmond Parks Navy Public Affairs Support Element East
MCSN Adam Austin
Fire Controlman 1st Class Chad Chambers hugs his daughters after surprising them of his homecoming while they were visiting Santa Clause at the MacArthur Center in Norfolk.
MASTER-AT-ARMS RECOGNIZED FOR HEROIC EFFORTS By Katisha Draughn-Fraguada Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads Public Affairs
NORFOLK
MC1 Molly A. Burgess
Five young girls get their Christmas wish By MC1(SW/AW) Molly A. Burgess The Flagship military editor
NORFOLK
So what do you want from Santa this Christmas? That was the question of the night at the MacArthur Center on Dec. 13, as a long line of children waited to sit next to Santa Claus and whisper their wishes of what they hope to appear under the tree on Christmas morning. Dolls, trucks, G.I. Joe’s and Barbie’s were the talk of the town for many of the children, but for five little girls, their wishes were different than the rest. All dressed in red shirts with a pic-
The Resident Energy Conservation Program (RECP) begins live billing in January. For more, contact: NAVY HOUSING SERVICE CENTERS NAVSTA Norfolk: 445-2721 NNSY: 445-2721 NSAHR: 444-2939 NAS Oceana: 433-3268 JEBLCFS: 462-2792 WPNSTA Yorktown: 637-9082 See The Flagship’s Home and Garden section (C4) for RECP tips!
ture of a reindeer and personalized with their name on their shirt, the five sisters came to see Santa with one wish – for Santa to bring home their dad for Christmas. Fire Controlman 1st Class Chad Chambers has been deployed onboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Stout (DDG 55) since the ship left from its homeport of Norfolk in August. Since his departure, his wife, Kim, and five daughters ranging from age 7 to 11-months-old, Kara, Allie, Hollee, Megan and Britton, who is the youngest, have been waiting for him to return. As the five sisters sat next to Santa, all with closed eyes and wished in unison
SAILOR PAINTS POPEYE IN TR FOC’SLE Seaman Marlena Peter, through unexpected circumstances and a gift for painting, is the artist who gives USSTheodore Roosevelt its splash of color.
» see A8
for Santa to bring their dad home for Christmas, Chambers emerged from around the corner to greet them, surprising them of his return. “I think they are all still in a state of shock,” Chambers said. “This is the best Christmas wish I could ever ask for.” Tears, smiles, bear hugs and joy were exchanged as each little girl ran into Chambers’ arms with excitement to see their wish come true. Chambers returned from deployment early as he transfers from Stout to a shore command where he says he will retire in three years.
» see REUNION | A11
As Master-at-Arms Petty Officer 2nd Class Billy Atwater prepared to go to work for his early morning shift at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads (NSA HR)-Portsmouth, he had no idea that by the end of the day he would be given the title of “hero.” At approximately 3:30 that morning, Atwater was getting ready to leave his second floor apartment when he smelled smoke. He began to walk around and noticed one of his neighbor’s apartments on fire. He immediately called 911. “After I called, I started to run down the hall knocking on the apartment doors closest to the fire,” Atwater said. One of those doors happened to be Senior Chief Legalman Margaret Bagley’s apartment.
143,000 WREATHS Volunteers placed more than 143,000 wreaths on gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery, Dec. 14.
“I woke up smelling smoke thinking to myself not to get out of bed yet because I had one more hour until I needed to get up,” said Bagley. “Within a few minutes, I heard a ruckus outside and then a loud bang on my door. I immediately got up and answered my door. It was a Sailor in uniform yelling, "Your building is on fire, you need to get out!" That Sailor was Atwater. “I grabbed my dog, put on some clothes, and then grabbed my keys, phone and wallet. Once I made it outside, I couldn't believe how massive the fire was on the rooftop of the building,” she said. “It's a surreal feeling to watch a fire like that. You have thoughts like, ‘I should've grabbed this, or I should’ve grabbed that.’ But in reality, I just needed to get out of the apartment.”
» see HERO | A11
NEW YEARS CELEBRATION Virginia Beach is hosting “Last Night on theTown,” a kidfriendly NewYear’s Eve party atTown Center.
» see B1
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE FLAGSHIP! Our next issue will be Jan. 9, 2014 with a special 2013Year in Review section.
» see C1
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