Dixon Has Second Straight Game With Two Homers
June 1, 2016
Pensacola Blue Wahoos second baseman Brandon Dixon was the player of the game for the team for the second straight night.
This time, the 24-year-old smashed two home runs for the second straight game and drove in five of the Blue Wahoo’s six runs for a, 6-5, victory over its rival the Mobile BayBears at Hank Aaron Stadium.
On Tuesday, Dixon was 4-4 with three runs scored, hitting his sixth and seventh homers of the season, which leads the team. He hit a solo blast to left field in the top of the second inning to put Pensacola ahead, 1-0. Then in the sixth inning, Dixon hit a two-out, two-run blast to left that also scored right fielder Sebastian Elizalde, giving Pensacola a 3-2 lead.
But Dixon wasn’t finished. He drove in two more runs on a double to left field in the eighth inning that scored both Elizalde and first baseman Kyle Parker, who hit back-to-back singles with one out. The runs put Pensacola up, 5-2, in the game.
Pensacola shortstop Zach Vincej then singled to left field to score Dixon and give the Blue Wahoos a critical, 6-2, lead.
Dixon now also leads the team with 30 RBIs and raised his batting average to .299.
Pensacola’s win in the opener of the five-game series kept them in first place in the Southern League South Division at 31-20. The Blue Wahoos also tied their longest win streak of the year at four games. The BayBears dropped to 22-29.
In the ninth inning, Mobile mounted a two-out rally by scoring three runs. Guerrero smashed his sixth homer of the season, a solo shot, to make the score, 6-3. Pensacola’s Phillip Ervin then made an error on a ball hit by Cron that allowed Mobile to pull within, 6-4, when catcher Ronnie Freeman scored. Pinch hitter Stewart Ijames then smacked a two-out double that scored Cron and Mobile was down just a run, 6-5.
Guerrero led the BayBears, going 2-4 with a home run and double with two runs scored and an RBI.
However, Pensacola closer Alejandro Chacin entered the game and got Mobile center fielder Evan Marzilli, the BayBears leadoff hitter who was hitting .354 in 23 games, to pop out to Blue Wahoos Vincej to end the game.
Chacin now leads the team with nine saves and is 2-0 and has an 0.84 ERA in 18 appearances.
Storms Cause Damage In Atmore, Walnut Hill, Cottage Hill (With Gallery)
May 31, 2016
Thunderstorms, and a reported possible tornado, caused damage in Atmore Tuesday afternoon, with additional minor damage reported in separate storms in Walnut Hill and Cottage Hill.
Atmore Police reported that an Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s deputy reported spotting a possible funnel cloud over Industrial Boulevard in Atmore where a roof was blown off an industrial shop, power lines were downed and large hail was reported. There has been no confirmation of a tornado.
NorthEscambia.com photos of damage from across the area are below.
A falling tree destroyed a storage shed, a vehicle and damaged a home in Atmore. NorthEscambia.com photo.
A falling tree destroyed a storage shed and damaged a home in Atmore. NorthEscambia.com photo.
A falling tree destroyed a storage shed and damaged a home in Atmore. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Roof blown off equipment shot at Swift Lumber in Atmore. Reader submitted photo by Randon Watson.
Roof blown off equipment shop at Swift Lumber in Atmore. Reader submitted photo by Randon Watson.
Roof blown off equipment shop at Swift Lumber in Atmore. Reader submitted photo by Randon Watson.
Roof blown off equipment shop at Swift Lumber in Atmore. Reader submitted photo by Randon Watson.
Hail on Swift Mill Road in Atmore. Reader submitted photo by Randon Watson.
A large pecan tree split in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Winds damaged this barn in Cottage Hill. Reader submitted photo for Tammy McGraw.
A small tree snapped off in Cottage Hill. Reader submitted photo for Tammy McGraw.
Pictured: Alabama Power works to replace a broken pole and removed a downed tree on Jack Springs Road at Industrial Boulevard. NorthEscambia.com photo.
‘Lava Java’ Coffee Shop Hit By Car In Two Vehicle Wreck
May 31, 2016
A popular Cantonment drive thru coffee shop is temporarily closed after being struck by a vehicle during a traffic accident Monday afternoon.
Details on the accident on Highway 29 near Muscogee Road have not been released by the Florida Highway Patrol, but we do know it involved a pickup truck and a passenger car. Two people in the accident refused treatment, while two others were transported to a Pensacola hospital by ambulance.
