COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 12, 2013) Navy Mineman 1st Class Linda Simpson performs a seated discus throw during a team Navy Coast Guard track and field practice at the 2013 Warrior Games. From May 11-16, More than 200 wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans, as well as an international team representing the United Kingdom, will compete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center and U.S. Air Force Academy. The military service with the most medals will win the Chairman’s Cup. (U.S. Navy photo)

On May 16, the athletes hit the pool for swimming, the final competition of the games. Team Navy secured four medals – two silver and two bronze medals.

Navy Mineman 1st Class Linda Simpson took silver in the women’s 50-meter freestyle (single-leg amputee (SLA)) and the women’s 100-meter freestyle (SLA); she also claimed bronze in the women’s 50-meter backstroke (SLA).

 

Navy Band Northwest has a busy schedule locally in the coming weeks. The parade band will appear in the Port Townsend Rhododendron Parade on Friday, May 17, and the Armed Forces Festival parade in downtown Bremerton on Saturday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to noon.

On Wednesday, May 22 at 6 p.m. the “Deception Brass” ensemble will perform at the Silverdale Waterfront Park as part of Olympic High School’s annual Jazz Night.

On Saturday, May 25 at 4 p.m. the band’s popular music group, “Passage” will perform on Bremerton’s Boardwalk; and on Sunday, May 26 at 3:15 p.m. Deception Brass will perform at the Port Orchard Waterfront Marina Park.

HOOD CANAL — The Navy has proposed a conservation easement on state lands in Hood Canal, a proposal that could kill the controversial pit-to-pier project. The conservation easement, which would apply to subtidal lands in Jefferson County, would effectively preclude new commercial or industrial construction that would extend from the shoreline, according to information provided by the Navy and Washington Department of Natural Resources.

The goal is to “safeguard Navy operations in Hood Canal from encroachment and preserve the local marine environment,” according to the joint statement.

The easement will be a strip of underwater area from the Hood Canal bridge south to a point just south of the Jefferson-Mason County line near Eldon. In most areas, the protected bedlands will be defined by their depths, from 18 feet below the average low tide to 70 feet down. More than 4,000 acres are covered by the easement.

USS Seawolf (SSN 21)  April 24 2013                              Photo (c)2013 Bob Towery

NBNW’s parade band will be out in full force this weekend! Come join us this Friday, May 17th at 3:30 pm in Port Townsend for the 78th annual Rhododendron Festival. We’ll be participating in the parade as well as putting on a concert downtown near Pope Marine Park. The band will also be out on Saturday, May 18th at 10:00 am in Bremerton for the Armed Forces Day Parade. Come on out and enjoy these terrific events!

There will be a Memorial Day “Tolling the Boats” observance held at the Naval Undersea Museum, Keyport, Thursday, May 23. Members and veterans of the submarine force in the Pacific Northwest will gather to honor those who served honorably and made the ultimate sacrifice. “Tolling the Boats” allows Sailors to pause and remember shipmates who are on eternal patrol.

CDR Jeffrey Smith, Commanding Officer of USS Kentucky (SSBN 737), will be the principal speaker. The bells will be tolled by Naval Undersea volunteer staff members who are submarine veterans.

The ceremony will begin at 10:00 a.m. The public is invited to attend.

BREMERTON, Wash. (May 11, 2013) Sailors assigned to commands in Navy Region Northwest and civilians attend the 21st Annual Armed Forces Culinary Arts Competition at the Olympic College Student Center. The competition featured military culinary specialist from around the Pacific Northwest competing for top honors in several culinary specialties. Sponsored by the city of Bremerton Chamber of Commerce as part of the city’s 65th Annual Armed Forces Festival.

The Iron Chef style competition was open to the public and featured Navy culinary specialists competing for top honors in several culinary specialties. “This is a great event and the competition was intense, said Capt. Pete Dawson, commanding officer Naval Base Kitsap (NBK). “I am always amazed at the dedication of the culinary specialists in our Navy,” said Dawson. “They are truly artists … and they really do make the difference in the Navy for morale.”

Eight different Navy commands participated in the competition: NBK, Naval Station Everett (NSE), Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI), Naval Hospital Bremerton, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier John C. Stennis CVN 74), and the Ohio-class fleet ballistic missile submarines USS Nebraska (SSBN 733) gold crew, USS Maine (SSBN 741) gold crew, and USS Louisiana (SSBN 743) blue crew.

Each command had teams of culinary specialists competing in seven different culinary categories: cakes, chicken wings, chili, dessert pies, garnishments, hors d’oeuvres, and a main event.

From chili to chicken to cake, Naval Hospital Bremerton culinary specialists competed in the annual Armed Forces Day Military Culinary Arts Competition on May 11 in front of an appreciative and enthusiastic crowd.

According to official host of the competition, Chief Warrant Officer E. van Hofwegen, Naval Base Kitsap Food Service officer, the event showcases the ability of the Navy’s culinary specialists, some of the unsung heroes of the service.

“We have the best chefs in the Armed Forces here today to show their culinary skill in this competition. They come from our Navy units afloat and ashore and are truly amazing with the level of talent they have. We are very proud and thank them for their service to our great nation,” van Hofwegen said.

ATLANTIC OCEAN (May 14, 2013) An X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator flies near the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). George H.W. Bush is the first aircraft carrier to successfully catapult launch an unmanned aircraft from its flight deck.

May 14 – Navy League Monthly Luncheon, Keyport Wounded Warrior Program

Trident Room Bangor Conference Center 11:30 AM

May 14 KRL Book Signing “Lost at Sea”

SeeFilm Theater 7 PM- 9 PM

May 18 Bremerton Lions Pancake Breakfast

Burwell and Pacific 8 AM to 10 AM

May 18: Armed Forces Festival Parade

Downtown Bremerton 10 AM to 2 PM

May 18: Armed Forces Festival Heroes Barbecue

Downtown Bremerton 4Th and Pacific 10 AM to 2 PM

May 18: Navy League Gala Extravaganza

Admiral Theatre 6 PM