NRC Greensboro Supports Bridge Dedication for Fallen Salem Sailor

29 July 2024

From Chief Boatswain’s Mate Nelson Doromal Jr., Navy Reserve Center Greensboro Public Affairs

Sailors from Navy Reserve Center Greensboro, NC, provided support to a bridge dedication ceremony honoring fallen Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 1st Class James P. Buriak in Salem, Va., July 8.
Sailors from Navy Reserve Center Greensboro, NC, provided support to a bridge dedication ceremony honoring fallen Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 1st Class James P. Buriak in Salem, Va., July 8.

Buriak, a City of Salem native, was one of five Sailors killed after an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 crashed approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego Aug. 31, 2021.

Family, friends and community leaders joined together with Sailors from NRC Greensboro to pay tribute to Buriak’s commitment to both his community and his country.

“Jimmy was so humble, and he didn’t have a selfish bone in his body,” said Megan Buriak of her husband, who joined the Navy in 2017 as a rescue swimmer. “I think he would be honored having his memory live on forever.”

During the ceremony, the bridge located on Route 760 over the Roanoke River was dedicated and officially named the AWS1 James P. Buriak Memorial Bridge.

Four members of the staff assigned to Navy Reserve Center Greensboro provided ceremonial support and came away from the occasion with a renewed dedication to selfless service, an example set by AWS1 Buriak.

“I felt a deep sense of honor at the bridge dedication for AWS1,” said Chief Logistics Specialist Jeffrey Heath, assigned to NRC Greensboro. “There is a certain risk we all take in the military, but to sign up for being a rescue swimmer is right at the top of accepting risk on behalf of others.”

Family members said the day had been a long time coming.

“This is something our family has tried so hard to continue to do over the last 3 years,” said Megan Buriak.

Members of NRC Greensboro, which provides customer service and enhance mobilization readiness training for Mid-Atlantic Region Navy Reserve Force, took great inspiration from the community’s dedication to the memory of one of their own.

“The fact that his community recognizes his service and had this memorial is heartwarming,” added Heath, “and fills me with deep sense of pride.”
 
Acting Chief of Navy Reserve, Acting, Commander, Navy Reserve Force

Rear Admiral Richard S. Lofgren

Acting Chief of Navy Reserve, Acting, Commander, Navy Reserve Force

Rear Adm. Richard S. Lofgren serves as the Acting Chief of Navy Reserve and Acting Commander, Navy Reserve Force. In this role, he provides strategic leadership and oversight for Navy Reserve personnel and operations worldwide, supporting the readiness and integration of Reserve forces across the fleet. A Surface Warfare Officer, Rear Adm. Lofgren brings extensive operational and command experience across maritime expeditionary, coastal riverine, and surface warfare missions, including service in senior leadership roles supporting U.S. naval operations in multiple geographic combatant commands. His career reflects a sustained commitment to operational excellence, leadership development, and the effective employment of Navy Reserve forces in support of national security objectives.

 

 
Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command, Deputy Commander, Navy Reserve Force

Rear Admiral Luke A. Frost

Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command, Deputy Commander, Navy Reserve Force

Rear Adm. Luke Frost is a Surface Warfare Officer with extensive operational, command, and strategic leadership experience across the fleet. He has served in senior command roles at sea and ashore, including command of major surface combatants and amphibious forces operating throughout the Central Command and Indo-Pacific areas of responsibility. As a Flag Officer, Rear Adm. Frost served as Director, Reserve Warfare (OPNAV N0959) on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations, where he provided oversight and strategic guidance for Reserve force integration and readiness. His career reflects a deep commitment to warfighting excellence, joint operations, and the effective employment of naval forces in support of U.S. national security objectives.

 

 
Commander, Naval Air Force Reserve/Deputy Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Pacific Fleet/Vice Commander, Naval Air Forces

Rear Admiral John Saccomando

Commander, Naval Air Force Reserve/Deputy Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Pacific Fleet/Vice Commander, Naval Air Forces

Rear Admiral John Saccomando is a Naval Aviator with extensive operational, command, and strategic leadership experience across both active and reserve components. He has served in multiple senior command and flag assignments supporting naval aviation, expeditionary operations, and installation readiness, including leadership roles within U.S. Fleet Forces and Naval Air Forces Atlantic. A combat-experienced aviator, Rear Adm. Saccomando brings deep expertise in joint operations, force integration, and operational readiness, reflecting a sustained commitment to advancing naval capabilities and supporting U.S. national security objectives worldwide.

 

 
Commander, Naval Information Force Reserve

Rear Admiral Gregory K. Emery

Commander, Naval Information Force Reserve

Rear Adm. Greg Emery is a Navy Reserve flag officer with extensive leadership experience across naval oceanography, intelligence, and information warfare. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he has served in a wide range of operational, command, and staff assignments supporting global naval and joint operations, including senior leadership roles within Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command and the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Rear Adm. Emery brings deep expertise in intelligence integration, operational support, and information warfare, reflecting a sustained commitment to advancing decision advantage and mission readiness across the fleet.

 

 
Navy Reserve Force Master Chief

Force Master Chief Nicole C. Rios

Navy Reserve Force Master Chief

Force Master Chief Nicole C. Rios serves as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of Navy Reserve, advising on the readiness, welfare, and professional development of approximately 59,000 Reserve Component Sailors supporting Navy, Marine Corps, and joint operations worldwide. A seasoned Command Master Chief, she brings extensive experience across aviation, expeditionary, and information warfare communities, with senior enlisted leadership assignments at the unit, regional, and force levels. Her career reflects a sustained commitment to Sailor advocacy, operational readiness, and the effective integration of Navy Reserve forces in support of national defense objectives.

 

 
Command Master Chief, Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command

Master Chief Robert W. Lyons II

Command Master Chief, Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command

Command Master Chief Lyons brings extensive operational and shore-based leadership experience across aviation, logistics, manpower, and readiness organizations within the Navy Reserve enterprise. Selected as a Command Master Chief in 2016, he has served in senior enlisted leadership roles at Navy Operational Support Center Pearl Harbor, Navy Personnel Command, Maritime Support Wing, Fleet Readiness Center Mid-West, and currently serves as the Command Master Chief for Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command. An Aviation Warfare Specialist, he is recognized for sustained excellence in leadership and readiness, earning multiple personal, joint, and unit awards throughout his career.


 
Command Master Chief, Commander, Naval Air Force Reserve

Master Chief Van "Chris" Louvier

Command Master Chief, Commander, Naval Air Force Reserve

Command Master Chief Louvier enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1997 and brings extensive aviation maintenance and readiness leadership experience across multiple Fleet Logistics, Strike Fighter, Helicopter, and Reserve aviation commands. Selected as a Command Master Chief in 2015, he has served in senior enlisted leadership roles at VR-56, Commander, Tactical Support Wing, Fleet Readiness Center Reserve Mid-West, and currently serves as the Command Master Chief for Commander, Naval Air Force Reserve. An Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist, he is a graduate of the Senior Enlisted Academy and multiple executive leadership programs and has earned numerous personal and unit awards for sustained excellence in leadership and mission readiness.


 

Master Chief Jerry E. Dotson

Command Master Chief, Commander, Naval Information Force Reserve

Master Chief Jerry E. Dotson was born in Garden Grove, California, and raised in Sacramento. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on July 29, 2002, and completed recruit training and Electrician’s Mate “A” School in Great Lakes, Illinois. His career spans operational, reserve, aviation, and senior enlisted leadership assignments, and he currently serves as the Command Master Chief for Commander, Naval Information Force Reserve.

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