April visiting my parents in San the US Naval Academy ...ftlnavyleague.org/uploads/Navy_League_News_1304.pdf · in comparison to the day-to-day business challenges of keeping afloat

Vol.41 Issue 48 April 2013

ship. The day we saw Ashley, she had been in town

for less than 24 hours and she had already pur-

chased a car and rented an apartment! Until her

apartment is ready, she was staying with former Sea

Cadet Eric Balcunas, who is currently serving as an

officer in the Coast Guard in San Diego. What a

small world!

I spent the first week in

April visiting my parents in San

Diego. While I was there I

caught up with several young

naval officers with close ties to

our Council. On Wednesday

evening, we had the pleasure of

dining with ENS Jeff Brauser,

USN, son of Council members

Jacquie and Bob Brauser. Jeff is a 2011 graduate of

the US Naval Academy stationed in San Diego

aboard the USS Russell. He was recently deployed

aboard the USS Halsey where he was in charge of

fire fighting and damage control. His crew was re-

cently switched from the Halsey (DDG 97) to the

Russell (DDG 59). He is currently working with his

team to repair and refurbish the USS Russell. Jeff re-

cently earned his Surface Warfare Officer pin, and

we are so proud of him!

Later in the week, we had dinner with former

Sea Cadet Ashley Diener, daughter of Sea Cadet Of-

ficer Tim Diener. After graduating from Florida Gulf

Coast University, Ashley attended Officer Candidate

School in Newport Rhode Island, graduating as an

Ensign last month. She just moved to San Diego

where she will be serving on board the USS Makin

Island (LHD-8), a Wasp-class amphibious assault

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Guest Speaker April Meeting Denise Johnston . . Page 3

Visit Our New Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3

Resolve Marine Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4-7

View From the Bridge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8

Sea Cadet of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9

Guest Speaker March Meeting LT Frith, USN. . . . . Page 10

Weapons Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11-12

Social Night Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 13

Lunch with Mack & Joyce Madzinski . . . . . . Page 14

Sea Cadet Inspection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15

Community Affiliates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 16

Lynn Drucker, Rita Atkinson, ENS Ashley Diener, USN

David Drucker, Jeff Brauser, Lynn Drucker

continued on page 2

NAVY LEAGUE NEWS – 2

We spent the weekend in San Diego Wine Country! We at-

tended the wedding of another former Spruance Division Sea

Cadet and daughter of Council members Jesse and Claudia

Vance, LTJG Jessica Vance, USN. Jessica married LTJG Tim

Cline, USN. Both Jessica and Tim graduated from the USNA

in 2010. Jessica is currently stationed in San Diego where she

flies MH-60S helicopters. Tim is a Naval Flight Officer sta-

tioned at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington where he flies P-

3C Orions.

What a fabulous weekend, planned meticulously by Jes-

sica’s sister Laura and mother Claudia! The night before the

wedding, they

rented the en-

tire Monte De

Oro Winery for

a welcome

party and wine

tasting. It was

a thrill to meet

so many young

sailors, marines

and pilots, in

addition to catching up with Jessica and her family, and some Pine

Crest classmates. The wedding was Saturday at a lovely outdoor

venue called Los Willows, and Jessica was an absolutely stunning

bride. Everything was perfect, from the flowers to the adorable

young ring bearer. Dancing and a delicious dinner followed, and

we were seated with

several USNA Grads,

one of whom, it

turned out, had

trained my son Adam

when he was a plebe.

Wow, the Navy really

is a small family! During one dance, the DJ asked all of the married

couples to come out on the dance floor. After a few minutes, he told

all couples who had been married less than 4 hours (i.e. Jessica and

Tim) to leave the floor, a few minutes later, anyone married less than

5 years was excused, then 10 years, and so forth, until the only couple

left on the dance floor was my parents, Richard and Rita Atkinson,

who have been married more than 60 years! It was a wonderful

evening! For more information, check out www.clineandvance.our-

wedding.com. We are so happy for Jessica and Tim, and we wish

them a lifetime of happiness, fair winds and following seas!

