Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC) was awarded the 2017 Large Shore Command Project Good Neighbor Flagship Award for Community Service, Jan. 9, by Naval Education and Training Command (NETC).

NATTC Commanding Officer Capt. Maxine Goodridge said the command's service members are committed to supporting the community in which they live.

"Believing that people really can make a difference is our ongoing and unwavering goal at NATTC," said Goodridge. "We develop and encourage a spirit of volunteerism which seeks to nurture, encourage, mentor, train and help develop, both mentally and physically, local Pensacola youth for the purpose of building a better tomorrow."

The Project Good Neighbor Award recognizes the best year-round volunteer supported program or special project that promotes outreach activities with the community.

NATTC is the largest command onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola and has an annual student throughput of approximately 16,000 Sailors and Marines. During 2017, NATTC supported 65 organizations with more than 33,000 volunteer hours.

NATTC Community Service Program Coordinator Lt. Cmdr. Scott Adams said volunteer efforts from NATTC students and staff provide benefit the Pensacola-area community, as well as the service members volunteering their time.

"Involvement in any sort of volunteer or charitable effort benefits these young Sailors, Marines and Airmen by creating close relationships in the surrounding communities and establishing a safer and healthier environment," said Adams. "They are stewards of their service, and knowing that they can make a difference through spending their off-duty time providing assistance to an organization in need, is truly appreciated."

Adams said Pensacola is home for thousands of transitioning students each year, and the receipt of the 2017 Project Good Neighbor Award is a testament to the culture of community forged between NAS Pensacola's largest command and the Pensacola area. NATTC also received the award in 2016.

"I could not be more proud of these young men and women volunteering their time, talent and treasure for the blessings of others," said Adams. "Each of these individuals is part of a community - wherever they call home. But here in Pensacola, they are embracing this community and treating it as home."

For more than 70 years, with the last two decades at NAS Pensacola, NATTC has been providing training and increasing readiness within the Naval Aviation Enterprise. NATTC is part of the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT), which provides single site management for Navy and Marine Corps aviation technical training.

CNATT is the technical training agent for the Naval Aviation Enterprise, an organization designed to advance and sustain naval aviation warfighting capabilities at an affordable cost under the Naval Education and Training Command.

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