Vol.41 Issue 48 April 2013 I spent the first week in April visiting my parents in San Diego. While I was there I caught up with several young naval officers with close ties to our Council. On Wednesday evening, we had the pleasure of dining with ENS Jeff Brauser, USN, son of Council members Jacquie and Bob Brauser. Jeff is a 2011 graduate of the US Naval Academy stationed in San Diego aboard the USS Russell. He was recently deployed aboard the USS Halsey where he was in charge of fire fighting and damage control. His crew was recently switched from the Halsey (DDG 97) to the Russell (DDG 59). He is currently working with his team to repair and refurbish the USS Russell. Jeff recently earned his Surface Warfare Officer pin, and we are so proud of him! Later in the week, we had dinner with former Sea Cadet Ashley Diener, daughter of Sea Cadet Officer Tim Diener. After graduating from Florida Gulf Coast University, Ashley attended Officer Candidate ship. The day we saw Ashley, she had been in town for less than 24 hours and she had already purchased a car and rented an apartment! Until her David Drucker, Jeff Brauser, Lynn Drucker apartment is ready, she was staying with former Sea Cadet Eric Balcunas, who is currently serving as an officer in the Coast Guard in San Diego. What a small world! continued on page 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS: Lynn Drucker, Rita Atkinson, ENS Ashley Diener, USN School in Newport Rhode Island, graduating as an Ensign last month. She just moved to San Diego where she will be serving on board the USS Makin Island (LHD-8), a Wasp-class amphibious assault Guest Speaker April Meeting Denise Johnston.. Page 3 Visit Our New Website.......................... Page 3 Resolve Marine Group........................... Page 4-7 View From the Bridge.................... Page 8 Sea Cadet of the Month.................. Page 9 Guest Speaker March Meeting LT Frith, USN..... Page 10 Weapons Safety......................... Page 11-12 Social Night Out........................ Page 13 Lunch with Mack & Joyce Madzinski...... Page 14 Sea Cadet Inspection..................... Page 15 Community Affiliates...................... Page 16
continued from page 1 We spent the weekend in San Diego Wine Country! We attended the wedding of another former Spruance Division Sea Cadet and daughter of Council members Jesse and Claudia Vance, LTJG Jessica Vance, USN. Jessica married LTJG Tim Cline, USN. Both Jessica and Tim graduated from the USNA in 2010. Jessica is currently stationed in San Diego where she flies MH-60S helicopters. Tim is a Naval Flight Officer stationed at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington where he flies P- 3C Orions. What a fabulous weekend, planned meticulously by Jessica s sister Laura and mother Claudia! The night before the wedding, they rented the entire Monte De Oro Winery for a welcome party and wine tasting. It was a thrill to meet so many young Mr. & Mrs. Tim Cline sailors, marines and pilots, in addition to catching up with Jessica and her family, and some Pine Crest classmates. The wedding was Saturday at a lovely outdoor venue called Los Willows, and Jessica was an absolutely stunning bride. Everything was perfect, from the flowers to the adorable young ring bearer. Dancing and a delicious dinner followed, and we were seated with several USNA Grads, one of whom, it turned out, had trained my son Adam when he was a plebe. Rita & Richard Atkinson Wow, the Navy really is a small family! During one dance, the DJ asked all of the married couples to come out on the dance floor. After a few minutes, he told all couples who had been married less than 4 hours (i.e. Jessica and Tim) to leave the floor, a few minutes later, anyone married less than 5 years was excused, then 10 years, and so forth, until the only couple left on the dance floor was my parents, Richard and Rita Atkinson, who have been married more than 60 years! It was a wonderful evening! For more information, check out www.clineandvance.ourwedding.com. We are so happy for Jessica and Tim, and we wish them a lifetime of happiness, fair winds and following seas! Lynn Drucker President, Fort Lauderdale Council NLUS Jessica and her father, Jesse Vance NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 2
