VOL.55 NO. 10 MAY 12, 2016
SERVING NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA, DAM NECK ANNEX, AND NALF FENTRESS
Runners remember fallen service members
INSIDE THE
OBSERVER
BY CARRIE ANDERSON The Oceana Observer The rain did not deter the runners or supporters who gathered to honor the more than 400 Virginians who have died on active duty during the post-9/11 wars. This year’s Run for the Fallen was not going to be delayed because of rain. The team of more than 30 active duty military members from bases throughout Virginia and other locations across the U.S. embarked April 28 from Fort Story on a 250-mile journey to honor these brave service members. The route continued through Norfolk, Hampton, Newport News, Gloucester, Tappahannock, King George, Fredericksburg, Stafford, Quantico, Dumfries, Prince William County, Manassas, Fairfax County and Arlington finishing at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on May 1. Each mile of the route was dedicated to an individual Virginia hero and his or her family. The run team stopped at each “Hero Marker” (each mile marker) to give individual tribute to waiting Gold Star family members, friends and comrades. The goal of the event was to create a 250-mile memorial trail through Virginia. Each hero marker tribute included a biographical description of the hero along with American and Honor and Remember Flags. The first Run for the Fallen occured in 2008 when a group of runners ran from Fort Irwin, Calif. to
- See Run for the Fallen, page 3
NAS OCEANA CELEBRATES ARBOR DAY —Page 6
Photo provided Angelina Graziano, daughter of NALF Fentress Maintenance Supervisor IC2 Carmen Graziano, receives a letter of appreciation from NAS Oceana Commanding Officer Capt. Louis Schager for her efforts in saving her mother’s life.
FENTRESS FAMILY MEMBER RECOGNIZED FOR LIFE SAVING EFFORTS BY ABCM (AW/SW) DARRIN CAMPBELL Naval Auxiliary Landing Field (NALF) Fentress Sailors routinely accomplish phenomenal feats with little to no conscious thought. The hours that are spent in training environments pay off when uncommon events happen, requiring little response time to determine appropriate action. A Sailor can be sleeping in their rack and just by the sound of the ship changing its propulsion settings, the Sailor is up and out of their rack and on their way to a man overboard mustering station before word is even passed over the ship’s general announcing system. During that time, only fifteen seconds may have elapsed. Sometimes we wonder if this trained trait is so
powerful that it is inherited by family members. In February, Therese Graziano, wife of Interior Communications Electrician (IC) 2nd Class Carmen Graziano, Naval Air Landing Field (NALF) Fentress maintenance supervisor, experienced a medical emergency requiring immediate attention. Fortunately, Angelina Graziano, daughter of Carmen and Therese, was with her mother and witnessed the emergency developing. “It just happened,” said Angelina. “I saw that my mom needed immediate medical attention and then realized I had just called 9-1-1 asking for help. I really didn’t think about making the call; it just happened.” Naval Air Station Oceana Commanding Officer
- See Fentress, page 10
SAILORS PITCH IN ON CLEAN THE BASE DAY —Page 8
FAMILY FEST Join NAS Oceana MWR at Family Fest on Thursday, May 19 at Main Gate Park from 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Admission is free and concessions will be sold at a low cost. Enjoy live music courtesy of Tidewater Drive, laser tag, magicians, face painting, a rock wall, inflatables and much more fun for the whole family. See you there!