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CLAYTODAYONLlNE.COM BUSINESS. COMMUNITY ~ MILITARY. OBITUARIES.POLICE. REALESTATE. SCHOOLS AUGUST 6,2009 . CLAYTODAY . 13A . .Military .. .OPHS graduategetshisCaptain'sEagle By Randy Lefko, Correspondent ORANGEPARK-- After nearly a year of planning, the promotion to U.S. Navy Capt(iin of Orange Park High School gradu- ate Ariel C. Nagales filled Haut Hall at St. Catherine's Catholic Church as friends and famjly celebrated the special day Satur- day. . "When!. got notice .about a year ago, family members told me to save the date, Aug. 1, so that everyone in the family could celebrate with me," said Nagales, after the emotion-filled qeremony. "I was very proud to be able to share this day with my family, my father and mother, and, I think, about 150 family friends that came from all over to join me. ". . Nagales, who graduated Orange Park in 1983, is currently a commander of a Naval Special Operations unit that has as its duty to be ready to engage special warfare worldwide. . "It is somewhat of a specialized unit and I have one group of personnel in the field and one in training," said Nagales. . Joining Nagales was a plethora of Navy white-uniformed servicemen who have had experiences with Nagales as. he has pro- gressed in his years in the N-avy.Among them was Captain RodneyM. Urbano, com- mander of a patrol and reconnaissance wfng, who swore in Nag(iles for his pro- motion then joined Nagales' wife Rowena in placing the captain's eagle on Nagales un.iformedshoulders: "It is special that my parents were here also," said Nagales, who's father Renato, was 24 years in the Navyas a master chief storekeeper, then served in the civilian sector for NADEP at NasJax. "My dad has always been my greatest influence to serv- \ , ,- ~ - . CORRESPONDENTPHOTOBY RANDYLEFKO U.S,Navy.Capt. RodneyM.Urbano, left,helpsCaptAriel C.Nagalesget his captain's eagle placed on his right shoulder as Nagales'wife, Rowena,placesthe leftshouldereagleduringacelebrationofNagales' promotionceremony. ingin the Navy." Nagales said he had two to three months before his captain's orders would come to him and that he was hoping for an as.signment in Jacksonville. "I havebeendeployedworldwidefora long time mainly because of the type job that I have," said Nagales. "I am 'blessed to have a great family support system for assignments away from home." Nagales is a University of Florida grad- uate, got a master's degree from Loyola University, a master of strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College in 2005 and also completed the Advanced Joint Professional Military Education at the U.S. Join't Forces' Staff College in 2008. He is at the Universityof North Florida currently' about to complete a Doctor of Educ'ation degree. After completing active duty in 1996, Nagales accepted a commission in the U.S. Navy Reserve and later served, in 2004, for 24 months as part of the U.S. Special Operations Commandin support of Opera- tions Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and Noble Eagle. Nagales has three children; Marcelina, Joshua and James-Matthew.
