The commanding officer and some of the officers and enlisted personnel from the USS Arlington traveled to the U.S. Navy ship’s namesake community Sept. 9 to take part in the annual Arlington Police, Fire & Sheriff 9/11 Memorial 5K Run.
As part of the journey from Norfolk, U.S. Navy Capt. Ian Scaliatine and crew members met with 9/11 Pentagon family members and took part in a lunch with first-responders at Arlington Fire Station #5.
The contingent was welcomed by U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8th), Del. Patrick Hope and County Board Chairman Christian Dorsey.
Capt. Scaliatine spoke and took the opportunity to present a shadow box, with a flag flown during the USS Arlington’s most recent deployment, to Kevin Reardon, a retired Arlington police captain who saw service at the Pentagon immediately after the 9/11 attack.
Reardon now serves as president of the USS Arlington Community Alliance (USSArlington.org), a non-profit organization that works to maintain a link between the USS Arlington and 9/11 family members, first-responders on 9/11 and the Arlington community.
After lunch, the USS Arlington crew visited the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery prior to the 9/11 5K race. At the race, Capt. Scaliatine spoke to the runners and announced the start of the race. USS Arlington crew members not only competed in the race, but participated in the joint honor guard, provided the singer for the National Anthem and helped distribute finishing medals to runners.
USS Arlington crew members were registered in the “military teams” category for the race, finishing in first in that category.
The USS Arlington is a 685-foot-long landing platform dock designed to speed supplies and U.S. Marines on humanitarian missions and to world trouble spots. It was named to honor the Arlington community’s response the 2001 terrorist attacks, and is the third U.S. Navy ship in modern times to bear the name.