Following the initial collision between vehicles, the car struck the Lava Java Coffee Drive Thru, pushing the business several feet. A young man working inside the coffee shop received non-life threatening injuries, including a fractured foot.
The FHP is continuing their investigation into the accident.
NorthEscambia.com is told Lava Java will be closed for rebuilding, but will be back open as soon as possible.
Pictured top: A vehicle slammed into the Lava Java Coffee Drive Thru following a Highway 29 traffic crash Monday afternoon. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge. The business was pushed several feet. Additional photos by Kristi Barbour for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Park Principal Woodward Retires After 30 Years (With Gallery)
May 31, 2016
Molino Park Elementary School Principal Alice Woodward is retiring after 30 years in local education.
Woodward is proud of her connection to the local community and her connection to three local schools. She started her teaching career in 1986 at Barrineau Park Elementary School. She moved into administration as the curriculum coordinator and then served as a principal intern splitting her time between Barrineau Park and Molino Elementary while the new Molino Park Elementary School was under construction. Molino Park opened in the fall of 2003, and Woodward stepped into the role of principal in the fall of 2006.
“It’s very rare to have a principal who has worked in a single school and then ended up principal in that same school,” Woodward explained. “This is our world and it is wonderful to be in the same community for 30 years. I was very fortunate to have that door open for me.”
During the last five years Woodward has had parents come into the school that are her former students. “As a matter of fact, I signed a yearbook yesterday for a little girl and she was so sweet she came up and said, ‘I love you, Mrs. Woodward, and thank you for teaching my daddy.’ So I signed her yearbook, I love you and you are very special, just like your daddy was.”
She will happily talk about how much she enjoys crossing paths with her students and their families, outside of school at Jimmy’s Grill, or church, or the ballpark where she would go to watch her kids or her grandkids along with her students. “I think I was a coach’s nightmare,” she says with a laugh. “I walked up and the kids were all hollering, ‘Hey. Mrs. Woodward,’ instead of watching the ball game.”
“It’s been a lot of fun. I enjoy getting to see them other places then just the schoolhouse. It makes us a family and a community.”
When she looks back at the beginning of her career, Woodward smiles and says, “I was so happy to be a teacher! I couldn’t believe they were going to pay me to do this job. I remember telling my sister, this is so much fun I can’t believe they pay me to do this!”
When Woodward was first hired by the school district, her first assignment was to teach second grade at Barrineau Park Elementary School. Her daughter was going into second grade and there was only one homeroom. “She was going to have to be in my classroom and I made a promise to myself, and my students’ parents, that I would treat their children like they were mine, instead of treating my child like she were theirs. That means you have to get onto them sometimes, but you love them all the time. I have tried to stay true to that promise.”
“That’s the same thing I told my parents when I became a principal in 2006. By then I had grandchildren here, so I told them I would treat their children like they were one of my grandchildren, instead of treating my grandchild like one of theirs.”
For today’s new teachers Woodward has some words of advice, “Number one you have got to love what you do, and if in your first few years of teaching you don’t love it, go find another job. If you don’t, it will wear you out.”
For teachers who are considering whether or not to make the move into administration, she says, “If you begin to look around and see that you want to affect more people and more children, and you want to hone your leadership skills, then going into administration is a great idea” Woodward explained. “But, if you don’t like to be the leader and be the listener as well, don’t go into administration. It’s a team effort and leading and listening are equally important.”
“Alice Woodward is well respected in the north end of our county, and specifically at Molino Park Elementary School. Her devotion to her faculty and staff, her students, and to her community has never been questioned. She will leave a void as someone else will do her job but no one else can take her place,” stated Superintendent Malcolm Thomas.
Woodward was selected last year as the Escambia County School District’s Principal of the Year. Sara Calhoun, a Molino Park teacher and parent, contributed to the nomination package. She describes Woodward this way, “Although she is quick to always celebrate and recognize the accomplishments of others, she never seeks any recognition for herself for the tremendous gains our school has made. Her desire to strive for excellence as we educate these young minds, while never neglecting to gently shape each precious heart, makes her an exemplary leader. I know that I am eternally grateful for the ‘fingerprints’ she has left on my own children.”
So how did the Molino staff decided they would recognize Woodward’s accomplishments? How would they thank her?
