USS Arlington Committee Seeks Volunteers; Meets this Week

A U.S. Navy vessel is being named after Arlington County, and a group is looking for volunteers to help make the USS Arlington’s commissioning a success.

“The money that will be raised is going to be used for a tribute room on the ship,” said Mary Wagoner, volunteer with the USS Arlington's Commissioning Committee. “It will have commemorative things from 9/11 and some information about Arlington County itself.”

The group hopes to raise about $500,000, most of which is going toward the tribute room. Funds will also go toward a celebration meal for members of the crew the weekend of the commissioning, Wagoner said.

“We will take as many volunteers as we can get,” Wagoner said. “It’s quite an honor to have a ship named for your county and we want to create that community bond with the ship.”

The USS Arlington is one of three ships commemorating the events of 9/11, and will be commissioned in Norfolk next spring.

The Navy chose Arlington to honor the memories of those killed or injured in the attack on the Pentagon that day, and Arlington’s first responders.

The group is meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at 2100 Clarendon Blvd., room 103, the Azalea Conference Room.

Read our previous coverage on the USS Arlington.