Chas Folcik
President's Message

Enjoying the Golf Tournament
 

(L-R) Member Harry Munns, SOY Lucia Rodriquez, Senior Chief David Carrig, Commander Doug Stark

First of all I would like to thank our members who volunteered their time and effort to make our 2015 golf tournament a success.  We had a great turnout of golfers and all those that participated had an outstanding time, made some new friends and won some great prizes. We would love to continue with this success and make next year's tournament even more spectacular and would appreciate any assistance & participation from our members.  If you would like to consider volunteering to help out with next year's tournament you can contact me or any board member and will put your name on next years' golf tournament committee roster. 

This year the board of directors thought we should try different venues on some of our luncheon and events, and on May 15th our annual Sailor of the Year presentation for station Ponce De Leon was held at Outriggers Tiki Bar and Grille.  There were a few minor glitches, but the food was great, the location at the New Smyrna Beach Marina could not have been better and of course the highlight of the day was the presentation to MK2 Lucia Rodriquez, a very deserving Sailor of the Year for 2014.

We also had a great turnout for the council's annual baseball outing at Radiology Associates Field (Jackie Robinson Ballpark) to watch the Tortuga's whom replaced the Cubs this year.  We were all having a magnificent time until our wonderful Florida weather decided to change and the officials made the decision to cancel the remainder of the game due to rain.. for those that were not ware, your game ticket (tor ticket stub) serves as a rain check for any remaing regular season home game (see Tortuga's website for information).  
Our June lencheon will be held at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University College of Arts and Observatory, at which time we will also be given a tour of the Observatory and the new Ritchey-Chretien Telescope.  The invitation is available for download in the calendar section of this newsletter. Hope to see you there.

Make a note to watch the pre-race activities for the July 5th Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.  Our Coast Guard personnel from Station Ponce De Leon and Station Mayport will be well represented thanks to the efforts of your Daytona Beach Navy League council.

Welcome to our NEW MEMBERS Dennis Dickerson and Richard Laundry, I am sure you will be meeting them at one of our upcoming events.  Dennis has already volunteered to be a liaison to Naval Air Station Deland.  We have had some activities with them in the past we would like to continue the relationship.  They have a Hangar Dance in the fall that some of you may be interested in.  We will keep you posted.

We recently had one of our members seriously ill and no one knew about it. so council member Mary Paul has graciously volunteered to be our Sick and Welfare Chairperson, so if you know of any of our members that are ill or hospitalized please contact Mary at 386-441-8956 or email Mary at mkpaul4036@cfl.rr.com

This will be our last newsletter until September.  We will not have any lucheons or activities during July and august.  To enable us to plan upcoming events, the council's board of directors would love to hear your feedbck, positive or negative ont he various venues utilized sor far this year. 

Have a safe and happy summer and we will see you in September.

Have a great Navy League Day.

Chas Folcik   386-677-1053   Email Chas

U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Daytona Division     
Submitted by Ray Huther
In preparation for summer training cadet Michael Beckwith(left) reviews his sea bag contents with LCDR June Tillett NSCC as cadet Brandon Sharrow records inspection results
 

Sea Cadets preparing for inspection


Sea Cadets in expandable life-raft
On May 16th, twenty five Sea Cadets in the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps-Daytona Division underwent a sea bag inspections during their drill at Coast Guard Station Ponce- their regular drill location-in preparation for their summer training camps.

The Daytona Division of the US Naval Sea Cadet Crops will be commencing their summer training starting June 6th.
The cadets, from nine Volusia County municipalities will be attending a variety of training offerings in six different locations in three states.  Their week-long training periods will run through the third week in July.  A few cadets will be attending two or three events.  Some cadets and adult staff members will also be staffing the training and at some camps be assisted by active duty military personnel.

The training offerings selected by the cadets are Public Safety/Policing and Master-at-Arms, Recruit Training, Petty Officer Leadership, League Orientation, Seabee Training, Navy Shore-Ceremonial/Honor Guard, Seamanship/Small Boat Operations, Food Service/Culinary Arts, STEM/Robotic/Cyber Training ans Survival Training.

The cadets will be headed to the U.S. Naval Stations Mayport (Florida) and Kings Bay (Georgia), Naval Air Station Jacksonville, the Florida Youth Camp in Groveland, and locations in Gainesville and Chattanooga (Tennessee).

Some financial support was received from the community to offset some summer training enrollment costs.

At their last drill on May 30, the cadets had a pre-camp refresher in seamanship skills.  First they witnessed a surplus Navy 16 person expandable life-raft emerge from its barrel-like container in the water off Coast Guard Station Ponce.  After removing all survival gear, they boarded and paddled the craft around in the vicinity of the the Station.  After lunch, the 27 cadets and a few staff members, in three separate voyages to the inlet were exposed to the underway operation of the CG 45 foot response boat.


 


Posted Annual Inspection Scores
Kings Bay: 3.78      FDR: 3.73      Daytona: 3.66      TSR: 3.63
Savannah: 3.55      St. Aug: 3.52      Mayport: 3.44

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SEA CADETS!!!!  JOB WELL DONE!!!!

USS Gettysburg News (CG 64)    

USS Gettysburg New Commanding Officer
Captain John R. Schmidt

Captain Schmidt is a native of Homerville, Ohio. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and was commissioned at the United States Naval Academy in May 1992. He also holds a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State.

Upon completion of nuclear power training in Orlando, Florida and Ballston Spa, New York, and the Surface Warfare Officer School Division Officer course, in Newport, Rhode Island, he reported to USS Mississippi (CGN 40). In Mississippi from 1994 through 1997 he completed a Mediterranean deployment and served as Reactor Laboratories Division Officer, Chemistry and Radiological Controls Assistant, Machinery Division Officer, and finished his tour as Assistant Engineer Officer.

