West Orange County Features - Military and Coast Guard RSS Feed

Veterans All-Hands Meeting to be Held At

Laura Herzog — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 15:53:00 Pacific Time

An all-hands meeting, sponsored by the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet), to provide veterans with topical information regarding their benefits and services, specifically for those recently returning from active duty.

Annual Warship Open House at Seal Beach This Weekend

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 06:00:00 Pacific Time

In what is becoming an annual open house event at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, the USS Gridley welcomes public visitors this weekend. Gregg Smith, Public Information Officer for the base told www.OC180NEWS.com �What we�ve been trying to do over the last few years is have one ship per year that is available to come up and open its doors to the public.�

HEROES TOURNAMENT--FREE DEEP SEA FISHING TRIP FOR RETURNING SERVICE PERSONNEL�FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED

No Author — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 22:55:00 Pacific Time

The Southern California Tuna Club has once again graciously extended an invitation to Service Members to go ocean fishing for a day, on Saturday, 10th July, 2010. The trip is all-inclusive (tackle, bait, and lunch), there will be no payment required. The trip is open to all service members returning from a deployment during the last year. First come first served.

Banners of Honor Unveiling Ceremony Marks Flag Day and Army Birthday in Los Alamitos

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 19:45:00 Pacific Time

Many service people pass through Los Alamitos, across Katella and down Lexington, coming and going to the Joint Forces Training Base. After Monday, June 14, 2010, thanks to the efforts of a local organizer and various supporters, those service people might feel a little more appreciated. The public is invited to an unveiling ceremony at Laurel Park on Monday beginning at 6:00 pm, and any uniformed military personnel are invited as honored guests to join the sponsors for dinner at 5:00 pm.

Memorial Day Services to be Offered at Navel Weapons Station Seal Beach and at Eisenhower Park

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Sat, 29 May 2010 10:58:00 Pacific Time

Local residents interested in commemorating Memorial Day will have two opportunities in Seal Beach this Monday. Services will be held at Navel Weapons Station Seal Beach at 11:00 am. The City of Seal Beach will hold a celebration starting at 1:00 PM.

Infantry Brigade Combat Team Training at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base�the Atropians Verses the Arianians and the Black Wolves

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Fri, 14 May 2010 06:00:00 Pacific Time

There�s a war going on out there�or, is it an earthquake, or a flood�either way, it is being simulated in a special training mission at the Joint Forces Training Base this week and next. If you have noticed more than usual activity at the base, that�s because there are about 1,000 soldiers engaged in a command and control trading simulation there.

California National Guard Colonel Promoted to State�s Number 2 General at Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos

Laura Herzog — Tue, 04 May 2010 06:00:00 Pacific Time

A day of celebration at the Joint Forces Training Base brought family, friends, and fellow soldiers of Col. Lawrence A. Haskins together for his promotion to Brigadier General and the number two command position in the California National Guard. Brig. Gen. Mary J. Kight, the California National Guard�s Adjutant General, conducted the formal promotion ceremony on Saturday, May 1, 2010.

USS Dewey Sailors Volunteer For Seal Beach Shore Duty�Planting Christmas Trees

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:00:00 Pacific Time

As part of the festivities associated with the first ever commissioning of a navy ship in Orange County, host city Seal Beach got some newly planted trees yesterday. 33 members of the USS Dewey crew planted more than 50 New Zealand Christmas trees along Lampson Avenue as a community service project for Seal Beach. The navy�s newest and most sophisticated ship, The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Dewey (DDG-105), will be commissioned at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, on Saturday, March 6, 2010.

First Time Ever Navy Commissioning in Orange County�another Event Marking Seal Beach as a Destination

Seth Eaker — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:00:00 Pacific Time

Sometimes extraordinary things happen in Seal Beach. This March 6th, a week from Saturday, for the first time ever in Orange County, a naval vessel will be commissioned. Commissioning a ship is a time-honored tradition, which celebrates a vessels' formal entry into service with the active Navy fleet. But, what does that mean to us as a community here in Seal Beach? Why should we care?

Nuclear Sub Los Angeles Makes Final Visit to Los Angeles Today

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 07:00:00 Pacific Time

After serving the United States Navy for 33 years, the USS Los Angeles (SSN 688) will arrive in Los Angeles later Today for a final visit that includes a decommissioning ceremony Jan. 23. USS Los Angeles departed Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Jan. 14, and is stopping in Los Angeles en route to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for inactivation. The visit will include participation by the crew in numerous public events ongoing throughout the weekend.

