Coast Guard's 5th District welcomes new commander

The Coast Guard's 5th District welcomed a new commander Monday and said farewell to Rear Adm. Fred M. Rosa Jr., who is retiring after 34 years of service.

Rear Adm. Wayne Justice relieved Rosa in a ceremony at Integrated Support Command in Portsmouth. Justice most recently served as assistant commandant for capability at Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, where he set requirements for and tested new ships and planes as part of the service's modernization effort.

Rosa was awarded the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal for his work, which included serving on the staff of the National Security Council and as deputy director of intelligence and criminal investigation at Coast Guard headquarters.

The 5 th District stretches from Pennsylvania to North Carolina.

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 Navy shipyard welcomes 103rd commander

The nation's oldest continuously operating shipyard hosted a change-of-command ceremony Sunday, welcoming its 103rd commander.

Capt. William C. Kiestler relieved Capt. Richard D. Berkey, who has been selected to rear admiral, in a ceremony at Norfolk Naval Shipyard's Trophy Park in Portsmouth.

Berkey is heading to the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, where he will be maintenance officer.

Kiestler has served as the shipyard's executive officer since December 2006. He enlisted in the Navy in 1981 and trained as a nuclear electrician, then went on to graduate from the Naval Academy and become an engineering duty officer.

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Purple Heart tales being collected

The stories of Purple Heart recipients are being collected for the Purple Heart Hall of Honor. The recollections are preserved and shared through a series of exhibits.

For more information or to share a story, contact the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site, P.O. Box 207 (374 Temple Hill Road), Vails Gates, NY 12584-0207; call (877) 284-6667; or go to www.thepurpleheart.com.

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Free baked goods offered to families

The Armed Services YMCA is giving free bread and other baked goods to military families with ID. Two normal-size grocery bags can be filled. After everyone has filled two bags, participants may have more based on their family's needs.

• Pickup starts at 10 a.m. on these days:
• Wednesday Army National Guard, 1069 S. Birdneck Road, Virginia Beach.
• July 15 Fort Story, Youth Services, Building 457, Virginia Beach.
• July 22 Willoughby Bay Community Center, 8181 O'Conner Crescent, Norfolk.
• July 29 Norfolk Crossing Community Center, CA-307 Diven Lane, Norfolk.

For information, call (757) 363-1884.

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Events

• College aid seminar 11:30 a.m. July 15, Oceana Naval Air Station, Navy College, Building 531, Virginia Beach. (757) 363-3944.
• 5K and 1 mile run/walk Benefits Operation Homefront Hampton Roads, 6 a.m. July 25, Fort Story, Virginia Beach. (757) 272-6122; www.operationhomefront.net/hamptonroads.

Military briefs run every Friday. Send submissions to military@pilotonline.com.