Navy League of The United States - Santa Barbara Chapter

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Operation Homefront

CPO Selects Bring Back National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance
to Little League Sports

FOR RELEASE: 9/7/2007

From USS Ronald Reagan Public Affairs

USS RONALD REAGAN, Temecula, CA -- “Old traditions, new opportunities,” the City of Temecula’s official motto, was the theme for the day Sept. 6 as Sailors from USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) helped bring back the practice of playing the national anthem and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before little league sporting events in Temecula.

Forty-five chief petty officer (CPO) selectees and more than 30 members of the Ronald Reagan CPO mess joined city officials and community leaders in a special ceremony to ceremoniously raise the first flag atop a new flag pole at the Ronald Reagan Sport’s Park.

Temecula Mayor Chuck Washington, a former naval aviator himself, said the raising of the flag is a welcome addition to the park and is symbolic of what the citizens of Temecula value.

“It shows us pulling together, as a crew, a community, and as a nation to make today’s event happen,” Washington said during the ceremony.

Washington said it was important for the flag to fly over the park named after the 40th president, whose legacy includes building a strong sense of patriotism during his eight years in office.

After years of not having a flag pole at all, one was eventually installed, but the lack of proper lighting prevented the flag from flying at night and park employees were not able to raise and lower the flag each day. Little league teams were forced to look at a flag pole at a not-so-nearby fire station, or not play the national anthem or recite the Pledge of Allegiance at all. City officials said it took a lot of effort from the military and community volunteers to get the project completed.

Perry Peters, a member of the Friends of Ronald Reagan Sports Park organization and master of ceremonies for the flag raising event, said that Ronald Reagan Sailors have a three-year tradition of volunteering their services at the park.

“This year they’ve gone above and beyond,” Peters told the group of Ronald Reagan Sailors, community leaders and other volunteers. “Today we’re going to be able to raise the flag and keep it up.”

The flag used for the ceremony, which once flew high above the flightdeck aboard Ronald Reagan, was also a gift from the CPO mess to the park.

According to Ronald Reagan Command Master Chief Jim DeLozier, both the event and the gift of the flag was a way to thank the city that offers so much community support to Sailors in the local area.

“It’s great to be in Temecula this morning,” DeLozier told city officals and others who gathered in the park to watch the event. “We just want to say thank you to the citizens of this fine city who go the extra mile in supporting our military.”

Several of the Ronald Reagan CPO selectees, many of whom had played little league sports growing up, said they understood the importance of the new flag pole at the park.

“Taking your hat off for the national anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance before a ball game was just something you did back then,” said Operations Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) Robert Wasson, one of the CPO selectees who took part in the ceremony. “Now with this new flag pole, the flag will be flying proudly at the Ronald Reagan Sports Park here in Temecula. I hope the kids who are playing here are able to pass this tradition on to their own children some day.”

Following the ceremony, the same group of Ronald Reagan Sailors took part in a day of volunteer service that included tree planting, painting and other improvement projects for the park.

Ronald Reagan is currently undergoing a planned incremental availability in her homeport of San Diego following a three-month surge deployment in support of operations in the Western Pacific.

For related news, visit the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cvn76/.