GUEST SPEAKER FOR OUR APRIL 17TH DINNER MEETING DENISE JOHNSTON - RESOLVE MARINE GROUP Denise has over 30 years of experience in the maritime industry with a B.S. in Business Management. Denise is currently the Director of Resolve Maritime Academy, the training arm of Resolve Marine Group. As Director, she has overall responsibility for the Fire & Safety Group which specializes in shipboard fire, safety and hazardous materials response training for the global maritime industry. In 2011, she assumed additional responsibility for oversight of the Academy s new 7,000 square foot Simulation Training Center where state-of-the-art, simulatorbased navigational safety training is provided to cruise line and commercial shipping companies. Since joining Resolve in 2003, Denise has been responsible for pursuit of U.S. government contracts including oversight for bidding and management of contracts for dismantling and/or reefing government vessels including the 900 ex-uss Oriskany aircraft carrier, still the world s largest artificial reef. She also serves as Resolve s Director of Administration, with company management responsibilities and oversight of administrative policies and procedures. Prior to joining Resolve Marine Group, Denise was employed by Cliff Berry, Inc. as Manager of Government Contracts. Prior to joining CBI, Denise served as the Sr. Vice President of the Marine Division of MAR, Inc., a large government contractor. In that capacity, she managed more than one hundred project managers, engineers, technicians, seamen and administrative staffers, in support of multiple ship and facility operation and maintenance contracts for the U.S. Navy, other federal agencies and prime contractors. She served 23 years with MAR, Inc. including 5 years on the Board of Directors. Memberships include the Port Everglades Association, WISTA, Broward Navy Days and Commissioning Committees for the USS Jason Dunham; USCGC Richard Etheridge. Volunteer work includes Seafarers House and Habitat for Humanity. PLEASE VISIT THE NEW FT. LAUDERDALE COUNCIL WEBSITE NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 3
RESOLVE MARINE GROUP Reprinted from the NOVEMBER 2009 Edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News Joe Farrell is Resolved to Leave the World a Better Place By Greg Trauthwein For a man who has honed his craft deep underwater, Joseph Farrell, Jr., founder and president of Resolve Marine, gives plenty of credit to the heavens above. Anyone working in, around and under the water has had their fair share of close calls, and Farrell is no exception. Make no mistake, Farrell does not take unnecessary risks, ensuring his workers are trained thoroughly and his jobs planned meticulously. When you go out there, there is no cowboy you have to know exactly what you have and how you are going to handle it, Farrell said. He takes pride in the fact that his company has never lost a worker on the job since its inception in 1980. However, even the bestlaid plans sometimes go awry, and Farrell credits a higher authority and his deep faith in the fact that he has survived and prospered in the business of maritime salvage and recovery. Ultimately, he created and to this day runs his company with the simple philosophy to Leave the world a better place. But the potential dangers lurking in every recovery effort often pale in comparison to the day-to-day business challenges of keeping afloat a company that is financially dependent on the unpredictable nature of accidents and recovery. To this end, Farrell and his team are embarked on a rebranding mission that repositions Resolve Marine for growth today and tomorrow, with a focus on three core areas of business: Resolve Salvage and Firefighting Response Resolve Maritime Training Academy, and Resolve Marine Services We sort of outgrew our roots, said Farrell, during a recent interview in his Ft. Lauderdale office. It is not enough to sustain an entire company (on the marine salvage business alone in America) and we were solely focused on the U.S. Most other (salvage companies) are not diversified, they re just waiting for another accident to happen. The rebranding is far more than skin deep designed foremost to ensure the company s viability in good times and bad with the repositioning of the three brands under their new corporate identities. In the new order, for example, Resolve Salvage and Firefighting Training will not only maintain its position as a salvage company offering FiFi training, but it expands its focus worldwide. The firefighting training portion of the Resolve program holds special meaning for Farrell, as he views it as not only a static training Resolve MarineGroup, Inc. recently began recovery work on the iron ore carrying vessel Black Rose which sank last month in the Bay of Bengal, India. Resolve s team was awarded the tender by the Paradip Port Trust and will be pumping some 925 tons of fuel oil and 50 tons of diesel oil NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 4 continued on page 5