If you visit Molino Park Elementary you will see art on the walls, not hanging on the walls, but painted on the walls. One hallway, in fact, it is painted floor to ceiling with an underwater scene. So, it is not a surprise that they decided to show their thanks in a way that would honor her professional history with a mural.
“We commissioned Loren Miller to create a mural that shows Barrineau Park School, where Mrs. Woodward started her teaching career; Molino Elementary School, where she became a leader; and Molino Park Elementary School where she has served as principal since 2006,” explained Assistant Principal Quinn Evans. “She was involved in every detail when the two older schools were closed and all of the students transferred into the new school.”
“It is humbling,” Woodward says of their gift.
Woodward leaves Molino Park with a message for the community.
“Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for supporting your children and helping them be the best they can be and learn, and thank you for making this community what it is.”
Pictured above: Retiring Molino Park Elementary School Principal Alice Woodward spent the last day of school saying goodbye to students, staff members and volunteers. Pictured below: A cafeteria mural in Woodward’s honor. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bratt Elementary K-2 Award Winners Announced
May 31, 2016
The following students in grades K-2 were presented year-end awards at Bratt Elementary School:
KINDERGARTEN AWARDS
Progress Award
- Anthony, Eli
- Anthony, Eric
- Burt, Tycoren
- DuBose, O’Neshia
- Gibson, Presley
- Hubbard, Graysen
- Southard, Adalynn
Outstanding Attendance
- Dinc, Braxton
- Durant, Jamaris
- Lee, Peyton
- Mooney, Wyatt
- Parker, Hunter
- Spence, Noah
- Spence, Wyatt
- Ward, Kennedy
Perfect Attendance
- Gilmore, Sawyer
- Satterwhite, Chloe
Outstanding Citizenship Award
- Allcock, Landon
- Boatwright, Gabrielle
- Diller, Logan
- Roley, Makinzi
AR Award
- Amerson, Tyler
- Anthony, Eli
- Diller, Logan
- Ganey, Parker
- Gilmore, Sawyer
- Jacobson, Camden
- Roley, Makinzi
Art
- Allcock, Landon
- Hall, Brody
- Holliman, Hunter
- Peters, Jordan
Music
- Gilmore, Sawyer
- Hadley, Aubrey
- McAnally, Tyler
- Pittman, Madalynn
PE
- Alexander, Govan
- Bolyard, Helen Grace
- Peters, Jordan
- Stilwell, Cassandra
BRATT ELEMENTARY 1ST AND 2ND GRADE AWARDS
Honor Roll
- Abbott, Lauren
- Allen, Austin
- Amerson, Claire
- Bailey, Wade
- Blackwell, Bailey
- Bush, Nevaeh
- Campbell, Amara
- Chavers, Luke
- Davis, Crimson
- Dean, Trevor
- Eady, Nolan
- Eicher, Addison
- Flowers, Allison
- Gipson, Hayden
- Greenwell, Shelby
- Gregson, Talise
- Hadley, Laila
- Heard, Will
- Jarvis, Emily
- Jowers, Jessica
- Lowry, Savannah
- Nicholson, Kayleb
- Plato, Makayla
- Smith, Brayden
- Smith, Miles
- Stewart, Maggie
- Taylor, Jake
- Thames, Zy’nia
- Warr, Raleigh
- Watson, Landon
- Zisa, Jasmine
Academic Achievement Award
- Bagwell, Desiray
- Bingham, Lexi
- Bridges, Jackson
- Bryan, Luke
- Caraway, Christian
- Classen, Addison
- Classen, Will
- Crumm, Tristan
- Davis, Carlie
- Dougall, Jacobi
- Greenwood, Cate
- Hall, Lori
- Johnson, Presley
- Long, Kaylee
- McAnally, Mikayla
- Richardson, Dakota
- Simmons, Jackson
- Stuckey, Avery
Progress Award
- Amos, Presley
- Bryan, Trinity
- Helton, Jackson
- Howell, Jasmine
- Long, Emily
- Nettles, Monqarious
- Odom, Aydin
- Peebles, Reagan
- Reid, Samuel
- Warta, Thomas III
- Yalch, Garrett
Outstanding Attendance
- Amerson, Claire
- Bagwell, Desiray
- Caraway, Christian
- Crumm, Tristan
- Curry, Talaysha
- Davis, Crimson
- Greenwell, Shelby
- Hall, Lori
- Jarvis, Emily
- Johnson, Presley
- Kelson, Dallas
- Mason, Max
- Taylor, Jake
- Thomas, Jeremy
- Warr, Raleigh
- Warta, Thomas III
- Watson, Landon
- Watson, Ollie
- Wiggins, Jason
Outstanding Citizenship Award
- Chavers, Luke
- Classen, Addison
- Garrett, Chase
- Jowers, Jessica
- McAnally, Mikayla
- Stuckey, Avery
- Thomas, Jeremy
AR
- Abbott, Lauren
- Bagwell, Desiray
- Bailey, Kylie
- Bailey, Wade
