Navy celebrates 229th birthday

    Submitted by: Pfc. Dustin Rawls         

October 13 marked the 229th birthday of the United States Navy, and Friday station Navy and Marine personnel celebrated time-honored Naval birthday traditions at the parade deck.

            After an opening greeting to guests and personnel, Col. James J. Cooney, station commanding officer, spoke on the traditions, growth and accomplishments of the Navy.

  He said the Navy and Marine Corps have continuously, since 1775, formed and strengthened an unbreakable bond, creating the most efficient and powerful armed forces combination in the world.

            The speech was followed by a colors ceremony conducted by station Navy personnel and the traditional cake cutting by the youngest and oldest Navy personnel here. Full Story . . . (Submitted on: 10/14/2004)

Search and Rescue trains to save lives

Submitted by: Cpl. Giovanni Lobello 

     The crew chief looked over the corpsman's cables and connections one last time while inside the UH-1N "Huey" helicopter. Slowly the corpsmen steps out of the helicopter and prepares to rappel 200 feet.

Lying below is a victim trapped between a crevice. In a matter of seconds, the corpsmen rappels off the helicopter and attaches the victim to another cord. After a thumbs up, the pilot pulls the helicopter up and evacuates both the corpsman and victim from the scene. 

Search and Rescue personnel train every day, so when the time comes for a real-life rescue, the evolution flows smoothly.                                                                                           Full Story . . . (Submitted on: 10/14/2004)

1st Radio Battalion trains, supports WTI

Submitted by: Cpl. Michael Nease    

A detachment of 16 Marines from 1st Radio Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., is here supporting Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course 2-05 and getting practical application training on their equipment and role in the aviation side of the Marine Corps war-fighting machine.   

"Not many people know much about us," said 2nd Lt. Devin Phillabaum, the officer in charge of the detachment. 

When people hear 'radio,' they often think 'communications,' Phillabaum said.