continued from page 4 Reprinted from the NOVEMBER 2009 Edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News and education location, but a real contribution to the health and well being of the people put in demanding situations. The DNV-approved training facility is physically located within the confines of, and is a popular educational stop for the local cruise industry, the port as well as Resolve s own employees. In addition, the company sends out strike teams to work onboard new cruise ships to train crews globally. Since its inception, the school has trained more than 16,000 mariners. The Joshua James Response Center at the school is Farrell s salute to the United States Coast Guard, as Captain Joshua James, who served for nearly 60 years patrolling the shores of Hull, participated in his first rescue at age 15, and is credited with saving more than 600 people and is touted as the world s most celebrated lifesaver, according his biography on www.uscg.mil. Even bigger plans are in store for the Resolve Maritime Academy, The Joshua James Response Center is the center of Resolve s firefighting training facility. Captain Joshua James, who served for nearly 60 years patrolling the shores of Hull, participated in his first rescue at age 15, and is credited with saving more than 600 people and is touted as the world s most celebrated lifesaver, according his biography on www.uscg.mil. (Photo: www.uscg.mil) Insights from Joe Farrell, Jr. the founder and president of Resolve Marine What have been the greatest technical innovations that have affected your business? The simple things, like handheld depth finders as big as a flashlight. Also, the fact that there are far more aircraft today to move equipment around much more quickly and efficiently. Finally, the working relationship between the government and the salvage industry is much better today than it ever was. What makes Resolve Marine unique in the marine salvage space? Several things. First, we design and build much of our own equipment. For example, over there is the Augmented Reality Trainer (ART) Unit. It looks like a standard truck container, but really a high-tech mobile unit above to simulate fire or an environmental spill. ART represents a fundamental change in the nature of training for firefighters and first responders, permitting realistic training to be conducted where emergencies actually happen. We also are unique in that we offer a DNV- Approved firefighting training program for our own use, as well as to provide training for the marine industry. Located in the Port of Ft. Lauderdale, it is a popular educational facility for the local cruise industry, as well as port employees. How did you get into the salvage business? I really got into the business backward. In the late 1970s, I was a chief engineer on an ocean tug, and I arranged to use it to conduct a salvage operation off of St. Maarten. I used the proceeds from the second salvage job to buy that boat. Our initial efforts were in the upper Caribbean islands, where Resolve tackled scores of challenging salvage and wreck removal operations. as the company is currently scouting a new locale in Ft. Lauderdale a space of at least 7,000 sq. ft. that will house its training institution, as well as its planned new maritime cruise and vessel bridge simulators, in addition to hotel facilities for the crew. New Challenges While time will tell how Farrell and company handle the challenges of repositioning the company for future growth, adversity is certainly no stranger to Farrell, or for that matter, most any salvor. In a business where no two jobs look the same and solutions are often fluid and evolving with the job; and where the situation and the salvage company are often under the harsh glare of the media microscope, the global salvage industry has faced its fair share of challenges. Farrell views the Valdes accident, and specifically the hands-on role the U.S. government took with casualties after the Valdes accident, How did you come to name the company Resolve Marine? It was simple really. In 1980 (when the company was formed), I sat down and though about what I wanted to do in life, and I RESOLVED to do it. NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 5 continued on page 6
continued from page 5 Reprinted from the NOVEMBER 2009 Edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News ABOVE: Resolve Marine is unique in that it is a salvage company with its own DNV-approved firefighting training school, a popular educational stop for the local cruise industry, the port and Resolve s own employees. In addition, the company sends out strike teams to work onboard new cruise ships to train crews globally. Since its inception, the school has trained more than 16,000 mariners. BELOW: Joe Farrell helping to resuce one of his salvage techs who was struck by a falling object. NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 6 continued on page 7
