DATE: Thursday, November 27, 1997           TAG: 9711260986

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

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WEEKLY BRIEFING

In General

SHIP VISITS: Two Navy ships will be open to the public from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The guided missile destroyer Arleigh Burke will be at Norfolk Naval Station. Visitors should enter through Gate 2. The dock landing ship Gunston Hall will be at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base. Visitors should enter through Gate 1. For updated information, call 444-7637.

CLINIC DEDICATION: Naval Security Group Activity Northwest will hold a dedication and grand opening of its new branch medical/dental clinic at 11 a.m. on Dec. 5. It will be dedicated in honor of retired Capt. William L. McGonagle, who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions after his ship was attacked during the Seven Days War in the Middle East in 1967. McGonagle will be on hand, along with members of the Liberty Survivors Association.

HOLIDAY MAIL: Only first-class and priority mail can be assured of reaching international and military addresses by Christmas. Mail addressed to APO/AFO addresses should be mailed by Dec. 1. For ZIP Codes within the United States, priority mail should be sent by Dec. 5 and first class by Dec. 12. International air letters and cards should be sent by the following dates: Dec. 1 to Africa and Central/South America; Dec. 8 to Australia/New Zealand, the Caribbean, Europe, the Far East/Southeast Asia and the Middle East; Dec. 12 to Canada. International air parcel post should be sent by the following dates: Dec. 1 to Africa, Australia/New Zealand, Central and South America; Dec. 8 to the Caribbean, Europe, the Far East/Southeast Asia and the Middle East; Dec. 12 to Canada.

TOYS FOR TOTS: The Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program will sponsor the following events:

Sunday brunch at the Airport Hilton on Military Highway, Norfolk, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 14 and 21. Children eat free with donation of a new toy.

A classic car show from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 6 at McDonald's, corner of Victory Blvd. and George Washington Highway in Portsmouth, hosted by the Car Council of Hampton Roads. For more information, call 588-7576.

Bowling from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 6 at the bowling centers at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, Oceana Naval Air Station and Norfolk Naval Air Station. The cost is $10 plus a toy donation for four-person teams. Prizes will be awarded to the three highest scoring teams, and to the male and female with the highest game and highest series. For more information or to register, call 363-5743 or 363-5755.

NAVOSH MEETS: The sixth annual Navy Occupational Safety and Health Professional Development Conference will be held Dec. 1 through 5 at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott. It is open to all Navy safety managers, safety officers and industrial hygienists. The theme is ``Effective Communications.'' Sessions include ergonomics, leadership and core values in a downsizing Navy, outsourcing, and regionalization. The last two days of the conference are for professional development training seminars. Free shuttle service will be available, with pickup at 7 a.m. each day at Piers 5 and 6, and at 7:15 a.m. at Pier 11. Return shuttles will leave the Marriott at 5:30 p.m. with 5:50 p.m. dropoff at Piers 5 and 6 and 6 p.m. dropoff at Pier 11. On Dec. 4 and 5, shuttles will also leave the Marriott at 12:30 and 5:30 p.m., with dropoff at 12:50 and 5:50 p.m. To register, call Jim Denyes at 445-8778, ext. 327; DSN at 565-8778; or on the World Wide Web at www.norva.navy.mil/navosh/.

Comings and Goings

The destroyer Comte de Grasse was scheduled to return to Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth on Nov. 26 after completing UNITAS, an annual Navy exercise with South American navies. Other U.S. ships that participated were the dock landing ship Whidbey Island, based at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, and the frigate DeWert, based in Mayport, Fla. The Whidbey Island continued on to a training cruise off the coast of West Africa. The Comte de Grasse and its crew of 325 is commanded by Cmdr. Archer M. Macy Jr.

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