FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2016
Eye on the Fleet
NAS KEY WEST
VOL. 16 NO. 50
WWW.CNIC.NAVY.MIL/KEYWEST NAVAL AIR STATION KEY WEST, FLORIDA
Ready to respond
Naval Air Station Key West’s Liberty Program Manager Maria Altamuro, left, and Morale, Weflare and Recreation’s Graphics Designer Danette Baso Silvers get in character before greeting Liberty Sailors Christmas morning with breakfast, gifts and activities. U.S. Navy photo Courtesy MWR
inside: NO REGRETS A new year begins. . . . . . . . . 2 READY TO ROLL Airlanes renovations . . . . . . 3 A LOOK BACK 2016 in photos. . . . . . . . . . 4, 5 MWR FUN What’s going on. . . . . . . . . 6, 7 TOP OF PAGE ONE: Marine Corps aviators with Heavy Marine Helicopter Training Squadron (HMHT) 302 prepare to board a CH-53E Super Stallion while training at Naval Air Station Key West in March.
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U.S. Navy photo by Jolene Scholl
irefighters expect to move into Naval Air Station Key West’s aircraft crash/rescue and fire station, at the intersection of Midway and Saratoga avenues on Boca Chica Field, in 2017. Groundbreaking for the facility took place in 2015. The 21,577 square-foot, single-story complex has seven stalls, three of which are dedicated to emergency air field response. The new facility will be the first truly dedicated to fire and emergency response. NAS Key West’s Fire and Emergency Services currently is located in a 1940s-era hangar.
NAS support mission readiness in FY16 By MC2 Cody Babin Southernmost Flyer
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hile its departments can be found at various annexes in and around Key West - Boca Chica Field, Truman Annex, Trumbo Point and Sigsbee Park - Naval Air Station Key West continues to be a state-of-the-art facility for air-to-air combat fighter aircraft of all military services and also provides world-class pierside support to U.S. and foreign naval vessels. Here are statistical highlights of the service demonstrated year-round by Sailors and civilian employees at NAS Key West for FY
2016, which ended Sept. 30: Air Operations • Over 9,961 sorties flown by Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Canadian fighters tracked by Tactical Combat Training System, the second highest number out of 11 tactical training ranges nationwide. • NAS Key West hosted 90 air detachments, 408 aircraft and 7,949 personnel. • Air traffic controllers executed 126,475 combined tower, radar and special-use area flight operations, and safely sequenced see stats page 3
Navy leaders bring back rating titles From Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs
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avy leaders have rescinded a decision made in September to address enlisted Sailors as petty officers first, second or third class, rather by their ratings. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson, with the support of Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Steve Giordano, made the announcement Dec. 21 in NAVADMIN 283/16. “Our Navy needs to be a fast-learning organization
- that includes Navy leadership,” Richardson wrote in the NAVADMIN. “The Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority states that our most junior teammate may have the best idea and that we must be open to capturing that idea. We have learned from you, and so effective immediately, all rating names are restored.” “The SECNAV, MCPON and I, along with other Navy leadership, have had the opportunity to speak with thousands of Sailors during our travels throughout the fleet. The feedback from current and forsee rates page 8