continued from page 6 Reprinted from the NOVEMBER 2009 Edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News as one of the watershed events in his career. According to Farrell, when the government got hands-on with casualties, it immediately and radically changed the role of the salvor, as both the quantity and rigor of rules and regulations rose sharply, and in addition there were now many more opinions to consider. The event was pivotal, and Farrell weighed the pros and cons of staying in the business for the long haul. When the government got involved and believe me, it is for the benefit now it was a major stumbling block from a procedural standpoint, he said. But the decision was made to stay, and stay and prosper Farrell and Resolve Marine did. He specifically sought to add new hires to the staff that were onboard the Resolve team to specifically ensure that the company kept in abreast of and in compliance with evolving government rules and regulations, and today the company sits as a leader in salvage and training technology and technique. The enactment of OPA-90 also made it clear to Farrell that responders to oil tanker casualty response may be confronted with fighting a shipboard fire, and this led directly to the company s creation of inhouse firefighting strike teams and its ubiquitous firefighting education and training center. Fuel Removal from Capsized Vessel Salvage crews from Resolve MarineGroup, Inc. have begun recovery work this week on the iron ore carrying vessel Black Rose which sank last month in the Bay of Bengal, India. Resolve s team was awarded the tender by the Paradip Port Trust and will be pumping some 925 tons of fuel oil and 50 tons of diesel oil, as reported by officials, from the stricken ship which sank with the loss of one life 5km off the Paradip coastline on September 9, 2009. The accident spot is close to the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary, one of the world s few remaining nesting sites for the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles. The Mongolian flagged vessel was carrying about 25,000 tons of iron ore fines as well as 975 tons of fuel oil and diesel oil, which is believed to be secure within a double bottom tank. Resolve has dispatched a team of seven personnel to complete the task and will utilize local dive resources when possible. The team arrived last week and is already well underway as of this week. This team consists of a select group of salvage masters, engineers, and commercial divers who were chosen for their familiarity with this environmentally delicate project. Furthermore, due to the environmentally sensitive nature of this project, the proximity to the nature preserve, and the highly flammable contents being removed, Resolve is doing everything in its power to assure that proper precautions are taken. The most environmentally friendly & proven techniques are being utilized and the pollutants will be removed in the most expeditious timeframe possible. Resolve anticipates that the project will last approximately four to six weeks barring any unforeseen setbacks. Resolve s project scope entails the removal of the fuel oil and diesel oil from the vessels tanks only. The capsized condition of the vessel and the remaining 25,000 tons of iron ore prevent the vessel from being refloated and will be treated as a wreck removal. The wreck removal will be a separate project that Resolve hopes to be tasked with given their familiarity with this project thus far. Resolve Marine Timeline 1980 Company formed by Joseph E. Farrell Jr., focusing initial efforts on the upper Caribbean Islands. 1988 Hired to consecutively refloat four deep-draft vessels which were driven aground by a hurricane. Early 90 s to present Expanded client base by providing emergency response services to oil and chemical tankers regulated under OPA-90. 