Precedent Setting Navy Warship Open for Public Tours This Weekend at Seal Beach

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:00:00 Pacific Time

For those of us who like to look with wonder and awe at machines of war--be it the supersonic F-18 Super Hornet or the massive 18-inch guns of a battleship, today's navy ships can appear less than impressive. The guns with barrels wide enough to swallow a person are a relic of times gone by. That is, of course, only in appearances. Consider the US Navy's precedent setting guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold, which is offering a rare opportunity for public tours this weekend in Seal Beach.

Representative Democracy at Work in Seal Beach--the People Prevail Against the Feds--for now anyway

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:00:00 Pacific Time

Sometime last fall, General Combs of the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos decided he could conserve water and help meet environmental goals by setting up a composting operation on the base. Monday night at the Seal Beach City Council meeting, the peoples' representatives gave the much maligned project a big thumbs down. The problem, among other complaints, is the potential daily parade of 12 to 15 40 ton trash hauling 18 wheelers thundering down Lampson Avenue, a residential street.

Joint Forces Training Base Composting Controversy Continues

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Wed, 27 May 2009 06:00:00 Pacific Time

The plans of BG (R) James Combs, of the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, to run a composting operation on the base continue to create controversy among residents of Seal Beach, Rossmoor, and Los Alamitos. The plan ignited a firestorm of complaints from residents of College Park East at the Seal Beach City Council meeting on May 11. Last night, General Combs gave another presentation, complete with a tour of the composting site on the base. The plan he described last night varied in some significant details from the presentation at the Seal Beach city council meeting.

Local Navy Man Ranked # 1 in Class, sets Record at Orange County Sheriff's Regional Training Academy

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Fri, 01 May 2009 06:00:00 Pacific Time

A Chief Petty officer from Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Daniel Alcala , set a new record in the physical fitness test at the Orange County Sheriff's Regional Training Academy and was ranked as the # 1 recruit in his class. Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Daniel Alcala was also elected honorary class sergeant by the faculty staff and his fellow classmates and he led the graduates in formation during the ceremony marking completion of their curriculum at the academy.

"This really turned out to be a picture perfect scenario with respect to what to do in a survival situation.", USCG rescue swimmer Chief Albie Amescua

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 06:00:00 Pacific Time

Our local Coast Guard rescued a man off a remote beach on the back side of Catalina Island early yesterday morning. The man's boat had caught fire the night before, so he abandoned ship. The sailor made it to shore in his dinghy. His personal locator beacon played a major part in the rescue.

Local Soldier Killed in Iraq

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:00:00 Pacific Time

The Defense Department announced that one of the five soldiers killed on Friday by a suicide bomber in Iraq was PV2 Bryce Edmund Gautier, 22 of Cypress California. He was killed along with four other soldiers when their Humvee was struck by a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device in Mosul, Iraq. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment,
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Endangered Dead Whale Found in Los Angeles Harbor

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 14:55:00 Pacific Time

A 62 foot dead fin whale was found floating in Cerritos Channel in Los Angeles harbor Friday morning. Coast Guard Station Los Angeles was on scene to assess the situation until members from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service arrived.
According to Lt. j.g. Stephanie Young, "Once the whale was reported, Coast Guard sent their Station Los Angeles asset out to monitor the whale to make sure that there weren't any commercial or recreational vessels that would be damaged by hitting the whale and to be sure there weren't any other marine mammals in the area that could be harmed."

Coast Guard Rescue Demo Thrills McGaugh Elementary Students

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 06:00:00 Pacific Time

Several hundred beachgoers and children from McGaugh Elementary were thrilled to watch a helicopter rescue demonstration by the Coast Guard yesterday at the Seal Beach pier. According to Mr. Anthony Turner, of the Public Affairs Department of Coast Guard Air Station Los Angeles, "It was a search and rescue demonstration. What was unique about it was that the Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) who was on board was sworn in while he was on the helicopter."

Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach receives Awards and Stimulus Projects--all in the same week

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 06:00:00 Pacific Time

Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach received the 2008 Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) 2008 Shore Safety award (small industry category) for improvement of base safety standards in a ceremony held March 18. The station will also be awarded the CNO's award for Environmental Quality (industrial category) for preservation of the ecosystem surrounding the base in a ceremony to be held in June.

$500 Million Stimulus Project for Camp Pendleton--One of D of D's Largest

Dolores Barr, Editor and Publisher — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 06:00:00 Pacific Time

The Department of Defense today announced construction approval of a new Navy hospital for Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. The $500 million project is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and is one of the two largest Defense Department projects included in the stimulus bill. The new hospital will replace the current Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton (NHCP), which was designed in 1969 with construction completed in 1974.