Month: July 2022

Source: United States Navy

In response to emergent mission sets and customers’ requirements, Camp Lemonier Djibouti (CLDJ) and Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Sigonella’s (NAVSUP FLCSI) fuels departments coordinated the exchange and transportation of a pantograph allowing Site Djibouti the capability of delivering fuel on the flight line with engines running; otherwise known as “hot pit” refueling.

A pantograph is a stainless-steel piping mechanism coupled with a fuel hydrant or nozzle to enable direct mobile refueling on airfields. This pantograph can extend the distance between the fuel source and the aircraft, establishing a larger safety arc between the running aircraft, personnel and the fuel.

On 15 June 2022, NAVSUP personnel assigned to Site Djibouti fuels department and their mission partners performed the installation’s first “hot pit” refueling evolution with a MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.

During normal refueling evolutions, aircrafts are fueled “cold” while the engines are shut down, a process that may generate additional maintenance and safety checks resulting in delays before the aircraft is relaunched for a mission.

By contrast, during “hot pit” refueling evolutions, aircraft engines remain on and continue to idle. Because the aircraft remains operational, it can now relaunch immediately after receiving fuel.

“In order for my team to begin performing hot pit refueling evolutions, the pantograph’s hydrant system connections were removed and replaced with D1 nozzle adapters which interoperate with our refueling truck hoses,” said Lt. Nicholas Butler, NAVSUP FLCSI Site Djibouti fuels officer. “Once this was completed, we pressure test to ensure the modified parts create a seal that will prevent fuel from leaking. The duration of a hot pit refueling evolution for a MV-22 is now roughly 10 to 15 minutes per aircraft which is a significant reduction compared to the cold refueling time of 45 minutes.”

For VMM-163, Marine MV-22 squadron – FLCSI Site Djibouti’s primary refueling customer, the importance of “hot pit” refueling to its Aviation Combat Element-Crisis Response-Africa mission is two-fold.

“The ability to keep engines on during refueling is a bigger deal than it may seem at first glance,” said Marine Maj. David ‘”Donny” Tuck VMM-163 (REIN) (Evil Eyes) Executive Officer. “Firstly, “hot pit” refueling enables the rapid turnaround of aircraft during high tempo operations. Being on 24/7 alert for no-fail missions, like a casualty evacuation, means every minute counts, and the difference between success and failure can be a heartbeat.”

Tuck added that the second advantage of “hot pit” refueling for FLCSI’s fuel customers at Site Djibouti is mitigating the wear and tear on aircraft.

“Hot pit refueling helps to minimize the occurrence of unscheduled maintenance,” Tuck said. “Anytime an aircraft is shut down, the restart can result in ‘undefined states’ for the various components, which can often result in unscheduled maintenance actions.”

Prior to performing “hot pit” refueling evolutions, Butler and his team, along with mission partners prepared over several months.

“Because the engines are kept on during “hot pit” refuels, performing this aspect of our mission is considered more dangerous to personnel,” Butler said. “To perform this new mission set safely and correctly, several training evolutions and dry runs were conducted to ensure the success we had this week.”

Site Djibouti’s airfield also needed preparing to allow for “hot pit” refueling evolutions.

NAVSUP FLCSI’s mission partners, like Site Djibouti’s air operations and air safety departments, designated an area that would meet the minimum requirement of 50 feet separating any parked or taxiing aircraft. Additionally, the site was chosen based on the availability of lighting sources for nighttime “hot pit” refueling evolutions.

“For the first time in Site Djibouti history, we can now offer “hot pit” refueling as a capability that will result in enhancing our Warfighters rapid response to emergent mission sets and also increase squadrons’ readiness,” Butler said. “Since commissioning the new hot refueling capability, my team has consistently hot refueled our MV-22 customers almost every day in support of their mission.”

Butler added that this new fueling capability at Site Djibouti does not mean that “cold” refueling evolutions will discontinue.

“Cold refueling will remain our main method of refueling aircraft,” Butler said. “The good news is that by increasing our mission set and relevancy with the “hot pit” refueling capability, NAVSUP FLCSI is now better positioned to support the operational requirements of all of our tenant commands at CLDJ.”