- Bingham, Lexi
- Blackwell, Bailey
- Bryan, Luke
- Bush, Nevaeh
- Caraway, Christian
- Chavers, Luke
- Classen, Addison
- Classen, Will
- Curry, Talaysha
- Davis, Carlie
- Dougall, Jacobi
- Gipson, Hayden
- Gregson, Talise
- Hall, Lori
- Johnson, Presley
- Long, Kaylee
- McAnally, Mikayla
- Nicholson, Kayleb
- Plato, Makayla
- Richardson, Dakota
- Simmons, Jackson
- Smith, Miles
- Stuckey, Avery
- Taylor, Jake
- Thomas, Jeremy
- Watson, Landon
Art
- Clemmons, Zakhel
- Garrett, Chase
- Harvey, Keon
- Helton, Jackson
- Smith, Brayden
- Zisa, Jasmine
Music
- Curry, Talaysha
- Davis, Carlie
- Dougall, Jacobi
- Eicher, Addison
- Greenwood, Cate
- Thomas, Jeremy
P.E.
- Bryan, Ora
- Caraway, Christian
- Chavers, Luke
- McAnally, Mikayla
- Plato, Makayla
- Stewart, Maggie
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
May 31, 2016
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities..
Escambia County:
- U.S. 29 – Intermittent and alternating lane closures within the town of Century and from Champion Drive north continue.
- Interstate 10 (I-10)/U.S. 29 Interchange Improvements – The U.S. 29 south to I-10 eastbound ramp will be closed Tuesday, May 31 through Thursday, June 2 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. as crews place barrier wall. Traffic will be detoured south to make a U-turn at Diamond Dairy Road. In addition, the U.S. 29 north to I-10 westbound ramp will be closed during this time. Traffic will be detoured north to make a U-turn at Broad Street.
- I-10 Widening – Intermittent and alternating lane closures on I-10, near U.S. 90 (Scenic Highway/Exit 17), from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. the week of Tuesday, May 31 as crews perform bridge work.
- Dupont Road- DuPont Road between Bayou Boulevard and Gonnell Drive will be closed to traffic Wednesday, May 25 through Wednesday, June 1. The temporary road closures will allow crews to make drainage improvements. Detour signs and variable message boards are in place to direct traffic. The drainage work is part of the Bayou Boulevard resurfacing project from Baisden Road to U.S. 90.
Santa Rosa County:
- I-10 Widening – Alternating lane closures on I-10, between the Escambia Bay Bridge and S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard/Exit 22), from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday, May 31 through Thursday, June 2 as crews continue widening work. In addition, alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard near the I-10 interchange for bridge work.
- State Road (S.R.) 87 Widening – The speed limit will be reduced from 55 mph to 45 mph between the Eglin Air Base boundary and the south end of the Yellow River Bridge beginning Tuesday, May 31.
- I-10 Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Rest Area – Crews will continue resurfacing entry/exit ramps of rest areas on Interstate 10 in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties Tuesday, May 31 through Friday, June 10. Lane closures will be in effect 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Only one rest area in each county will be closed during paving operations. Variable message boards and the I-10 Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) will be used to alert drivers of the temporary closure. No work will take place during the Memorial Day holiday period.
- S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard)- Intermittent lane closures and mobile operations from U.S. 98 to the toll bridge from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. beginning Tuesday, May 31 and continuing for approximately one month as crews perform striping operations. There will be no work performed Friday through Sunday.
- S.R. 87 and S.R. 89 from S.R. 4 to the Alabama line – Intermittent and alternating lane closures and mobile operations from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. beginning Tuesday, May 31 and continuing for approximately one month Monday through Saturday as crews perform striping operations.
