Hometown Military News

Voorhees Native Trains Future Navy Supply Officers

For full story:
http://navyoutreach.blogspot.com/2018/10/voorhees-native-trains-future-navy.html

By Alvin Plexico, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Dusty Good

NEWPORT, R.I. – Lt. j.g. Neil Mori applied the lessons learned from Voorhees, New Jersey, helping become one of the most elite in the field of naval supply.

“I played a variety of team sports in my hometown,” said Mori. “That training taught me trust and discipline as a contributor and member of a team. These sports also taught me the value of one's will to win and the obligation to perform at your best and to push your teammates to do the same.”

Those lessons, along with others learned during Mori’s three years of naval service, turned into an opportunity to learn leadership and the most innovative tactics of naval supply in the world at Navy Supply Corps School, located in Newport, Rhode Island.

Mori graduated from University of Maryland, College Park in 2013.

“Interacting with the students is the best part about being an instructor and teaching,” said Mori. “We all spent time doing the job, and now we have the opportunity to provide insight and examples to ensure future supply officers are ready for duty at sea. All in all, teaching is a fulfilling and fun duty.”

Considered to be one of the Navy’s greatest assets, the instructors of supply school train and mentor all that enter the school. Some of those students will go on to climb the ranks of the Navy, some of which may become instructors themselves.

Prior to any type of extraordinary achievement, the students must first pass a rigorous course structure in order to become a Navy supply officer.

The mission of supply school is to provide students with the personal and professional foundations for success. This mission lends itself to the vision of the school which is to ensure all supply corps officer graduates are prepared to provide global logistics support to Navy and joint warfare.

Once these service members finish training, they are deployed around the world putting their skill set to work.

"Our mantra here at NSCS is 'Ready for Sea,’” said Capt. Nick Rapley, commanding officer, Navy Supply Corps School. “Our graduates leave this institution prepared to support the warfighter on land, at sea, in the air, and in the cyber realm. It is my honor to serve these men and women by providing them with the resources to learn their trade and perform in the fleet. Only a select few will have the privilege of serving as Navy supply corps officers. Logistics support is a critical part of mission success."

There are many sacrifices and goals one must achieve to be selected as an instructor. Mori is most proud of being asked to reenlist sailors.

“Being asked to reenlist sailors tells me that I was able to make a positive impact, however big or small, in someone else's life,” said Mori. “There are plenty of tough times in the Navy, but reenlisting a sailor puts everything else into perspective and humbles those who have the rare opportunity to swear a sailor in to serving again in the Navy.”

The future of naval warfare is rapidly changing, so the course and materials at supply school are constantly evolving to create the most dynamic, lethal, safe and professional warfighting team for the Navy our nation needs.

“NSCS’ flagship curriculum, the Basic Qualification Course (BQC) is modeled to prepare new supply officers for their first operation tours in the fleet,” said Lt. Adam C. Johnson, public affairs officer for the school. “Other courses like the Supply Officer Department Head Course, Joint Aviation Supply Maintenance Material Management, and the Introduction to Expeditionary Logistics Course, are designed to refine intermediate and advanced level skillsets of both officer and enlisted operators.”

Just as Americans go grocery shopping and conduct car and home repairs, supply officers in the Navy ensure sailors have the tools and equipment they need to deter any threat and maintain warfighting readiness and threat deterrence in an era of great power competition.

“I want to create a legacy of military service,” said Mori. “There are so many life lessons that we all learn while serving. Also, I am convinced while we may not be able to leverage the benefits of serving immediately, the stories, opportunities and people we encounter will shape our outlook on life for the better.”

As Mori and other instructors continue to train future supply officers, they take pride in what it means to serve their country in the United States Navy.

“My parents immigrated to the United States of America in the mid-1980s from India,” said Mori. “They worked hard and provided every opportunity for my brother and me. Serving in the Navy is my way of honoring my parent's efforts while paying it forward to future generations.”

Ensign Vincent Gardella, a Medford, NJ, native,  is a student pilot with the “Wise Owls” of Training Squadron (VT) 31, based in Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas.

Medford Native trains to serve as the next generation of U.S. Naval Aviation Warfighters 

For Full Story: http://navyoutreach.blogspot.com/2019/06/medford-native-trains-to-serve-as-next.html

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 2013 Shawnee High School graduate and Medford, New Jersey, native is participating in a rigorous training process that transforms officers into U.S. naval aviators.

Ensign Vincent Gardella is a student pilot with the “Wise Owls” of Training Squadron (VT) 31, based in Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. The squadron flies the T-44C Pegasus aircraft.