Besides Site Djibouti’s air operations and safety departments, NAVSUP FLCSI’s other mission partners to successfully perform “hot pit” refueling evolutions are the installation’s emergency management officer, fire department, explosive safety officer, and public works.

“We thank FLC Sigonella for giving us the opportunity to provide “hot pit” refueling to our customers onboard CLDJ. The installation is located in a strategic geographic location in the Horn of Africa and we must be ready to act at moment’s notice. “Hot pit” refueling provides just that; the necessary infrastructure to support aircraft faster and better than our world competitors, said Lt. Cmdr. Javier Benabe,” NAVSUP FLCSI Site Djibouti assistant supply officer.

Site Djibouti is one of NAVSUP FLC Sigonella’s six logistics sites strategically located across U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa. Through its offices and facilities at Camp Lemonnier, Site Djibouti provides logistics, supply network, and quality-of-life services to U.S. Naval, Joint, and Allied customers throughout the AFRICOM Theater of Operation.

Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti is a forward operating site that supports joint operations, ships, aircraft, and personnel, ensuring security and stability throughout Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia. The base enables maritime and combat operations in the Horn of Africa while fostering positive U.S.-Africa relations and is the only enduring U.S. military base on the African continent. The Department of Defense supports our African partners with capacity building, strengthening defense institutions, and supporting a whole-of-government approach in the region so diplomatic and developmental solutions can take root. Camp Lemonnier is managed by the U.S. Navy and operated by Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central (EURAFCENT).

Source: United States Navy

NEWPORT, R.I. – Capt. Charles Varsogea, a U.S. Navy chaplain, became the commanding officer of Naval Chaplaincy School (NCS) during an assumption of command ceremony held at Naval Station Newport, June 30.

Varsogea last served as executive assistant to the Navy’s chief of chaplains, and he has come prepared to take on his new role, already offering insight on the significance of the NCS mission.

“I believe the hospitality that we show our students when they are here becomes religious accommodation in the fleet,” said Varsogea. “The better we are at learning to see through the eyes of our students, the better they will be at looking at life through the eyes of those that they serve and advise when they are at sea and ashore.”

In his remarks, Varsogea also spoke of honor and integrity and their importance to him as a leader.

“We’re a family here. We are inclusive and focused on our mission, honoring one another in the process,” said Varsogea. “I believe that honor, like charity, begins at home, and a person of integrity is the same everywhere and under every circumstance.”

The previous commanding officer, Rear Adm. Carey Cash, now chaplain of the Marine Corps and deputy chief of chaplains of the Navy, departed NCS in May.

“Over the last two years under Carey’s leadership, this team has made incredible strides.  The team should be very proud,” said guest speaker Rear Adm. Pete Garvin, commander, Naval Education and Training Command. “You led an unprecedented unity of effort in support of spiritual readiness and religious ministry. You got the conversation going, and when there were conversations happening in two different rooms, you brought them all into one.”

The NCS staff was involved with developing the Chaplain Corps’ Navy Leader Development Framework and a five-year plan for professional development. They increased student throughput through virtual courses despite COVID restrictions and exceeded Sailor 2025 goals for the religious program specialist (RP) rating, while taking the rating through modernization via the Ready Relevant Learning process.

They also moved RP “A” School to Newport and adopted more realistic field training exercises and shipboard training. The staff applied suicide intervention skills training and have been involved with developing Warrior Toughness, a holistic human performance skillset that enhances the toughness of Sailors with a focus on the pursuit of peak performance.

At the conclusion of his speech, Garvin again praised the NCS staff’s accomplishments and added he is confident in Varsogea’s ability to continue that work.

“Charles, your distinguished career and extensive experience ministering to our Sailors and Marines both at sea and ashore as well as your tours with chief of chaplains make you a natural fit to come in and continue the excellent work done by Carey and the staff,” said Garvin. “Congratulations to you as you take command. I have absolutely all the confidence in the world that you are going to continue to lead the Naval Chaplaincy School to even greater heights.”

