More than 21 NAS Whidbey Island volunteers from NAS Security, the Galley, Fleet Readiness Center Northwest, Naval Hospital Oak Harbor and Personnel Support Detachment pulled together, Feb. 5, to help out with the Special Olympics of Washington (SOWA) Winter Games held at Stanwood High School in Stanwood, Wash.
It was a day full of smiles that started when all the volunteers gathered in the cafeteria to don their borrowed SOWA tee shirts. Volunteers were assigned to specific stations to manage event coordination, teamwork, and individual skills, such as running and dribbling from one point to another in a timed session, or passing and shooting drills. More than a dozen teams from the Washington area participated in the games and the athletes had an awesome time.
“You can’t help but be humbled by spending a day helping out at one of these events” said Cindy Wallitner who has been volunteering her time for SOWA the past 16 years. “Your life becomes richer and your struggles don’t seem as heavy. You will leave with a smile on your heart.”
February 24, 2011
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Sailors assigned to various commands on Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island attended a stress and anger management class at the Nor’Wester Fleet and Family Support Center Feb. 17.
The class covered ways of controlling and overcoming physical effects of stress and anger through the changing of one’s thoughts and attitudes.
“The big thing I try to do in the class is to make sure they have resources,” said David Thomason, master trainer, and education services facilitator at Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC), Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. “We look for all kinds of books (Quick Series), different publishers who have all kinds of insight and different methods of handling and managing stress.”
Some people may experience sleep disruption, loss of energy, loss of appetite and feelings of guilt when dealing with stress and anger, according to Thomason.
February 24, 2011
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Top notch Martial Arts instructors with Marine Aviation Support Training Group 53 (MATSG-53) finished up a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) period of instruction for five Navy personnel here last week.
As part of required training, all Marines are trained in martial arts during MCMAP and must qualify at the gray belt level. What’s unique about this training class is that the students were Naval Hospital Oak Harbor Sailors, not Marines.
The class included Ensign Clint Ludlow, Hospitalman Daniel Caballero, Hospitalman Tyler Holst, Hospitalman Apprentice Lewis Lasauskas and Hospitalman Apprentice Devon McEnnan.
None of them had prior experience in the martial arts but each of them was looking to their future as a Navy Hospital Corpsman and deploying with the Marines and earning the Fleet Marine Force (FMF) warfare designation. Without a doubt they now understand what it take to deploy with Marines.
February 17, 2011
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The Yellow Jackets of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 138 recently completed an air-to-air combat training detachment to Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon, Nev., as part of the work-up cycle in the EA-18G Growler.
The Yellow Jackets were supported by the Saints of Aggressor Squadron VFC-13, along with tactical experts from the Electronic Attack Weapons School. Training covered the intricacies of aerial dog-fighting and air-to-air mission employment, which is a new skill set for this group of seasoned aviators who until recently had flown the EA-6B Prowler.
The squadron arrived on Saturday and promptly set about preparing their spaces and planning missions for the week ahead.
“I was really glad I was able to get some good rest on Saturday evening because this was a long week of flying,” said Lt. Steven Bettis.
February 17, 2011
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A young man or woman interested in a Navy career can still learn much from a parent, brother or relative who served in the Navy. Sitting around the dinner table, many listen to sea stories about sea time, lengthy deployments, bug-juice and foreign ports.
Getting into the Navy and starting a career in the Navy is very different. According to Oak Harbor’s Navy recruiters, the best way to start a Navy career is to visit their offices; joining the Navy requires a lot more than a GED and picking out any job in the Navy.
“Gone are the days of coming in and bargaining for a career,” said Aviation Electronics Technician (AW) 1st Class Eric Smith, a recruiter in Oak Harbor. “The biggest thing now is the economy. Lots of people are not getting out (of the Navy) across the board.”
February 17, 2011
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The Security Department of NAS Whidbey Island opened their doors of their new facility, Building 994, for the first time to military children Jan. 29 as hosts of the Drug Education For Youth (DEFY) program. Twelve children of various ages attended and were chaperoned by six mentors.
The event lasted about three hours and consisted of a demonstration by the military working dogs, a look inside a Humvee and patrol vehicles, current drug and alcohol presentation and a barbecue. Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Cody Abernathy, NAS Whidbey Island’s Junior Sailor of the Year, was instrumental in ensuring this event was a success.
“As a parent myself, I feel it is important to support and ensure programs such as DEFY are offered to children,” said Abernathy. “It is a great way to enforce drug awareness and education and engage children of military families.”
February 17, 2011
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The Zappers of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130 completed their last EA-6B flight, Feb. 4, completing nearly 36 years of operations with the venerable EA-6B Prowler. Aircraft 500 and 502 were piloted by the squadron Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Robert Coughlin, and Lt. Dustin Schraud who both completed their last Zapper EA-6B flight with a section fly-by.
“It was a great opportunity to be a part of the final EA-6B flight with the squadron,” said Schraud. “Both jets flew great just like they always have.”
Aircraft 500 and 502 left from NAS Whidbey Island at 11 a.m. and flew as a formation to the Boardman Military Operating Area for tactical formation training and then returned for a section fly-by over home field to commemorate the last flight.
February 17, 2011
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Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 135 had the honor of commissioning Aviation Structural Mechanic 1st Class (AW) Jordan Wiermaa to Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) in the base theater Feb. 8.
Wiermaa received his commission after being selected to be a pilot in the Chief Warrant Officer Flying Program from a large group of highly qualified applicants. Only six individuals were selected to be commissioned and receive orders to flight training as student naval aviators and student naval flight officers.
Wiermaa enlisted in the Navy in Duluth, Minn. and reported to Great Lakes Recruit Training Command on July 1, 2002. He proceeded to Aviation Structural Mechanic “A” School in Pensacola, Fla. and then checked into Fighter Attack Squadron (VFA) 151 at NAS Lemoore, Calif., in December 2002. Wiermaa spent the next five years in VFA-151 and in June 2007 became an instructor at CNATTU Lemoore. There he completed his bachelor of science in professional aeronautics from Embry Riddle.
February 17, 2011
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Recently, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jeffery Gac was invited to try out for one of four spots on the Navy’s bowling team. During the initial tryouts at NAS North Island, Calif., he not only qualified, but qualified number one, beating out 14 other bowlers and becoming the Navy’s 2011 Male Bowling Champion.
During the tryouts, he knocked down an amazing 5,050 total pins over 24 games with an average score per game of 210. After making the team, Gac got to compete against the best male bowlers from the other three services at the 2011 Armed Forces Bowling Championships held at Naval Base San Diego, Calif.
At the championships, he led the Navy team, finishing in eighth place for all events and taking first place with teammate Dan Theilsen of Naval Base Pearl Harbor, in the male doubles competition. He finished just 18 pins out of third place in the singles competition.
February 17, 2011
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Sailors from Fleet Readiness Center Northwest (FRCNW) met Jan. 28, 2011 for what is commonly called at NAS Whidbey Island as “OC Day.”
“OC,” or oleoresin capsicum, is a chemical compound known as pepper spray, which when sprayed into the eyes causes tears, pain and even temporary blindness. Why would these Sailors subject themselves to pepper spray?
They are going through a three-week course that allows them to work in conjunction with the Security Department. Upon completion, they will become part of the base Auxiliary Security Force (ASF).
ASF is a dedicated group of volunteers who pledge themselves if disaster or a heightened security alert threatens the base. The training ranges from the rights and responsibilities of an arresting officer, mechanical advantage control holds, proper handcuffing skills, searching a suspect, shooting skills and a host of antiterrorism management skills.
February 10, 2011
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