APRIL 20, 2026 – More than 8,000 service members, military retirees, their families and invited guests attended a Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) Operation MWR concert onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola April 18.
Headlined by country music star Kane Brown and featuring artists Russell Dickerson and DJ Vito, the free concert was something NAS Pensacola Commanding Officer Capt. Chandra ‘Mamasan’ Newman said could serve to increase the well-being of the thousands of students at one of the largest training sites in the Navy.
“Being able to come out and enjoy this concert provides service members and their families not only a welcome break, but the opportunity to connect with part of the greater military community in Pensacola,” she said. “Providing opportunities for our service members to recharge is essential in ensuring they remain the sharpest and most resilient fighting force in the world.”
Newman added that the volunteer efforts from tenant commands for events such as this are critical, with service members given the opportunity to participate and take ownership and pride in the final outcome.
“The support from our tenant commands in helping our MWR team put this event together was unprecedented,” she said. “Service members from every branch of our Armed Forces worked seamlessly with the NAS Pensacola MWR team to make sure we supported the CNIC Operation MWR mission, and their efforts ensured the thousands of guests attending were able to enjoy the event.”
Newman also said the efforts of the air station’s MWR team, Navy Security Forces (NSF), Fire and Emergency Services Gulf Coast (F&ESGC) and nearly every department were all critical in the success of the much-anticipated event.
“The safety and security of our service members, their families and our guests at events like this is always are primary consideration, and require an all hands on deck approach,” she said. “Seeing the NAS Pensacola team in action is always humbling, and the service members and civilian employees here are committed to our mission.”
The Operation MWR concert coincidently fell on the installation’s 200th birthday, something Newman acknowledged to the crowd during her welcome remarks and reiterated through a video message as well as through a redesign of the air station’s logo.
“Happy 200th Birthday!” she said. “We’re celebrating this milestone all year – 200 Years Forged Here. The history of this installation – from a naval shipyard into an air station – is something we hold quite dear, and share with a community who has been by our side every step of the way.”
Operation MWR is a series of free events, open to installation MWR-eligible patrons, and designed to support the morale, resilience and readiness of service members and their families.
NAS Pensacola, referred to as the ‘Cradle of Naval Aviation,’ is designed to support operational and training missions of tenant commands. Along with an active runway, NAS Pensacola also maintains a deep-water port, directly supporting U.S. Coast Guard missions.
Story by Ensign Caitlin Omey
Naval Air Station Pensacola