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50 New Citizens Celebrated at USS Little Rock

June 30, 2016/in News/by admin

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) – Standing on the USS Little Rock on a sunny Thursday morning, fifty Western New Yorkers pledged their allegiance to the American flag.

The naturalization ceremony was held in honor of Independence Day, as the U.S. marks the 240th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

“I am so happy to be American. It’s my dream,” new citizen Muhammad Aluess said after the ceremony.

Read the full article here.

From wkbw.com

Written by Ashley Rowe

8:48 PM, Jun 30, 2016

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Join Us For Our 2016 Party in The Park

June 29, 2016/in News/by admin

ALL HANDS ON DECK for our VETERANS!

Come aboard on August 9th from 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM for our annual fundraiser and support your Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park. The event will feature delicious food and refreshments, an auction/raffle and live music by The Theresa Quinn Sextet. Docent-led tours can show you around the ship as well.

This event is co-sponsored by the Naval & Military Park in-conjunction with the Rotary Club of Buffalo. 

For Tickets: Call 716-847-1773, ext 15
You can also purchase tickets at the Naval Park Gift Shop in the Museum or buy online: purchase here.

buffalo-rotary-logo

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Naval & Military Park Marks Flag Day, 1812 Peace Garden, Army's Birthday

June 14, 2016/in News/by admin

While Western New Yorkers are marking Flag Day, there were three special occasions marked Tuesday morning at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park, including the dedication of a garden celebrating two centuries of friendship with America’s northern neighbor.

Read the full article here.

From news.wbfo.org

Written by Michael Mroziak

June 14, 2016

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The "I Pledge Allegiance" Challenge Becomes Patriotic Gesture

June 13, 2016/in News/by admin

The “I Pledge Allegiance” Challenge Becomes Patriotic Gesture

On June 11th, The Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park held a very successful event that was patriotic too. The “I Pledge Allegiance” Challenge drew over 500 people. Any child aged 12 or under who could recite the Pledge of Allegiance from memory won a free Perry’s Ice Cream treat, a free American flag from Ace Flag, and free admission to the Naval Park.

Peter Roe, managing partner of Ace Flag Co., provided a talk on the fantail of the USS Little Rock on the history of the American flag. As the photos showed, parents joined in on the fun as they pledged along with their children in a very patriotic gesture.

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It's Official, LCS 9 Will be Commissioned at Canalside in Buffalo

May 26, 2016/in News/by admin

Kick-off press event featured a host of dignitairies.

The USS Little Rock (LCS 9) Commissioning Committee held a press conference Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park.

In addition to words from Committe Chair Moe Naylon, Commander Burkhart, Lieutenant Governor of New York Kathy Hochul, City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Congressmen Brian Higgins, Erie County Clerk Chris Jacobs, USS Little Rock Association Director Steve Chase, and Celebrity Ambassador Jim Kelly addressed the media and the crowd in attendance.

Joining Commander Burkhart on his visit to Buffalo were members of LCS Crew 109 Warhawgs CS3 Angelo Hurst and Master Chief Joseph Reynolds. Also in attendance were representative from the Naval Park as well as many of the Docents.

The event was covered by all major televison, radio and print media from the Buffalo market and received susbstantial press on local news throughout the day. The Commissioning Committee is grateful to all of the diginitaries that provided words of support for our military men and women and the Commissioning of LCS 9.

While a date for LCS 9 Commissioning Week. is still to be determined, Command Burkhart provided some insight into what people can expect while the ship is docked at Canalside. The ship will be in Buffalo for eight to 10 days and during that time, the crew will host tours of the ship.  Commissioning Week will also include visits by the crew to local schools and civic organizations as well as the official Commissioning Ceremony which typically takes place on a Saturday.

The Commissioning Committee is also planning a series of events for that week and is expecting to publish a schedule once a date for LCS 9 Commissioning Week has been established.

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Unknown Stories of WNY: The story of the Croaker and the Sullivans

May 3, 2016/in News/by admin

Unknown Stories of WNY: The story of the Croaker and the Sullivans

Posted by WGRZ 6:03 AM. EST May 02, 2016

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The new USS Little Rock: ‘Bring her to life’

April 28, 2016/in News/by admin

newusslittlerock-onland-750xx2592-1458-79-0

The new USS Little Rock will be commissioned in Buffalo in the coming year next to her namesake, the museum ship that is permanently docked at Canalside. It will be a week’s worth of events awash in history.

