Month: February 2024

Source: United States Navy

“Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain evaluates and assesses our force protection conditions, command and control, and existing as well as new capabilities to evaluate how we respond to multi-dimensional security threats,” said Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. “This exercise utilizes realistic scenarios to identify areas where we can improve our procedures and decision-making processes, and strengthen our response as one joint warfighting team made up of fleet and shore security forces across naval region, installation commands, and partner agencies.”

Citadel Shield is the field training exercise portion led by CNIC during week one. Solid Curtain occurs the following week and is the command post exercise led by USFFC. Exercise events during both weeks will simulate realistic threat scenarios such as active shooters, unauthorized base access and improvised explosive devices. This two-part approach is designed to enhance the readiness of U.S. Navy security forces and ensure seamless interoperability among the commands, other services and agency partners in order to protect life, equipment and facilities.

“Our Navy installations are warfighting platforms and are the springboard from which all warfighting readiness emanates,” said Vice Adm. Scott Gray, Commander, Navy Installations Command. “That readiness begins with a workforce that is capable and coordinated. Partnering with the Fleet on exercises like Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain ensures we are prepared to execute a well-honed and effective response to any real-world threat.”

CS-SC24 is a regularly scheduled exercise and is not being held in response to any specific threat.

Measures have been taken to minimize disruptions within local communities and to normal base operations, but there may be times when the exercise causes increased traffic around bases or delays in base access. Area residents may also see or hear security activities associated with the exercise. Advanced coordination has taken place with local law enforcement and first responders.

For information about potential local impacts due to the exercise, please visit your local Navy installation’s website and social media channels.

For more information U.S. Fleet Forces or Navy installations, visit the USFF website at https://www.usff.navy.mil or CNIC website at https://www.cnic.navy.mil. You can also follow them on Facebook and X at www.facebook.com/usfleetforces, www.twitter.com/usfleetforces, www.facebook.com/navyinstallations and https://twitter.com/cnichq.

Source: United States Navy

WASHINGTON (Feb. 2, 2024) – Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti hosted the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Yang Yong-mo for an official counterpart visit, Jan. 30 – Feb. 2.  

Yang’s trip to Washington D.C. was part of a week-long trip to the United States, that included stops in Kings Bay, Ga., Jacksonville, Fla., Patuxent River, Md., and Annapolis, Md., where he visited Navy commands and spoke with Navy leaders and Sailors. 

“We remain aligned, and our alliance is ironclad,” said Franchetti. “MCPON Honea and I served together 10 years ago at Commander, Naval Forces Korea. It has been an honor to see how the already strong alliance has grown. The commitment of our navies has grown exponentially over the past 70 years, and I am excited for the next 70 years, and the 70 years after that.” 

While in Washington D.C., the two leaders had multiple engagements to include a full-honor’s welcoming ceremony, an office call and a roundtable, where Franchetti emphasized a collaborative approach to strategic deterrence and global interoperability as topline priorities. 

“The ROK-US navies have enhanced collective response capabilities against threats that disturb maritime security through various combined exercises and military cooperation, such as RIMPAC, Maritime Maneuver Drills with USN CSGs, ROK-US-Japan Trilateral Missile Defense Training and etc, ultimately contributing to the establishment of rules-based international order,” said Yang.  

The ROKN CNO further noted that “as the core force of the Alliance, ROK Navy will continue to solemnly safeguard freedom, peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region through sailing together with the US Navy.” 

Franchetti also noted that for seven decades the U.S. – ROK alliance has proven to be among the most capable, cooperative, and durable in the world. She applauded the significant advances in interoperability between the U.S. and ROK navies and committed to advance Navy-to-Navy relations with purpose and urgency. 

Prior to the CNO-hosted round-table, Yang received a brief on unmanned aviation and strike weapons while at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River. 

At the round-table, Franchetti and Yang led a discussion on maritime security cooperation with the ROK Navy delegation and Deputy CNOs. They also discussed their shared commitment to interoperability, the importance of ensuring joint forces are ready and trained for the high-end fight, and how the two navies can integrate conventional capabilities with new technologies, adapting different tactics and ideas.  

“Discussions, like the round-table, help our efforts to increase interoperability with the ROK Navy,” said Franchetti. “Having Adm. Yang Yong-mo here as my first official visitor during my tenure as the Chief of Naval Operations, demonstrates the importance of our navy-to-navy relationship. His visit this week shows that our alliance remains the linchpin of peace, stability, and prosperity.” 

Following his visit to Washington, D.C., Yang traveled to NAS Jacksonville to visit the P-8 squadron where the ROK Navy is training on their new capability; and then travelled to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay to tour the base, as a follow-on to the recent visit by USS Kentucky (SSBN-737) to Busan in July 2023.  