Lynn Drucker

President, Fort Lauderdale Council NLUS

Mr. & Mrs. Tim Cline

continued from page 1

Jessica and her father,

Jesse Vance

Rita & Richard Atkinson

GUEST SPEAKER FOR OUR APRIL 17TH DINNER MEETING

DENISE JOHNSTON - RESOLVE MARINE GROUP


Denise has over 30 years of experience in the maritime industry with a B.S. inBusiness Management. Denise is currently the Director of Resolve MaritimeAcademy, the training arm of Resolve Marine Group. As Director, she has overallresponsibility for the Fire & Safety Group which specializes in shipboard fire,safety and hazardous materials response training for the global maritime industry.In 2011, she assumed additional responsibility for oversight of the Academy’s new7,000 square foot Simulation Training Center where state-of-the-art, simulator-based navigational safety training is provided to cruise line and commercial ship-ping companies.

Since joining Resolve in 2003, Denise has been responsible for pursuit ofU.S. government contracts including oversight for bidding and management ofcontracts for dismantling and/or reefing government vessels including the 900’ex-USS Oriskany aircraft carrier, still the world’s largest artificial reef. She also

serves as Resolve’s Director of Administration, with company management responsibilities and oversight ofadministrative policies and procedures.

Prior to joining Resolve Marine Group, Denise was employed by Cliff Berry, Inc. as Manager of GovernmentContracts.

Prior to joining CBI, Denise served as the Sr. Vice President of the Marine Division of MAR, Inc., a large gov-ernment contractor. In that capacity, she managed more than one hundred project managers, engineers, techni-cians, seamen and administrative staffers, in support of multiple ship and facility operation and maintenancecontracts for the U.S. Navy, other federal agencies and prime contractors. She served 23 years with MAR, Inc. in-cluding 5 years on the Board of Directors.

Memberships include the Port Everglades Association, WISTA, Broward Navy Days and CommissioningCommittees for the USS Jason Dunham; USCGC Richard Etheridge. Volunteer work includes Seafarers’ House andHabitat for Humanity.

PLEASE VISIT THE NEW FT. LAUDERDALE COUNCIL WEBSITE

RESOLVE MARINE GROUP


Reprinted from the NOVEMBER 2009 Edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News

Joe Farrell is Resolved to

Leave the World a Better Place

Resolve MarineGroup, Inc. recentlybegan recovery work on the iron orecarrying vessel Black Rose whichsank last month in the Bay of Bengal,India. Resolve’s team was awardedthe tender by the Paradip Port Trustand will be pumping some 925 tonsof fuel oil and 50 tons of diesel oil

By Greg TrauthweinFor a man who has honed his craft deep underwater, Joseph Farrell,

Jr., founder and president of Resolve Marine, gives plenty of creditto the heavens above. Anyone working in, around and under thewater has had their fair share of close calls, and Farrell is no excep-tion. Make no mistake, Farrell does not take unnecessary risks,ensuring his workers are trained thoroughly and his jobs plannedmeticulously.

“When you go out there, there is no ‘cowboy’ … you have to knowexactly what you have and how you are going to handle it,” Farrellsaid. He takes pride in the fact that his company has never lost aworker on the job since its inception in 1980. However, even the best-laid plans sometimes go awry, and Farrell credits a higher authorityand his deep faith in the fact that he has survived and prospered in thebusiness of maritime salvage and recovery. Ultimately, he createdand to this day runs his company with the simple philosophy to“Leave the world a better place.”

But the potential dangers lurking in every recovery effort often palein comparison to the day-to-day business challenges of keepingafloat a company that is financially dependent on the unpredictable

nature of accidents and recovery. To this end, Farrell and his team areembarked on a rebranding mission that repositions Resolve Marinefor growth today and tomorrow, with a focus on three core areas ofbusiness:• Resolve Salvage and Firefighting Response• Resolve Maritime Training Academy, and• Resolve Marine Services

“We sort of outgrew our roots,” said Farrell, during a recent inter-view in his Ft. Lauderdale office. “It is not enough to sustain an entirecompany (on the marine salvage business alone in America) and wewere solely focused on the U.S. Most other (salvage companies) arenot diversified, they’re just waiting for another accident to happen.”

The rebranding is far more than skin deep – designed foremost toensure the company’s viability in good times and bad – with the repo-sitioning of the three brands under their new corporate identities. Inthe new order, for example, Resolve Salvage and FirefightingTraining will not only maintain its position as a salvage companyoffering FiFi training, but it expands its focus worldwide.

