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Celebrating 20 years of serving the Hampton Roads Navy family
Vol. 21, No. 26 Norfolk, VA | flagshipnews.com | 07.04-07.10.13
Parking spaces available for Gold Star Families By MC2 Maria Rachel D. Melchor Naval Station Norfolk Public Affairs
NORFOLK
Terri K. Davis Damage Controlman 2nd Class Curtis Sholtes and Airman Alarik Barrett, assigned to Naval Station Norfolk Self Help, install a Gold Star Family parking sign at the Navy Exchange in recognition of family members of fallen service members.
Gold Star Family (GSF) designated parking signs were recently placed outside high traffic facilities onboard Naval Station (NAVSTA) Norfolk. The gold star represents a military family member who was killed in action and immediate family members of service members are authorised to wear a gold star lapel button. The lapel button, or gold star pin, is distributed according to strict Department of Defense guidelines for service members who have lost their lives in conflict or in support of certain military operations. By law, a gold star lapel button was to be furnished without cost, to the widow and to each of the parents and the next of kin of the fallen warrior. In effort to support, a Commander Navy Installations Command (CNIC) directive was released to provide guidance in implementing designated parking spaces and signage for GSFs. The intent of the directive is to honor and recognize the sacrifice of family members who have lost a loved one in military service, to educate the Navy community and to bring awareness to the general public. As part of the initiative, NAVSTA Norfolk personnel posted signs on designated parking spaces on and off-base. The placement of parking signs was
The signs were mostly posted in parking areas of facilities with high traffic, such as the commissary, Navy Exchange and the Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC), to name a few.” - Gary Evans
» see FAMILIES | A6
U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY ALUMNI HONOR ROOSEVELT SAILOR FOR EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP
Admiral the dog visits NMCP Commander to highlight pet therapy
By Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Evans and MCSN John Michael Drew USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Public Affairs
NEWPORT NEWS
Members of the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) Class of 1971 honored a junior officer assigned to USS Theodore Roosevelt (TR) (CVN 71) for his ethics and leadership aboard the aircraft carrier, June 6. Lt. Wayne Shipman, who serves as Air-
By SN Bradley Shadowens Naval Medical Center Portsmouth Public Affairs
craft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) Avionics Division Officer (IM3), received the Ethical Character in Leadership award from members of the USNA Class of 71. The organization established the award to promote the development of ethical leadership qualities and formally recognize exceptional junior officer performance.
» see ROOSEVELT | A6
PORTSMOUTH
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP) had a different type of admiral visit, June 21. The certified pet therapy dog, “Admiral,” a goldendoodle, met with Rear Adm. Elaine C. Wagner, Commander, NMCP and the Command Suite staff for petting, tail wagging and a few humorous dog stories. Admiral is one of the many pet therapy dogs at NMCP, and of course, he enjoyed every second of his affectionate spectators as they listened to the reason why his owners, Lt. Gregory Hall and Lt. Joyce
SN Bradley Shadowens Rear Adm. Elaine C. Wagner (right), Commander, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and Capt. Mary E. Neill, Navy Medicine East chief of staff, welcome Admiral, the pet therapy dog to NMCP.
Legal readiness – don’t become a victim of scams or misinformation By Micheal T. Mink Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Public Affairs
Hall, introduced their therapeutic bundle of fur to patients at NMCP. The Halls, who are entering their second year of residency at NMCP, Gregory in the Surgery program and Joyce in Internal Medicine, noted they bought Admiral as a puppy with the intention of getting
TEXTING AND DRIVING The first of July ushered in stronger traffic safety laws to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Effective July 1, laws concerning texting while driving, provisional licensing and the use of mopeds will improve in ways that AAA Tidewater believes will save lives on Virginia’s roadways. » see A2
him pet therapy certified. “We worked in Bethesda [Md.] and had a lot of contact with the Wounded Warriors there,” said Gregory. “We saw the benefits of pet therapy, so when the time came to get a dog, we chose Admiral to be
» see NMCP | A6
NORFOLK
The Federal Trade Commission “FTC” and partner organizations are sponsoring the Military Consumer Protection Day, July 17. This day has been set aside to highlight the challenges faced by the military consumer and to provide an opportunity to focus on education and the prevention of consumer scams. The military consumer is a valued and
often sought after customer. Active duty, reserve and retired service members and their families bring billions of dollars to the local economies where they live and work. As a transient population with good jobs and guaranteed pay, they can be valuable targets for unscrupulous merchants and scam artists. “Military Consumer Protection Day is really about service member legal readiness. Service members who do not understand
HONORING A FORMER CNO Friends, family and colleagues gathered, June 29, to honor the 24th Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Frank B. Kelso II.
JULY 4TH The Flagship has compiled a list of events around Hampton Roads commemorating Independence Day. Also in the section, recipes for your 4th of July gettogether!
» see B1
» see C1
» see CONSUMERS | A6
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