Sailors roll up sleeves for worthy cause

What would you give to be able to say, “I saved a life today?” Sailors, Marines and civilians at Fleet Readiness Center Northwest are not belonephobic (fear of needles) as they gave more than 100 units of blood Aug. 16. By the time you read this, the blood is already in Iraq or Afghanistan, helping to save someone’s life. Each unit of blood can potentially save three lives. It was simple, easy and virtually painless for the more than 100 people who submitted to the needle, but it may save 300 lives. When asked why he was donating blood, Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Robert Letendre said, “Somewhere there is a guy who needs my blood. My blood can serve my nation in Iraq or Afghanistan, even if I can’t be there right now.”
August 26, 2010
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FRC Sailors building tools that build confidence

During the summer months, those stationed in the Pacific Northwest take full advantage of every sunny weekend to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. With all that there is to do here, sometimes opportunities get overlooked. Many people don’t know there is a confidence building course at the Jim Creek Recreation Area. Located just outside Arlington, an hour and a half north of Seattle, Jim Creek offers almost every activity one can enjoy outdoors. Early this year, Mike Petrowski, lead facilitator for Jim Creek, asked Dave Myers, NAS Whidbey Island Moral Welfare and Recreation’s outdoor recreation manager, for volunteers to assist with the operation of their confidence tower.
August 26, 2010
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Marine honored with memorial run

More than 350 competitors hit the pavement running during a memorial run aboard Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Oak Harbor, Aug. 14. The Fourth Annual Maj. Megan McClung Memorial Run, consisting of a five- and 10-kilometer run, is held each year in remembrance of McClung, who died Dec. 6, 2006 in Ramadi, Iraq. She was the first female Marine Corps officer to be killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. She was also an avid marathon runner and six-time Ironman competitor. “This morning we’re doing the fourth annual Maj. Megan McClung Memorial Run. It’s been held here since 2007 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, and it’s to honor Maj. Megan McClung, who was an academy grad and Marine Corps public affairs officer and the first female officer killed in Iraq,” said Marine Corps 1st Lt. Joseph Diniega, run coordinator.
August 19, 2010
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Eye health and diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that can affect the eyes, feet, kidneys, and eventually the entire body. The number one cause of blindness in adults in the United States is diabetic retinopathy. Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics are at risk for the development of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy can be present even with great vision. Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation to poorly-controlled blood sugar and diabetic retinopathy. Naval Hospital Oak Harbor (NHOH) is available to assist enrolled beneficiaries who have been diagnosed with diabetes take control of their personal health. The first NHOH “Diabetic Rodeo” was conducted last month. Diabetic patients spent the entire afternoon having their yearly eye and foot exams, receiving applicable immunizations and discussing their overall health concerns with their primary care doctor.
August 19, 2010
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Road construction, detours and delays

Wondering what’s going on with all the road construction and the delays and detours — on and off base — and how long it’s going to last? You’re not alone. Lots of people are asking. So we figured it was time for a project update. We talked with Johnny Almaguer, project manager who works for Public Works and is the lead for the $10.8 million ARRA Waterline project that has resulted in the road construction, delays and detours. Found out a lot of interesting information about the project: What’s the road construction got to do with ARRA?
August 19, 2010
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Meeting required for hunting on base

Those interested in hunting on NAS Whidbey Island property during the 2010-11 season are invited to attend one of two “One-Stop-Shop” meetings being held at Crescent Harbor Adventures (marina) on Seaplane Base, Aug. 23 and Sept.13, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The meeting will cover on-base hunting permit requirements, hunting areas and base access procedures, after which hunters may register, pay the $13 permit fee and receive permits. New for 2010, a limited archery-only deer season will be offered on select areas of Ault Field and Seaplane Base for DoD-affiliated personnel only (active duty, reservists, retirees and DoD civilians).
August 19, 2010
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Food drive benefits local community

Instructors and students from Center for Naval Aviation Training Technical Unit (CNATTU), Whidbey Island collected canned and dry food items during July for North Whidbey Island Help House. The food collected totaled 1,757; with the EP-3 Rate Group leading the way with 647 items. This food will help members of our community that are feeling the effects of the economy and today’s challenging job market. “It has been a really rewarding experience leading the charge for the food drive,” said Aviation Electrician’s Mate 1st Class Thomas Bolt. “Donations were delivered to the Help House every Friday and it required multiple people because we were collecting so much. It made us feel really good to be able to give back to the community.”
August 19, 2010
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Athletes show strength for good cause

Sailors from NAS Whidbey Island recently joined firefighters, police officers and military personnel from all over the Pacific Northwest to participate in a charity, family-friendly, fitness event benefiting the Northwest Burn Foundation. The event, sponsored by Kirkland Crossfit, was open to all area first responders and consisted of four CrossFit style workouts: a two-man team event, a four-man team event, a strongman event and an individual event. All supported the Northwest Burn Foundation. Lt.j.g. Eric Johnson from NAS Whidbey Island, Lt. Chad Hamm and STG3 Austin Hiracheta from Naval Ocean Processing Facility Whidbey Island, PR1 (AW) Jason Ethridge and PR2 (AW) Blake Sewell from Fleet Readiness Center Northwest and AO2 Justin Hendren from Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10, collectively representing “The Shed,” traveled to Northwest College to participate.
August 19, 2010
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Electronic warfare school graduates final class

After more than a decade of training Electronic Warfare Officers at NAS Whidbey Island, the Aviation Electronic Warfare School (AVEWS) graduated its final class of seven students Aug. 4. AVEWS has graduated over 1,300 officers from its highly specialized course, providing highly qualified electronic warfare officers to the fleet. Formerly part of Fleet Aviation Specialized Operational Training Group Pacific, AVEWS was recently aligned with Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU), Whidbey Island. AVEWS was established at NAS Whidbey Island in 1999, consolidating instruction that had previously been conducted at Naval Training Center Corry Station in Pensacola, Fla. All officer aircrew assigned to fly in electronic warfare aircraft, including both EA-6B and EP-3E airframes, were sent to NAS Whidbey for five to 10 weeks of intense training. The curriculum focused on the fundamentals of electronic warfare, including Command and Control, Information Warfare, Radar Theory and Integrated Air Defense Systems architecture.
August 19, 2010
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New top sergeant in town

When George Espinosa was 11, his brother came back to St. Croix, Virgin Islands from the Marine Corps. He was wearing a Marine Corps Service Alpha uniform and that was it. Espinosa remembered that uniform until a year after high school when he joined the Marine Corps and got one of his own. Now, almost 28 years later, Sgt. Maj. George Espinosa is assigned to Marine Aviation Training Support Group 53 as the senior enlisted “boss” of the Marines working on NAS Whidbey Island. He’s seen the changes in the Marine Corps that 28 years can bring and he’s excited about them. “The training we have today is better, the equipment is better and the process to do it is better,” said Espinosa.
August 19, 2010
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