The firefighting training portion of the Resolve program holds spe-cial meaning for Farrell, as he views it as not only a static training

continued on page 5



and education location, but a real contributionto the health and well being of the people putin demanding situations. The DNV-approvedtraining facility is physically located within theconfines of , and is apopular educational stop for the local cruiseindustry, the port as well as Resolve’s ownemployees. In addition, the company sends out‘strike teams’ to work onboard new cruiseships to train crews globally. Since its incep-tion, the school has trained more than 16,000mariners. The Joshua James Response Centerat the school is Farrell’s salute to the UnitedStates Coast Guard, as Captain Joshua James,who served for nearly 60 years patrolling the shores of Hull, partic-ipated in his first rescue at age 15, and is credited with saving morethan 600 people and is touted as the world’s most celebrated life-saver, according his biography on www.uscg.mil.

Even bigger plans are in store for the Resolve Maritime Academy,

as the company is currently scouting a newlocale in Ft. Lauderdale – a space of at least7,000 sq. ft. – that will house its training insti-tution, as well as its planned new maritimecruise and vessel bridge simulators, in additionto hotel facilities for the crew.

New ChallengesWhile time will tell how Farrell and compa-

ny handle the challenges of repositioning thecompany for future growth, adversity is cer-tainly no stranger to Farrell, or for that matter,most any salvor. In a business where no twojobs look the same and solutions are often fluid

and evolving with the job; and where the situation and the salvagecompany are often under the harsh glare of the media microscope,the global salvage industry has faced its fair share of challenges.Farrell views the Valdes accident, and specifically the hands-on rolethe U.S. government took with casualties after the Valdes accident,

Insights from Joe Farrell, Jr.the founder and president of Resolve Marine

What have been the greatest technical innovations that have affected yourbusiness?The simple things, like handheld depth finders as big as a flashlight. Also, the factthat there are far more aircraft today to move equipment around much more quick-ly and efficiently. Finally, the working relationship between the government and thesalvage industry is much better today than it ever was.

What makes Resolve Marine unique in the marine salvage space?Several things. First, we design and build much of our own equipment. For exam-ple, over there is the Augmented Reality Trainer (ART) Unit. It looks like a stan-dard truck container, but really a high-tech mobile unit above to simulate fire or anenvironmental spill. ART represents a fundamental change in the nature of trainingfor firefighters and first responders, permitting realistic training to be conductedwhere emergencies actually happen. We also are unique in that we offer a DNV-Approved firefighting training program for our own use, as well as to provide train-ing for the marine industry. Located in the Port of Ft. Lauderdale, it is a populareducational facility for the local cruise industry, as well as port employees.

How did you get into the salvage business?I really got into the business backward. In the late 1970s, I was a chief engineer onan ocean tug, and I arranged to use it to conduct a salvage operation off of St.Maarten. I used the proceeds from the second salvage job to buy that boat. Our ini-tial efforts were in the upper Caribbean islands, where Resolve tackled scores ofchallenging salvage and wreck removal operations.

How did you come to name the company Resolve Marine?It was simple really. In 1980 (when the company was formed), I sat down and though about what I wanted to do in life, and I RESOLVEDto do it.

The Joshua JamesResponse Center is thecenter of Resolve’s fire-fighting training facility.Captain Joshua James,who served for nearly 60 yearspatrolling the shores of Hull, partici-pated in his first rescue at age 15,and is credited with saving morethan 600 people and is touted asthe world’s most celebrated life-saver, according his biography onwww.uscg.mil. (Photo: www.uscg.mil)

continued on page 6




ABOVE: Resolve Marine is unique in that it is a salvage company with its own DNV-approved firefighting training school, a populareducational stop for the local cruise industry, the port and Resolve’s own employees. In addition, the company sends out ‘striketeams’ to work onboard new cruise ships to train crews globally. Since its inception, the school has trained more than 16,000mariners.

BELOW: Joe Farrell helping to resuce one of his salvage techs who was struck by a falling object.

continued on page 7




as one of the watershed events in his career. According to Farrell,when the government got hands-on with casualties, it immediatelyand radically changed the role of the salvor, as both the quantity andrigor of rules and regulations rose sharply, and in addition there werenow many more opinions to consider.