NCS trains Navy chaplains and religious program specialists to fulfill a critical role in helping the Department of the Navy achieve and maintain a ready force. NCS prepares religious ministry team members to minister across the sea services to build personal, unit, and family readiness and strengthen spirit, moral character, and toughness. For more information about NCS, visit the command’s website at https://www.netc.navy.mil/NCS/

Source: United States Navy

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), in coordination with Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), awarded a major contract June 30 to privatize the wastewater utility system for Naval Station (NS) Mayport, Florida.

American Water Military Services, LLC (AWMS) was awarded the contract. In 2023, AWMS will assume ownership of the utility system and infrastructure as well as operate and maintain the system while providing utility services to the Navy. Under the Department of the Navy (DON) Utilities Privatization (UP) Pilot Program, AWMS will collect and provide for disposal of domestic and oily-waste water discharge and provide significant rehabilitation of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The period of performance of the UP service contract is 50 years.

According to the DON’s economic analysis, this UP provides a cost avoidance of approximately $65 million over the life of the contract.

“Naval Station Mayport is a great example of how installations can work together with the system owners to achieve resilient and reliable utilities,” said DLA Energy Utility Services Director Martha Gray. “We are both pleased and excited to award our first Navy Utilities Privatization contract.”

Naval Station Mayport is the third-largest naval surface fleet concentration in the United States with the current wastewater utility system serving more than 14,500 personnel. The purpose of entering into the UP Pilot Program is to upgrade the wastewater utility system and comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and Clean Water Act regulations, while realizing cost savings.

“It has been a long process,” said NS Mayport Commanding Officer Capt. Jason Canfield. “There have been 12 studies and projects completed since 2010 that have gotten us to where we are today. I am proud of the dedication and hard work our Navy team has done to finalize this requirement which will lead to our system coming into compliance.”
 
Naval Station Mayport owns and operates a 2.0 million gallon per day (MGD) WWTP that discharges to the Lower St. Johns River (LSJR). The plant treats all wastewater generated at NS Mayport, including the ships in port, and is regulated under two separate NPDES permits.

The Navy is one of 30 local stakeholders discharging to the LSJR who participated in the Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) that was finalized in 2008, adopted into Florida law, and implemented through the NPDES permit program.

The Navy has been under a Consent Order (CO) from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for noncompliance with total nitrogen (TN) permit discharge limits which requires final compliance by September 1, 2023.

“We had planned for years to secure a military construction (MILCON) project to replace the wastewater treatment plant at NS Mayport,” said Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southeast Environmental Director Mary Oxendine.

Feasibility studies and other projects were conducted to determine the preferred course of action for NS Mayport to comply with permit limits and to identify viable options to maximize the energy efficiency and sustainability of the wastewater collection and treatment system.

“Going the MILCON route ended up being cost prohibitive, so we investigated the use of a UP contract,” said Oxendine. “In the long run, this is the best use of the taxpayers’ money to bring the facility into compliance and meet the FDEP CO deadline.”

”This is not the first time NAVFAC Southeast has looked at UP as a contract tool,” said NAVFAC Southeast Utilities and Energy Management Director Kevin Roye. “We currently have five UPs in the southeast. They include Key West (water and wastewater), Meridian (electric), Kingsville (electric) and Corpus Christi (electric). Naval Station Mayport will be the sixth.”

The contract is a unique partnership between NAVFAC and DLA Energy. The DLA Energy team brings significant experience and expertise in the execution of UP projects within the Department of Defense (DoD). NAVFAC serves as the UP Program Office lead for planning, requirements development, budgeting, Program Objective Memorandum (POM) development, programming and project management in addition to enterprise portfolio management.

DLA Energy Utility Services helps military services coordinate and consolidate DoD privatization efforts such as gas lines, electrical distribution systems, water and wastewater systems, and thermal systems. In the utilities privatization process, military installations shift from the role of owner-operator to that of smart utility service customers.

”This effort took a lot of coordination with an excellent partner and we are very pleased to have a good outcome. This contract will bring a lot of value to the Navy, its sailors, and personnel at Mayport,” said Gray. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Navy for many years to come. DLA Energy anticipates a long and successful relationship with its new Navy partner.”