Naval Air Station Pensacola NEX, MWR and DeCA to Host ‘Welcome Aboard Weekend’

Naval Air Station Pensacola
Courtesy Story

Date: 04.18.2019
Posted: 04.18.2019 09:34
News ID: 318630

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola Navy Exchange (NEX), Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) department and the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) are scheduled to host a ‘Welcome Aboard Weekend’ celebration April 26 and 27 onboard NAS Pensacola.
The ‘Welcome Aboard Weekend,’ designed to provide an opportunity for newly reported service members and family members an entertaining arrival to the ‘Cradle of Naval Aviation,’ is hosted by NEX Pensacola, MWR and DeCA, and is scheduled to include a variety of activities and events including a 5K run, a series of musical performances, stuntman demonstrations, gaming contests and a magician.
Additionally, throughout the weekend, service members and their families will have the opportunity to sign-up for NEX mobile contests and coupons.
“Taking care of our military families is what the NEX is all about,” said Steve Foster, General Manager, NEX Pensacola. “We’re the first installation to host a ‘Welcome Aboard’ event so our NEX team is excited to participate, shake hands and welcome so many new faces to our community. Providing a key quality of life benefit to our nation’s most deserving will always be our top priority here at the NEX!”
The ‘Welcome Aboard Weekend’ is scheduled to begin on Friday, April 26 at 8 a.m. with a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) 5K Run. Later that evening, on the NAS Pensacola Portside lawn, gates open at 5:30 p.m. for a free concert with performances by country rock singer Jared Ashley, American Idol Season 16 finalist Gabby Barrett and country music duo Thompson Square. Friday evening concert is open to all Department of Defense (DoD) identification cardholders.
“This is our way to show our appreciation for the service members here at NAS Pensacola,” said Doug Sheets, Store Manager, NEX Pensacola Aviation Plaza Student Store. “These young men and women are here training and working hard at the schoolhouses on base, and as we get ready to head into the summer months, providing these Sailors, Marines, Soldiers, Airmen and Coastguardsmen the opportunity to have some fun is something we truly hope we can bring to them.”
Events on Saturday, April 27, are scheduled to include:
- Live-action Hollywood High Flying Acrobatics Stuntmen, featuring Will Greenburg and Cole Ekert, at 11 a.m.
- Gaming contests, Call of Duty Ops 4 and Mortal Kombat 11 tournaments beginning at 11:15 a.m.
- Acoustic Performance: Jared Ashley at 11:30 a.m.
- Magician Ben Zabin at noon
- Jared Ashely autograph session at 1 p.m.
- NASCAR driver Jesse Iwuji, the only prior-military driver in the National Series autograph session at 1 p.m.
NAS Pensacola, referred to as the "Cradle of Naval Aviation," is designed to support operational and training missions of tenant commands, including Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC), Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC), the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT), Marine Aviation Training Support Groups (MATSG) 21 and 23 and is the headquarters for Naval Education and Training Command (NETC).