Blount Island marks Navy birthday with stories of continued service
On the command quarterdeck, the observance opened with Sailors taking turns reading the Navy birthday message. The gathering marked the anniversary of the Navy’s founding Oct. 13, 1775. This year’s theme was “Unwavering Vigilance, Unmatched Lethality.”
The celebration connected naval heritage to today’s workforce, recognizing active-duty service and the experience veterans carry into civilian and contractor careers.
Fewer than 100 active-duty service members assigned to Blount Island Command work alongside a much larger civilian and contractor workforce supporting both the command and its host installation.
The workforce combines military leadership with civilian and contractor expertise to enable the command to maintain, modernize and distribute forward-positioned, service-managed, ready-for-issue equipment and supplies.
Paul Nagy, a contracted Navy integration manager supporting Marine Corps prepositioning programs, recognized Sailors and Marines standing watch worldwide, then emphasized the civilian and contractor expertise that sustains their vigilance. He retired in 2018 as a Navy commander with 30 years of service.
“The active-duty force cannot remain vigilant without your continuity, expertise and the innovation you provide,” Nagy said, citing work on communications networks, logistics, Navy watercraft and Marine Corps equipment.
Jackie Jarrett, the command’s deputy comptroller, described 28 years of naval and civilian service. She served 12 years on active duty in the Navy, including with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and reached petty officer first class before continuing her service as a Marine Corps civilian in 2010.
She credited the Navy with “the lessons, the discipline, the friendships and the values that helped shape the person and leader I am today,” then led Sailors in reciting the Navy’s core values: honor, courage and commitment.
U.S. Marine Corps Col. David Merles, commanding officer of Blount Island Command, highlighted Sailors’ work to strengthen medical supply accountability by using a new stock locator system and inventorying medical kits in Norway. He also recognized a retired Navy chief warrant officer who returned as a contractor to train Sailors on ship-to-shore missions he once performed in uniform.
Merles said stories from his uncle’s naval service helped inspire him to enlist in the Marine Corps.
“I take a lot of pride in the fact that I serve alongside the world’s greatest navy,” he said.
Merles cut the birthday cake, serving the first pieces to Nagy, the oldest Sailor present, and Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Jake Rivera, the youngest. Rivera serves as a quality assurance representative with the command’s medical materiel management branch.
Earlier, the medical materiel management team led Sailors and Marines, including Merles, on a 2.2-mile command run.
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