Florida Navy Bases Prepare for Irma

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Navy installations throughout Florida are preparing for heavy weather as Hurricane Irma approaches South Florida.

Commander, Navy Region Southeast, Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar, directed the evacuation of non-essential personnel and family members from Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, Sept. 5. "Their safety and security is a top priority," Bolivar said. Approximately 50-60 mission essential personnel are remaining behind to maintain essential functions on the installation.

Naval Air Station Key West personnel have a designated safe haven area of within 300 miles of Atlanta. Personnel and family members need to muster with the installation, their command or through the Navy Family Accountability and Assistance System (NFAAS) website upon arrival to the safe haven area.

At the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center, 166 non-essential personnel and family members and 97 pets are being airlifted from the facility off the Florida coast. They will be headed to their designated safe haven.

"Additionally," Bolivar said, "I've directed that when mandatory orders are issued by competent civilian authorities in Florida counties that could be impacted by Hurricane Irma, non-essential active duty military, civilian employees, drilling reservists and authorized dependents residing in those counties are authorized to evacuate."

Personnel and family members who evacuate must be placed on evacuation orders issued by their parent command. For Navy Installations Command personnel and families, the safe haven is within 300 miles of Atlanta. For personnel and family members assigned to other commands, they should proceed to their command's designated safe haven. Personnel and families will be reimbursed for lodging and per diem at the approved rate for their designated safe haven.

U.S. Fleet Forces, Navy Installations Command and Navy Region Southeast are providing support to the installations. Personnel and family members should check installation and Navy Region Southeast social media and websites and stay tuned to local radio and television stations for updates and additional information.

"Please keep safety in mind when traveling to your safe haven," Bolivar said. "The interstate highway and other roads will be congested with other Florida residents moving away from the storm. Be patient, follow the directions of local law enforcement officials and remember to muster when you reach safe haven."

All Navy personnel are encouraged to update emergency contact information through the NFAAS, which can be accessed at www.navyfamily.navy.mil, or through the NFAAS smartphone app available for both iOS or Android. If personnel need support, they can complete a needs assessment through the site or the app on their smartphone and a Navy counselor will make contact to provide assistance.

Emergency Family Assistance Centers will open after storm passage. Personnel and family members are encouraged to check Facebook pages for their installation or Navy Region Southeast for the latest information and updates.

Army National Guard troops prep for action as Hurricane Irma slams Caribbean, threatens Florida

By Steve Marshall, National Guard Bureau

September 6, 2017

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Hurricane Irma, a monster storm packing winds up to 185 mph, was hovering Wednesday over Caribbean islands as Florida National Guard members began preparing for a possible hit and residents started evacuating.

Air and Army National Guard members have been mobilized in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, which are in the path of the Category 5 storm.

"As we prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Irma, I want our Airmen, their families and our community to know the Puerto Rico Air National Guard stands ready and prepared. We are trained to deal with natural disasters when called upon by the Governor and follow his directives," said Col. Raymond Figueroa, commander of the 156th Airlift Wing.

In Florida, where Gov. Rick Scott mobilized 1000 Guard Soldiers and Airmen, all 7,000 Guard members are to report for duty on Friday. Scott already declared a state of emergency and urged residents to heed warnings and be prepared. On Wednesday, the state adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Michael A. Calhoun, echoed that advice.

"As Hurricane Irma moves closer to our state, I truly hope that everyone takes Gov. Rick Scott's call to action seriously. The men and women of your Florida National Guard are ready and prepared to respond -- are you?" Calhoun said.

"Irma is a very serious threat and you need to make sure your family is prepared with enough food, water, and essential supplies for at least three days," he continued. "Have an evacuation plan -- Where will you go? What is your route? Who will you keep updated? Your preparedness ensures that your Guard personnel and equipment can respond where the need is the greatest. We will be there to help, but I ask that you help us by being as ready as we are."

"With Hurricane Irma now a Category 5 storm, we must do all we can to prepare our families and communities for any potential impact from this major weather event," Scott told Florida residents and visitors. "We do not know the exact path of this storm, but weather can change in an instant and while we hope for the best, we must prepare for the worst."

Late Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Nathan Deal of Georgia declared a state of emergency in six counties due to the approaching storm and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster issued an emergency declaration for all 46 of the state's counties, which enables state agencies to better coordinate their responses.

Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said that more than 45,000 Guard members are engaged worldwide - including 1,200 fighting wildfires in California, Montana and Oregon, more than 19,000 Texas Guard and supporting states responding to Hurricane Harvey's devastation, and nearly 13,000 mobilized and supporting the combatant commands overseas.

Face of Defense: 1985 Photo Strengthens Bond Between Father, Son

By Air Force Senior Airman Gregory Nash 23rd Wing

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga., Sept. 7, 2017 — Glancing over a 1985 family portrait, a man is awestruck at the image of his younger self. The snapshot of his mother cradling him as his siblings welcomed their father back from a deployment captured a moment that was stronger than words.

Although he was too young to remember the moment, Air Force Maj. Jonathan Elliott, 23rd Logistics Readiness Squadron director of operations here, began his own search to retrieve this piece of heritage, which became the event that forged a stronger bond between father and son, who both served as Team Moody airmen and Air Force officers.

"We were completely unaware of the photo's existence," said retired Air Force Lt. Col. Gary Elliott, a 347th Tactical Fighter Wing F-4E Phantom II pilot from 1983 to 1986. "When the picture was taken, my whole attention was on my family, and I didn't know we were the subject of an impromptu photo. I didn't know if the photo had ever been used in an article or the base newspaper, but it was slice of life in our family history, and we wanted to obtain it."

The wife of a former squadron mate who lived in Valdosta, Georgia, sent the family a snapshot of the framed photograph that hung on the wall at the officers' club here.

Plans Derailed

Determined to find it, the Elliotts asked the Moody Field Club and base photo lab for a chance to reprint the photo, but unfortunately, the host wing had changed, resulting in the removal of the large frame from the heritage wall, derailing their plans.

However, in the summer of 2015, fate would have it that another Elliott would spearhead the continued search.

"When I moved here, one of the first places I went was the [field club]," Jonathan said. "I was excited to finally get to see the actual picture, and I wanted to get copies of it for my family. But it wasn't there, disappointingly. So, I started asking around to try to locate it. I talked with the [club] management, the wing historian and any civilian I crossed paths with who'd been working on base long enough to have seen it."

Although everyone he asked was incredibly gracious and tried to help, Jonathan said, he kept coming up empty while he rummaged through various storage closets and boxes of old pictures. One day in May 2016, however, that all changed. As Air Force Col. Susan Riordan-Smith, 23rd Mission Support Group commander, gave a briefing in the First Term Airmen Center, she saw the picture that Jonathan was searching for all along and immediately notified him.

Seemed Too Good to Be True

"I was shocked and relieved because it seemed too good to be true," Jonathan said. "I went over to the [First Term Airman Center] immediately so I could see it for myself. It was a bit surreal as well, because it's my parents, siblings and me.

"It naturally created an emotional connection with me, and yet, the photographer perfectly captured the joy of military member and family reunited in such a way that it makes an emotional connection, even if you don't know the people in the picture," he added. "It just has that iconic look."

While he was tempted to immediately tell his dad of the finding, he said, he wanted to savor the moment for a special day. As all parties in the photo were present in Washington state in June, on Father's Day, Jonathan uttered the words "I have something for you, Dad."

As Jonathan brought out a large, thin package in brown paper wrap, Gary handled it and wondered if it might possibly be "the photo."

"As I unwrapped it and saw that it was, I was a little choked up," Gary said. "I think the whole family was a bit emotional. They had all seen the little snapshot on a shelf in our dining room, and knew that we had searched in vain for the actual photo. Everyone was happy that Jon had been able to track it down and get one for the family. He had it beautifully matted and framed, and it was a very special Father's Day gift!"

Strong Bond

For Gary, no gift could compare to the strong bond that he and Jonathan have forged over the years. "Sharing the United States Air Force Academy as our alma mater strengthened this bond, and when I visit him at his duty stations, he always takes me in to his unit and helps me understand the mission and his responsibilities," he said.

Gary said he also appreciates Jonathan wearing his old squadron's paraphernalia and highlighting his heritage, which is among the many things he says brings him pride.

"Two of my most proud moments of Jonathan was presenting his [Air Force Academy] appointment [certificate] and administering the oath upon his promotion to major," Gary said. "I put my uniform on for both of those occasions, and although it's not the current style, it's still Air Force blue and is a bond to Jon in his blues. I'm proud to wear it, and I think Jon is proud to see me wear it.

"Beyond the Air Force bond," he continued, "it is still hard for me to stand for the national anthem and look at our flag without being a little choked up, and I trust Jon will always share this mixture of pride, humility, and gratefulness with me.”