- U.S. 98 – Crews will perform striping operations and install raised pavement markers (RPMs) from the Pensacola Bay Bridge to Central Parkway (approximately nine miles) Sunday through Thursday nights through Thursday, June 30. Motorists may encounter minor traffic delays from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. No work will take place during the Memorial Day holiday period.
- S.R. 399 over U.S. 98 – Overnight repairs to the S.R. 399 southbound overpass over U.S. 98 will be in place from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. throughout the project. U.S. 98 will be reduced to one lane in each direction from Shoreline Drive to just east of S.R. 399 to allow westbound U.S. 98 traffic to be diverted to eastbound U.S. 98. Westbound U.S. 98 access to S.R. 399 will be closed. An on-site detour will direct traffic to turn left on Daniel Street, left on Shoreline Drive and then right on eastbound U.S. 98 to access S.R. 399 via the at grade on ramp.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling in a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
Camp Fire Century Holds Graduation; Registration Underway For Summer Camp (With Gallery)
May 31, 2016
The Camp Fire USA Century Youth Learning Center held a graduation program recently.
Registration is underway for Camp Fire’s WILD and WISE Nature Day Camp. Parents can register this children today for a nature adventure offered offered at Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Center beginning June 1. Each week campers will explore the outdoors and different environmental themes like WILD Adventure, Gulf Coast Safari and WISE Journey.
The camper’s goal is to complete the Camp Fire Trail to Environment program and earn the emblem during the summer, which includes the Wise Old Willie program; children discover outdoor basics and learn about ecology and the 3 R’s: reduces, reuse and recycle. Campers explore Florida flora and fauna though Project WILD hands-on activities from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Additionally, campers complete a community service project to keep the earth healthy and give service to others. Weekly camps are for ages 5-12 years old and runs through August 5.
“Camp Fire is the first camp both of my kids have enjoyed. They both ask to return year after year. The program has truly mentored my children and helped them grow into mature, responsible young adults. The staff genuinely care about my children and their wellbeing. I cannot thank each of them enough for all of their help, kindness, and flexibility throughout the years,” said parent Sunni Solveson.
Campers may register for one or more weeks of summer program. In Century, weekly rates start at $85 per camper with discounts for a second and third child. A registration fee of $20 is due upon registration of a child. Camp hours are 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Center.
For more info, contact Pam Townson, director of the Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Center at (850) 256-0953 or email ptownson@cfgulfwind.org. For more details and registration forms, visit http://www.campfirekidsfl.com/camps_1.
ECAT Holding Workshops On Future Transit Needs
May 31, 2016
Escambia County, in coordination with Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT), has launched a major update to the County’s 10-year Transit Development Plan (TDP), which is named the Connections 2026: Moving Escambia Forward. The TDP update will serve as a guide for the future of public transportation in Escambia County from 2017–2026, representing Escambia County’s vision to promote transit growth and improvement over the next decade.
Public participation is an important part of the ECAT TDP planning process. The public is encouraged to attend one of two public workshops to discuss the findings from the previous Connections 2026 TDP workshops and online surveys, and to provide input on the draft 10-year TDP transit needs plan. Staff and consultants will be available at these workshops to provide information, answer questions, and take comments.
Public Workshop #1 Tuesday, May 31 (4:30 PM – 6:00 PM)
West Florida Genealogy Library
5740 N. 9th Ave.
Pensacola, FL 32504
ECAT Bus Routes 31, 43, 52, 63*
Public Workshop #2 Wednesday, June 1 (4:30 PM – 6:00 PM)
West Florida Public Library
239 North Spring Street
Pensacola, FL 32502
ECAT Bus Routes 2, 31, 41, 44, 58*
North Escambia Memorials Honor Those That Served
May 30, 2016
People across North Escambia and the country will pause today to remember the brave men and women that have served our country as we celebrate Memorial Day.
In North Escambia, there are several memorials that honor those that have served in the military:
Walnut Hill Veterans Wall of Honor
The largest such memorial in the North Escambia area, the Veteran’s Honor Wall has stood in front of the Walnut Hill Community Center since its dedication in 2003. There are nearly 300 names on the wall, including names of just over a dozen soldiers killed in action. The wall honors those from the Walnut Hill area that have served in the nation’s military.
The Walnut Hill Ruritan Club began planning the wall in late 2001, and they decided that it would be a community project at no cost to the veterans listed.
Billy R. Ward began to engrave the names with an antique machine the club purchased off the internet, and there were 220 names on the wall when it was dedicated in 2003. He spent a lot of time on the project, even visiting the Wall South Memorial in Pensacola to get an idea what size the letters on the plaques should be.
