Month: August 2022

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GSA Announces Three New Electric Vehicle Charging Pilots at Denver Federal Center

Source: United States General Services Administration

August 5, 2022

Program will drive sustainable innovation by piloting emerging technologies

LAKEWOOD, CO — Today, the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) Center for Emerging Building Technology (CEBT) launched an Applied Innovation Learning Laboratory (AILL) at the Denver Federal Center campus to test innovative zero-emission charging technologies. GSA was joined by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, BEAM Global, Fermata Energy, and WeaveGrid to plan three electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) pilots. These pilots aim to support GSA’s ability to deliver on the commitments in Executive Order 14057 “Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability” and accelerate the transition to an all-electric federal fleet.

Announced by GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan in a visit to the DFC earlier this year, AILL sites are designed to serve as hubs for two existing CEBT programs – GSA Green Proving Ground (GPG) and Pilot to Portfolio – and encourage federal partners, industry and local utilities to work together to test new kinds of clean energy technologies.

“We’re thrilled to be working with innovative companies and utilities to test new kinds of clean energy technologies that support zero-emission-vehicle charging infrastructure at federal properties,” said General Services Administrator Robin Carnahan. “Providing the space for practical, hands-on testing and demonstrations of charging station technologies is vital to accelerating the transition to an all-electric fleet and building a cleaner, healthier future for the country.”

2022 EVSE Technologies to be Piloted at the DFC AILL

  • BEAM Global | Renewable, transportable EV charging station combines solar, battery storage, and emergency power. Can be independent or grid-tied.
  • Fermata Energy | Bi-directional EV charging turns EVs into energy storage assets, increasing resilience and lowering the cost of EV ownership.
  • WeaveGrid | EV charge management optimizes charging based on vehicle use, utility rates, and the carbon content of delivered power.

The three EVSE technologies at the DFC will join six existing GPG pilots. Other DFC GPG projects include: a DC Microgrid, quad-pane windows, alternative water treatment for cooling towers, and circulator pumps with automated control.

“The Denver Federal Center has a long history of partnering with GSA’s Green Proving Ground program to drive data-driven investment in new technologies,” said Kevin Powell, Director of the Center for Emerging Building Technology. “Fleet electrification is a transformational moment in transportation infrastructure, and we’re thrilled to be partnering again with the DFC to understand how we can best derive optimum value from an all-electric fleet.”

Reference above to any specific company, product, technology or service does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by GSA. More information on the above technologies and other ongoing evaluations can be found at GPG’s Ongoing Assessments webpage.

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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.

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Defense News: See Your Advancement Now – with SEA2P!

Source: United States Navy

The Navy announced a pilot program in NAVADMIN 178/22 on August 5 designed to keep deploying units mission-ready by filling billets in Naval Air Forces and Surface Forces. The program, Senior Enlisted Advancement to Position (SEA2P), offers an advancement incentive to active component E-7 and E-8 Sailors willing to take critical at-sea billets.  

“Navy Chiefs are essential to the operation and readiness of our fleet,” said Vice Adm. Rick Cheeseman, Chief of Naval Personnel. “SEA2P aims to reward Senior Enlisted who are willing to take the hard jobs where their experience and leadership mean the most, while ensuring our deploying units have the people they need to accomplish the mission.”  

Senior Enlisted Advancement to Position (SEA2P) awards advancement to eligible Sailors who are willing to take critical at-sea billets. The process for SEA2P will be transparent and objective. Senior Fleet and type commander staff representatives will convene a selection board to select Sailors who are best and fully qualified for priority sea billets primarily within the Nimitz Strike Group, the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, and USS George Washington. 

“Sailors need our Chiefs, our Senior Chiefs, and our Master Chiefs, to lead from the front,” said Chief of Naval Personnel Fleet Master Chief Delbert Terrell. “Our Sailors expect it and require their continued leadership, experience, and mentorship.  SEA2P helps us make that happen, while offering promotion to those motivators who apply.” 

Applicants must be an active component E-7 or E-8; must have been selected or screened as a non-select for advancement to E-8 or E-9 by the respective FY-23 selection boards, or be advancement-eligible for the respective FY-24 boards. Time-in-Rate (TIR) waivers will be approved for FY-24 advancement-eligible Sailors who are selected for SEA2P.  

Applicants must possess any required Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) codes associated with the billet(s) for which they apply.  Waivers will be considered for applicants who have pre-requisite experience necessary to obtain required NECs and can do so while also meeting the required arrival date for the SEA2P billet. All Sailors selected for SEA2P billets should expect to receive permanent change of station orders with a transfer date as early as 30-45 days after selection. 

