A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Sailor Sets World Record in Bench Press - Story Number: NNS040901-21 - Release Date: 9/1/2004 3:55:00 PM - By Journalist 1st Class (SW) Jay Cope, Naval Air Station New Orleans Public Affairs..." http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=14992 [16NOV2004]

NEW ORLEANS (NNS) -- Navy Counselor 1st Class James Burdette attached to VP-94, set a new world record in the 181-pound weight class Aug. 14 with a bench press of 540 pounds. The record lift was made while he was competing in the American Powerlifting Association sanctioned Panhandle Open in Mobile, Ala.

Burdette competes in the drug tested open category. His meet winning lift in that category broke the previous record for that classification by 15 pounds. Burdette also lifted 500 pounds in the squat competition and 505 pounds in the deadlift event for a competition total of 1,545 pounds. His event total was second only to a lifter competing in the 308-pound weight class.

Burdette’s previous best in competition was 520 pounds, but he surpassed that in his workouts in preparing for the competition and had told the organizers of the event that he was confident he could break the record at their meet.

He’s hardly done, though, as he has his sights set on passing the 565 pound record bench press in the non-drug tested category for his weight class. If Burdette is successful, the 181-pound weight class would be the only one where the drug tested lift is higher than the non-drug tested.

“I want to show that you don’t need the ‘juice,'” he said, referring to performance enhancing drugs. “In the long run, they’re bad for your body, and you can reach the same levels with just a little more time and dedication.”

But even the 565-pound record is not his ultimate goal. Burdette hopes to exceed 600 pounds in his current weight class, and possibly move up to the 198-pound weight class and shoot for 700 pounds. While those goals could take years to achieve, Burdette doesn’t mind, because lifting has become pure fun for him.

He works out five days a week at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans physical fitness center, including a three mile jog each morning and an average of two and one-half to three hours of lifting in the afternoons.

But he says the meets are where the enjoyment really is.

“With most sports, there is a lot of negativity towards your opponents. Powerlifting has a different mentality,” said Burdette. “Everyone pulls for each other. You want to see everyone exceed their personal best, because you only want to beat a guy on his best day.”

Burdette’s next competition is in Houston, Sept. 18, where he is hoping to break his newly set record.

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Valhalla for 'Val' After Years of NASKEF Service..." Navy News Stand http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=11706 [02APR2004]

Valhalla for 'Val' After Years of NASKEF Service
Story Number: NNS040302-02
Release Date: 3/2/2004 9:30:00 AM
From Naval Air Station Keflavik Air Ops Public Affairs

NAVAL AIR STATION KEFLAVÍK, Iceland (NNS) -- For nearly 19 years, NAS Keflavik, Iceland’s (NASKEF) UP-3A aircraft, Valkyrja, affectionately known as Val, served NASKEF’s personnel. Jan. 26, Val was retired and flown to Davis-Mothan Air Force Base, where she was inducted into the aircraft “boneyard.”

"The loss of Val not only marks the end of an era of NAS Keflavik, Iceland having a base aircraft, but more importantly, has impacted the base's ability to get personnel to professional conferences, symposiums and training seminars,” said Lt. Cmdr. Joe Dickinson, NASKEF’s air operations officer.

Her moniker, Valkyrja, is drawn from the Norse name for the “female chooser of the slain." The helmeted battle maidens would fly on supernatural horses over battlefields, determining the course and victors of war. The Valkyries' primary duty was to choose the bravest of the warriors slain on the battlefield, gathering their souls to escort them to Valhalla.

She was delivered to the Navy Aug. 29, 1962, making her much older than many of the personnel who currently fly and maintain her. During her faithful years of service in NAS Keflavik, Iceland, she has carried more than 22,000 personnel to more than 15 countries, while accumulating just over 10,000 mishap-free flight hours, including 5,675 landings. In total, Val has accumulated 20,108 mishap-free flight hours and flown more than 7 million miles--the equivalent of two years, three months, and 18 days in the air, 282 trips around the equator, or 14 trips to and from the moon. Prior to being stationed in NAS Keflavik, Iceland, she was assigned to VP-30, VP-8, VXN-8, VP-94, and Naval Aerological Support Center, Miami.

The 34 personnel in the Operations Maintenance Division, under the leadership of Lt. Mike Hersey, were responsible for the upkeep and “TLC” of the Navy’s best-kept UP-3A, and they maintained an astonishing 89 percent "mission capable" rate. Although stationed in NAS Keflavik, Iceland, Val aircrews provided time-critical logistical support to Commander, Task Force 67 during Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF), Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and numerous task force exercises. Over a three-month period, Val flew 25 logistics missions in direct support of OEF/OIF and exercises Booming, Blue Game and Baltops. NAS Keflavik, Iceland aircrews flew more than 150 hours across six different countries, providing time-critical, intra-theater wartime transport throughout the Mediterranean and European areas of responsibility for more than 500 duty personnel and 50,000 lbs. of cargo.

“In addition to providing base support to professional functions throughout Europe and CONUS, Val provided a huge quality of life boost to the base service members and dependents as a space-available transportation opportunity," said Dickinson.

Val’s last local flight was completed Jan. 22 with Capt. Mark Laughton, commanding officer of NAS Keflavik, Iceland, and Dickinson at the controls. The pilots, air crew and maintenance personnel will deeply miss Val, as will all who enjoyed the benefits of having a station aircraft.

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Firm will help bar closure of base in Algiers - Saturday February 07, 2004 - Hoping to shore up Naval Support Activity's standing in anticipation of planned federal military base closures in 2005, an Algiers economic development panel will hire a firm to help local officials determine how they can strengthen the West Bank base. The state Department of Economic Development paid about $50,000 for the air station study, which was prompted in part by news last year that the Navy wanted to move and eventually decommission two of its three squadrons there, Strike Fighter Squadron 204 and Patrol Squadron 94. Those moves, which are thought to leave the air station vulnerable, have been postponed until after 2005..." http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1076137046115010.xml [11FEB2004]

"VP-94 History Summary Page"

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