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Inland Empire to commemorate Navy’s 240th

birthday at Inaugural Ball

by Troy Clarke
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NORCO, Calif. – Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division’s top officer 861DY\3KRWR*UHJ9RMWNR
announced that his command has partnered with the local community to commem-
orate the Navy’s 240th birthday with a first-ever formal ball that will incorporate &DSW6WHSKHQ+0XUUD\LVFRPPDQGLQJRI¿FHURI1DYDO6XUIDFH:DUIDUH&HQ-
traditional military ceremonies, dinner, dancing and a keynote address by Con- WHU16:&&RURQD'LYLVLRQ
gressman Ken Calvert.
The presidential decision 75 years ago that put the Navy in Norco has unexpect-
The Inaugural Inland Empire Navy Birthday Ball will be held at the Riverside edly positioned the warfare center in a strategic, geographic center of the largest
Convention Center the evening of Oct. 17, with all proceeds benefitting the Navy- concentration of military power in the world: The fleet in San Diego and Port Hue-
Marine Corps Relief Society. neme, the Marines of Camp Pendleton, the Air Force in Riverside, the Army at Ft.
Irwin and the Marines in 29 Palms. Each service, including the Coast Guard, has
“Our founders established this country as a maritime nation,” said Capt. Steve used NSWC Corona’s technical capability to support their missions.
Murray, NSWC Corona’s commanding officer. “Our constitution specifically re-
quires us to provide and maintain a Navy, and that’s what we’ve done for 240 years. The warfare center’s growing presence is evidenced by the nearly 200 personnel
This birthday commemoration is a great way to share our naval heritage with our it’s hired in the last year to keep pace with the growing demand for its mission. With
local community.” more than 2,200 Sailors, Navy civilians and support contractors across the country,
NSWC Corona injects more than $300 million each year into the local economy
The Navy’s theme for this year’s commemoration is “Ready Then, Ready Now, with its 1,500 personnel headquartered in Norco.
Ready Always,” tracing its birth to Oct. 13, 1775, when the Continental Congress
authorized its own Navy before the United States declared independence less than And as the Pentagon focuses on emerging threats in the Asia-Pacific region, the
a year later. center’s leaders expect additional growth to support increased demand and the ad-
ditional ships coming to San Diego. NSWC Corona’s operating revenue increased
“We’ve had U.S. naval presence around the globe, around the clock for more $50 million last year, and Murray expects it to increase another $50 million next year.
than two centuries. And our national ship of state – the USS Constitution – is still in
our fleet bearing the name President George Washington bestowed on her,” Murray Tickets can be purchased for military and civilians online at www.navybirthday-
added. “That’s an incredible legacy.” ball.com or by calling the Corona-Norco YMCA at (951) 736-1415. Depending on
military rank, prices range from $45 to $125.
While it’s surprising to some to have a base inland, the Navy has been here for
nearly 75 years.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Navy’s presence in the Inland
Empire in Dec. 1941, following the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, as the Corona
Naval Hospital on the once luxury-resort site of the Norconian Hotel.

Two-thirds of the original Navy property has been transferred for public use and
has become the home of Norco College campus, Norco City Hall and the Corona-
Norco Unified School District, among others.

NSWC Corona remains at the center of the original property as the Navy’s pre-
miere independent assessment agent enabling Sailors and Marines around the world
to train, fight and win. As a federally designated lab, NSWC Corona has several
world class science and engineering facilities that support U.S. and allied nation
naval exercises across the globe.

Ready, Set, Go! program teaches preparedness

(from wildlandfirersg.org) by clearing brush away from
The Ready, Set, Go! (RSG) Program, managed by the International Associa- your home. Use fire-resistant
tion of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), seeks to develop and improve the dialogue between landscaping and harden your
fire departments and the residents they serve. Launched nationally in March 2011 home with fire-safe construc-
at the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI 2011) Conference, the program helps tion measures. Assemble
fire departments teach individuals who live in high risk wildfire areas – and the emergency supplies and be-
wildland-urban interface – how to best prepare themselves and their properties longings in a safe place. Plan
against fire threats. escape routes and make sure
September is National Preparedness Month. This year we are asking you to all those residing within the
take action now – make a plan with your community, your family, and for your home know the plan of action.
pets. Plan how to stay safe and communicate during the disasters that can affect
your community. We ask everyone to participate in America’s PrepareAthon! and Set – Situational awareness
the national day of action, National PrepareAthon! Day, which culminates Na- Pack your emergency
tional Preparedness Month on September 30. items. Stay aware of the latest
It is important for those of us in the Southern California area to understand news and information on the
that we live in an area of the country prone to more wildfire threats than most fire from local media, your
other areas. Here is what the Ready, Set, Go! program teaches to help you and local fire department and
your family prepare. public safety.
Ready – Be fire-adapted and ready Go – Act early!
Be Firewise. Take personal responsibility and prepare long before the threat Follow your personal wildland fire action plan. Doing so will not only sup-
of a wildland fire so your home is ready in case of a fire. Create defensible space port your safety, but will allow firefighters to best maneuver resources to com-
bat the fire.