CJP Regional Event Recap: Charleston, SC

by Cheryl Hardy

On March 12, a total of 46 CJP members arrived in beautiful weather at Atlantic Aviation – ready to take in all that Charleston, South Carolina, has to offer. Also attending the event were team members from Platinum Plus Partner Textron Aviation and Platinum Partners Garmin, Collins and Tamarack.

Upon arrival, CJP members checked in for their stay at Hotel Bennett, located along Marion Square. The location was right in the heart of Charleston-provided hospitality that the area is known for.

The opening evening reception was held at 39 Rue de Jean, a local restaurant known for French Cuisine and within walking distance from the hotel. The venue provided a private setting for the group to gather and visit with CJP friends old and new.

Friday morning, the attendees were up and ready for breakfast and the event’s first safety seminar. David Miller and Neil Singer kicked things off on the topic of “Why Citations Run Off the Runway.”

After the morning safety presentation, the group was off and running to enjoy a beautiful day with the choice of golf or lunch at a local eatery. This was followed by carriage rides through historic Charleston, including a private tour through the cobblestone streets to enjoy the beautiful gardens and shops.

After a full day, the CJP attendees gathered back at the Hotel Bennet to relax and enjoy cocktails and dinner to close out the first day.

On Saturday, the group met again for breakfast and day two of the educational program. Company and program updates were presented by partners Textron Aviation, Garmin and Collins.

Later, the afternoon included lunch at Harold’s Cabin and a tour of the Citadel and Historic Cannonborough neighborhood.

Steeped in rich history and tradition, the Citadel is a landmark in Charleston and South Carolina that is noted for its educational reputation as well as its rich history. Founded in 1842, The Citadel has an undergraduate student body of about 2,300 students who make up the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. Another 1,000 students attend The Citadel Graduate College, a civilian evening and online program that offers graduate and professional degrees as well as undergraduate programs. The Citadel is best known nationally for its Corps of Cadets, which draws students from about 45 states and a dozen countries. The men and women in the Corps live and study under a classical military system that makes leadership and character development an essential part of the educational experience.

After the exciting and educational afternoon, the CJP group returned to the Hotel Bennet to refresh for the evening outing to tour the USS Yorktown with a welcome briefing by Admiral James Flatley III. He talked about his experience flying F-4s in Vietnam, as well as his 30-plus C-130 carrier landings. Admiral Flatley has the third-highest number of carrier landings in Naval history and is the only pilot to land a C-130 on an aircraft carrier. The group enjoyed a private reception and dinner on the fantail of the Yorktown that provided beautiful views of Charleston during sunset.

The USS YORKTOWN (CV-10) was the tenth aircraft carrier to serve in the United States Navy. Under construction as BON HOMME RICHARD, this new Essex-class carrier was renamed in honor of YORKTOWN (CV-5) sunk at the epic Battle of Midway (June 1942). Built in an amazing 16.5 months at Newport News, Virginia, YORKTOWN was commissioned on April 15, 1943. World War II’s famous “Fighting Lady” would participate significantly in the Pacific offensive that began in late 1943 and ended with the defeat of Japan in 1945. YORKTOWN received the Presidential Unit Citation and earned 11 battle stars for service in World War II. In the 1950s, YORKTOWN was modernized to operate jet aircraft as an attack carrier (CVA). In 1957, she was re-designated an anti-submarine aircraft carrier (CVS), and would later earn 5 battle stars for service off Vietnam (1965-68). The ship also recovered the Apollo 8 astronauts and capsule (December 1968). YORKTOWN was decommissioned in 1970 and placed in reserve. In 1975, this historic ship was towed from Bayonne, NJ to Charleston to become the centerpiece of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum.

A special thanks to Textron Aviation for co-hosting the Charleston event and providing special touches! We closed our assemblage on Saturday evening, wishing we had more time together but glad to see one another and share our experiences, catch up on families, and enjoy each other until our next event.

Until next time….be well!

Cheryl