Month: January 2024

Source: United States Navy

Good afternoon, everyone! It is wonderful to be with you here at National Intrepid Center of Excellence on the grounds of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center—formerly referred to as Bethesda Naval Hospital—located in the great state of Maryland. 

Thank you, Captain Austin, for the introduction, for your decades of service to our nation as a uniformed medical professional, and for your leadership here at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Governor Moore, First Lady Moore, thank you for joining us for this afternoon’s celebration, and for your leadership and partnership with our Department as we work together to support the thousands of Sailors, Marines, DON Civilians, Veterans, and their families who call Maryland home. 

I would also like to extend a special welcome to the representatives from Maryland’s Congressional delegation, Montgomery County, as well as the hospitals, medical centers, and organizations who are with us today.  We value our partnership with each and every one of you, and I cannot thank you all enough for what you do in support of our Sailors, Marines, and their families.

Every time I visit Walter Reed here in Bethesda, I am in awe of the incredible efforts by our dedicated team of medical professionals to ensure our Sailors, Marines, Soldiers, Airmen, Guardians, Coastguardsmen, and their families are taken care of.

Rear Admiral Via thank you for your leadership of our Navy’s medical community as the Surgeon General of the Navy, and for ensuring our team here at Walter Reed is ready to meet the needs of our Fleet, our Force, and indeed our Nation.

In the Department of the Navy, we are laser-focused on the readiness of our fleet.  But readiness is more than just being able to get a ship or submarine underway, or an aircraft in the air—it is about making sure our personnel are physically, mentally, and medically ready to undertake their assigned missions.

And for over 200 years, our Navy has maintained a hospital facility in the Washington, D.C., area with the sole purpose of ensuring our Sailors, Marines and their families were ready to face the challenges of their day.

I and my own family were the direct beneficiaries of the outstanding care offered here at Bethesda, when in December 1993 our oldest son Chris was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes.

Our world was turned upside down, but the care delivered to our son by Dr. Peter Clemons and the entire team was nothing less than extraordinary.

Chris is now 37 years old and doing well, and we will always be thankful for the support we received here during a difficult time for our family.

Now, the Navy National Medical Center—which merged with Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2011 to form the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center—has called Bethesda home for over 80 years.

In 1938, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt selected this location we are gathered at today after visiting some 200 sites throughout D.C. and the surrounding area.

In fact, President Roosevelt sketched out the tower for the hospital—a tower that still stands today—on a piece of paper, inspired by the state capitol building in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was also present at its dedication in 1942. Ladies and gentlemen, Bethesda truly is the “President’s Hospital!”

But whether you’re the President of the United States of America, a junior enlisted Sailor or Marine, or a family member, our Navy team—along with their counterparts from other services—are committed to providing everyone who walks through these doors with world-class care and support to overcome whatever challenges they are facing.

And that is why it is so important to me to immortalize this community’s service and sacrifice by naming our next class of medical ships after our distinguished naval hospitals, with the lead ship named in this hospital’s honor—USNS Bethesda (EMS-1).

USNS Bethesda will be a floating testament to the work of the men and women who accept orders to this storied institution—including trailblazers in Navy medical history like Captain Lucy Ozarin, one of our nation’s first female military psychiatrists. She joined the Navy in 1943 and spent a career providing mental health support to service members, Veterans, and their families.

Captain Ozarin, Dr. Clemons, and all of our medical providers here today are heroes to so many Americans, and USNS Bethesda will forever be a reminder of your care and service to our nation.

This ship—as well as all of the Bethesda-class expeditionary medical ships—is designed to provide hospital-level care in austere environments, and will serve not just our Sailors and Marines, but offer assistance and comfort to our allies and partners around the globe in times of need.

They will not replace the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy, but will supplement those ships and their missions with an expeditionary capability to be able to operate in smaller, shallower locations globally.

Most importantly, USNS Bethesda will serve as a beacon of hope and of the American people’s enduring friendship to all she and her crew support around the world.

I am also pleased to announce today that our ship sponsor for USNS Bethesda will be Mrs. Dawn Moore, the First Lady of Maryland.