Read the full article here.

From Bizjournals.com

Written by Dan Miner

Apr 22, 2016, 6:00am EDT

https://buffalonavalpark.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/BuffaloNavalPark_Logo_Vert.jpg 0 0 admin https://buffalonavalpark.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/BuffaloNavalPark_Logo_Vert.jpg admin2016-04-28 16:08:282016-04-28 18:27:59The new USS Little Rock: ‘Bring her to life’

Vietnam War 50th Commemoration Events

March 31, 2016/in News/by admin

Vietnam Veterans Day: Lt. Governor Thanks Vets for Their Service

By TWC News Staff
Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at 02:15 PM CDT

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul was in Buffalo Tuesday to commemorate the multi-year 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War.

Hochul and others spoke in front of a group of Vietnam veterans at the George F. Lamm American Legion Post in Williamsville. Those who spoke shared stories of loved ones who had served.

Veterans in attendance received a proclamation of gratitude and a commemorative pin.

“100 percent of Americans owe a debt of gratitude to the people who wore a uniform during those challenging times in our country and still went over there despite opposition at home. You still did your job and some people ran and did not, and you did. So, please be proud of that,” said Hochul.

Tuesday is Vietnam Veterans Day, which honors vets and marks the day in 1973 when the U.S. withdrew troops from Vietnam.

50th anniversary events continue nationwide through 2025.

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Buffalo Naval Park Opens For 37th Season

March 30, 2016/in News/by admin

BUFFALO — Saturday, March 26, 10:00 a.m. marked the official ribbon cutting to open the 37th season of the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park. Naval Park docents and local dignitaries were present to cut the ribbon, Sea Cadets provided the Color Guard, and the Buffalo Dolls sang the National Anthem. The ribbon cutting took place at the entrance to The Sullivans.

The Naval Park is open daily from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. It is the largest inland Naval Park in the United States including four vessels and a diverse assortment of military aircraft, vehicles, and exhibited artifacts on display in the Museum Building and outdoor exhibit area. For more information regarding rates, scheduled tours or party rentals aboard the Little Rock, visit www.buffalonavalpark.org or contact 716-847-1773.

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Encampment and Cadet Program at the Buffalo Naval and Military Park

January 25, 2016/in News/by admin

From Billoni’s Buffalo Niagara Views
Written by Michael J. Billoni
January 21st, 2015

As the secretary of the Board of the Directors of the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park at Canalside on Buffalo’s beautiful waterfront I have always been impressed by the overnight stay-encampment program offered for youth groups during the spring and fall each season.

Campers sleep onboard the USS Little Rock with a capacity of 250 and the program is co-ed. The fee of $45 buys dinner, breakfast, the overnight stay, a tour of the Park and a ride on its motion stimulator. This is very popular with Scout troops from in an around the region but one organization that continually amazes me is the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps, which calls the ships home for its monthly meetings from May through October each year.

The U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, established in 1962, is a non-profit development program for youth age 11 through the completion of high school. It is supported by the Department of the Navy and the Navy League of the United States. It provides compelling, life-changing programs that instill the values of teamwork, discipline, camaraderie and service through its passionate all-volunteer force and its partnerships with the nation’s armed forces.

Locally, Joseph E. Pawli is the Commanding Officer of The Sullivans Division of the Sea Cadets (13 years old through the completion of high school) and the Training Ship Little Rock League Cadets (11-13 years old). Pawli, a former Sea Cadet, has been part of the program in a volunteer capacity for 10 years.

He oversees a roster of 59 Sea and League Cadets combined along with 14 adult volunteers with the membership from Batavia to Chafee and all points in between. It is a year round program with meetings once a month similar to regular military reserve units. During the winter months the Cadets meet at the Buffalo Naval Operations Support Center at 3 Porter Avenue in Buffalo and in the summer and fall it meets at the Naval Park where the cadets do hands on simulations and conduct overnight stays with drills.

