DVIDS – News – NAS Pensacola Participates in Navy Gold Star Program’s Bells Across America

By Ens. Angelique Therrien, Naval Air Station Pensacola public affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla. — More than 200 service members from all branches as well as family members and friends of service members who have died on active duty gathered at the Aviation Memorial Chapel onboard NAS Pensacola Sept. 21 for Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola’s Fleet and Family Service Center (FFSC)-coordinated Navy Gold Star (NGS) Program’s Bells Across America ceremony.

The ceremony, now in its eighth year, is an event revered by the chapel and included guest speaker Chaplain Rear Adm. (ret.) Phillip Lee, Jr., who spoke about his experience as a Gold Star Family member and the impact that can have.

“Being from a Gold Star Family, you receive a firsthand understanding that freedom is not free,” he said. “This invokes a profound sense of gratitude towards the sacrifice of the men and women who worked and fought to make our county what it is today.”

Naval Air Station Pensacola Chaplain Lt. Jason Dillon opened the ceremony with a benediction, introducing the memorial ceremony and expressing the importance of the event to the healing process of those impacted by the death of a loved one.

“This event is an opportunity for us to show our appreciation to the service and sacrifice of the men and women who died while serving and aids in the healing process for the family members of those who have served,” he said.

During the ceremony, a list of Gold Star service member’s names was read by NAS Pensacola Command Master Chief (CMDCM) James Wallace and former NAS Pensacola Public Affairs Officer Patrick Nichols. Wallace said it was an honor to read aloud the names of these Pensacola, Florida-area service members and acknowledge both local and all Gold Star families.

“NAS Pensacola honors all our nation’s fallen service members,” he said. “Having the opportunity to recognize service members from our area carries a special meaning for Sailors here at the Cradle of Naval Aviation, and ensuring their family members know they’re part of the Navy family is something I hold quite dear.”

Bells Across America is held at U.S. military installations worldwide on the same day and is coordinated in partnership with the Gold Star Program. NGS Program supports family members of fallen military members by providing them with resources as well as assisting with counseling, financial planning and job hunting. NGS personnel also assist with paperwork and requests for documents while ensuring survivors remain connected with the Navy family.

NAS Pensacola, referred to as the “Cradle of Naval Aviation,” is designed to support operational and training missions of tenant commands, including the Naval Aviation Technical Training Center (NATTC); Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC); Marine Aviation Training Support Groups (MATSG) 21 and 23 and serves as the headquarters for Naval Education and Training Command (NETC).