PENSACOLA — The Florida Small Business Development Center Network, in partnership with Veterans Florida, has welcomed the first class of participants in the Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program.

The statewide initiative offers qualified veterans the opportunity to receive an accelerated entrepreneurship education at no cost.

The pilot program, which began the first of three phases March 15, received over 600 applications and accepted 400 participants.

It’s delivered through five participating institutions of higher education to military veterans who have been honorably discharged, are National Guardsmen or Reservists, or are active duty within one year of separation; reside in Florida; and demonstrate a strong interest in entrepreneurship.

Due to the State of Florida’s funding support, the program is available to participating veterans at no cost.

In December, Veterans Florida, a non-profit created by the Florida Legislature to attract and retain veterans, selected University of West Florida, through its Florida SBDC Network and Military Veterans Resource Center, to administer the program.

See www.FloridaVetBiz.org for more information on the program.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Florida veterans begin new entrepreneur training program

FOX LAKE, Ill. — The Second (Indianhead) Division Association seeks anyone who served in the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division. 

For information about the association and the 95th annual reunion, set Sept. 20-24 in Springfield, Missouri, contact secretary-treasurer Bob Haynes, 2idahq@comcast.net or 224-225-1202; or visit www.2ida.org. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Are you a 2nd Indianhead Division member? Reunion scheduled

NICEVILLE — Many people are not familiar with who Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians are or what they do in our military. Yet the more people learn about them, the more they become interested in learning more about the work they do, getting involved in supporting them, and rallying behind this important and worthy cause. Many others are surprised to learn that there is an EOD Memorial Wall, honoring fallen EOD technicians, available for the public to visit.

“The EOD Memorial Wall is a beautiful structure that features the names of over 300 fallen EOD warriors and it’s open to the public,” explains Nicole Motsek, executive director of the EOD Warrior Foundation. “We encourage people to visit the EOD memorial, and learn all they can about EOD technicians and the lifesaving work they do.”

Here are 5 reasons to visit the EOD Memorial Wall:

1. To learn. The memorial is a great place for people to learn about the EOD warriors who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

2. To teach. It’s a great place to take kids, so they can learn about the sacrifices the men and women in our military make, and see the wall in person.

3. Honor fallen. Visiting the wall and seeing the names of all the EOD warriors who have died in the line of duty is a great way to honor them and pay tribute.

4. See donations at work. The wall was built and is maintained by donations that people and businesses in the community make. Seeing it in person gives people a chance to see their donations put to good use.

5. To heal. Those who know an EOD warrior who has died, often finds comfort and healing by a visit to the EOD Memorial.

“Seeing the memorial wall is a meaningful experience for many people, especially those who knows a warrior named on the Wall,” added Motsek. “We are honored to be a part of caring for this important and beautiful memorial. The Wall is there for the community, EOD technicians, their families, and all who want to pay tribute. We remember!”

The EOD Memorial Wall is located at the Eglin Air Force Base in the Florida panhandle. The Memorial Wall was built in 1969 and contains the names of fallen EOD warriors. The wall is on a military base that is secure, but it is open to the public. Weekday times are 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with holiday and weekend hours being noon until 4:00 p.m. If you are planning a trip to the area and would like to visit outside of normal hours, please contact them and they will do everything possible to accommodate a visit to the Wall. For those who cannot visit the memorial in person, there is a virtual wall with names, bios and photos of the fallen EOD warriors on the EOD Warrior Foundation website.

The EOD Warrior Foundation will be hosting a memorial weekend, filled with activities. The EOD Memorial Weekend is May 6-7, 2016, and features events including a golf tournament, memorial ceremony, and an annual ball where retired Lt. Col Oliver North USMC will be the keynote speaker. For more information on the EOD Memorial Weekend activities, visit the site at: www.eodwarriorfoundation.org/eodweekend.

To learn more about the EOD Warrior Foundation, or see their fundraising events calendar, visit their site at: www.eodwarriorfoundation.org.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 5 reasons to visit the Niceville EOD Memorial Wall

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE — Residents may experience noise when the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group conducts boat operations in the Gulf of Mexico and the Choctawhatchee Bay, Mar. 14-17.

Fighter aircraft will release munitions between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. each morning, approximately eight to 20 nautical miles south of Destin in the Gulf of Mexico. The test will be conducted within a cleared range safety area which includes boat surveillance. Notices to mariners will be issued prior to the missions and flyers will be handed out at the local marina.

Between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the afternoons, approximately 30 boats will travel in formation between the Mid-Bay Bridge and the Highway 331 Bridge. The boat formation will be used as visual targets by F-15s and F-16s flying over the area. No weapons or ammunition will be involved with this boat formation.

Please be advised that some boat operators will be dressed in various military uniforms and white costumes. They will carry rubber rifles, painted in high visible colors which will be kept out of view when transiting to and from the mission area. Some boats will have fake deck guns and rocket launcher tubes. The boats will also use marine flares as visual markers.

These operations are part of the 53rd Wing’s Weapon System Evaluation Program.

For more information, contact the Team Eglin Public Affairs office at 882-3931 or the 53rd Wing Public Affairs office at 882-0423.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Eglin issues noise advisory for flight and boat operations

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE — Civil Air Patrol Lt. Col. Dale Robinson, a Crestview resident, completed the 2016 Florida Wing Public Affairs Academy in Orlando March 5-6.

The 14 hours of classroom training included social media and media relations, press release formats, web content optimization, project management, and more.

Academy participants increased their knowledge and developed skills necessary to perform job-related duties. In addition to classroom training, informal social gatherings allowed participants to network with other members.

