Vice Adm. Paul Grosklags, commander, NAVAIR, and Seaman Emilley Taback topped off the night at the NAS Pax River 241st Navy Birthday Ball with the traditional birthday cake cutting. (U.S. Navy photo by Marcia Hart)PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (Oct. 22, 2016)—Members of the Naval Air Station Patuxent River community donned their best to celebrate at the Navy 241st Birthday Ball Oct. 13 at the River's Edge Catering and Conference Center.
This year's theme—America's Sailor: For 241 Years—Tough Bold and Ready—highlights the Sailor's unique ability to learn, adapt, innovate on the fly and ultimately overcome will continue to make the U. S. Navy the most formidable sea power.
"This event is extremely important because we highlight how successful our Navy continues to be while celebrating the men and women serving and sacrificing in all the world's oceans and on each of the seven continents," said Chief Petty Officer Joshua Wilkes, Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers flag writer and this year's Navy ball coordinator. "It was an honor coordinating the Navy Ball effort for Pax this year. I had an outstanding team of Sailors who assisted in making the ball a success."
The guest speaker for the event was Rear Adm. Shane Gahagan, commander, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division and assistant commander for Research and Engineering, Naval Air Systems Command. Gahagan drove home that the U.S. Navy is always at the ready protecting our nation's waters ways and interests.
"Our Navy is extremely critical. It protects our nation from attack and preserves America's strategic influence," Gahagan said. "Our livelihood, jobs, freedom ... day in and day out, we are required to protect our country and our way of life. It is our duty, and I am proud to be part of the greatest Navy in the world. Happy birthday Navy!"
The Navy chose to highlight the three core characteristics of "Tough. Bold. Ready." this year because they define the Navy since inception and will continue to supersede all technological advances in importance as we move forward into uncertain times.
The U. S. Navy has been the cornerstone of American security and prosperity for almost two and a half centuries. The U.S. Navy is the greatest maritime power ever, always pushing physical and mental boundaries to their limits and beyond and has created warfighting advantages in nuclear, carrier aviation, and cyber warfare—areas and disciplines undreamed of not so long ago.