Yang then returned to the National Capitol Region for a visit to Annapolis to meet with the ROK Navy Midshipmen enrolled at the U.S. Naval Academy.  

This was Franchetti’s first counterpart visit as Chief of Naval Operations. 

Source: United States Navy

February is Black History Month.  It is an opportunity to pay tribute to the remarkable contributions of African-American Service Members and civilians who have and continue to serve our Nation with unwavering dedication.

The legacy of African-Americans in the sea services spans centuries, dating to 1775 where their service has been characterized by our core values of honor, courage, and commitment. Throughout various conflicts, African-American Sailors and Marines displayed unparalleled courage, contributing to our Nation’s victories both at home and abroad.  From the Revolutionary War, where Sailors like James Forten fought alongside Captain Stephen Decatur, to the Civil War, where one in five Union Sailors were African-American and eight were awarded the Medal of Honor – their patriotism has left an indelible mark on naval history. In World War II, over 17,000 African-Americans enlisted as Montford Point Marines, marking a pivotal moment in the Corps’ history.

This year, we proudly introduce our newest destroyer, the USS CHARLES J. FRENCH (DDG 142), and commission the USS JOHN L. CANLEY (ESB 6). These vessels stand as enduring tributes to two African-American leaders, Petty Officer Charles J. French and Sergeant Major John L. Canley, who, until now, had not received the recognition their service deserves. Their names will now grace these ships, serving as beacons of inspiration for generations to come.

French’s heroic actions in September 1942 during the Imperial Japanese Navy’s sinking of his ship, the USS GREGORY (DD 82), exemplified our core values. In the aftermath, French gathered 15 shipmates onto a raft and, fearing they would drift to a Japanese-controlled island, towed the raft himself to a different island. Swimming for hours and defying all odds to save his shipmates, French embodied what it means to serve a Nation, and more importantly, his Navy brethren.

Canley’s extraordinary leadership during the Vietnam War further emphasizes the valor of African-American Service Members. During the Battle of Hue, Canley served as the Company Gunnery Sergeant for Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment. In February 1968, Canley and his Marines fought off multiple attacks as they patrolled city streets to relieve another company of Marines. He repeatedly rushed across gunfire-swept terrain to carry wounded Marines to safety and, when his company commander was wounded during the fire-fight, Canley took command of his company and led the Marines through the battle. For his courageous actions, Canley was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2018.

As we reflect on Black History Month, let us honor the valiant leaders of the past and present who have contributed to making the world’s finest Navy and Marine Corps. Together we celebrate the diversity and strength that enriches our sea services.

Released by the Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy.

Source: United States Navy

January was filled with development opportunities for children in classrooms spanning the country—from the Nation’s Capital all the way to Colorado—and SSP’s STEM outreach teams partnered with teachers during multiple “FIRST Robotics” build season kickoff events. 

Anacostia High School (AHS) in Washington, D.C. focused on reinvigorating its robotics team—going by its new club name, the “AnaDroids”—during its For Inspiration & Recognition of Science & Technology (FIRST) event. Anacostia’s robotics club has laid dormant for several years due to lack of funding for development programs like STEM in area schools. Re-inventing and rebuilding the club is due, in large part, to SSP’s sponsorship and is led by the Lead Mentor and STEM Coordinator for AHS Ms. Jacquelyn Timothy, who is no stranger to FIRST Robotics clubs. 

“Seeing the energy and competition experience Ms. Timothy brings to the team is exciting,” said Marvin Turner, STEM coordinator at SSP’s headquarters at the Washington Navy Yard. 

Partnership with STEM professionals like Turner—who volunteer in addition to their normal duties—from Navy commands and organizations across the country is critical to organically developing and recruiting top talent into naval STEM fields. Combining efforts with local educators and organizations like FIRST broadens the reach for talent and lends a hand to teachers who may not have the bandwidth to incorporate STEM-specific lessons into their daily classroom education. 

“In partnership with educators like Ms. Timothy, SSP will be able to effectively provide Naval STEM education and outreach opportunities within the District and surrounding communities,” Turner added. 

This year, AnaDroids club members will focus on STEM and business activities such as software design to program the robot to perform required tasks; mechanical and electrical to build the robot to FIRST and club-required specifications; and website and application design to promote the team and to collect data from other teams to form competitive alliances—among other activities.

