The mayor of Panama City recognized the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC) and the Year of the Military Diver (YOTMD) with a proclamation, May 4, as part of a series of events honoring military diving and its history.

Mayor Greg Brudnicki presented the YOTMD Proclamation to Rear Adm. Mike White, commander of Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), announcing that the city will celebrate military diving alongside its military members and families.

"I'm extremely proud to be here this morning. It's a real hidden gem here in Panama City and I hope a lot more people will appreciate it after the tours this week," said Brudnicki. "I acknowledge and proclaim 2015 the Year of the Military Diver throughout the city of Panama City, Florida, and ask you to join me in celebrating the achievements of all military divers, past and present, in thanking them for all their contributions to this great nation."

White accepted Brudnicki's proclamation, recognizing the Bay County community leaders and staff who were in attendance.

"It's a privilege to join you all this morning and thank you," said White. "To see community support like this is so important as we train many of our newest military members. Your appreciation for their service and willingness to embrace them and their military careers is remarkable."

Also during the event, Women Diver Hall of Fame members retired Capt. Bobbie Scholley and retired Capt. Marie Knafelc presented a plaque to NDSTC to commemorate 40 years of women in Navy diving.

"The Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center, since 1975, has been incorporating women because they were looking for the right person to do the job," said Knafelc. "Held to the same standards of excellence and professionalism, because they knew that person had to be there for their shipmates to do all the work that has to be done in the water and out of the water. We would like to commend the training center for all it's done to lead the way within the military incorporating women, and (we) thank you Admiral White for allowing that to happen."

The event concluded with Mayor Brudnicki and Bay County civic leadership touring NDSTC, the Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU) and the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) facilities.

As part of the Year of the Military Diver commemorations, NDSTC will recognize 35 years of training as of 2015 and note the 100th anniversary of the Mark V dive helmet.

Additional YOTMD events in the month of May include a chance for the public to visit Naval Support Activity (NSA) Panama City May 6 to learn about military diving past and present, and the Copper Collar 5K Run at St. Andrews State Park will be held May 16. For more information on these and other YOTMD events, visit the NDSTC web page: http://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/ceneoddive/ndstc/

Commissioned in 1980, NDSTC is the largest diving facility in the world and trains more than 1,200 divers from all services in the Department of Defense, including allied partners and other government agencies.

For more news from Naval Education and Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/.