Photo By Lorin Vilayvong | Capt. Clint Hoskins, Commanding Officer, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division,...... read more read more
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Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport hosted the 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Event at the U.S. Naval Undersea Museum, Jan. 15, honoring the late civil rights leader on what would have been his 96th birthday.
The event featured keynote speaker Lt. Darren Moss Jr. from the Pierce County Sheriff's Department and numerous tributes to Dr. King’s life and legacy. It was open to the public and attracted attendees from several other local Navy commands, including Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Strategic Weapons Facility Pacific, Trident Refit Facility Bangor and Naval Base Kitsap.
The national theme for this year’s MLK Jr. holiday observance was: “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice, and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence 365.”
The event began with an invocation by Minister Jeffery Flood of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, followed by opening remarks from NUWC Division, Keyport Commanding Officer Capt. Clint Hoskins.
“Often and unquestioningly referred to as the greatest civil rights leader of the 20th century, Dr. King believed the struggle for civil rights was a moral imperative rooted in the principles of justice, equality and human dignity,” said Hoskins.
Hoskins stressed the ongoing importance of Dr. King’s legacy and called on the audience to continue his work toward a more just and compassionate world.
“Dr. King’s commitment to non-violent resistance and his conviction that everyone has the power to bring about positive, lasting change inspires us to be the agents of positive change in our own communities,” he said.
Hoskins noted that Dr. King’s values closely align with the Navy's ideals of justice, equality and service to others, as well as its “One Navy Team” ethos of supporting and uplifting one another to achieve a common goal.
During his keynote speech, Lt. Moss shared his personal story and reflected on the impact of Dr. King's legacy on his own life and career.
“I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for [Dr. King],” said Moss. “I am mixed race. My dad is Black and my mom is white. And when they were born in the ‘60s, all this was going on, they would not have been allowed to be together.”
Moss began his law enforcement career in San Diego, where he served as a police officer for three years. He then returned to his hometown in Pierce County and worked for the sheriff's department in various roles, including SWAT team member, public information officer and now lieutenant.
Moss credited his father, who recently retired after a 32-year career as a detective for the same sheriff’s department, as his inspiration for pursuing law enforcement. “The biggest reason why I knew that this was a profession I wanted to have was because of my father, Darren Moss Sr,” Moss said, noting that his father was a role model not just for him but for many others in their community.
He went on to describe how his experiences in law enforcement have allowed him to build relationships and make a difference in the community. “One of the best things I love about my job is that I get to help people, even in the smallest of ways,” he said.
Moss pointed to numerous parallels between Dr. King’s fight for equality and his own career in law enforcement.
“I stand before you today having taken the opportunity to climb in a profession where [African Americans previously] would not have been allowed to be,” Moss said. “I was the first African American male to be on our SWAT team. I was also the first African American male to be the public information officer, and now I am only the third person in my department to have ever [been] promoted to the rank of lieutenant who was not white.”
He added, “[N]ow I'm using my opportunity to make things better, to be a role model and to be the living dream that Dr. King had some 60 years ago.”
Moss acknowledged the progress made toward equality but stressed that significant challenges remain. He shared his personal experiences with discrimination and prejudice, as well as those faced by people of color and marginalized communities at large.
He added that he hopes his story can inspire others to persevere in the face of adversity.
After Moss’ speech, Hoskins thanked him for his thoughtful remarks and participation and presented him with a certificate of appreciation.
The ceremony then featured a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by Vicki Gambrell, former head of NUWC Division, Keyport's Systems Engineering & Integrated Product Support Branch.
Tracy Harris, leader of NUWC Division, Keyport’s Black Employment Program, took the stage next, highlighting key events and milestones in Dr. King’s life and underscoring the importance of continuing to celebrate his legacy.
"Martin Luther King Day celebrates the life and legacy of a man who brought hope and healing to America," said Harris, adding that it “is not a Black holiday; it's the people's holiday.”
The event concluded with a benediction by Minister Flood.
-KPT-
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport is headquartered in the state of Washington on the Puget Sound, about 10 miles west of Seattle. To provide ready support to Fleet operational forces at all major Navy homeports in the Pacific, NUWC Division, Keyport maintains detachments in San Diego, California and Honolulu, Hawaii, and remote operating sites in Guam; Japan; Hawthorne, Nevada; and Portsmouth, Virginia. At NUWC Division, Keyport, our diverse and highly skilled team of engineers, scientists, technicians, administrative professionals and industrial craftsmen work tirelessly to develop, maintain and sustain undersea warfare superiority for the United States.
Are you ready to join one of the largest and most dynamic employers in Kitsap County? We are continually hiring engineers, scientists and other STEM professionals—as well as talented experts in business, finance, logistics and support roles—so if you are eager to be at the forefront of undersea research and development, we want you on our team. Explore our exciting job opportunities at nuwckeyport.usajobs.gov and take the first step toward building your career at NUWC Division, Keyport.
| Date Taken: | 01.23.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 01.23.2025 13:50 |
| Story ID: | 489544 |
| Location: | KEYPORT, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 92 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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