“These informal sessions are a great way for members to exchange ideas and develop relationships that serve as an important resource within Civil Air Patrol,” Robinson said. More than 30 CAP officers and cadets attended the two-day session at the Police Training Facility, Orlando Executive Airport.

Robinson serves as the public affairs officer for the Eglin AFB-based CAP unit, Eglin Composite Squadron. He holds a senior rating in the public affairs specialty. With more than 35 years inCAP, he has held numerous positions in various units, including deputy commander for cadets and squadron commander.

In his civilian job, Robinson is a district manager with the Northwest Florida Daily News and a former columnist for The Destin Log.

CAP, the longtime all-volunteer U.S. Air Force auxiliary, received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014 in honor of the heroic efforts of its World War II veterans.

It is the newest member of the Air Force’s Total Force, which consists of Regular Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, along with Air Force retired military and civilian employees.

In its Total Force role, the national organization:

●operates a fleet of 550 aircraft.

●performs about 85 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.

●is credited with saving an average of 70 lives annually.

Its 58,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state, and local agencies. They additionally play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to more than 24,000 young people currently participating in the organization's cadet program.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, the nonprofit organization also participates in Wreaths Across America, an initiative to remember, honor, and teach about the sacrifices of U.S. military veterans. Visit www.capmembers.com for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview resident, Civil Air Patrol member, completes media training

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Nathan A. Swartz graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.

The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Swartz is the son of Terry and Wendy Swartz of Crestview, and the husband of Briana Swartz.

The airman graduated in 2010 from Dixon High School, Dixon, Calif., and earned a bachelor's degree in 2015 from the University of West Florida, Pensacola.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview couple's son completes Air Force basic training

EGLIN AFB — On Dec. 10, 2014,  Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the Civil Air Patrol in honor of its founding members’ roles in protecting the homeland against deadly German U-boat attacks during World War II and carrying out other vital wartime domestic missions.

On Feb 22, Civil Air Patrol will present replica medals to the families of two deceased CAP World War II veterans who were not able to travel in-person to the Washington, D.C. ceremony.

The medal ceremony will take place 6:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at Shalimar United Methodist Church, 1 Old Ferry Road, Shalimar, during an awards dinner celebrating the local CAP unit’s 49th year of service. Doors open at 6 p.m. For tickets, contact Maj. Emil Pagliari, 803-4165.

Family members in attendance include Kristie Fagan of Pensacola, representing her late father, Ronald Lunstrum, who served as a CAP cadet during the war, and CAP Capt. Roy Trusty of Mary Esther, representing his late mother, CAP Lt. Lavern Jackson, who was a World War II CAP pilot.

Some 200,000 men, women and teenagers from all walks of life – including stars of the silver screen and successful businessmen, future Tuskegee Airmen and aspiring pilots – participated in CAP during the war years, largely without recognition or reward. The organization was founded Dec. 1, 1941, six days before Pearl Harbor.

Today Civil Air Patrol, the Air Force auxiliary, operates a fleet of 550 aircraft and performs about 85 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited with saving an average of 70 lives annually. Civil Air Patrol’s 58,000 members nationwide also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state, and local agencies. Its members additionally play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to more than 24,000 young people currently participating in the Civil Air Patrol cadet program.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Congressional medal presentation set for World War II heroes

NICEVILLE —  The Explosive Ordnance Disposal group's 48th annual ball will feature keynote speaker and retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Oliver North.  

Doors open at 5:15 p.m. Saturday, May 7 at the Emerald Coast Convention Center, 1250 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, Fort Walton Beach.

Tickets, $75 per person, are available at http://www.eodwarriorfoundation.org.

“Our annual ball is a memorable night for all who attend, and it helps benefit a great cause,” Nicole Motsek, the EOD Warrior Foundation's executive director, stated in a media release. “This is a night to remember those EOD warriors who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and to honor their families.”

North hosts the award-winning military series “War Stories with Oliver North” on the Fox News Channel. 

He said, “Since my days in Vietnam, I have had the privilege to keep company the brave men and women of the EOD community. They are saviors on the battlefields who take the long walk to the bomb and go into harm’s way to make the situation safe for others.

Attire for the event is semi-formal.

The ball is part of the EOD's Memorial weekend, which includes a Friday golf tournament and live auction, and a memorial ceremony Sunday.

The weekend's events benefit the EOD Warrior Foundation, the nonprofit that supports EOD personnel and their families.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Veteran, Fox News host to headline Explosive Ordnance Disposal ball

TALLAHASSEE —Veteransenergypipeline.com, a new website, helps veterans find private-sector jobs that use skills they acquired during military service.   

The oil and natural gas industry reportedly supports more than 9 million American men and women in fields ranging from accountants and geologists to rig hands. But about half of the industry’s skilled workforce will retire in the next five to 10 years.

Replacing this pool of talent has become a priority for the industry, according to Vets4Energy. The non-partisan coalition of volunteer veterans is promoting the website, which is underwritten by the American Petroleum Institute. 

 “Our goal is to build on the successes of America’s energy revolution and help those serving our country, as well as veterans, transition into well-paying careers in the oil and gas industry,” API President and CEO Jack Gerard said.

The Pipeline also is designed for prospective employers. Using the site, a company seeking veteran talent can enter their own job descriptions and determine which military occupations best fit their needs.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: New website connects veterans with employers

CRESTVIEW — U.S. Air Force Reserve Airman 1st Class Taylor M. Clark graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.

The airmen completed eight weeks' training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.

Basic training graduates earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Clark — the son of Paula S. Clark of Auburn, Ala.; nephew of Cathy Heath of Baker; and cousin of Megan H. and Anthony Heath of Baker — is a 2016 Auburn High School graduate.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Airman with Baker ties completes military training