THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 24, 1996 TAG: 9601230293
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
BOSNIA MAIL: The Pentagon has released addresses that Americans may use to send mail to a service member deployed to the Bosnian peacekeeping operation. In addition, under a program sponsored by ``No Greater Love,'' special addresses have been created to send Valentine greetings during February. Mail should not weigh more than 70 pounds and be no larger than a shoe box. To reach any service member assigned to land forces, write to: Any Service Member, Operation Joint Endeavor, APO AE 09397. For sailors and Marines aboard ship: Any Service Member, Operation Joint Endeavor, FPO AE 09398. For families in Germany: Any Family Member, Operation Joint Endeavor, APO AE 09399. For special Valentine addresses, write to land forces at: No Greater Love, c/o Operation Joint Endeavor, APO AE 09391. For personnel aboard ship write to: No Greater Love, c/o. Operation Joint Endeavor, FPO Ae 09392.
STENNIS MOVE CLOSER: Plans to move the carrier John C. Stennis from Norfolk to North Island, near San Diego, in 1998 advanced recently with the approval of a final environmental impact statement and dredging project by both California and federal authorities. Built at Newport News Shipbuilding and commissioned in Norfolk Dec. 9, the Stennis will remain in Norfolk until its first overseas deployment in the spring of 1998.
PRAYER BREAKFAST AT MONROE: Retired Army Major Gen. Matthew A. Zimmerman, director of the Veterans Affairs National Chaplain Center in Hampton, will address the annual National Prayer Breakfast at 6:30 a.m. Feb. 6 at the Fort Monroe Club in Hampton. Zimmerman served as chief of chaplains for the Army, supervising 6,400 chaplains and chaplain assistants. Tickets for the breakfast are available for a $2 donation (E-1 through E-5) and $4 donation (E-6 and above, including officers and civilians). Obtain tickets through the Post Chaplain's Office by calling 727-2611.
AIR RESERVE'S 50th: Naval Air Reserve Norfolk, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary with reunion festivities July 12-13, is seeking ``plank owners,'' or original members, who served in the first training units after World War II. It is also seeking historic photographs, cruise books and other memorabilia, plus volunteers interested in serving on the reunion committee. Contact: 50th Anniversary Coordinator, Cmdr. P. Baszner, NAVAIRES Executive Officer, 444-7365, or Chief Scott Weltzin, 445-0065. Send faxes to 445-9560.
COMINGS AND GOINGS
DEPARTING:
Military Sealift Command's combat stores ship Sirius is scheduled to leave Norfolk Monday for a six-month deployment to the Arabian Gulf. It has a crew of 107 civil service mariners. Its master is U.S. Merchant Marine Capt. James Dolan of Virginia Beach. Navy Cmdr. Jeanne Vargo is the officer in charge of the 45-member military detachment aboard. Lt. Cmdr. Jim Nock is the officer in charge of Helicopter Support Squadron 8, Detachment 7, embarked for the deployment.
DECOMMISSIONING:
More than 28 years of service by the destroyer tender Puget Sound will end Saturday when it is decommissioned at 10 a.m. at Pier 7 on Norfolk Naval Station. Rear Adm. Charles F. Horne, Puget Sound's first commanding officer, will be the guest speaker. The tender, commanded by Capt. Walter R. Lohmann, was commissioned April 27, 1968, in Bremerton, Wash. Its mission has been intermediate level repair and maintenance to ships of the 2nd and 6th fleets. The tender had a crew of 50 officers and 1,517 enlisted personnel during its active naval service. Following the decommissioning, it will be placed on standby status at the Naval Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia.
CHANGE OF COMMAND:
Capt. Joseph J. Capalbo has assumed command of Carrier Air Wing Eight from Capt. Gary M. Jack. Capalbo had served as the air wing's deputy commander since July 1994. Jack had served as the air wing's deputy commander since March 1993 and assumed command June 1994. The air wing's eight squadrons have taken part in numerous deployments, including Operation Desert Storm. by CNB