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Plumb To Speak Following Parade

U.S. Navy Capt. John Plumb will serve as 2017 Memorial Day speaker at services in Lakeview Cemetery following the annual Jamestown Memorial Day parade.

Plumb is a fourth-generation Western New Yorker who has dedicated his life to serving his country. He comes from a family tradition of military service: his father and both of his grandfathers served in the United States Army; his brother Michael and sister Mary both served in the United States Air Force. Plumb was born in Jamestown and raised in Randolph, graduating from Randolph Central School in 1988. He earned his bachelor’s degree in physics from the Univeristy of Notre Dame in 1992 and his Masters in Physics from the University of Colorado in 1993. After being commissioned as a submarine officer, he attended the Navy’s Nuclear Power School and Submarine School, then reported aboard the USS San Juan (SSN 751) in New London, Conn., in 1995. He served as reactor controls assistant, main propulsion assistant, and sonar officer during his sea tour. From 1998-2000, he taught the officer class of Aspects of Reactor Plant Operation (ARPO) at Nuclear Power School in Charleston, S.C. He transitioned to the reserve force in 2000 and earned his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering in 2003.

As a member of the Navy Reserve, between 2000 and 2008 Plumb commanded three separate Naval Reserve units: Naval Submarine Support Command (NSSC) Pearl Harbor Detachment B, Joint Mobile Ashore Support Terminal Pacific (JMAST PAC) and AS-39 Emory S. Land Detachment D. In 2007 he mobilized to the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. From 2008-2009 he was commanding officer of Naval Reserve NSSC in Norfolk, Va. From 2010-2012 he served first as unit operations officer and then as the executive officer of the Chief of Naval Operations’ reserve Operations and Plans unit in the Pentagon, a 70-member, high-visibility unit. From 2013-2014 he commanded the Navy Reserve Undersea Warfare Detachment in Pittsburgh, Pa., and from 2015-16 he commanded the United States Fleet Forces Maritime Operations Center reserve detachment in Newport, R.I. He serves as the commanding officer, Naval Reserve Carrier Strike Group Four Force Protection unit in Norfolk, Va. In that role he is responsible for the leadership, training and operations of 75 sailors in Norfolk, Va., and a detachment of 25 additional sailors in Orlando, Fla. His unit is responsible for evaluating the anti-terrorism and force protection readiness of deploying U.S. Navy warships in the Atlantic Fleet.

As a civilian, in 2004 Plumb successfully competed for a Congressional fellowship administered by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. After working for then-Sen. Ken Salazar for a year as a science fellow, he became permanent staff to Salazar from 2006-08, serving as his military and scientific advisor. In 2009, he transitioned to the Pentagon, where he served first as principal director for nuclear and missile defense policy, then as acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy. He was then detailed to the White House National Security Council staff as Director, Defense Policy & Strategy. Most recently he ran for U.S. Congress in New York State’s 23rd congressional district.

Plumb’s personal military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), Navy Commendation Medal (two awards), Army Commendation Medal and Navy Achievement Medal (five awards). He is one of few service members to earn the Arctic Service Ribbon, which he earned onboard his submarine for deploying north of the Arctic Circle, under the ice. His civilian decorations include the Office of the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Public Service Award, the Department of State Superior Honor Award and the Secretary of Energy Achievement Award.

The Memorial Day Parade will step off at 10 a.m., will travel east on Fourth Street, proceed along Prendergast Avenue into Soldiers Circle within the cemetery, where cemetery memorial services will begin.

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