Photo By Sgt. Trenton Fouche | Veronica King, a pipefitter apprentice at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth,...... read more read more
Norfolk, VA- The Hampton Roads region is home to many military installations, causing consonance with both military and civilian personnel. With Naval Station Norfolk located here in Norfolk, as well as Joint Base Langley-Eustis located just across the water in neighboring Hampton, Virginia, many military service members work closely with civilians to ensure that day-to-day operations are carried out.
“I work with civilians almost everyday,” said Seaman Troy Cooper, a culinary specialist assigned to Naval Station Norfolk. “Whether I’m working with a senior chief or a civilian, we have to come together to ensure that we are successful.”
Naval Station Norfolk is the largest navel base in the world, covering approximately 3,400 acres. Because of its massive size, many service members have grown accustomed to working with their civilian counterparts for assistance on the fleet. Service members on base have often found their civilian counterparts to be extremely helpful.
“It’s important for everyone to come together like a well-oiled machine,” said Seaman Angel Abee, a logistics specialist assigned to HELMINERON Twelve (HM-12) in Norfolk, Virginia. “I feel that civilians are really easy to work with. A lot of them have military experience so they understand what we’re going through because they’ve been through it themselves.”
Due to the military having such a huge impact on the local economy, many military civilians who have grown up in the area have found themselves working in conjunction with service members. This has allowed civilians to utilize skills acquired through the private sector to help assist service members in carrying out the Navy’s mission.
“I received my master’s degree in cyber security at Norfolk State University, here in town,” said Felton Blow Jr., a host based security system (HBSS) administrator for the Department of Defense. “We have to always pay attention and be aware of what we’re doing so that we can deploy products to ships. A good administrator knows how to follow instructions well, so that sailors and administrators can work together to solve issues.”
“These ships are like cities on water,” said Veronica King, a pipefitter apprentice at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia. “I’ve worked on the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) as well as the USS Wyoming (SSBN-742). You have to have a good knowledge of your trade as well as integrity because a lot is dependent on you,” she said.
Hampton Roads has long been known for its rich military history. Home to military museums and artifacts, for many service members being stationed in the area is seen as a right of passage.
“The military is very important here,” said Cooper. “We are a very military diverse town. There’s not just Navy, we have Army, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. We help bring a diverse culture to the area.”
For service members away from home, the Hampton Roads region has assisted in providing a community atmosphere, in which there is a common mission and a shared understanding of a greater picture.
“During the holiday seasons there are a lot of families that are willing to take in service members who may not have had the money or the leave days to go home,” said Cooper. “So, they’ll welcome them into their home as one of their own. I think that’s what makes this community one of the best.”
| Date Taken: | 01.09.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.21.2020 15:20 |
| Story ID: | 373416 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 43 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Harboring The Fleet: How Civilians and Service Members Work Together In Hampton Roads, by SGT Trenton Fouche, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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