Each summer, when the program really gets kicked into high gear, there are different training sessions its members can attend throughout the country. On a scaled down basis these cadets can do trainings offered by the US Navy, such as S.E.A.L. training, Recruit Boot Training (mandatory before moving into any other training); Master at Arms, Photojournalism, Culinary, Honor Guard, Fire Fighting, Tall Ships, etc.

During the summer the Cadets also conduct a week-long training session aboard the ships and these draw members from Hawaii, California, Oregon, Maine, Florida and other states.

Emma Warden, 15, a sophomore at the Academy of the Sacred Heart, and her brother, Zachery, 13, a seventh grade student at St. Benedict’s School, live in Cheektowaga and have been with the Sea Cadets for nearly three years. Emma, who has participated in Medical Training and the Petty Officer Leadership Academy in Buffalo also attended a two-week boot camp at Fort Drum in 2014. Zack has attended League Cadet Boot Camp and Advanced Boot Camp in Buffalo and both are planning to attend their first winter survival training session in February at the Genesee County Park and Forest in East Bethany, NY where they are taught how to survive if they ever become stranded. In that training, they learn how to procure water, how to build quinzhee’s (snow shelters) and leanto’s.

When asked what he has learned from the Sea Cadets, Zack responds, “Teamwork. To accomplish anything it takes a team all working in the same direction.” Emma’s response was “Leadership.” “I am learning what it really takes to be a good leader and a role model and I like it,” she says.

“I am very grateful that we have found this organization,” their mom, Melanie explains. “It has truly helped my children get through some very tough times. In the process, they are learning respect, responsibility, leadership skills and how it is to be a good citizen. I cannot wait to see what the future brings for both of them as a result of their Sea Cadets training and more important, the friendships they are forming.”

Aside from training, the Cadets participate in various parades around WNY and color guard details for many of the Naval Park events and other military and civilian groups. Each member must also take their physical readiness testing twice a year and they must meet a minimum standard based on their age. Academics in school is also a priority and each cadet must carry a minimum average grade of 70 to remain a member.

The local Sea Cadets have also maintained a close relationship with its Canadian counter-parts through cross-border training sessions, ceremonies and social activities. The Sullivans has twice been the recipient of the NSCC Bergen Trophy as the top unit in the country. The Division generally finishes in the top 10 nationally on its annual inspection.

“This group of young people are very special in the sense they have a desire,” Pawli says. “Watching them grow and mature throughout their cadet career is very impressive. Also, the focus some of these young people have is sometimes that of an adult and each member’s dedication to duty is beyond words.”

Deborah Billoni was the chairperson of the Naval & Military Park’s annual Armed Forces Day with the Buffalo Bisons the past two years. Emma and Zack were members of her otherwise adult committee as they represented the Sea Cadets. “I was extremely impressed with the quality of their questions and more than that, their initiative to sell tickets and then participate in the on-field ceremonies before those games. It is obvious their Sea Cadet training is teaching them some valuable life lessons,” she explains.

Cadets have the privilege of wearing the U.S. Navy uniform with appropriate Sea Cadet insignia. Cadets have absolutely no commitment regarding future military service but cadets who decide to enlist may be eligible to enter at an advanced pay grade.

In the Sea Cadets national annual report, Chairman Warren H. Savage, Jr. states, “Our slogan—‘Chart Your Course’—harkens to our national heritage by advising our cadets to look forward and plot the optimum course that will enable them to achieve their goals, and to mark out the shoal water in life so those dangers can be avoided.”

The U.S. Navy’s Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert, adds, “The Sea Cadet Corps provides our nation’s youth with an environment to cultivate teamwork, discipline, and patriotism. Their training provides them a solid foundation to build upon, and enhance the professional skills necessary to make them successful in any future endeavor for our Nation.”

Interested youth in the Sea Cadets program may visit www.thesullivansusnscc.org or www.thesullivansusnscc.com. Those interested in encampment programs at the Naval Park may visit www.buffalonavalpark.org.

 

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    1 Naval Park Cove, Buffalo, NY, 14202

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    10 AM – 5 PM
    Last admission at 4 PM

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