The event was pivotal, and Farrell weighed the pros and cons ofstaying in the business for the long haul. “When the government gotinvolved – and believe me, it is for the benefit now – it was a majorstumbling block from a procedural standpoint,” he said.

But the decision was made to stay, and stay and prosper Farrell andResolve Marine did. He specifically sought to add new hires to thestaff that were onboard the Resolve team to specifically ensure thatthe company kept in abreast of and in compliance with evolving gov-ernment rules and regulations, and today the company sits as a leaderin salvage and training technology and technique.

The enactment of OPA-90 also made it clear to Farrell that respon-ders to oil tanker casualty response may be confronted with fightinga shipboard fire, and this led directly to the company’s creation of in-house firefighting strike teams and its ubiquitous firefighting educa-tion and training center.

Fuel Removal from Capsized Vessel Salvage crews from Resolve MarineGroup, Inc. have begun recov-

ery work this week on the iron ore carrying vessel Black Rose whichsank last month in the Bay of Bengal, India. Resolve’s team wasawarded the tender by the Paradip Port Trust and will be pumpingsome 925 tons of fuel oil and 50 tons of diesel oil, as reported by offi-cials, from the stricken ship which sank with the loss of one life 5kmoff the Paradip coastline on September 9, 2009.

The accident spot is close to the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary, oneof the world’s few remaining nesting sites for the endangered OliveRidley sea turtles. The Mongolian flagged vessel was carrying about25,000 tons of iron ore fines as well as 975 tons of fuel oil and dieseloil, which is believed to be secure within a double bottom tank.Resolve has dispatched a team of seven personnel to complete thetask and will utilize local dive resources when possible. The teamarrived last week and is already well underway as of this week. Thisteam consists of a select group of salvage masters, engineers, andcommercial divers who were chosen for their familiarity with thisenvironmentally delicate project. Furthermore, due to the environ-mentally sensitive nature of this project, the proximity to the naturepreserve, and the highly flammable contents being removed, Resolveis doing everything in its power to assure that proper precautions aretaken. The most environmentally friendly & proven techniques arebeing utilized and the pollutants will be removed in the most expedi-tious timeframe possible. Resolve anticipates that the project will lastapproximately four to six weeks barring any unforeseen setbacks.Resolve’s project scope entails the removal of the fuel oil and dieseloil from the vessels tanks only. The capsized condition of the vesseland the remaining 25,000 tons of iron ore prevent the vessel frombeing refloated and will be treated as a wreck removal. The wreckremoval will be a separate project that Resolve hopes to be taskedwith given their familiarity with this project thus far.

Resolve Marine Timeline

1980Company formed by Joseph E. Farrell Jr., focusing initial efforts onthe upper Caribbean Islands.

1988Hired to consecutively refloat four deep-draft vessels which were driv-en aground by a hurricane.

Early 90’s to presentExpanded client base by providing emergency response services tooil and chemical tankers regulated under OPA-90.

1994-2009Resolve Fire & Hazard Response, Inc. was created to operate a ship-board firefighting training facility in the heart of Port Everglades

June 2002 LSD SPIEGEL GROVE -Key Largo, FL; Artificial Reefing - Ex US Navyvessel capsized while being sunk for an artificial reef off Key Largo,Florida. RESOLVE mobilized salvage team, salvage vessel and equip-ment. By inducing 2,500 tons of air into the port side of the vessel,attaching 500 tons of airlift bags and by using 2 tugs RESOLVE wasable to successfully sink the vessel onto her starboard side.

May 2006 Corpus Christi, Texas; Reefing - a 90' decommissioned US NavyEssex Class aircraft carrier. RESOLVE along with a partner company,accomplished the complete remediation of the vessel using a staff ofover 150 personnel. Work included accessing and cleaning over 500tanks and the removal of a large quantity and variety of hazardousmaterials including lead paint, PCB's asbestos, etc. The RESOLVEteam towed the carrier to Pensacola, Florida where final preparationswere made by RESOLVE to sink the vessel off of Pensacola. Ex-Oriskany became an artificial reef on May 17, 2006.

2009Resolve rebrands, repositions for the future, focused on three majorareas: Resolve Salvage and Firefighting Response; Resolve MaritimeTraining Academy; and Resolve Marine Services.