The NAVADMIN announced a timeline for the process: 

·       Timeline 1st Screening: 

o   31 AUG | Deadline to submit 1306 

o   12-16 SEP | Selection Screening 

o   26-30 SEP | Announcements posted 

o   3 OCT | SEA2P selected Sailors receive orders 

·       Timeline 2nd Screening 

o   30 SEP |Second call for any unfilled SEA2P positions 

o   17 OCT | Deadline to submit 1306 second call 

o   31 OCT-4 NOV | Second call screening 

o   14-18 NOV | Announcements posted 

o   21 NOV | SEA2P selected Sailors receive orders 

Senior Enlisted Sailors selected for SEA2P will be advanced to the paygrade associated with the billet and receive pay commensurate with the paygrade when they report to their ultimate duty station.  

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Defense News: RIMPAC 2022 Concludes

Source: United States Navy

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM – The world’s largest international maritime exercise concluded Aug. 4 following more than a month of realistic, relevant combined operations training conducted in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

Twenty-six nations, 38 surface ships, three submarines, nine national land forces, more than 30 unmanned systems, approximately 170 aircraft and over 25,000 personnel participated in the 28th edition of the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).

RIMPAC 2022 Combined Task Force Commander, U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Michael Boyle expressed that returning to a full-scale exercise, with multiple exercise firsts, has been a success across all domains.

“By coming together as Capable, Adaptive Partners, and in the scale that we are, we are making a statement about our commitment to work together, to foster and sustain those relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of the sea lanes and the security of the world’s interconnected oceans,” Vice Adm. Boyle said.

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Rear Admiral Toshiyuki Hirata filled the role of Vice Commander, and commanded the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) portion of the exercise that operated with local hospital personnel. This year’s RIMPAC included two Maritime Self-Defense Force escort ships and the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Western Army.

Rear Adm. Hirata said that in the current security environment, it is important for the international community to work together. “It is of great significance to deepen and strengthen the relationship of trust.”

For the first time, Republic of Korea Rear Adm. Sangmin An served as the Commander of the exercise’s combined amphibious task force, with the Republic of Singapore Navy Col. Kwan Hon Chuong serving as the amphibious force’s Sea Combat Commander, and Royal Australian Navy Capt. Michael Osborn serving as the Sea Logistics Commander.

RIMPAC’s Deputy Commander, Royal Canadian Navy Rear Adm. Christopher Robinson, said the collaboration and cohesiveness between partner nations enhanced their operations.

“This exercise provides tremendous training value, enabling partners to build skills and refine procedures through working together. Part of this comes from seeing how other partners approach similar scenarios, offering new perspectives”, Robinson said. “The value of this collaboration goes further, in that it also enables us to build and foster those relationships and networks that are so incredibly valuable as we operate together in future operations throughout the region.”

A few of the first-time achievements included:

  • Two U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft embarked in Australian amphibious ship HMAS Canberra for the whole duration of the exercise.
  • While participating in RIMPAC for the first time, HMNZS Aotearoa conducted numerous Replenishment at Sea operations with partner nations including France, Australia, Canada, Malaysia and the U.S.
  • Royal Malaysian Ship KD Leskir (F26) conducted their first live missile firing outside Malaysian waters.
  • First embedded use of the MQ-9A and MQ-9B unmanned aerial vehicles, and the unmanned surface vessels Nomad, Ranger, Sea Hawk and Sea Hunter; with data and knowledge sharing amongst 13 countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Peru, India, France, Chile, Mexico, Singapore and Indonesia.
  • Nine nations participated in the RIMPAC Amphibious Assault (Australia, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Tonga and U.S.).

This year’s exercise included units and personnel from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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Security News: Six-Time Felon Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Prison for Cocaine and Gun Possession

Source: United States Department of Justice News

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Sumter, South Carolina man was sentenced today to 77 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  On April 21, 2022, Derrick Lee Daye pled guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Derrick Lee Daye, 35, was arrested on June 21, 2021 after officers with the Dunn Police Department found him with a backpack containing over $18,000 in cash, a loaded gun, and 90 grams of compressed cocaine. Daye, a member of the Bloods street gang, had five prior felony convictions before this arrest.

“I would like to thank U.S. Attorney Michael Easley and his team for their cooperation and hard work in assisting law enforcement officers in a successful prosecution and removal of a dangerous habitual felon from the community,” said Dunn Police Chief Clark White. “This is a perfect example of how local and federal agencies working together can achieve great results.”

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Dunn Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Webb and Nicholas Hartigan prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-335.

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Security News: Veterans Affairs Medical Center Employee Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

Source: United States Department of Justice News

BOSTON – A Royalston man was arrested yesterday on child pornography charges.

Kevin Divoll, 51, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Following an initial appearance yesterday in federal court in Springfield before U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni, Divoll was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Aug. 9, 2022.

According to the charging document, investigators identified the IP address of a device distributing child pornography through peer-to-peer communications and determined the device was using the public Wi-Fi at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Leeds. Further investigation identified that Divoll, an employee at the VA Medical Center, as the owner and user of the device. It is alleged that during a search of Divoll’s residence yesterday, a laptop, external hard drive and cellphone were found to contain child pornography including images of toddler-aged children. 

The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the Leeds VA Medical Center Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine G. Curley of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.