On the Walnut Hill Veteran’s Honor Wall, everyone is equal. It was decided that no service rank would be include on the name plaques, just the branch and years of service.
It is estimated that about one-fourth of the veterans listed on the wall are now deceased.
The Walnut Hill Veteran’s Wall is located in front of the community center at 7850 Highway 97.
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LCpl Travis M. Nelson Park
The LCpl Travis M. Nelson Park was dedicated in Bratt on November 8, 2011, in honor of the local Marine killed in action in August 2011 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. It was just two weeks after his 19th birthday and only about a month after he arrived in Afghanistan.
The park features a memorial in Nelson’s honor. It is located on West Highway 4, just west of Northview High School.
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Atmore Veterans Memorial
The Veterans Memorial in Atmore stands proudly on the lawn of the Atmore City Hall to pay tribute to those have served from around Atmore and North Escambia. Names of the fallen are on the spire, while commemorative bricks around the base of the spire name those that have served in the military past and present.
Those honored on the bricks date back to the Revolutionary War with a brick with the name of Benjamin Sasser, 1755-1840. His relative, Federick Sasser, 1794-1846, is also honored for his service in the War of 1812.
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Barrineau Park Wall of Honor
The Wall of Honor inside the Barrineau Park Community Center honors scores of area residents that have served in the military. The wall was a project of the Barrineau Park Historical Society. (Pictured above.)
Century Veterans Wall of Honor
About four dozen of those that served from the Century area are honored on the Century Veterans Wall of Honor at Century’s Roadside Park on Highway 29. The memorial was dedicated on July 4, 2008. (Pictured below.)
The Century Veterans Wall of Honor is located in the Nadine McCaw Park at the corner of North Century Boulevard (Highway 29) and Hecker Road.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Native Serving Aboard Nuclear Powered Submarine
May 30, 2016
A 2008 West Florida High School graduate and Escambia County Florida native is serving in the U.S. Navy as part of a crew working aboard one of the world’s most advanced nuclear-powered fast attack submarines, USS City of Corpus Christi.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Leeroy Ybarra is a machinist’s mate (auxiliary) serving aboard the Pearl Harbor-based submarine, one of 40 Los Angeles-class submarines making it the backbone of the submarine force.
A Navy machinist’s mate is responsible for maintaining pnuematic systems, atmospheric purification, diesel engine maintenance, hydraulics and oxygen generation aboard a submarine.
“I enjoy working with the wide variety of people you meet in the Navy, and I like the different ports that we pull into,” said Ybarra. “Singapore is very nice, Guam is always a great time, and Yokosuka [Japan] is also great!”
With a crew of 130, this submarine is 360 feet long and weighs approximately 6,900 tons. A nuclear-powered propulsion system helps push the submarine through the water at more than 25 mph.
Attack submarines are designed to hunt down and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships; strike targets ashore with cruise missiles; carry and deliver Navy SEALs; carry out intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions; and engage in mine warfare. Their primary tactical advantage is stealth, operating undetected under the sea for long periods of time.
“Submarine sailors never cease to amaze me with their ability to complete complex missions in the world’s most challenging environments,” said Rear Adm. Fritz Roegge, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. “Continued U.S. undersea superiority is not possible without their dedication, expertise and professionalism.”
According to Navy officials, because of the demanding environment aboard submarines, personnel are accepted only after rigorous testing and observation. Submariners are some of the most highly trained and skilled people in the Navy. The training is highly technical and each crew has to be able to operate, maintain, and repair every system or piece of equipment on board. Regardless of their specialty, everyone also has to learn how everything on the ship works and how to respond in emergencies to become “qualified in submarines” and earn the right to wear the coveted gold or silver dolphins on their uniform.
“The Corpus Christi is a 33-year old boat, and keeping her out to sea and operational is a challenge. I like that aspect,” said Ybarra.
Challenging submarine living conditions actually build strong fellowship among the elite crew, Navy officials explained. The crews are highly motivated, and quickly adapt to changing conditions. It is a busy life of specialized work, watches, and drills.
“I have a great sense of pride knowing that I’m protecting our country, and knowing that makes me feel that I have earned the right to all the great benefits the military provides,” Ybarra added.
by U.S. Navy Chief Mass Communication Specialist Bill Steele, Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs