Photo By Kristi R Britt | Norfolk Naval Shipyard's (NNSY) Shop 67 Electronic Mechanic Zach “The Viking”...... read more read more
Four employees of America's Shipyard made their way to Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. for an exciting day alongside fellow Navy members in the 2021 Dulles Plane Pull event. An annual event to support Special Olympics Virginia, teams of 25 competed in an attempt to pull an 82-ton FedEx Airbus A320 12 feet in record time across the runway.
Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) Surface Fire Safety Officer Thomas “Superman” Strickland is no stranger to the runway, participating in similar events since 1996 and competing from Baltimore all the way down to Orlando. He would frequent the D.C. event and join at the rope every year until the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the event for the foreseeable future. Strickland had kept tabs on the website for announcements, learning of the event's relaunch in 2021 – and he was excited to see a Navy team had stepped up to the plate.
"I saw who was headlining the teams and reached out to Captain Gregory Kercher and Vice Admiral Jeffrey Trussler, sharing who I was and where I was from. We established that connection and I asked if I could join their efforts,” said Strickland. “They were excited to have more onboard and said if we had anyone else interested to sign them up as well.”
Up for the challenge, Strickland sought out like-minded individuals from America's Shipyard to accompany him to Dulles for the event. Shop 26 Supervisor and COVID Management Team member Ronnie “Sgt. Major” Willis had teamed up on the plane pull with Strickland in years past and jumped at the chance to pull again. “It's such a fun way to celebrate teamwork and to do your part for the country and the community,” said Willis. “I'm happy to be back in the saddle and looking forward to more chances in the future!”
Admiral Trussler said, “Having the four members of America's Shipyard join our teams was a privilege! Superman and Sgt. Major brought years of plane pull experience and were crucial to our teams avoiding many rookie mistakes. Superman taught us how to line up, pull stance, and several tips that cut seconds off of our time and put us in a position to compete and defeat some more experienced teams.”
This event was a first of its kind for Naval Shipyard Support Office (NSSO) Naval Architect Eileen O'Shaughnessy; however, she's no stranger to stepping up to the challenge for a cause. “The plane pull event had the top three things I'm passionate about: supporting our military, helping members of our community, especially instilling confidence in children, and also providing a good fitness challenge for its participants. What's more, the Special Olympics is a great program to campaign for because it promotes inclusion, skill building, comradery and friendship.”
Another first timer was Shop 67 Electronic Mechanic Zach “The Viking” Williams, who had heard of plane pull events before but never got to compete himself. “It was so cool to be able to join up with fellow teammates within the Navy and join into this great cause,” said Williams. “It says a lot about our Navy community as a whole, everyone was so welcoming and cheering each other on during the event. We each had each other's backs.”
He continued, “One of the biggest reasons for me to join the cause is being someone who can lead by example. Father figures are a big thing for me and unfortunately, not everyone gets to have that sort of figure in their life. Out there on the runway, we are all hitting the pavement with raw emotion and energy. When we're out there, we're not only pulling the plane, but we're showing those on the sidelines that this is an embodiment of hard work – that we have strength and determination not only physically but aim to benefit others in what we do.”
O'Shaughnessy added, “I had such a great experience for my first pull. We're already looking at ways to train for the next one and hope many more can join us in the future. It was such a unique and fun way to support our community and it helped bring us all together for a common goal.”
The Navy split into three teams, named USN Team Beast, Team Submarine, and Pull 3-2-1. Overall, they took fourth, fifth, and sixth respectively, against 35 other teams for the event. In addition, Strickland and Willis were named Most Valuable Pullers (MVPs) at the event. Some of the team's highlights included Strickland's passion and energy throughout the day, hyping everyone up throughout the event and building up their excitement to participate. In addition, they noted everyone on the team felt they contributed to the overall goal.
“At America's Shipyard, it's about being ONE TEAM and that goes the same for our Navy brethren across the globe. We're all in this together, lifting each other up and having fun," said Strickland. “We're ready for more and always accepting others interested in joining our efforts.”
For more information on the plane pull event, visit https://www.specialolympicsva.org/planepull. You can also contact Strickland at thomas.j.strickland@navy.mil.
| Date Taken: | 03.21.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.21.2022 09:55 |
| Story ID: | 416821 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 201 |
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