Page 21 - Florida Sentinel 11-19-21

Our Military Men & Women
Bay Area Residents Serve In Navy’s ‘Silent Service’
Kings Bay, GA --- Four in- dividuals from the Tampa Bay Area are currently serv- ing on submarines. They are: Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathan Alfonso, Petty Of- ficer 2nd Class Kevin Atta, Petty Officer 2nd Class Nevin Avila, and Petty Of- ficer 2nd Class Kaitlyn Harnage.
Known as America’s “Silent Service,” the Navy’s subma- rine force operates a large fleet of technically advanced vessels. These submarines are capable of conducting rapid defensive and offensive oper- ations around the world, in furtherance of U. S. national security.
The Navy's ballistic-mis- sile submarines, often re- ferred to as "boomers," serve as a strategic deterrent by providing an undetectable platform for submarine- launched ballistic missiles. They are designed specifically for stealth, extended patrols and the precise delivery of missiles.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathan Al- fonso, of Land O’Lakes, is assigned to the USS
Alaska. He is a 2015 Sunlake High School graduate who joined the Navy five years ago.
Petty Officer Alfonso
serves as an electronics tech- nician (navigation), whose re- sponsibilities include operating a nuclear reactor and performing maintenance on the equipment that moni- tors the reactor.
wood High School in 2016. He joined the Navy four years ago.
Petty Officer Avila
serves as an electronics tech- nician whose responsibilities include maintaining and op- erating the boat's electronic systems.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Kaitlyn Har- nage is a na- tive of Plant City serving aboard the USS Georgia. She graduated from Durant High School in 2014, and joined the U. S.
Navy 21⁄2 years ago. Harnage serves as an in-
formation systems technician (submarine), whose responsi- bilities include defending the country by listening to others.
A Hudson, Florida, native is serving aboard USS Nebraska. Petty Officer 3rd Class James Buehrig serves as a sonar technician and joined the Navy to find
other options in life. Buehrig attended Hud-
son High School and gradu- ated in 2018.
Brandon
native, Petty Officer 2nd Class Kevin Van Atta is serving aboard USS Tennessee, one of the world’s most
advanced nuclear-powered submarines.
He is a 2016 graduate of Armwood High School. He joined the Navy four years ago. Van Atta serves as an electronics technician (nu- clear), whose responsibilities include operating and main- taining nuclear reactors.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Nevin Avila is a St. Petersburg native serving aboard the USS
West Virginia.
Petty Offi- cer Nevin Avila graduated from Lake-
Local
Ladies Celebrating Night Out At Club Lit Cigar And Martini Lounge
These ladies were at Club Lit and Martini Lounge recently cele- brating “Ladies Night Out!” (Photographs by Julia Jackson)
Shelmela Norms, Glenda Kings, Norean Bellas and Reisha Fox celebrated “Ladies Night Out.”
Celebrating “Ladies Night Out” are: Katlin Metes, Fermina Norez, Tria Kolen, Brittney Torurs and Merlina Chapez.
PAGE 6-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021