1994-2009 Resolve Fire & Hazard Response, Inc. was created to operate a shipboard firefighting training facility in the heart of Port Everglades June 2002 LSD SPIEGEL GROVE -Key Largo, FL; Artificial Reefing - Ex US Navy vessel capsized while being sunk for an artificial reef off Key Largo, Florida. RESOLVE mobilized salvage team, salvage vessel and equipment. By inducing 2,500 tons of air into the port side of the vessel, attaching 500 tons of airlift bags and by using 2 tugs RESOLVE was able to successfully sink the vessel onto her starboard side. May 2006 Corpus Christi, Texas; Reefing - a 90' decommissioned US Navy Essex Class aircraft carrier. RESOLVE along with a partner company, accomplished the complete remediation of the vessel using a staff of over 150 personnel. Work included accessing and cleaning over 500 tanks and the removal of a large quantity and variety of hazardous materials including lead paint, PCB's asbestos, etc. The RESOLVE team towed the carrier to Pensacola, Florida where final preparations were made by RESOLVE to sink the vessel off of Pensacola. Ex- Oriskany became an artificial reef on May 17, 2006. 2009 Resolve rebrands, repositions for the future, focused on three major areas: Resolve Salvage and Firefighting Response; Resolve Maritime Training Academy; and Resolve Marine Services. Resolve Marine Group www.resolvemarine.com Resolve Salvage & Fire www.resolvesalvage.com Resolve Marine Services www.resolveservices.com Resolve Maritime Academy www.resolveacademy.com NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 7
VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE March, 2013 The Unit participated in the Annual Marine Industries Association Waterway Clean Up. The Cadets were assigned to clean the beaches and mangroves of John U Lloyd State Park. Ranger Carmen told us that our Cadets had picked up the most trash of any group working in the Park! The Cadets were divided up into several working groups and also worked at Derecktor Boat Yard, and Rolly Marine Boat Yard. Flagship Training was held at the Fort Lauderdale Coast Guard Station, and all of the Cadets were given the Physical Training (PT) Test to assess their abilities. Several Cadets under the supervision of LTJG Randy Bieszczak and Instructor Serko worked on our 26 foot Motor Whaleboat and Rhib Boat. The Unit held our Annual Personnel Inspection on March 23, at our Unit HQ. CDR Kurt Kyle USN, X. O. of Navy Recruiting District Miami, was the senior inspector, for the Spruance Division, and CDR Andy Delgado USCG, X.O. of the Coast Guard Air Station Miami, was the senior Inspector for the Radford Division, League Cadets. CDR Kyle and CDR Delgado participated in awards and promotions for the Cadets. They also presented the Meritorious Unit Commendation awarded to both Spruance Division and Radford Division by National Sea Cadet Headquarters. We ended the month with a gun safety lecture, provided by one of our Cadet parents, who is a Federal Air Marshall. A Concealed Weapons class was also held for the parents and Staff. We are proud to report that PO2 Gabe Rodriguez was awarded the full Marine Corps/Navy ROTC Scholarship, worth approximately $180,000.00. Respectfully submitted: LCDR Alan Starr, NSCC, Commanding Officer Navy League of the United States, Fort Lauderdale Council April Birthdays Brian Leary 4/7 Jacqueline Parnell 4/8 Andrew Scheer 4/18 Pauline Fitzpatrick 4/23 Suzanne Maas 4/24 Oscar Romano 4/25 NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 8
SEA CADET OF THE MONTH JACOB WALLACE SPRUANCE DIVISION PETTY OFFICER SECOND CLASS I joined the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps as a league cadet when I was 11 years old. As a League Cadet, I attended several trainings including Orientation, Marksmanship, Master-At-Arms and Urban Wilderness & Survival. When I turned 13, I was promoted to Sea Cadet. I attended Recruit Training (RT) in Belle Glade, FL in the summer of 2011. After successfully graduating in the honor company at RT, I went on to attend several advanced trainings. I attended Marksmanship Training in Camp Ripley, MN, Petty Officer Leadership Academy in Marsailles, IL, Ceremonial Honor Guard in Melbourne, FL and Survival, Evasion, Resistance Escape (SERE) Training in Fort Jackson, SC. My favorite training so far has been SERE training. I am currently a USNSCC Petty Officer Second Class and the color guard commander for the Spruance Division. I have participated in the commissioning ceremonies for the USS Jason Dunham, the USS Spruance and the USCGC Etheridge. I have been awarded the following Sea Cadet ribbons: USNSCC Citation, Unit Commendation, Academic Achievement, Community Service, Recruiting, Color Guard, Marksmanship with Expert in both Pistol and Rifle, Physical Fitness, and League Cadet Service Ribbon. I was also awarded the Vietnam Veterans of America Certificate of Achievement. I am a freshman at Hollywood Hills High Military Academy where I am enrolled in all AP and Honors courses. I have a current GPA of 4.7. I am a part of the drill team and led our cadets to win their first trophy in the Broward County New Cadet Squad Precision Drill competition. I am also a member of the Military Academy s color guard. I am a member of the Hollywood Hills High Marching band where I play the trumpet and baritone. I also play the guitar. Some of my hobbies include hunting, sketching, graphic art, writing lyrics & music, poetry, scuba diving and crafts (origami, paracord creations, whittling). The Sea Cadets has taught me respect, discipline, devotion, loyalty, self-less service and teamwork. I look forward to continuing with the Sea Cadet program throughout high school and accomplishing my goal of obtaining the highest Sea Cadet rank, Chief Petty Officer. NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 9
