www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | Section 1 | Thursday, January 12, 2023
1
IN THIS ISSUE DOD begins implementing naming commission recommendations The Naming Commission process is now over and the names of bases, posts, ships, streets and more named after Confederate soldiers will change. Page A4 VOL. 30, NO. 1, Norfolk, VA | flagshipnews.com
January 12-January 18, 2023
(COURTESY PHOTO)
Pigeons: The Navy’s first aviators By MC3 Jordan Grimes NORFOLK, Va. — Jan. 5 is National Bird Day, and although the Bald Eagle is a popular symbol of freedom among the American people, there is a much smaller feathered friend who may just be the true American hero. The pigeon has a history of being a vital force within the Navy. Pigeons were first used in the military as message carriers in the late 1880s, but were not officially bred and trained for the job until 1891 when Henri Marion, a French professor at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., built an experimental pigeon loft in an academy boathouse. Marion had received the pigeons from the Army after they had failed a similar experiment three years prior. Marion began conditioning the birds
aboard USS Constellation, training them to fly back to their loft from the ship. The distance they were expected to fly slowly increased until they were able to travel up to 150 miles over water. The noble pigeons were finally able to prove their worth June 7, 1893 when a seaman was killed in an accident when Constellation was 12 miles out from its port in Annapolis. Two birds strapped on identical messages for the academy’s screw tug Standish, and the tug was there within three hours to collect the fallen Sailor. With their dependability now established, pigeons went on to help deliver messages on a much larger scale. The U.S. Naval Pigeon Messenger Service was established by the Navy in 1896, and the Secretary of the Navy ordered pigeon lofts to be built at Boston
Navy Yard, Portsmouth Navy Yard, Naval Station Newport, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Key West, and Mare Island Navy Yard. Only three years later, the Navy shifted its efforts to radio communications, and by 1902, all new Navy ships were outfitted with wireless telegraph equipment, rendering pigeons useless. Shortly after, the Naval Pigeon Messenger Service was disestablished and all the pigeons were auctioned off. Their retirement was short-lived though, as the faithful bird made a comeback during World War I. At the time, the Navy implemented a new rate specifically for their pigeon trainers, or Pigeoneers as they were often called. The new rate fell under Quartermaster, deeming them Quartermaster (Pigeon) (QM(P)). QM(P)s attended a specialist’s school for six to 12 months before
being shipped out to their first pigeon loft. Pigeoneers held their rate into World War II, but were renamed as Specialist X SPX(PI) in 1941. Two years later, the rating was made available to Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES). After the end of World War II, the rating was phased out. Those who stayed in the Navy as a SPX(PI) were moved to the emergency service rating category, and were eventually disestablished completely in 1961. Through their over 70 years of service to the Navy, pigeons delivered countless messages which aided Sailors in their missions. They may not be America’s symbol of freedom, but they will always be remembered as protectors of it.
Setting you up for financial success By Ninoshka Basantes,
Public Affairs Specialist, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic
Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) Norfolk offers a monthly workshop on “Developing Your Spending Plan” at Naval Station Norfolk that helps attendees create a realistic spending plan to reach shortterm financial goals. With the current inflation in the economy, a spending plan in place can alleviate financial stress and doubt. “Taking this class is important because it is the bedrock of a good financial plan,” said Nicole Brown-Griffin, an Accredited Financial Counselor with Fleet & Family Support Center who has been teaching this class with FFSC for a little over two years. Topics covered during this workshop include bringing awareness of how much income is coming into the household, where money is being spent, setting up adequate insurance, learning to live beneath your means, setting up a savings plan, and how to utilize a financial planning worksheet. Brown-Griffin explained that whether or not you grew up with money or how money makes you feel, there is an emotional attachment to the way we spend our money. “There is a huge emotional component to money management,” said Brown-Griffin. “Even when we think about multimillionaires, people who win the lotto...what happens a few years down the line? They end up losing it all because they never set up that foundation of creating a spending plan better known as a budget.”
NORFOLK, Va (Jan. 4, 2023) Accredited Financial Counselor, Nicole Brown-Griffin, prepares for“Developing Your Spending Plan”workshop at the Fleet and Family Support Center on Naval Station Norfolk (U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY NINOSHKA BASANTES)
There are different methods to create a spending plan, and this workshop provides the tools needed for a successful financial future. Brown-Griffin mentions that a strong financial foundation is key to overall financial health.
This workshop is offered monthly on various installations in the region through the Fleet and Family Support Center. One-onone appointments that focus more on personal finances and budgeting are also available. This workshop and on-on-one
appointments are open available to Sailors, veterans, retirees, spouses and DoD civilian employees. To sign up for this workshop or other classes that FFSC offers, visit NavyLifeMA. com/FF.
DOD releases memo expanding military parental leave program www.flagshipnews.com
www.facebook.com/ The.Flagship
www.twitter.com/ the_flagship
The Defense Department has released guidelines for the expansion of the military parental leave policy which applies to all service members and is effective as of Jan. 4, 2023. PAGE A3
THE FLAGSHIP’S FREE HOME DELIVERY South Hampton Roads: Get the convenience of your Navy newspaper delivered right to your door for free!
Signup today! Call 757222-3900