First Lady Moore has dedicated her life and her career to making Maryland’s communities stronger.

Through her involvement and leadership across several non-profit organizations and foundations, she has championed economic and educational opportunities.

She has lent her voice and her experience to support a broad range of causes, ranging from the arts, education, health research and development, to Veteran-focused organizations.

According to naval tradition, a ship sponsor’s spirit and presence guides the ship and her crew throughout her time in service, serving as the bond that connects the ship to its namesake.

I have no doubt that First Lady Moore will be that bond between USNS Bethesda, her crew, and the community of medical professionals stationed here in Maryland at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

And to welcome First Lady Moore into her new role as a sponsor of a Bethesda-class ship, we are thrilled to have Mrs. Deborah Paxton, the sponsor of USNS Balboa (EMS-2), which was announced in October, in attendance this afternoon.

To the doctors, nurses, corpsmen and staff—both uniformed and civilian—here at Bethesda, I cannot thank you enough for your continued efforts to enable our Sailors, Marines, and their families to perform at their best, ensuring the health readiness and community of our Fleet and of our Force. You keep us ready, resilient, and in the fight, and I am grateful for your service.

Again, it is a true pleasure to be with you all this afternoon to celebrate the naming of USNS Bethesda, and the proud community it represents.  And now, it is my honor to introduce a proud Marylander, an Army Veteran, a Rhodes Scholar, and a fellow White House Fellow alum. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the 63^rd Governor of Maryland, Wes Moore!

Source: United States Navy

This is a change of a previous rule allowing cooking with authorized small appliances only in designated kitchen areas in unaccompanied housing buildings. The Navy made the adjustment as a step forward to supporting Sailors’ Quality of Service, which is a Navy commitment aimed at refining the quality of work and quality of life of today’s Sailors.

“Sailors having the ability to cook in their unaccompanied housing units not only improves their quality of life, it also provides them options of healthy meals regardless the time of day,” said Vice Adm. Scott Gray, Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC).

The CNIC note that expands cooking capabilities in unaccompanied housing was signed and became official on Dec. 28, 2023. According to Gray, this is one of several Navy initiatives to better support Sailors.

“We are committed to following through on our promise to serve our Sailors,” said Gray, who is the top commander of all 70 Navy installations worldwide. “We are taking a more pragmatic approach to Sailor quality of life, and will be reviewing all quality of life policies over the coming months to expand Sailor options vice restrict them. It is what is right for our Sailors who serve our country.”

Small appliances allowed in Sailors’ unaccompanied housing units must have an automatic shut off feature and unexposed heating elements. Examples of authorized small appliances include but are not limited to the following: crockpots, electric hotpots, blenders, pod-type coffee makers, electric pressure cookers, rice makers, and toasters. Appliances that use compressed gas, create excessive smoke, or have open flame are prohibited within unaccompanied housing units.

Installation Commanding Officers will determine from the overall authorized list which small appliances are permitted for use in base unaccompanied housing buildings. The final list of permitted small cooking appliances at each installation unaccompanied housing will be based on the buildings’ electrical load capacity and fire suppression systems.

“Safety is important, but so is our Sailors’ quality of life,” explained Thomas Reese, deputy director of CNIC’s Fleet and Family Readiness, which oversees the management of unaccompanied housing throughout the Navy shore enterprise. “There is a balance of safety and meeting the needs of our Sailors that base commanding officers will keep in mind as decisions are made.”

Sailors who choose to cook in their units are required to properly clean their small appliances in order to prevent odors and pests. Unaccompanied housing staff will inspect units to verify compliance.

Sailors can reach out to the nearest installation Navy Unaccompanied Housing Office if they have further questions. A link to the contact list is available online at https://ffr.cnic.navy.mil/Navy-Housing/Housing-By-Region/.

Source: United States Navy

The Naval Safety and Environmental Training Center (NAVSAFENVTRACEN) is currently seeking breakout session presenters and claimant meeting sponsors for its 32nd annual Joint Safety and Environmental Professional Development Symposium (PDS), which will be held virtually April 22-26, 2024.

The PDS is a free event that provides opportunities for Department of Defense professionals – uniformed and civilian – to exchange ideas, discuss developing trends and share knowledge in the fields of safety and occupational health, environmental protection and industrial hygiene.

