Outgoing Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera Oberndorf was honored Wednesday with the Seven Seals award from the Virginia Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. The group recognized Oberndorf for her stalwart support of guardsmen and reservists, according to Col. Thomas Stephen, the committee's executive director.
Oberndorf assisted the committee in obtaining statements of support for municipal employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve from all the mayors and county administrators in Hampton Roads. And she frequently attended homecoming ceremonies for local troops.
Enterprise strike group commander visits copter squadron
The Dragonslayers of Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 11 recently welcomed Rear Adm. John N. Christenson, commander of Carrier Strike Group 12, to Jacksonville Naval Air Station, where the squadron is based. Christenson commands the Enterprise Strike Group, to which the squadron is attached.
Christenson, who began his naval career as an anti-submarine warfare officer, spoke with sailors and took a combat search-and-rescue flight in an HH-60H Seahawk helicopter, according to a news release. Also visiting were Capt. James Paulsen, commander of Carrier Air Wing 1, and his deputy, Capt. Kenneth Whitesell.
Blue Star Mothers local chapters meet every month
The Blue Star Mothers of America, with local chapters, is a nationwide service organization for mothers with children serving in the military.
The Hampton Roads chapter meets the third Saturday of each month in the community room at 1st Advantage Federal Credit Union's Kiln Creek branch, at 110 Cybernetics Way in Yorktown. For information, call (757) 639-9818.
The North Carolina Outer Banks chapter normally meets for lunch in local restaurants the third Saturday of each month. This month, though, the meeting will be held Jan. 10 at the Kill Devils Hills Public Library, at 400 Mustian St. For information, call (252) 473-1898.
Coast Guard units make top-10 video list
Two local Coast Guard units are featured in the Coast Guard's compilation of its top 10 videos of 2008. The videos feature an air crew from Elizabeth City Air Station rescuing four people from a sailboat 172 miles east of Wilmington, N.C. Also shown is the crew of the Forward, based in Portsmouth, offloading 1,600 pounds of seized cocaine. To view, visit www.youtube.com/user/uscgimagery.
Note to readers
The Navy starts rolling out a new Navy Working Uniform in mid-January, and Hampton Roads is first in line for the blue camouflage duds.
While this uniform is intended to replace several others, that still leaves many more uniforms in the typical sailor's closet. Since military uniforms are a part of life here, and a fond (or not-so-fond) memory for many more, we thought this would be an ideal time to explore the culture of the uniform.
Please share your uniform stories - good, bad, ridiculous or otherwise - at military@pilotonline.com or call (757) 446-2949.
Military briefs run every Friday. Send submissions to military@pilotonline.com.
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I came here in 1973
and Virginia Beach was a cold and unwelcoming place to be.
The Virginia Beach Mom helped make this place warm and welcoming. For those who obeyed the laws. The criminals were treated as they deserved.
When a cities biggest concern is how many times you can cruise The Strip it is doing well.
Unfortunately, someone profitted from the greed of buiding homes near a Naval Jet Airbase and the purchasers complained about the noise was ludicrous. Forest Gump's mother said stupid is as stupid does. Stupid.
What will be interesting is how much of a payraise will be required to compensate the new mayor of so sophisticated of a city. He surely can't survive on the measly amount Virginia Beach bequeathed their unpopular leader for over thirty years.
What can you change that will make Virginia Beach better?