A Navy student pilot is responsible for learning how to fly a multi-engine aircraft.

“The Navy provides high performance aircraft which are fun to fly,” Gardella said.

Gardella credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned growing up in Medford.

Camden, N.J., sailor serves in Gulf of Oman

GULF OF OMAN (June 15, 2019) Lt. j.g. Calvin Cass, from Camden, N.J. uses a wind measurement tool while standing watch aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87). Mason is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet areas of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the Western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Lasheba James/Released)

Paige Briggs of Turnersville, NJ

As Americans Prepare to Celebrate Independence Day, Turnersville Native Supports Navy’s Nuclear Deterrence     

Full Story: http://navyoutreach.blogspot.com/2019/06/as-americans-prepare-to-celebrate_23.html

By Dusty Good, Navy Office of Community Outreach

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. – A 2012 Washington Township High School graduate and Turnersville, New Jersey, native in the U.S. Navy supports the nation’s nuclear deterrence mission.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Paige Briggs is a Navy utlitiesman serving with Strategic Communications Wing One, a versatile command consisting of three Navy squadrons and a wing staff that employs over 1,700 active-duty sailors and 100 contractors to provide maintenance, security, operations, administration, training, and logistic support for the E-6B Mercury aircraft fleet.

Briggs is a 2015 graduate of Gloucester County College at Rowan and is responsible for training sailors to complete mission essential tasks.

Briggs credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned growing up in Turnersville.

“My hometown taught me to strive for excellence in everything I do,” said Briggs. "It helps with everything while serving. When the bar is set, I'm always trying to go beyond that."

Willingboro Native Serves Aboard Advanced U.S. Navy Warship Half A World Away

For Full Story: https://navyoutreach.blogspot.com/2019/05/willingboro-native-serves-aboard.html

SASEBO, Japan – Petty Officer 3rd Class Marshaun Walker, a native of Willingboro, New Jersey, comes from a proud family of service members. His uncle served in the Navy and his sister, whom he looked up to, served in the Air force. He decided to join the Navy because he that it would benefit him.

Now, eight years later and half a world away, Walker serves aboard one of the Navy’s most advanced amphibious ships at Fleet Activities Sasebo, patrolling one of the world’s busiest maritime regions as part of U.S. 7th Fleet.

“It’s very different than what I’m used to but it’s not bad, I love being in Japan,” said Walker.

Walker, a 2008 graduate of Willingboro High School, is a hospitalman aboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Wasp in Sasebo, Japan.

“I’m a preventive medicine tech ensuring that the galleys are safe to eat in, the berthings are safe to live in, and the potable water is safe to drink,” said Walker. “I do inspections on all of the equipment.”

Walker credits some success in the Navy to lessons learned in Willingboro.

Cherry Hill Native Supports U.S. Navy’s “Silent Service”

For Full Story:

http://navyoutreach.blogspot.com/2019/05/cherry-hill-native-supports-us-navys.html

YOKOSUKA, Japan – Ensign Richard Locklear, a native of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, wanted to honor the legacy of his grandfathers, who both fought in WWII, while serving his country.

Now, seven years later and half a world away, Locklear is helping Submarine Group 7 support U.S. Navy submarines patrolling one of the world’s busiest maritime regions as part of the leading edge of U.S. 7th Fleet.

Brooklyn Sailor Serves Aboard a Floating Airport at Sea 

For Full Story: https://navyoutreach.blogspot.com/2019/05/brooklyn-sailor-serves-aboard-floating_7.html

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Brooklyn, New York, native and 2003 George Wingate High School graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Shanese Lawes is a ship's serviceman aboard the carrier stationed in Newport News, Virginia. As a Navy ship's serviceman, Lawes is responsible for managing records, the ship's store, barber shop and laundry.

Lawes credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned growing up in Brooklyn.

South River Native Serves at Joint Typhoon Warning Center 

For full story: http://navyoutreach.blogspot.com/2019/02/south-river-native-serves-at-joint.html

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Erica R. Gardner, Navy Office of Community Outreach

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Rusty Pang

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii – Most Americans rely on weather forecasts to plan their daily routine. The U.S. Navy is no different. With numerous ships, submarines and airplanes deployed in the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s area of operations, sailors stationed at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Hawaii, make it their primary mission to monitor extreme weather conditions in support of the fleet’s daily operations.

Lt. Stephanie Geant, a 2008 Cardinal McCarrick graduate and native of South River, New Jersey, has served in the Navy for six years and is one of these sailors serving at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.