“We are looking forward to another successful symposium, where safety professionals worldwide can come together virtually to share information, which not only serves to strengthen our collective safety knowledge base but will result in a more effective safety culture,” said Cmdr. Nicholas Schaal, NAVSAFENVTRACEN’s commanding officer.

Last year’s PDS provided a platform with over 90 educational sessions that attracted more than 2,700 registered participants from 50 states, one U.S. territory and 20 countries. Attendees came from diverse backgrounds, including safety, industrial hygiene, environmental science, occupational health, public health, radiation health and occupational medicine.

Conducting the symposium online allows even more participation and all attendees will receive a certificate documenting their time attended. The training center will also provide a point of contact to assist presenters before the event and a session moderator during the event as well, as training on how to engage the audience effectively during the virtual conference.

The training center invites and encourages presenters from government, industry and academic agencies to share their expertise on topics including environmental protection, general safety, health and safety for disaster response and recovery, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, occupational safety and health, operational safety, radiation and laser safety and other trending topics.

Those interested in presenting during the symposium must submit their proposals online to NAVSAFENVTRACEN by Jan. 24, 2024, at http://jointpds.adobeconnect.com/pds2024presenters/event/registration.html. Information from approved proposals will be shared with registered attendees; therefore, all information must be unclassified and publicly releasable.

On the first day of the PDS, claimant meetings will provide a chance for up to 15 organizations to host one-day conferences. Here, each organization can tailor the sessions to their specific needs and cover areas such as training, updates, trends and more. Sponsors interested in this opportunity can also submit their meeting content by Jan. 24 using unclassified, publicly releasable information online at http://jointpds.adobeconnect.com/pds2024presenters/event/speaker_info.html.

The PDS committee will send session approval notifications by Feb. 12, 2024. For additional questions or information on the upcoming Joint Safety and Environmental PDS, email the committee at NAVSAFENVTRACEN_JOINT_PDS@navy.mil.

Source: United States Navy

Laura Todd has worn many hats within Fleet Readiness Center Southeast’s Human Resources (HR) department. In fact, since donning her first hat for the command in 2018, she’s been a trailblazer in HR, quickly ascending the ladder within her areas of expertise.

That’s why it came as no surprise when Laura snagged the 2022 Department of the Navy (DON) Rising Star – Human Resources Specialist Award for FRCSE. 

The Rising Star Award is given by the DON’s HR and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) community during the year, and only one HR specialist is selected annually. The award recognizes contributions from junior members with five or fewer years in their position.

“The Rising Star award is a prestigious award within the DON HR community, and Laura’s impressive list of accomplishments, exemplary work performance, strong work ethic and proven ability to overcome significant challenges made her an ideal candidate,” said Kelsey Mundy, FRCSE’s Labor and Employee Relations Branch Manager. “She has continuously demonstrated agility and perseverance and constantly proves she possesses the drive to overcome any challenge.”

To qualify, applicants are nominated and subsequently evaluated on criteria like the ability to quickly adjust to various roles and responsibilities, commitment to service and collaboration, quickly addressing and rectifying customer needs and the ability to handle assignments of great complexity or the potential to take on leadership roles. 

The Rising Star award holds tons of prestige, but it’s far from the only accolade Laura’s received. In 2022, she also won both the FRCSE HR Employee of the Quarter and Employee of the Year. 

“I was taken by surprise when I received the notification for winning the Rising Star award,” said Todd. “I am proud to have leadership that encourages growth and actively promotes professional development. My selection as a rising star from a Navy-wide community of dedicated Human Resource professionals validates that the Fleet Readiness Center Southeast team is providing world-class support for the warfighter, making my days more fulfilling and rewarding.”

In 2018, Laura began as an HR assistant, performing a broad range of customer service tasks, and quickly progressed – keeping the same title but serving as the administrator of the command’s light duty and benefits programs. 

By 2022, Laura was promoted, accepting an HR Specialist position and serving as FRCSE’s Workers’ Compensation Program Manager, but this promotion was unexpected after the previous specialist suddenly retired. The retirement forced Laura to pivot, taking on the new role without much direction.