Captain Schmidt's department head tours, from 2000 through 2004, included Operations Officer in USS Russell (DDG 59) and Reactor Electrical Assistant in USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). In Russell he completed a deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In Ronald Reagan he supervised initial construction, testing, and acceptance of reactor controls and electrical equipment, and following Ronald Reagan's commissioning in July 2003 he completed the shakedown cruise and post-shakedown availability.

His tours ashore have included navigation instructor at the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Unit, Pennsylvania State University from 1997 to 1999. From 2004 to 2005 Captain Schmidt was the Executive Officer of the Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit, Ballston Spa, NY. He served as a NATO Staff Officer (J7 - Training and Exercise) at the Allied Joint Forces Command Headquarters in Brunssum, the Netherlands from 2007 to 2009.

Captain Schmidt was Executive Officer in USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) from 2005 through 2007, completing a counter-piracy deployment to the Horn of Africa region and a deployment as the flagship for the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two in the Mediterranean. From 2009 through 2011, he commanded USS Halyburton (FFG 40), completing an additional counter-piracy deployment that also included support of NATO operations in Libya.

Following his command tour, Captain Schmidt completed the Joint Combined Warfighting School at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, and then served as Reactor Officer in USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) from 2012 to 2014, completing the ship's mid-life Refueling and Complex Overhaul and returning the ship to operational status.

Captain Schmidt is authorized to wear the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal along with various unit and campaign citations.

 



CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOUR NEWEST SENIOR CHIEF PETTY OFFICERS

GSMCS Vidal Bing, GSECS Benjamin Cruz, GSMCS Adam Dixon, LSCS Ziolyne Wilson



USS Carney News (DG 64)    

USS Carney New Commanding Officer
Commander Kenneth Pickard

CDR Ken Pickard is a native of Pensacola, Florida. He enlisted in the Navy in September 1989 and was commissioned in May 1998 through the Seaman to Admiral program. He graduated from Jacksonville University in 2005 with Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting, Finance and Management and a Masters in Business Administration.

His sea tours were in Electronic Warfare Technician in USS BELKNAP (CG 26) and USS LASALLE (AGF 3), First Lieutenant in USS MCINERNEY (FFG 8), Auxiliaries Officer in USS OBANNON (DD 987), Combat Systems Officer in USS ROBERT G BRADLEY (FFG 49), Combat Systems Officer in USS DONALD COOK (DDG 75), Navigator in USS WASP (LHD 1) and Executive Officer in USS CARNEY (DDG 64).

Ashore Ken served as Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution Officer for Navy Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Directorate (OPNAV N2/N6F2) in the Pentagon. His portfolio included MQ-8B/C Fire Scout, RQ-4 Triton, Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS), RQ-21A Small Tactical Unmanned Air System (STUAS), EP-3/SPA, Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) and Fixed Surveillance System (FSS).

He is presently Commanding Officer of USS CARNEY (DDG 64) in Mayport, Florida.

 


USS CARNEY announces the frocking of over 30 Sailors from the March 2015 Advancement cycle, they also frocked 3 new Senior Chief Petty Officers. CARNEY NATION advanced well above the Navy average. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!   


U.S Naval Forces Southern Command   
U.S Fourth Fleet News   



Mayport, FLA ( May 14, 2015) - Commander U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/ U.S. 4th Fleet (Right) and Command Master Chief Mac Ellis (Left) pose for a photo with Information Systems Technician 1st Class Patrick Merry, after learning he was selected as U.S. Southern Command service member of the year. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Adam Henderson/released)


On May 27th Daytona Beach Navy League framed certificates were presented to the sailors listed below in a US Naval Forces Southern Command/Fourth Fleet ceremony in the US Naval Station Mayport Headquarters facility.

.

1st Quarter
LS1 (SW/AW) Vincent Miller (SSOQ) - Fresno, CA
IS2 (AW) Whitney Johnson (JSOQ) - Brillion, Wisconsin
IS3 Daniel Purstell (BJOQ) - Philadelphia

2nd Quarter
CTT1 (IDW/SW/AW) Jelesia Chaney (SSOQ) - Grovelil, Al
IS2 Phil Dalupang (JSOQ) - Los Angeles
YNSA Janeysa Batey (BJOQ) - Biloxi

 

Rear Admiral George W. Ballance, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command /U.S. Fourth Fleet and several other personnel passed on their thanks to the Daytona Navy League for the continued support of the troops.

 


Daytona Beach Area Council Calendar
June 18, 2015
ERAU Luncheon and Tour of Ritchey-Chretien Telescope
September 18, 2015
Luncheon: Guest Speaker FBI Special Agent Dave Brown
October 16, 2015
Navy Birthday Celebration Dinner
November 20, 2015
United States Marine Corps Recruiter Recognition

December 4, 2015
Annual Toy Collection: Installation of Officers
(note collection of toys will be distributed to 4th Fleet/Southern Command Families)

Thank you to all the businesses that have helped support our Sea Services, now let us support them by visiting and utilizing their products and services.  When you visit their establishments be sure to let them know how much you appreciate their support of the Daytona Beach Area Navy League.  Click on the business name below for information on each business.
Hendrick Honda
DOTS Daytona
Candy Jaworski
Re/Max Signature
Daytona Auto Mall
Daytona Hyundai
Mullinax Ford
A/C Doctor Complete Inc
East Coast Insurors
Mullin & Co Insurance
Peoples Premium Meats
 PODS Moving & Storage
Kent D Buckley
Edward Jones Investments
Ted Kuzma
Edward Jones Investments
Jim's Storage
Vance Scott
Approved Mortgage Source
Computer A Services
Richard Pollhill Hearing
Total Comfort
Heat & Air Conditioning