Sea Cadets Nico Skinner & Cian Campbell with Gunner NAVY WOUNDED WARIOR - SAFE HARBOR LIEUTENANT CHET FRITH, USN By Oscar Romano Almost a year after we met LT Frith for the first time during Fleet Week 2012, we had the honor of having him back as our guest speaker during the March Council dinner. LT Frith is in charge of the Navy Wounded Warrior Safe Harbor, a Department of the US Navy, for the southeast region of the US (Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi). He is based at the Naval Medical Center Jacksonville. The program provides Sailors and Coast Guardsmen, as well as their families, with non-medical care while they are recovering from serious illness or injury. Non-medical Care Managers tailor support to each enrolled service member s recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration needs. The program allows service members and their families to focus on recovery without distractions. LT Frith was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after his deployments to Iraq, where he sustained injuries from an IED. He came to our dinner with his Service Dog, Gunner, a 3 year-old Golden Retriever. Oscar Ramano, LT Frith and Gunner Service dogs are part of the program to provide transitional assistance to wounded and disabled Sailors and Coast Guardsmen, as well as to their families. Gunner was not wearing his on duty service vest and Chet explained to us that he wanted the dog to feel free to interact and play with the guests at the dinner. A silent and attentive audience listened to the vivid counts of LT Frith s experiences during his deployment to Iraq, and how he felt when he first came home. During the speech, Gunner was laying down close to LT Frith. At one point during the speech, the dog stood up and went to stand by the Lieutenant s side, seeming to sense that Chet needed his reassurance during his emotional remarks. The work of the Navy Wounded Warrior Safe Harbor program is vital to the reintegration of injured Sailors and Coast Guardsmen back into the civilian life. But, their resources are very limited. LT Frith is the only personnel assigned to cover the southeast region of the US. During the question and answer period after the presentation, many of those in the audience agreed that we should start working at the Council level and with other organizations to help provide support for any cases that we may have in our area. For any inquiry on how to help, the contact information is listed below: Even service dogs get thirsty! LT Frith, Lynn Drucker and Gunner Navy Wounded Warrior Safe Harbor 701 S. Courthouse Road, 3R215 Arlington, VA 22204 Phone: 1-855-628-9997 Email: navywoundedwarrior@navy.mil web: http://safeharbor.navylive.dodlive.mil NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 10 Gunner
WEAPONS SAFETY CLASS TEACHES SPRUANCE CADETS AND ADULTS SAFETY FIRST With all the debate around the country about gun control and the tragedies in Colorado and Connecticut, it was very timely that the Spruance Division held a weapons safety class for the cadets on a recent Saturday morning. Hosted by William Beller from the US Department of Homeland Security and attended by more than 60 Sea Cadets and League Cadets, the message was always, Safety First. Mr. Beller began by asking the cadets what they would do if they ever found a gun, and the cadets had all the right answers right from the beginning: Call the police, Tell an adult, and Don t touch it were frequent responses. He made a point of showing everyone that each firearm he had brought to demonstrate was unloaded and safe, and showed everyone how they can tell for themselves if a firearm was safe or not. And he had a lot of firearms, and knives as well, all of which were concealed on his person at the same time. It was amazing how well armed he was and how difficult it was to tell to the untrained eye. After wowing the cadets with his concealed National Rifle Association Instructor William Beller personal arsenal, Mr. Beller turned the floor over to Mr. Stewart Houston, also from the Department