Like a true leader and team player, Laura took the challenge in stride, becoming the full-time Workers’ Compensation Manager for both FRCSE and Fleet Readiness Center Mid-Atlantic (FRCMA). She rose to every challenge, and excelled in all day-to-day aspects of the job, including responsibilities like daily advisories for claimants, the input of all claim paperwork, advising managers, communicating with medical providers and Department of Labor claims examiners, processing challenging claims and much more. At any given time the programs under her purview manage approximately 400 active claims for both commands.  

“Ms. Todd is the third FRCSE recipient of the Rising Star Award,” said Brenda Mick-McMahan, FRCSE’s HR Director. “We’ve been very fortunate to have such wonderful and high-achieving employees that we’ve participated every year since this award program expanded to include individual achievements. Laura’s exceptional customer service, technical competence, kindness, empathy and commitment to finding resolutions positively impacted command HR programs and strengthened the workforce’s trust and confidence in the team’s ability to resolve their HR needs, enabling them to focus on mission-critical aeronautical maintenance work in support of the warfighter.”

Laura accepted her award during a small ceremony at FRCSE in December 2023.

About Fleet Readiness Center Southeast

Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) is Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia’s largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, employing approximately 5,000 civilian, military and contract workers. With annual revenue exceeding $1 billion, the organization serves as an integral part of the greater US Navy, Naval Air Systems Command, and Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers by maintaining the combat airpower for America’s military forces.

Source: United States Navy

In a fitting finale to 2023, the Navy Supply Corps School (NSCS) is proud to unveil this past year’s impressive graduation numbers, which is a testament to the hard work and dedication of NSCS instructors and staff in shaping capable Naval Supply Officers who are “Ready for Sea.” The collective efforts from everyone at the NSCS have culminated in the successful graduation of 1,469 students from all programs. The following is a breakdown of graduation numbers by course:

Basic Qualification Course (BQC)

The Basic Qualification Course (BQC) has been instrumental in shaping the skills and knowledge of 175 graduates. These individuals are now equipped to contribute meaningfully to their respective fields, carrying with them the solid foundation laid during their time in the program.

SODHC and Senior SODHC

The Supply Officer Department Head Course (SODHC) graduated 132 students, while the Senior SODHC saw the successful completion of 16 Senior SUPPO students.

HAZMAT/HAZMAT Recertification

Additionally, the HAZMAT/HAZMAT Recertification course celebrated the graduation of 467 students, emphasizing the importance of safety and expertise in handling hazardous materials.

Reserve Programs

NSCS’s Reserve courses have played a crucial role in developing the skills of 231 graduates across various phases, from Basic Qualification Course (BQC-NR) to Reserve Supply Management Advanced Refresher Training (RESMART). These programs, catering to both resident and distant learning environments, showcase our commitment to providing quality education to all members of the military community.

International Programs

Beyond national borders, our international programs have made a significant impact. With 12 graduates from International Logistics Executive Advance Development (ILEAD), 36 from International Officer Supply Course (IOSCO) and 76 from Advanced Management Program (AMP), the NSCS International Programs are fostering collaboration and sharing knowledge on a global scale.

Aviation Courses

The Joint Aviation Supply Maintenance Material Management (JASMMM) program, including JASMMM-MTT and Commanding Officers JASMMM, saw a combined graduation of 324 students across several Fleet locations. These courses contribute to the excellence of our aviation professionals, ensuring they are well-prepared for the challenges of their roles.

A Collective Achievement

The large number of graduates in 2023 is a testament to the dedication, hard work and collaboration of everyone at the NSCS. Whether active military, Training and Administration of the Reserves (TAR), Government Service (GS) employee, instructor or support staff, each individual has played a crucial role in the success of NSCS’s training programs.

As the NSCS moves forward, we look to the future with anticipation and excitement. The impact the NSCS has made on the lives and careers of graduates is immeasurable, and the NSCS takes pride in the knowledge that our instructors have trained future leaders of the Supply Corps. The schoolhouse will carry this momentum into 2024, where its impact will undoubtedly be felt even further.