Photo By Julius Evans | Pictured from left to right are Cmdr. Gail Chapman, USA Medical Research and Materiel...... read more read more
FORT DETRICK, Md. - Authors aren’t typically known for celebrating birthdays unless they are writing a detailed scenario for a character in one of their book plots. But a well-known author celebrated the U.S. Navy’s birthday at Naval Medical Logistics Command (NMLC) on Fort Detrick, Oct. 13.
David E. Meadows, a retired U.S. Navy captain and former deputy commander, Naval Security Group Command, has authored 14 action-adventure novels published by Penguin Group. An active member of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association International Technology Committee, he writes a monthly technology/electronic warfare blog for SIGNAL magazine.
But this ceremony featured participation by a host of active and retired members. Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Alicia Chestnut, NMLC’s Assemblage Manager, was instrumental in setting up the program from inception to awards. She explained the level of involvement in connecting the dots in making this ceremony come to life.
“We had a committee that included several command personnel. Each was tagged with a role to play, and I coordinated all the moving parts, ensuring that each element was in place and that each person was actively engaged,” she said.
Those elements included identifying who would read the ceremonial letters from Navy leadership, envisioning how the room would be set up, coordinating the creation and delivery of the Navy birthday cake and the formalities of the cake cutting ceremony. She ensured elements such as the bell ringer were included, suggested who should perform as Master of Ceremonies and who would give the invocation. She also created the layout and rough draft for the template of events. Although she was instrumental in the particulars of the ceremony, she amply admits the committee members played vitally important roles.
Retired Lt. Cmdr. Alejandro Taag, a program analyst in NMLC’s Expeditionary Medical Logistics Directorate, enjoyed donning his uniform for his role in the ceremony.
“As Master of Ceremonies, I read the History of Bell Ringing and the rest of the program, aside from the Navy Birthday messages. Reading those historical aspects of the Navy Birthday gave me a sense of profound pride and honor for the naval service, its people and its tradition. It gave me a fresh perspective on why we served, and continue to serve. It is much different from when I was still in active duty,” he said.
“Putting back on the uniform is like swearing in again. It felt great to wear that ‘cloak of invincibility’ and it renewed my deep respect and love for naval service. It rekindled my love of our country and reminded me why I took the oath to be a part of the greatest naval service in the world. In short, it brought back many happy memories of people, places, and events in my career that I will never forget,” he said with a huge smile.
Several members of the command participated in setting up the room, the official decorations and flags, the seating, and the projector system. So a number of activities occurred before the event came to fruition.
“I asked the Frederick branch of the Veterans of Foreign Wars if they knew of a retired Navy war veteran. They provided me his contact information. After researching him and learning of his very successful career, as well his celebrity, author status, that led me to request him as our guest speaker,” said Lt. Nathan Wedwick, NMLC’s Purchase Card coordinator. “The captain agreed to participate in our Navy Birthday celebration, but stressed that he merely wanted to highlight this historic event.”
Meadows shared his unique perspective on his service spanning a 37-year-career. Of particular note was the credit he gave to U.S. Navy Reservists.
“They bring a new perspective to the Navy mission. They are elite between the active duty and the civilian communities in which they work.” He talked about a book entitled, The Admiral’s Advantage, U.S. Navy Operational Intelligence in World War II and the Cold War, Dr. David Alan Rosenberg. The book’s preface gives credit to Reservist IS2 Timothy Frances - who has a Harvard Ph.D. Meadows said, “Without his help, we could not have edited this book and got it published.”
He was making the point that whether a person continues in active duty or not, considering a career in the Naval Reserves could be a viable option.
“When you retire, there’s a whole new world out there. There are a lot of things you can do,” he said before reflecting on the time when he actually played basketball here on Fort Detrick. I don’t remember if those are some of the people I played with or if you are the sons of people I played with. But he thanked the crowd for inviting him to enjoy the Navy’s birthday.
The United States Navy traces its origins to the Continental Navy, which the Continental Congress established Oct. 13, 1775, by authorizing the procurement, outfitting, manning and dispatching of two armed vessels to cruise in search of munitions ships supplying the British Army in America. The legislation also established a Naval Committee to supervise the work. All together, the Continental Navy numbered some 50 ships over the course of the war, with approximately 20 warships active at its maximum strength. In 1972 Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt authorized recognition of 13 October as the Navy’s birthday.
(Naval History and Heritage Command).
Cmdr. Noel Cabral, NMLC’s Operational Forces Directorate deputy director, read the birthday greetings from Navy leadership and explained the traditions associated with different elements throughout the ceremony. “The single, [ceremonial ninth] bell, traditionally used to signal the start of a new watch, represents the start of a new year, our 240th,” Cabral said. The ninth bell was rung by Hospital Corpsman Petty Officer 2nd Class Cheung Chung. The cake cutting ceremony culminated the day’s events.
Naval Medical Logistics Command’s mission is to deliver patient-centered, logistics solutions for military medicine. Its vision is to become the Department of Defense’s premier medical logistics support activity.
| Date Taken: | 10.27.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 10.27.2015 15:29 |
| Story ID: | 180080 |
| Location: | FORT DETRICK, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 230 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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