The Virginian-Pilot 
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, February 28, 1996           TAG: 9602280434
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS            PAGE: A8   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: Staff and wire report
        
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   77 lines

WEEKLY BRIEFING

WEEKLY BRIEFING

EVALUATING F-14s: The commander of the Navy's Pacific Air Fleet said that investigators have been unable to find a common link among a string of recent crashes, and he defended the controversial F-14 Tomcat, which will be the subject of a congressional probe Thursday. Vice Adm. Brent M. Bennitt said Monday that reviews done during the recent three-day safety stand-down for all 330 of the Navy's F-14s worldwide proved to the Navy's satisfaction that the F-14 is safe. ``Part of the reason we're having this review in the F-14 community is to ensure we have a safe airplane, and we're comfortable we do,'' Bennitt said. Three of the supersonic fighters from Miramar Naval Air Station have crashed in recent weeks. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., will convene a hearing Thursday to examine the F-14's safety record. Thirty-two of the supersonic fighters have crashed since 1991.

1995'S TOP SAILOR AND CIVILIAN: Legalman 1st Class Carol Hughes was recently named the 1995 Commander, Norfolk Naval Base Sailor of the Year. Hughes is assigned to the Navy Legal Service Office in Norfolk and is Norfolk Naval Station's 1995 Sailor of the Year. Hughes will represent the base in the next level of competition in March when she competes for the Shore Atlantic Sailor of the Year. Also during the ceremony, Nelson Smith, a civil service employee assigned as a supervisory supply technician at Norfolk Naval Base, was named the Norfolk Naval Base Civilian of the Year.

SEABEE BALL: The Navy Seabees and the Navy Civil Engineer Corps will celebrate 54 years of Seabee tradition at the annual Seabee Ball at 6 p.m. on March 9 at the Omni Waterside Hotel in Norfolk. The ball will also celebrate the 129th anniversary of the Civil Engineer Corps and the 154th anniversary of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command. Adm. William J. Flanagan, commander in chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, will speak. Ticket prices vary. For information and tickets, call 363-4408.

SQUADRON TO GET PLAQUE: Boeing will present a plaque to the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 774/Marine Aircraft Group-42 Detachment B on Saturday commemorating the Marine Reserve squadron's accumulation of 50,000 accident-free flight hours. During its 25-year existence, the squadron has flown in support of missions and exercises in Canada, Norway, Saudia Arabia, Kuwait, the Bahamas, Trinidad and several states from New York to California. The squadron is commanded by Lt. Col. Bruce D. Devers. The aircraft group is commanded by Lt. Col. C.L. Urps Jr.

FAMILY SERVICES

CONSUMER WORKSHOP: Feel like you've been ripped off? Oceana Naval Air Station's Navy Family Services Center will offer a ``Consumer Ripoffs'' workshop from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 19 in Building 531 at the base. Learn how to spot misleading ads, read fine print and fight high-pressure sales tactics, as well as find out what to do if you're ever ripped off again. To register, call 433-9675.

COMINGS AND GOINGS

RETURNING:

Sailors and Marines of the Wasp amphibious ready group will return to Norfolk today after spending the last six months in the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. The amphibious assault ship Wasp and amphibious transport dock Shreveport will return to Norfolk Naval Station, and the dock landing ship Whidbey Island will return to Little Creek Amphibious Base. The carrier America's Air Wing One arrived on Friday, and the majority of the battle group's ships, arrived on Saturday. The carrier battle group and the amphibious group deployed Aug. 28.

CHANGE OF COMMAND:

Vice Adm. Walter J. Davis Jr. relieves Rear Adm. David R. Morris as the Navy's ``Gray Eagle'' in a ceremony at 11 a.m. today aboard the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis at Norfolk Naval Base. The ``Gray Eagle'' award recognizes the person on active duty with the earliest date of designation as a Navy pilot. Davis currently serves as director, space and electronic warfare, and will remain the ``Gray Eagle'' until he retires. Morris' most recent assignment was deputy commander in office of the chief of U.S. naval forces in Europe. He will retire from active duty today. by CNB