MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif., -- Marines, sailors and spectators gathered for an evening colors ceremony honoring Jerry Sanders, former mayor of San Diego, and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Aug. 6.
In the 1800s the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce lobbied Congress and the Navy to establish San Diego as a home port for the military. San Diego has since been home to hundreds of thousands of military service members and the regional chamber of commerce continues to support the local military in whatever way it can, whenever it can.
Maj. Gen. Steven Busby, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing commanding general, started the committed and engaged leadership initiative in order to give power, and a renewed sense of responsibility, back to noncommissioned officers.
To lead one of these ceremonies means being hand-picked by Busby himself, and then trained by his staff to handle the logistical demands a ceremony this size requires.
Sgt. Nicholas Lang, the reviewing officer for the ceremony and an intelligence analyst with the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, decided to capitalize on the chance to lead an event of this magnitude.
“I’m honored to have this chance to step out of what I normally do and for the privilege of leading Marines,” said Lang. “[With this] I’ve gotten to organize, and plan, things at a higher level than I normally would in my daily settings. I feel like with this committed and engaged leadership initiative, I have been able to grow, and I have seen a notable difference in the leadership since this initiative began. More noncommissioned officers are taking charge and leading from the front.”
Sanders and representatives from the chamber of commerce expressed their appreciation for being honored with the ceremony before the lowering of the flag and the end of the ceremony.