Capt. Alan Dean, commanding officer of Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC) received a hand-made quilt from the Flying Needles Quilt Guild of Niceville, Florida, during a small ceremony March 6, as part of the Quilt of Valor program.

The mission of the Quilt of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing quilts.

Dean was nominated to receive the Quilt of Valor by retired Navy Ordnance Officer Lt. James Warburton. Warburton served with Dean when both were airmen in the very first command of their career, Helicopter Mine Counter Measures Squadron (HM) 14 in 1980. They also served together again in Attack Squadron (VFA)27 in 1992. Warburton is a volunteer presenter for the Quilts of Valor Foundation in Utah.

The quilt was presented to Dean during the ceremony by retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Ginger Maddox, a Guild coordinator for the Quilt of Valor project.

"Quilters say every quilt tells a story," said Maddox. "The story of this quilt began in Niceville in the hands of someone who shares your love of country. As of today, the story of this quilt becomes your story."

The Quilt of Valor was presented to Dean in honor of his 36 years of service. Dean enlisted in the Navy in 1979 and was commissioned through the Navy Limited Duty Officer Program in 1990. His service includes military operations at GONZO Station, Operations Earnest Will, Restore Hope, Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Bosnia and Kosovo, and Desert Fox. Dean assumed command of NATTC in August 2013.

"What we get out of this project is the pleasure of serving others by sharing our love of quilting with those who have served our country," added Maddox. "It's not the fabric or the colors that make a quilt a Quilt of Valor, it's the recipient."

Dean accepted the quilt and thanked the foundation for all their time, commitment and support.

"It was an honor to receive this quilt", said Dean. "I am grateful to the quilt guild and their support they have provided for our servicemen and women over the years."

According to the foundation, to date more than 114,500 quilts have been presented to service members and veterans. Last year, the Flying Needles made 88 quilts; ten were distributed throughout the Northwest Florida region. Quilts of Valor began in 2003 and has become a national grassroots community service effort, connecting the home front with military warriors and veterans.

For more information on the Naval Air Technical Training Center, visit the NATTC webpage: https://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/cnatt/nattc/

For additional information on the Naval Education and Training Command, visit the NETC website: https://www.netc.navy.mil

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