Resolve Marine Groupwww.resolvemarine.com

Resolve Salvage & Fire www.resolvesalvage.com

Resolve Marine Serviceswww.resolveservices.com

Resolve Maritime Academy www.resolveacademy.com



VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE

March, 2013

The Unit participated in the Annual Marine Industries Association Waterway Clean Up. The Cadets were

assigned to clean the beaches and mangroves of John U Lloyd State Park. Ranger Carmen told us that our Cadets

had picked up the most trash of any group working in the Park! The Cadets were divided up into several working

groups and also worked at Derecktor Boat Yard, and Rolly Marine Boat Yard.

Flagship Training was held at the Fort Lauderdale Coast Guard Station, and all of the Cadets were given the

Physical Training (PT) Test to assess their abilities. Several Cadets under the supervision of LTJG Randy Bieszczak

and Instructor Serko worked on our 26 foot Motor Whaleboat and Rhib Boat.

The Unit held our Annual Personnel Inspection on March 23, at our Unit HQ. CDR Kurt Kyle USN, X. O. of

Navy Recruiting District Miami, was the senior inspector, for the Spruance Division, and CDR Andy Delgado

USCG, X.O. of the Coast Guard Air Station Miami, was the senior Inspector for the Radford Division, League

Cadets. CDR Kyle and CDR Delgado participated in awards and promotions for the Cadets. They also presented

the Meritorious Unit Commendation awarded to both Spruance Division and Radford Division by National Sea

Cadet Headquarters.

We ended the month with a gun safety lecture, provided by one of our Cadet parents, who is a Federal Air

Marshall. A Concealed Weapons class was also held for the parents and Staff.

We are proud to report that PO2 Gabe Rodriguez was awarded the full Marine Corps/Navy ROTC Scholar-

ship, worth approximately $180,000.00.

Respectfully submitted:

LCDR Alan Starr, NSCC,

Commanding Officer

Navy League of the United States, Fort Lauderdale Council

April Birthdays

Brian Leary 4/7

Jacqueline Parnell 4/8

Andrew Scheer 4/18

Pauline Fitzpatrick 4/23

Suzanne Maas 4/24

Oscar Romano 4/25


SEA CADET OF THE MONTH JACOB WALLACE

SPRUANCE DIVISION PETTY OFFICER SECOND CLASS

I joined the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps as a league cadet when I was 11 years old. As a LeagueCadet, I attended several trainings including Orientation, Marksmanship, Master-At-Arms and Urban Wilderness& Survival.

When I turned 13, I was promoted to Sea Cadet. I attended Recruit Training (RT) in Belle Glade, FL in thesummer of 2011. After successfully graduating in the honor company at RT, I went on to attend several advancedtrainings. I attended Marksmanship Training in Camp Ripley, MN, Petty Officer Leadership Academy in Mar-sailles, IL, Ceremonial Honor Guard in Melbourne, FL and Survival, Evasion, Resistance Escape (SERE) Trainingin Fort Jackson, SC. My favorite training so far has been SERE training.

I am currently a USNSCC Petty Officer Second Class and the color guard commander for the Spruance Divi-sion. I have participated in the commissioning ceremonies for the USS Jason Dunham, the USS Spruance andthe USCGC Etheridge.

I have been awarded the following Sea Cadet ribbons: USNSCC Citation, Unit Commendation, AcademicAchievement, Community Service, Recruiting, Color Guard, Marksmanship with Expert in both Pistol and Rifle,Physical Fitness, and League Cadet Service Ribbon. I was also awarded the Vietnam Veterans of America Cer-tificate of Achievement.

I am a freshman at Hollywood Hills High Military Academy where I am enrolled in all AP and Honorscourses. I have a current GPA of 4.7. I am a part of the drill team and led our cadets to win their first trophy inthe Broward County New Cadet Squad Precision Drill competition. I am also a member of the Military Academy’scolor guard. I am a member of the Hollywood Hills High Marching band where I play the trumpet and baritone.I also play the guitar.

Some of my hobbies include hunting, sketching, graphic art, writing lyrics & music, poetry, scuba diving andcrafts (origami, paracord creations, whittling).