of Homeland Security and former member of the US Army EOD. Mr. Stewart came to show the cadets some improvised explosive devices, and thoroughly impressed the cadets, parents, and division staff with his inert examples of a greeting card bomb, a radio bomb like the one used on Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, and an IED limpet mine used to attack ships in a harbor, just to name a few. He explained that the hardest part of his job was staying one step ahead of the bomb makers, because the type of bomb that can be made is limited only by the bomb maker s imagination. The highlight of Mr. Stewart s presentation, however, was the deactivated Strela-3 heat-seeking missile launcher that he passed around the room for the Cadets to hold. There wasn t a cadet in the room who has played Call of Duty that didn t know exactly what they were holding, and cool factor was off the charts! Even XO Jorge Perez took a turn holding the Strela-3! When Mr. Beller concluded his discussion, all the cadets got a chance to line up and handle the weapons themselves, (very closely supervised by Gunny Sanchez, Mr. Beller, and Mr. Stewart) and to see exactly how to tell if each different Transportation Security Administration Bomb Appraisal Officer Stewart Houston NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 11 type of firearm is unloaded and safe. There were several semi-auto handguns, two revolvers, a 12-gauge pump accontinued on page 12
continued from page 10 LT Jorge Perez with missile launcher and Gun Range. We were met there by one of the range officers who spent about 15 minutes discussing safety procedures and passing out hearing and eye protection, while Mr. Beller got the weapons ready to shoot. The range itself was small and we could only fit 5 adults at a time with two shooters, so we had to shoot in 2 shifts. Mr. Beller and the range officer patiently stepped each shooter through the process of loading the magazine, inserting it into the weapon, and firing five shots in each of the two different guns. It took about 10 minutes per shooter to go through the loading and shooting process, and in no time at all we had all tion shotgun, and a semi-auto rifle, along with several knives and non-lethal weapons. Some of the weapons were easily as big as some of the cadets who were trying to hold them. When the cadets were done, they were dismissed outside and Mr. Beller continued with the Concealed Carry Permit training for the 9 adults who attended the class. Composed of Spruance division staff members and cadet parents, the small class was the perfect way to be brought up to speed on the State of Florida s concealed carry laws and regulations, and to discuss common sense gun safety and the responsibilities of owning and carrying a firearm. An hour or so later it was time for lunch, and then it was range time! Everyone carpooled to Bill Boyd s Bait, Tackle, Lynn Drucker practices with a hand gun fired more than our required rounds to meet the CCP training requirements. Everyone did a great job, and we left with all of our body parts intact, feeling confident that we can handle and fire a weapon safely. With the hard part of the training behind us, all that remains now is to make an appointment at the state licensing office and get fingerprinted, and receive the Concealed Carry Permit. A cache of concealed weapons NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 8 NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 12
OUR MONTHLY SOCIAL NIGHT OUT By Simone Ramos Third Vice President Once a month we gather for our social night out at the beautiful Coral Ridge Yacht Club to enjoy a delicious dinner buffet and be surrounded by amazing people from the Navy League, friends and guests. However, this is not where it ends. In addition to that, every month we have an excellent guest speaker that enlightens the entire evening, giving us insight into today s advanced and courageous military world as well as the challenges our troops are dealing with. Last month we were honored with the presence of LT Chet Frith, USN. We learned about the challenges he is facing in trying to overcome his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which he suffers as a result his deployments during his navy career. He was accompanied by his service dog Gunner, who became his best friend and helped him cope with the wounds that were caused by his heroic actions while deployed. I personally feel it is very important to be educated and have knowledge of what our troops must encounter, not only while they are deployed but also long after they come home. LT Frith gave us a good understanding of what it is like