Naval Base San Diego Thanks Navy League

The Naval Base San Diego's commanding officer thanked San Diego-area Navy League July 9 for its support of the sea services. Rear Adm. (Sel.) Dixon Smith spoke to those at the Navy League luncheon about NBSD's local economic impact and the base's commitment to providing support to the fleet, fighter and family. To illustrate the depth of the base's impact on the community, Smith noted that 15,000 businesses in San Diego County rely on Department of Defense (DoD) contracts, and five percent of all civilian jobs in the county are military-related. He explained that the Navy needed its large infrastructure footprint in San Diego to support on-going naval operations around the globe. "We could not do what we do without San Diego," Smith said, "and I would submit that San Diego probably wouldn't be quite the same if we weren't here."Smith provided a virtual tour of the base with a slide show entitled "NBSD – A Day in the Life." The presentation highlighted the world-class facilities on the base, including the world's largest commissary, the recreation yard for single Sailors and the on-going construction on the public-private luxury barracks Pacific Beacon. He expressed his gratitude for the Navy League's voluntary support of Sailors and their families. "Thank you for what you do on behalf of all of our Sailors," said Smith. "Without organizations such as yours, we would not have the retention that we do because you do a lot for us wherever we go." Supporting 53 ships, more than 120 tenant commands and more than 35,000 Sailors, Soldiers, DoD civilian employees and contractors, NBSD is home to the majority of the U.S. Pacific Fleet's surface combatants, all of the Navy's West Coast amphibious ships and a variety of Coast Guard and Military Sealift Command vessels.