The Sea Cadets has taught me respect, discipline, devotion, loyalty, self-less service and teamwork. I lookforward to continuing with the Sea Cadet program throughout high school and accomplishing my goal of ob-taining the highest Sea Cadet rank, Chief Petty Officer.


NAVY WOUNDED WARIOR - SAFE HARBORLIEUTENANT CHET FRITH, USN

By Oscar Romano

Almost a year after we met LT Frith for the first time during Fleet Week 2012,we had the honor of having him back as our guest speaker during the March Coun-cil dinner.

LT Frith is in charge of the NavyWounded Warrior – Safe Harbor, aDepartment of the US Navy, for thesoutheast region of the US (Al-abama, Florida, Georgia and Missis-sippi). He is based at the NavalMedical Center Jacksonville.

The program provides Sailorsand Coast Guardsmen, as wellas their families, with non-medicalcare while they are recovering fromserious illness or injury. Non-med-ical Care Managers tailor support toeach enrolled service member’s re-

covery, rehabilitation, and reintegration needs. The program allows servicemembers and their families to focus on recovery without distractions.

LT Frith was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after hisdeployments to Iraq, where he sustained injuries from an IED. He came toour dinner with his Service Dog, Gunner, a 3 year-old Golden Retriever.Service dogs are part of the program to provide transitional assistance to wounded and disabled Sailors and CoastGuardsmen, as well as to their families.

Gunner was not wearing his “on duty” service vest and Chet explained to usthat he wanted the dog to feel free to interact and play with the guests at the din-ner.

A silent and attentive audience listened tothe vivid counts of LT Frith’s experiences dur-ing his deployment to Iraq, and how he feltwhen he first came home. During the speech,Gunner was laying down close to LT Frith. Atone point during the speech, the dog stood upand went to stand by the Lieutenant’s side,seeming to sense that Chet needed his reassur-ance during his emotional remarks.

The work of the Navy Wounded Warrior –Safe Harbor program is vital to the reintegra-tion of injured Sailors and Coast Guardsmenback into the civilian life. But, their resourcesare very limited. LT Frith is the only person-nel assigned to cover the southeast region ofthe US.

During the question and answer pe-riod after the presentation, many of thosein the audience agreed that we shouldstart working at the Council level and with

other organizations to help provide support for any cases that we may havein our area. For any inquiry on how to help, the contact information is listedbelow:

Navy Wounded Warrior – Safe Harbor701 S. Courthouse Road, 3R215Arlington, VA 22204Phone: 1-855-628-9997Email: [email protected]: http://safeharbor.navylive.dodlive.mil

Sea Cadets Nico Skinner & Cian Campbell

with Gunner

Even service dogs get thirsty!

LT Frith, Lynn Drucker and Gunner

Oscar Ramano, LT Frith and Gunner

Gunner


WEAPONS SAFETY CLASS TEACHES SPRUANCE CADETSAND ADULTS “SAFETY FIRST”

With all the debate around the country about gun control and the tragedies in Colorado and Connecticut, it

was very timely that the Spruance Division held a weapons safety class for the cadets on a recent Saturday morn-

ing. Hosted by William Beller from the US Depart-

ment of Homeland Security and attended by more

than 60 Sea Cadets and League Cadets, the mes-

sage was always, “Safety First.”

Mr. Beller began by asking the cadets what

they would do if they ever found a gun, and the

cadets had all the right answers right from the be-

ginning: “Call the police”, “Tell an adult”, and

“Don’t touch it” were frequent responses. He

made a point of showing everyone that each

firearm he had brought to demonstrate was un-

loaded and safe, and showed everyone how they

can tell for themselves if a firearm was safe or not.

And he had a lot of firearms, and knives as well,

all of which were concealed on his person at the

same time. It was amazing how well armed he

was and how difficult it was to tell to the un-

trained eye.

After wowing the cadets with his concealed

personal arsenal, Mr. Beller turned the floor over

to Mr. Stewart Houston, also from the Department of Homeland Security and former member of the US Army

EOD. Mr. Stewart came to show the cadets some improvised explosive devices, and thoroughly impressed the

cadets, parents, and division staff with his inert examples of a greeting card bomb, a radio bomb like the one used

on Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, and an IED

limpet mine used to attack ships in a harbor, just to name a

few. He explained that the hardest part of his job was stay-

ing one step ahead of the bomb makers, because the type of

bomb that can be made is limited only by the bomb maker’s

imagination.

