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Blackanthem Military News
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Feb 9, 2012 - 5:06:14 PM |
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177th Armored Brigade, Northrop Grumman team up to ride
By Sgt Belynda Faulkner 177th Armored Brigade and 1st. Lt. Tina Penick, 3-346th Regiment
Jun 24, 2010 - 7:54:31 PM
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Blackanthem Military News
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| Soldiers from the 177th Armored Brigade, Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, Camp Shelby, Miss., stage their motorcycles for inspection before participating in motorcycle mentorship ride on June 18 2010. The ride started at Camp Shelby, participates then rode to Pascagoula, Miss., where they were given a tour of the Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding facility. (US Army photo by 1LT Tina Penick) |
CAMP SHELBY, Miss. - Forty motorcycle riders from the 177th Armored Brigade, Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, Camp Shelby, Miss., participated in a motorcycle mentorship ride and tour of Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Pascagoula June 18.
Motorcycle mentorship rides are hosted to assist new riders in motorcycle safety and build the confidence of riders. The ride, coordinated by Capt. Donald Jay Young, 3-346th Regiment S-4, was conducted to teach riders the proper use of safety equipment and preventive maintenance checks on their motorcycles. Non-riding Soldiers and their families were invited to attend as well, and were bused to the shipyard. In all, nearly 100 people participated in the event.
Riders from the 177th Armored Brigade were not the only ones participating in the mentorship ride. Northrop Grumman employees Tim Farrell, vice president of LPD 17 (Landing Ship Transport Dock) program, and Bob Fraser, security manager, joined them along with police escorts from area police and sheriff departments.
Lt. Col. Anthony Scotto, 3-346th battalion commander, was pleased with his staff and the coordination of the event.
The staff coordinated with multiple organizations including the Navy, the State of Mississippi, county governments, the cities of Ocean Springs and Pascagoula, and Northrop Grumman. Once coordination was made with these organizations, they had to plan and execute the ride itself from transportation to communication to recovery and medical crews.
"Not only was this a lot of fun," he said. "It was a great opportunity to exercise my staff between training cycles."
But it was the skill of the motorcycle police officers that amazed family members who had never participated in a mentorship ride before.
"The police escort was amazing to watch," said Ashlee Penick, daughter of 1st Lt. Tina
Penick of the 3-346th Regiment, "I have never seen anything like that before, the way they would block traffic and keep the motorcycle riders safe, and then catch back up and take their place back in the formation."
Employees of Northrop Grumman Ship Systems held American flags and welcomed the group with applause as they rode in. The group was separated into three smaller groups as they were lead on a tour of the shipyard that included a bus tour to view the process of building a ship and a walking tour of the USS San Diego. Soldiers were presented with crew caps from the USS San Diego, and their families were given Northrop Grumman ball caps.
During the guided bus tour, the groups saw each stage of building a ship - from where flat sheet metal is brought into the yard to where it is welded into walls and floors and placed into the appropriate section of the ship being built.
Aboard the vessel participants were offered a final view of how the fabrications were fitted together to build the fourth USS San Diego in Naval history. Construction of this ship began July 31, 2006, and her christening was held June 12, 2010.
Employees left participants with an understanding of the amount of time, hard work and planning that goes in to building ships - ships that are designed to aid the military with fulfilling its mission.
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding President Mike Petters explained why the craftsmanship of each ship is important.
"One of the best things about a christening is the opportunity to showcase the outstanding craftsmanship and skills of our shipbuilders," he said. "They understand what it takes to build great ships. They also know that some of America's finest military men and women will depend on their work in the years to come."
Employees at the Northrop Grumman shipyard agreed.
"If I see something that's off I make corrections immediately," said Michael Lewis, Sr., a pipe insulator at Northrop Grumman. "I want to take the same pride in my job as the Sailors and Marines who'll serve on this ship to ensure they get the best piece of equipment they can."
The 177th Armored Brigade trains, coaches and mentors Soldiers, Airmen and Sailors in support of our nation's overseas contingency operations. The majority of the work at the 177th is with mobilized Army reserve component forces, although we also train active forces. Stationed at the Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center at Camp Shelby Miss., which is the largest most active mobilization training center in the U. S Army. The Spearhead Brigade has trained and mobilized over 55,000 soldiers since 2006.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| Soldiers from the 177th Armored Brigade, Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, Camp Shelby, Miss., park their bikes at the Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding facility, Pascagoula, Miss., during a motorcycle mentorship ride that took place on June 18 2010. (US Army photo by Sgt Belynda Faulkner) |
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| Officers from Pascagoula and Ocean Springs Police Department, Jackson County, George County and Perry County Sheriff's office, provided a police escort for the 177th Armored Brigade motorcycle mentorship ride that took place on June 18 2010. (US Army photo by 1LT Tina Penick) |
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