Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Tyler Miller | 240531-N-MY760-1026 NORFOLK, Virginia. – Capt. Janet Days, the commanding officer of...... read more read more
NORFOLK, VA (NSN) – Naval Station (NAVSTA) Norfolk celebrated the opening of its new state-of-the-art security precinct with a ribbon cutting ceremony, May 31.
The precinct, officially named ‘Gold Star Police Precinct,’ located at NAVSTA Norfolk’s CEP-161 building offers a brand-new environment for the 385 Sailors and 50 civilian personnel assigned to NAVSTA Norfolk’s Security Department. The conception of the 7.9M dollar facility began in 2015 with Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Ken Bellomy, the Security Officer at the time and keynote speaker for the ribbon cutting.
Bellomy spoke about the conditions of the building when he arrived which overall directly contributed to the readiness and morale of the Sailors and civilians who worked in the facility. He then talked about why he advocated and fought so hard for the new facility.
“Although we celebrate with pride a new Naval Security Force (NSF) Headquarters on the greatest Naval Station in the world, I can’t help but feel conflicted, as I realize that this new building would have never been considered had MA2 Mark Mayo not been lost,” said Bellomy. “I know you all have him in your hearts and minds this morning. For that reason, I think it’s important we look back at how we got here.”
On March 24, 2014 while serving at Naval Station Norfolk Security Department, Petty Officer Mark Mayo responded to an intruder who made his way onto the installation. Mayo, who was patrolling Pier 1, followed the man onto the destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72). After the man grabbed a gun from the petty officer on watch, Mayo lunged between them. He was shot and killed.
“Nothing else embodied these conditions, reputation, and personal and professional challenges of an assignment to the department than the very sight of the old building. Dilapidated and well beyond its service life; I was determined to have a new NSF headquarters and kennel built that the people of the department deserved,” said Bellomy. “From that point on my Precinct Commander, Colonel Tom Peal and Senior Enlisted Advisor, Master Chief Gainey and I were on a mission. We never missed an opportunity to garner support for a new building. I simply decided that if Petty Officer Mark Mayo could find the courage to stand between a Sailor he swore to protect and a deranged person with a gun, I could find the courage to tell leadership what they needed to hear - the truth.”
Through advocation and support from Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic and Naval Station Norfolk leadership, the project was approved and construction began.
“The importance of this new facility cannot be overstated. It is not merely a building; it is a sanctuary where our personnel can perform and/or prepare to perform their duties efficiently and effectively. It provides the infrastructure and resources necessary for our mission success, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of maritime defense,” said Capt. Janet Days, NAVSTA Norfolk Commanding Officer. “But beyond its functional significance, this precinct embodies something more profound—it embodies our
collective commitment to excellence. It reflects our belief that our sailors and civilians deserve the very best, that they deserve a workplace that is conducive to productivity, collaboration, and innovation.”
To conclude the ceremony, NAVSTA Norfolk’s current Security Officer, Cmdr. Rob Collett discussed how the decision was made to name the new facility ‘Gold Star Police Precinct.’
“We wanted to choose a name that honored the sacrifice of Petty Officer Mayo, as well as that of other fallen Master-at-Arms (MAs) and Department of the Navy police officers, who also made the ultimate sacrifice for their country in the line of duty,” said Collett. “Gold Star families display a flag as a symbol of the loss and sacrifice of a loved one in uniform. In my view, Petty Officer Mayo was a member of our family – of our Naval Station Norfolk family as well as our much larger family, the Navy Security Force. By christening this building as the Gold Star Police Precinct, and affixing its symbol to the apex of this building, we are reminded not only of the sacrifice of others, but also that we must be ever vigilant and alert to the inherent dangers that exist in the daily execution of Security operations, the primary of which is to protect and serve Naval Station Norfolk, its tenants, and the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Petty Officer Mayo, and our other fallen MAs, gave their lives to this country and nothing can change that. However, what we can do as leaders, as shipmates - as a family - is to honor his sacrifice by ensuring that never again will another member of our Naval Station Norfolk Security family make such a sacrifice again.”
The event concluded with the official ribbon cutting, a cake cutting and tours of the new facility.
| Date Taken: | 05.31.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.12.2024 08:41 |
| Story ID: | 473715 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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