The highlight of Mr. Stewart’s presentation, however,

was the deactivated Strela-3 heat-seeking missile launcher

that he passed around the room for the Cadets to hold.

There wasn’t a cadet in the room who has played Call of

Duty that didn’t know exactly what they were holding, and

cool factor was off the charts! Even XO Jorge Perez took a

turn holding the Strela-3!

When Mr. Beller concluded his discussion, all the cadets

got a chance to line up and handle the weapons themselves,

(very closely supervised by Gunny Sanchez, Mr. Beller, and

Mr. Stewart) and to see exactly how to tell if each different

type of firearm is unloaded and safe. There were several

semi-auto handguns, two revolvers, a 12-gauge pump ac-

continued on page 12

National Rifle Association Instructor William Beller

Transportation Security Administration Bomb Appraisal

Officer Stewart Houston

NAVY LEAGUE NEWS – 8NAVY LEAGUE NEWS – 12

tion shotgun, and a semi-auto rifle, along with sev-

eral knives and non-lethal weapons. Some of the

weapons were easily as big as some of the cadets

who were trying to hold them.

When the cadets were done, they were dis-

missed outside and Mr. Beller continued with the

Concealed Carry Permit training for the 9 adults

who attended the class. Composed of Spruance di-

vision staff members and cadet parents, the small

class was the perfect way to be brought up to speed

on the State of Florida’s concealed carry laws and

regulations, and to discuss common sense gun

safety and the responsibilities of owning and carry-

ing a firearm. An hour or so later it was time for

lunch, and then it was range time!

Everyone carpooled to Bill Boyd’s Bait, Tackle,

and Gun Range. We were met there by one of the

range officers who spent about 15 minutes dis-

cussing safety procedures and passing out hearing

and eye protection, while Mr. Beller got the

weapons ready to shoot. The range itself was small

and we could only fit 5 adults at a time with two

shooters, so we had to shoot in 2 shifts. Mr. Beller

and the range officer patiently stepped each shooter

through the process of loading the magazine, in-

serting it into the weapon, and firing five shots in

each of the two different guns. It took about 10 min-

utes per shooter to go through the loading and

shooting process, and in no time at all we had all

fired more than our required rounds to meet

the CCP training requirements. Everyone

did a great job, and we left with all of our

body parts intact, feeling confident that we

can handle and fire a weapon safely.

With the hard part of the training behind

us, all that remains now is to make an ap-

pointment at the state licensing office and get

fingerprinted, and receive the Concealed

Carry Permit.


A cache of concealed weapons

LT Jorge Perez with missile launcher

Lynn Drucker practices with a hand gun


OUR MONTHLY SOCIAL NIGHT OUTBy Simone Ramos

Third Vice President

Once a month we gather for our social night out at the

beautiful Coral Ridge Yacht Club to enjoy a delicious dinner

buffet and be surrounded by amazing people from the Navy

League, friends and guests. However, this is not where it

ends. In addition to that, every month we have an excellent

guest speaker that enlightens the entire evening, giving us

insight into today´s advanced and courageous military

world as well as the challenges our troops are dealing with.

Last month we were honored with the presence of LT

Chet Frith, USN. We learned about the challenges he is fac-

ing in trying to overcome his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

which he suffers as a result his deployments during his navy

career. He was accompanied by his service dog Gunner, who

became his best friend and helped him cope with the

wounds that were caused by his heroic actions while de-

ployed. I personally feel it is very important to be educated

and have knowledge of what our troops must encounter,

not only while they are deployed but also long after they

come home. LT Frith gave us a good understanding of what

it is like to serve this country with pride and to be willing

to overcome the challenges after returning from combat zones. It took a great deal of courage to stand in front of

a crowd and talk about those personal distresses.

It is so important that we show our support of our service men and women by attending our monthly dinner

meeting, where we pay respect to our military, in addition to enjoying and evening of fun and laughter accom-

panied by food, wine and desserts.

