AREA NATIVE SERVES WITH U . S . NAVY PATROL SQUADRON
Petty Officer 2nd Class Blake Stoffel serves the U . S . Navy assigned to Patrol Squadron ( VP ) 9 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island . He graduated from Norwin High School in 2020 .
Stoffel joined the Navy four years ago and today he serves as an aviation electronics technician .
“ I joined the Navy to travel and expand my worldview ,” says Stoffel . “ I heard the Navy traveled the most . I ’ ve been to Portugal , Italy and Iceland . Portugal was my favorite .”
2024 PITTSBURGH VETERANS DAY PARADE ON MONDAY , NOV . 11
Pittsburgh ’ s Veterans Day parade is one of the longestrunning in the country . Join in to show your appreciation and support to the brave men and women , past and present , who have honorably served our nation .
You ’ ll see vets from all wars , military vehicles , a military jet flyover , high school bands , horses , service dogs and so much more . Last year 119 units participated .
The parade starts at 10:30 a . m . and runs along Liberty Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh .
Members of VP-9 fly and maintain the U . S . Navy ’ s P-8A Poseidon multi-mission maritime aircraft . Designed to secure the U . S . Navy ’ s future in long-range maritime patrol capability , the P-8A has transformed how the Navy ’ s maritime patrol and reconnaissance force will train , operate and deploy , according to Navy officials . P-8A aircraft deploy around the globe to monitor the world ’ s oceans wherever they are needed .
Stoffel has many opportunities to achieve during military service .
“ I ’ m proud of being able to give back ,” he says . “ I was taught by some fantastic leaders , and being able to go full circle to pass what I ’ ve learned to the next generation is a good feeling . For me , serving in the Navy means a new life . The Navy has given me the opportunities and experiences to reinvent myself . I wouldn ’ t be who I am without it .”
Stoffel is also grateful to others for helping to make a Navy career possible .
“ My mom , Brandi , is where it all started ,” he notes . “ I want to thank her for her support from afar . She sends cookies a lot for our shop when we ’ re deployed . She ’ s become the shop mom .”
Story and photo by Ashley Craig , Navy Office of Community Outreach .
MURAL DEDICATION
Queen of Angels Catholic School in North Huntingdon hosted a special mural dedication celebration on Aug . 19 . Created by the students — pre-kindergarten through eighth grade — the mural is the first of many to be fashioned in the school celebrating the arts .
This initial project was established through a special residency collaboration with the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art ( SAMA ).
For more information , contact Kristin Miller at kmiller @ sama-art . org . n
NORWIN ❘ FALL 2024 5