VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The U.S. Navy owns many large submarines, ships and aircraft carriers that need to be protected when operating at sea and close to the shore. A special group of sailors is charged with protecting these Navy investments.
The Maritime Expeditionary Security Force (MESF) operates ashore, at sea and in the waters of harbors, rivers, bays and across the littorals. The primary focus of MESF is to conduct maritime security operations. They do this by providing port and harbor security as well as security for high-value units, like aircraft carriers and submarines, on coastal waterways and ashore.
Cmdr. David Vitollo, a native of Coxsackie, New York, serves as the commanding officer of Maritime Security Squadron 2 which is responsible for protecting the Navy’s maritime platforms and port infrastructure.
Vitollo graduated from Grapeville Baptist Christian School in 1998. He enlisted in the Navy serving three years as an electrician’s mate before earning an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, which he graduated from in 2005.
"My father, Joseph, was in the Air Force, so I was interested in the military growing up,” said Vitollo
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Coxsackie.
“It's a small town full of hard-working people, so I learned the value of hard work,” said Vitollo. "I was looking for opportunities to contribute and work hard."
For Full Story: https://navyoutreach.blogspot.com/2024/04/coxsackie-native-commands-us-navys.html
By Alvin Plexico, Navy Office of Community Outreach