New SEAL Heritage Center Opens Aboard JEB Little Creek - Fort Story

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Trevor Andersen, Naval Special Warfare Group 2 Public Affairs

NORFOLK, VA. (NNS) -- The UDT/SEAL Association and the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Foundation held a ribbon cutting ceremony September 28 to mark the grand opening of the SEAL Heritage Center at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story.

Active-duty and reserve members of the special warfare community and their families braved the rainy weather for the dedication of the new facility, which will serve as a community center for the Navy SEAL community.

Among the speakers at the event was Adm. Eric T. Olson, Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command.

"This facility was built to augment the already outstanding services here at the Joint Expeditionary Base and will serve as a community support center specifically for and focused on Naval Special Warfare service members and the families of Naval Special Warfare personnel," said Olson.

NSW families will be offered a wide variety of family assistance, dependent seminars, and workshops. The facility also provides a location for recreational social and official meetings, according to NSW Foundation staff members.

For active-duty service members, the 18,000-square-foot building will be used for NSW ceremonies, briefings, recruiting and outreach, and a wide range of other activities. It will also serve as a museum and memorial for fallen SEAL operators, Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) boat operators, and Sailors who support the NSW community.

"Today is about introducing The SEAL Heritage Center to the active duty and the spouses," said Jim Papineau, Vice Chairman of the NSW Foundation. "This is their building. We wanted them to come in today and get a feel for what this facility offers and really, to get them to embrace it."