VOL.54 NO. 23 AUGUST 13, 2015
SERVING NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA, DAM NECK ANNEX, AND NALF FENTRESS
CMC Clark retires after 30 years
JET
INSIDE
STORY/PHOTOS BY MC2 (SW) ALYSIA HERNANDEZ NAS Oceana Public Affairs Family, friends and Sailors filled every seat and more in the ceremonial hangar bay Aug. 7 on board Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana for the celebration of Command Master Chief (AW/ SW/EXW) Eric Clark’s 30-year career in the U.S. Navy coming to a close. Clark, born in Parkersburg, W.Va. and raised in Ohio, enlisted in the U.S. Navy delayed entry program during his junior year at Belpre High School from which he graduated in 1985. Clark completed Electronic Warfare Technician (EW) “A” school and Navy Security Guard School prior to reporting to his first duty station at NAS Fallon, Nevada. He served as a leading petty officer aboard USS Stump (DD 978) where he was selected as the 1993 Sailor of the Year. Clark was selected to be a chief petty officer in 1995, senior chief in 2004 and master chief in 2007. In 2008, Clark was selected into the Command Master Chief (CMC) Program. That year he attended the CMC/Chief of the Boat course and the Navy Senior Enlisted Academy. Clark reported to NAS Oceana as the CMC in May 2013. Though Clark said he and his wife Jennifer have anxiously talked about retirement for many years, now that it’s finally here he said he has mixed feelings. “It’s all I’ve ever known, so I don’t know what Aug. 10 is going to feel like when I wake up and I have nowhere to go,” Clark said. “When I go
— See Career, page 6
LUNCHEON ANNOUNCES SOQ —Page 3
Photo by MC3 Kayla King NAS Oceana conducts a training exercise Aug. 4 in preparation for the annual air show, scheduled for Sept. 19 - 20. The exercise included simulated active shooters in addition to the annual aircraft mishap and mass casualty scenarios. This exercise helps prepare Navy, city and state agencies to react to mishaps on the flightline during the air show.
OCEANA CONDUCTS ANNUAL PRE-AIR SHOW EXERCISE BY MC3 KAYLA KING NAS Oceana Public Affairs
Beach police and fire departments. “We’re involved in all aspects of it from the fire department to emergency management and Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana conducted a police. We’re integrating with the base. We have training exercise Aug. 4 in preparation for the a great working relationship with them and any annual air show, scheduled for Sept. 19 - 20.The time we get the opportunity to train, we do,” exercise included simulated active shooters in said Virginia Beach fire department Fire Deputy addition to the annual aircraft mishap and mass Chief Dave Hutcheson. casualty scenarios.This training evolution helps “This is a great opportunity to try and hone prepare Navy, city and state agencies to react to the skills in the collaborative relationships that we have that have taken years and years to procmishaps on the flightline during the air show. The scenario for the exercise simulated three tor with the City of Virginia Beach; to working active shooters on the flightline.After the flight- with the City of Virginia Beach police departline was evacuated, a helicopter, part of the stat- ment, fire department and emergency manageic display, caught fire after starting its engine. ment services,” said NAS Oceana Commanding The exercise tested the readiness of all compo- Officer Capt. Louis Schager. nents of emergency response, including Navy Region Mid-Atlantic and the City of Virginia — See Drill, page 7
BLACKLION BASH RAISES OVER $12,000 FOR WWP AND SOWF —Page 8
CAREER EXPLORATION SESSION Saint Leo University will host a Career Exploration Session at NAS Oceana Aug. 19 from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. It’s aimed at providing students and perspective students with current information on the accounting field. The Oceana Education Office is at 902 E Ave., Building 531, Room 105.