to serve this country with pride and to be willing to overcome the challenges after returning from combat zones. It took a great deal of courage to stand in front of a crowd and talk about those personal distresses. It is so important that we show our support of our service men and women by attending our monthly dinner meeting, where we pay respect to our military, in addition to enjoying and evening of fun and laughter accompanied by food, wine and desserts. In addition to that, the best of all is that we have our Sea Cadets presenting the colors and we have started to engage our cadets even more going forward by having a Sea Cadet of the Month speaker. Yes! The Sea Cadet of the Month presents you with his experience and time he had in the division and will not be shy to let you know how much he appreciates you and your support! CDR Alan Starr is present at the monthly dinners to give us updates on our fine young boys and girls that are our Next Generation. Please make an effort to be part of our monthly social night out at the Coral Ridge Yacht Club and see first hand the honor, courage and commitment that is instilled in our Sea Cadets. Please see the article from Navy Recruiting District Miami about our recent personnel inspection at Sea Cadet Headquarters. We are proud to sponsor and support our next generation. Our Sea Cadets are becoming the leaders of the future, thanks to Commander Alan Starr and his staff. I encourage all Council members and Sea Cadets parents to attend our dinner meetings. Show your pride in being part of a great organization and a enjoy great night out! NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 13
LUNCH WITH MACK AND JOYCE MADZINSKI By Lynn Drucker Photos by Oscar Ramano Our good friends and former Council Members Mack and Joyce Madzinski were in town briefly last month prior to embarking on a cruise out of Port Everglades. We met for lunch at the lovely Pelican Landing on the docks at Hyatt Regency Pier 66 with views of the Intracoastal Waterway and several spectacular yachts. It was great to catch up with Mack and Joyce, and we heard about their new life in Asheville, North Carolina. They are very happy there, though they miss their Fort Lauderdale friends. I dropped them off at Port Everglades at the Holland American Line Terminal, and they were eagerly anticipating their cruise. It was great to see them, and they send their regards to all of our Council members. Joyce Madzinski, Lynn Drucker, Alicia Romano, Mack Madzinski, Louise & Rudy Oetting Mack Madzinski, Oscar Romano, & Rudy Oetting Joyce Madzinski, Lynn Drucker, Oscar Romano, Mack Madzinski, Rudy Oetting, Alicia Romano & Louise Oetting NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 14
CDR KYLE HOSTS REGIONAL SEA CADET INSPECTION NRD Miami s XO, CDR Kurt Kyle hosts Team Spruance s Sea Cadets uniform inspection. Team Spruance receives the unit s primary support from the generosity and hard work of the board of directors, officers, and membership of the Navy League of the United States Fort Lauderdale Council. Sea Cadet s purpose is to build character, core values of respect, team work, self-confidence, leadership, and most important of all to make the right choices in life that will guarantee each of them success CDR Delgado, LCDR Starr & CDR Kyle CDR Kyle & Sea Cadet Rachelle Serrano CDR Kyle, CDR Delgado & LCDR Starr Personnel Inspection Cadet Rachelle Serrano NAVY LEAGUE NEWS 15
Fort Lauderdale Council 2013 OFFICERS President: Lynn A. Drucker 1st Vice President: Oscar Romano 2nd Vice President: Abiud Montes 3rd Vice President: Simone Ramos Secretary: Elaine M. Hogg Treasurer: Harvey Kovac Asst. Treasurer: Rosemarie Dezolt Judge Advocate: Capt. Edward R. Fink Asst. Judge Advocate: Richard Chosid EDITORIAL STAFF Lynn Drucker Rudy Oetting Oscar Romano Chuck Black Jim Black BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Wednesday, May 1st, 2013 at 3:30 PM SEA CADET HEADQUARTERS Located at: 300 S.W. 25th Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315 NEXT GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING Wednesday, April 17th, 2013 Coral Ridge Yacht Club 6-7PM Cocktails 7-9 PM Dinner Guest Speaker Denise Johnston Resolve Marine RSVP Required! Call 954-565-6778 no later than noon, Monday prior to the meeting. --- visit us on the web at www.flnavyleague.org FORT LAUDERDALE COUNCIL COMMUNITY AFFILIATES 5700 Griffin Road, Suite 200 Davie, Florida 33314 Main Line: 954.797.0410 Cell: 954.658.7128 Direct Fax: 954.797.0549 Gary@PirtleConstruction.com Gary Pirtle, LEED AP AssistantVice President www.pirtleconstruction.com Offices located in Broward, Dade & Palm Beach CGC 001110