Proud member of the Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club 1968-1971

USS Oriskany CVA-34 "The Mighty O" / USS Ranger CVA-61

The Oriskany was the first warship slated to become an artificial reef, under authority granted by the fiscal 2004 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 108-136). Based on EPA's approval, after a public comment period, the ship was towed to Pensacola, FL in March 2006 for final preparations for sinking under a Navy contract.

A team of Navy personnel accomplished the sinking of the ship on May 17, 2006, supported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Escambia County Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Pensacola Police Department, and several sheriff departments of Escambia County and surrounding counties. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from Panama City, FL detonated C-4 explosive charges of approximately 500 total pounds net explosive weight, strategically placed on 22 sea connection pipes in various machinery spaces. Thirty seven minutes after detonation, the ship settled in 210 feet (65 m) of water in the Gulf of Mexico.

Citizen-Soldier Support Program

Our nation depends on citizen-soldiers to keep us safe and secure. They are "Always Ready – Always There" to defend and protect us. Our local communities need to be there to support these brave Americans and their families. We must rally local community agencies and organizations to address the needs of military members and families whenever they move through the deployment cycle—the time before, during, and after a service member’s mobilization and deployment.

Local communities want to help military families and need guidance on how to accomplish this effectively. Citizen-soldier families need information about local services and how to access them. To build bridges between local community resources and military families, Congress established the National Demonstration Program for Citizen-Soldier Support in 2005. Spearheaded by the Odum Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Citizen-Soldier Support Program (CSSP) focuses specifically on the needs of National Guard and other reserve component members and families.

If you have any questions about the Citizen-Soldier Support Program please call 919-966-2450

Viet Nam Veterans Against John McCain

Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ.
My ego is no longer central.
It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion,
and I am no longer driven to impress God.
Christ lives in me.
The life you see me living is not "mine,"
but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
I am not going to go back on that.
Galatians 2:20 (my life verse)