“Our top priorities are ensuring the base remains mission-ready and keeping our personnel safe,” said NAS Oceana’s Commanding Officer Capt. Josh Appezzato. “Thanks to the dedication of our security forces, public works teams, air operations personnel and culinary specialists, we’re able to continue operations despite the wintry conditions.”
Safety remained a key focus, with NAS Oceana security forces ensuring gate operations ran smoothly and the installation remained secure. “Even in conditions like this, our security forces are on duty 24/7,” said NAS Oceana Security Officer Lt. Kari Wood. “We’re making sure mission-essential personnel can safely access the base while maintaining the security of our facilities.”
Since Wednesday, the installation’s public works crews have been actively clearing the entire airfield as well as NAS Oceana and Dam Neck Annex’s primary roads to keep base access routes and the flight line open. “Our teams are working nonstop to clear priority areas like the installation’s main roads and emergency routes,” said NAS Oceana Public Works Officer Cmdr. Matthew Milkowski. “As we continue to clear secondary roads and parking lots, please use caution and give our crews the space they need to get the job done.”
NAS Oceana’s air operations personnel closely monitored airfield conditions and cleared runways to ensure aircraft safety. “We’ve been removing snow from the airfield and closely watching the changing weather conditions to minimize the impact on our squadrons,” said NAS Oceana’s Airfield Manager Dean Dawes. “Providing a safe operating environment remains our top priority before we resume regular flight operations.”
Keeping mission-essential teams fueled are the installation’s culinary specialists who continue to prepare and serve hot meals at NAS Oceana and Dam Neck Annex’s galleys. “Our job is to take care of the people who keep the base running,” said Bernice Williamson, food service officer at NAS Oceana’s Dam Neck Galley. “No matter the weather, our mission is to make sure our service members have a hot meal to keep them going.”
The snowstorm produced nearly a foot of snow, breaking records for yearly snowfall in Virginia Beach since 1980, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. While much of the region came to a standstill during the record-breaking snowfall, NAS Oceana’s mission-essential personnel worked tirelessly to keep the base operational, ensuring aircraft and facilities remained secure. Appezzato emphasized that preparation, teamwork and professionalism were key to making this possible.
“It’s no small task to keep the Navy’s master jet base mission-ready in nearly a foot of snow, but NAS Oceana’s mission-essential personnel handled it with professionalism and expertise,” Appezzato said. “These dedicated individuals are critical to NAS Oceana’s ability to remain mission-ready in all conditions, and I am honored to have them on our team.”