Naval Aviators Help Maintain Historic Landmarks at Naval Air Station Pensacola

Courtesy Photo | Ensign Dynisty Moreno and Ensign Jonathan Adams participate in a volunteer clean up at Fort Barrancas Advanced Redoubt in Pensacola, Florida, Jan. 28. The event was arranged by the National Park Service and Wings Over Barrancas, a volunteer organization based out of Naval Air Station Pensacola.  

PENSACOLA, FL, UNITED STATES

02.24.2022

Courtesy Story

Chief of Naval Air Training

Service members from NAS Pensacola and Training Air Wing Six have teamed up with Gulf Islands National Seashore to maintain the Fort Barrancas National Historic Landmark.

Gulf Island National Seashore is comprised of 12 areas of natural or historical significance in Mississippi and Florida. With only 8 employees across a 160 mile spread, facilities manager Hank Reynolds says he relies heavily on community volunteers. So last year when Commander Patrick “Fab” Martin reached out about organizing a series of cleanup events, Reynolds was happy to accept the help.
Martin is an instructor at Training Air Wing Six. In early 2021, he started a volunteer organization called Wings Over Barrancas to connect students and staff at the Wing with opportunities to give back to the community.

“In 2016, while I was at VT-86, I had organized a group called Sabrehawks for Tots. We would visit children at Sacred Heart Hospital one day a month,” says Martin. “Then when I came to Wing Six, I saw they didn’t have any volunteer group. So I started Wings Over Barrancas.”

The first event was on April 23, 2021. A group of 17 volunteers from Training Air Wing Six, the Blue Angels, and the Pensacola Navy Recruiting Orientation Unit gathered at Fort Barrancas to cut down trees that had grown on top of the fort.

A second event was held on January 28, 2022. A dozen staff and students from Training Air Wing Six took up rakes, weed eaters, and lawn mowers to clear overgrowth from the Advanced Redoubt and the fort’s 1787 Spanish-built water battery.

Martin plans to return in March or April to finish clearing out the main fort.

According to Martin, Wings over Barrancas is always looking for volunteers and is open to any commands at NAS Pensacola. He intends to organize events 2-4 times a year. As long volunteers are available, Reynolds is happy to have clean-up days at Fort Barrancas. The National Parks Service welcomes community participation and Reynolds says he is especially grateful for volunteers who are “willing to get their hands dirty.”

If you are interested in participating in the next fort clean up or staying updated on other service opportunities organized by Wings Over Barrancas, email Cmdr. Patrick Martin at [e-mail].

TW6 is one of five training wings in the Chief of Naval Training (CNATRA) enterprise in that it conducts primary, intermediate, and advanced Naval Flight Officer (NFO) training all at one location. This is accomplished by three separate training squadrons: Training Squadron (VT) 10, VT-4 and VT-86. Additionally, the 2nd German Air Force Training Squadron (2nd GAF) is an integral part of the TW-6 International Military Training program.

• Date Taken: 02.24.2022
• Date Posted: 02.25.2022 12:41
• Story ID: 415309
• Location: PENSACOLA, FL, US