In addition to that, the best of all is that we have our Sea Cadets presenting the colors and we have started to

engage our cadets even more going forward by having a ¨Sea Cadet of the Month¨ speaker. Yes! The Sea Cadet

of the Month presents you with his experience and time he had in the division and will not be shy to let you

know how much he appreciates you and your support! CDR Alan Starr is present at the monthly dinners to give

us updates on our fine young boys and girls that are our ¨Next Generation¨. Please make an effort to be part of

our monthly social night out at the Coral Ridge Yacht Club and see first hand the honor, courage and commitment

that is instilled in our Sea Cadets. Please see the article from Navy Recruiting District Miami about our recent

personnel inspection at Sea Cadet Headquarters.

We are proud to sponsor and support our next generation. Our Sea Cadets are becoming the leaders of the

future, thanks to Commander Alan Starr and his staff. I encourage all Council members and Sea Cadets parents

to attend our dinner meetings. Show your pride in being part of a great organization and a enjoy great night

out!


LUNCH WITH MACK AND JOYCE MADZINSKIBy Lynn Drucker

Photos by Oscar Ramano

Our good friends and former Council Members Mack and Joyce Madzinski were in town briefly last month prior toembarking on a cruise out of Port Everglades. We met for lunch at the lovely Pelican Landing on the docks at Hyatt Re-gency Pier 66 with views of the Intracoastal Waterway and several spectacular yachts. It was great to catch up withMack and Joyce, and we heard about their new life in Asheville, North Carolina. They are very happy there, thoughthey miss their Fort Lauderdale friends. I dropped them off at Port Everglades at the Holland American Line Terminal,and they were eagerly anticipating their cruise. It was great to see them, and they send their regards to all of our Councilmembers.

Joyce Madzinski, Lynn Drucker, Alicia Romano,

Mack Madzinski, Louise & Rudy Oetting

Mack Madzinski, Oscar Romano, & Rudy Oetting

Joyce Madzinski, Lynn Drucker, Oscar Romano, Mack Madzinski, Rudy Oetting, Alicia Romano & Louise Oetting


CDR KYLE HOSTS REGIONAL SEA CADET INSPECTION

NRD Miami’s XO, CDR Kurt Kyle hosts Team Spruance’s Sea Cadets uniform inspection. Team Spruance re-

ceives the unit’s primary support from the generosity and hard work of the board of directors, officers, and mem-

bership of the Navy League of the United States Fort Lauderdale Council. Sea Cadet’s purpose is to build

character, core values of respect, team work, self-confidence, leadership, and most important of all to make the

right choices in life that will guarantee each of them success

CDR Delgado, LCDR Starr & CDR Kyle CDR Kyle & Sea Cadet Rachelle Serrano

CDR Kyle, CDR Delgado & LCDR Starr Personnel Inspection

Cadet Rachelle Serrano

NEXT GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGWednesday, April 17th, 2013

Coral Ridge Yacht Club6-7PM Cocktails • 7-9 PM Dinner

Guest Speaker

Denise JohnstonResolve Marine

RSVP Required!

Call 954-565-6778 no later than noon, Monday prior to the meeting.

Wednesday, May 1st, 2013 at 3:30 PM

SEA CADET HEADQUARTERSLocated at:

300 S.W. 25th Street • Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315

Fort Lauderdale Council2013 OFFICERS

President: Lynn A. Drucker1st Vice President: Oscar Romano2nd Vice President: Abiud Montes3rd Vice President: Simone RamosSecretary: Elaine M. HoggTreasurer: Harvey KovacAsst. Treasurer: Rosemarie DezoltJudge Advocate: Capt. Edward R. FinkAsst. Judge Advocate: Richard Chosid

EDITORIAL STAFF

Lynn Drucker

Rudy Oetting

Oscar Romano

Chuck Black

Jim Black

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

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FORT LAUDERDALE COUNCIL COMMUNITY AFFILIATES

5700 Griffin Road, Suite 200Davie, Florida 33314

Main Line: 954.797.0410Cell: 954.658.7128Direct Fax: [email protected]

www.PirtleConstruction.com

Offices located in Broward, Dade & Palm Beach

CGC 001110

Gary Pirtle, LEEDAPAssistantVice President

visit us on the web at www.flnavyleague.org

Documents

April visiting my parents in San the US Naval Academy ...ftlnavyleague.org/uploads/Navy_League_News_1304.pdf · in comparison to the day-to-day business challenges of keeping afloat