Courtesy Photo | From left to right, Ian Cole (Brother), Steve Palko (Stepdad), Michelle Palko...... read more read more
There is no place like home!
Yeoman Third Class Michael Cole stationed at Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command (NCDOC) in Suffolk, Va., recently returned to his hometown of Chicago, Ill., to participate in Chicago Navy Week, 5 through 11 Aug. Cole was one of more than 75 stellar Sailors to support Navy Week Chicago and was one of six selected Sailors to be part of Fleet Forces Command’s Fleet Outreach Ambassador Teams or FLOAT.
Vice Adm. Doug G. Perry, Commander, Joint Force Command Norfolk / Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet / Director, Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Centre of Excellence, joined the Sailors to participate in community engagements with local businesses and government leaders.
Returning to the Windy City for a week was a rewarding experience. Cole said, “It was amazing to go back home to see my family, friends, mentors, and to give back to the community I grew up in.”
Of the many activities he participated in, Cole said, “I really enjoyed attending the Chicago Bears training camp, the Chicago Air and Water Show, and the Gary SouthShore RailCats baseball game.”
There were two special memorable moments Cole said he will forever cherish. First, having his family watch with excitement as he threw the first pitch at the RailCats game on Friday, 9 Aug. Then the next morning, the festivities continued as they lined up along the parade route to cheer on their hometown Sailor as he marched down the street in the annual Bud Billiken Day parade.
Cole took the opportunity between official events to visit former coworkers and childhood friends. Before Cole joined the Navy, he spent majority of his off-time volunteering at Liberty Township and Burns Harbor Fire Departments located 30 minutes outside of Chicago where he promoted life safety and property loss prevention safety tips to the residents. When asked if he ever saved a sweet little kitten stuck in a tree, Cole responded with a chuckle and said, “No, but I did jump into action to save a model airplane out of a tree.”
Chicago Navy Week was also a great opportunity for Cole to form new relationships. He said, “I really enjoyed meeting and working with Sailors, officers, and civilians from all corners of the Navy with hometown ties to the city or Navy outreach events in general.”
Cole has a message for Sailors who have never participated in a Navy Office of Community Outreach (or NAVCO) Navy Week. “I strongly suggest participating in any outreach events you can, especially if it’s in or near your hometown. Supporting a Navy Week event in your hometown is your opportunity to tell hometowners, and your family and friends, what it is that you do to support the Navy mission. It’s a great opportunity to share your experiences,” said Cole. “And it’s a lot of fun!”
NCDOC’s mission is to coordinate, monitor, and oversee the defense of Navy computer networks and systems. Provide Cyber Security Service Provider (CSSP) services and execute Defensive Cyberspace Operations (DCO) in order to enable global power projection.
For more information on NCDOC, visit the command Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NavyCyberWarriors or the public web page at https://www.navifor.usff.navy.mil/ncdoc/.
-USN-
| Date Taken: | 08.29.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.29.2024 10:28 |
| Story ID: | 479764 |
| Location: | SUFFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 364 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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