Navy Day at the Alamo 2013

SAN ANTONIO (NNS) -- Students and staff from Naval Technical Training Center (NTTC) Lackland hosted 'Navy Day at the Alamo' Apr 23.

Celebrated in downtown San Antonio at the historic Alamo landmark, the event is designed to raise awareness to the Navy's presence in the region.

It also serves to display the outstanding pride and professionalism of Navy master-at-arms Sailors.

The event began with San Antonio Mayor Pro Tem Carlton Soules reading a proclamation declaring it Navy Day in San Antonio.

Rear Adm. Anatolio B. "A.B." Cruz III, reserve deputy director of Maritime Operations at U.S. Fleet Forces Command and San Antonio native, led approximately 20 newly recruited Sailors in the oath of enlistment.
Thereafter, Commandant, Medical Education & Training Campus (METC), Rear Adm. William M. Roberts, reenlisted Sailors stationed at several San Antonio-area commands.

Roberts' spoke about the highly dedicated and skilled men and women found in naval history, and how that trend of excellence continues into the modern era.

"Throughout the Navy's 237 year history, the force continues to be comprised of highly trained and motivated Sailors and civilians with diverse backgrounds," Roberts said. "Today we salute the men and women of all ranks and rates who man our ships, keep our planes flying, build and fight, cook and repair, and keep us healthy and safe."

Rear Adm. Roberts added that events like Navy Day are significant because they create awareness about the Navy.

"As a 'Global Force for Good,' America's Navy is here making a difference in communities here in San Antonio and throughout Texas," he said. "The importance of the Navy in safeguarding commercial waterways is critical to the state and national economy. It's a chain reaction - the Navy makes it possible for U.S. and Texan goods to be delivered overseas and for imports to reach our shores."

The first demonstration of the day was an oleoresin capsicum (OC) confidence course conducted by staff and students from the Master-at-Arms (MA) School. Chief Master-at-Arms Delilah Clymer, an instructor at NTTC, volunteered to demonstrate the effects of OC contamination spray, more commonly known as pepper spray, which typically includes both physiological and psychological effects.

While the crowd cheered her on, Clymer successfully overcame each of the challenges presented such as subduing an aggressive attacker. "I can't believe she volunteered to get sprayed," said one spectator.

MA students are exposed to such strenuous training exercises in order to demonstrate their ability to think quickly, act under adverse conditions and to prepare them for duty in one of the most demanding and diverse career fields in the Navy.

The Naval Corrections Academy emergency control team comprised of Sailors and Marines then demonstrated various riot control formations taught in the corrections specialist course.

The final demonstration involved the Military Working Dog (MWD) program. MWDs and their handlers conducted controlled aggression techniques such as the field interview, escort and search, and the crowd-pleasing "bite" competition.

NTTC Lackland is a component within the Center for Security Forces that provides specialized training to more than 28-thousand students each year and has 14 training locations across the U.S. and around the world.

For more news from Center for Security Forces, visit www.navy.mil/local/csf/.