Naval Station Mayport Commanding Officer Capt. Mike Trumbull spoke to students at Mayport Coastal Sciences Middle School and Alimacani Elementary on Friday, Nov. 6, as a guest speaker for their Veterans Day celebrations.

Naval Station Mayport posted about the visit on its social media account, thanking both schools for honoring veterans. The post included photos from the events but did not detail what Trumbull told students.

The visit highlights the close ties between the naval station and the Duval County Public Schools that serve military families in the Mayport area. Mayport Coastal Sciences Middle School sits near the base and is one of several Beaches-area schools with a significant military-connected student population.

That connection runs deep at the elementary level, too. According to a Naval Station Mayport Facebook post, Anchor Academy Elementary, formerly Joseph Finegan Elementary, has served Mayport families for 55 years as a direct neighbor to the base. A fenceline access agreement allows military children living on base to walk from their homes directly onto school grounds.

The Florida Purple Star School of Distinction program recognizes K–12 schools that support military-connected students and their families. Naval Station Mayport has highlighted the designation on its Facebook page, though which specific schools hold the distinction could not be confirmed from available records.

Trumbull's school visits came ahead of Wednesday, Nov. 11, when Jacksonville will host its annual Veterans Day Parade at 11:01 a.m. in downtown Jacksonville. The parade is part of the city's Celebration of Valor, which runs through mid-December and includes a Vetrepreneur Summit on Dec. 4 and a Wreaths Across America event on Dec. 19, according to the City of Jacksonville.

The Nov. 11 parade will feature Mayor Donna Deegan and Honorary Grand Marshal John F. Lovejoy, M.D., a Vietnam veteran, along with active-duty and retired military units, veteran groups and local school groups, according to the city's announcement.