Deliberate investments in STEM education and outreach initiatives are among the Department of the Navy’s (DoN) most critical functions and are essential to America’s continued technological and warfighting dominance. For some of its school sponsorships, SSP partners with the Office of Naval Research (ONR) through its DoN STEM Education and Workforce Program Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) process to help schools in local communities benefit from STEM subsidies. The FOA receives a broad range of proposals for augmenting existing and/or developing innovative solutions that directly maintain and/or cultivate a diverse, world-class STEM workforce. Additional federal funding opportunities are also available to educators and institutions at www.grants.gov.  

ONR seeks to deliver Naval STEM education and outreach opportunities that inspire curiosity and shape a generation of talent prepared for future global challenges. Navy statistics show high percentages of high school and college students interested in STEM degrees—among those are Generation Z. Recent data shows that 67 percent of this cohort wants jobs that will enable them to learn skills that will advance their career, and SSP is among one of the many organizations working to satiate that thirst for STEM knowledge at schools across the country. 

In Kingsland, Georgia Camden County High School (CCHS) and Camden Middle School (CMS) in Kingsland, Georgia got a chance to begin their robotics build season, participate in a competition, and expand STEM learning into the local community in partnership with the Camden County Library STEM outreach. Ten students from Camden Middle School’s STEM program also competed in the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Regional Tournament at Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia. The team’s December performance earned them the Robot Design Award and secured them a spot in the FLL Starbase Robins Super-Regional competition. 

The team called “Area 53” lived up to their extra-terrestrial title by building and programming robots to accomplish multiple pre-determined missions. Participants also created an innovation project which aligned to the competition theme “MASTERPIECE.” The rigorous evaluation process required students to present both their innovation project and robot design to a panel of judges without the support of teachers or STEM professionals in the room. 

“The robot runs were scored for not only how many successful missions it was able to complete, but also how precisely it executed the task,” said Andrew Willmann, a metrology engineering technician at SSP’s Strategic Weapons Facility, Atlantic (SWFLANT). 

The team’s innovations paid off and they advanced beyond the FLL Starbase Robins competition to the States-level competition. Willmann, who also also volunteers as a STEM coordinator for SWFLANT, said the work is very rewarding for the students, the educators, and the sponsors. 

“The unique perspective we offer—derived from our experience at SSP—imparts project management skills, process variation mitigation, risk reduction, critical thinking/questioning attitudes, and creative mission solutions to the students,” Willmann explained. 

“Those skills—coupled with their technical proficiencies—make them vital contributors of future innovations in fields like naval STEM.” 

SWFLANT’s STEM Outreach team also joined the CCHS FIRST Robotics team in partnership with the newly launched Camden County Library STEM Outreach program to bring STEM opportunities to the community in mid-January.  During the event, children ages 2-16 were engaged in innovation, design, and troubleshooting. 

“In true community spirit, when CMS found out about the efforts, they donated one of their STEM carts purchased by SSP and donated it to the library,” explained Caren Spahr, the continuous process improvement coordinator for SWFLANT. 

“We are really excited about this new partnership and proud of our STEM community connections where each program reaches out a hand to help make each other stronger,” she said.

Strengthening investments in students at William J. Palmer high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado is a high priority for the STEM engagement team from SSP’s Project Management Office for Flight Systems (SPF). Recently, students at Palmer completed a project during their build season kickoff focused on honing Virtual Reality (VR) technology. Students created a VR experience using two headsets donated to the school by two leading corporations in the technology sector. Expanding on their technical skillsets, participants also created a holographic experience using the HoloLens 2 headsets, donated by SSP to Palmer’s STEM program. 

“In the near future, something I am going to teach kids about is how to use real-time satellite data to make holographic displays of satellite orbits,” said Sean Wybrant, an educator and STEM facilitator at the high school. 

Wybrant explained that this partnership allows students to visualize data in new ways, provides opportunities to collaborate with other area schools, and allows students to create a future of connected learning through STEM, arts, and user experience design. 

“SSP’s investments in the STEM program at Palmer have changed students’ lives on that campus,” Wybrant said. 

“Engaging students in high-tech opportunities to tackle real-world challenges empowers students to see themselves and the world differently.” 

At Mt. Greylock High School in Williamstown, Massachusetts, students benefit from DoD STEM and SSP grants to help them meet the challenges for their 2024 STEM activities. Information Technology Team Lead John Moyer Jr.—working at SSP’s PMO for Shipboard Systems (SPS)—will serve his eighth season as a SSP STEM Outreach mentor at Mt. Greylock. 

This year, Moyer and other mentors from SPS will oversee students’ development of a robot that will have specific requirements including ability to pick a foam ring off the floor; shoot the foam rings into a goal a few feet off the ground; or deliver them into something resembling a mail slot.  During competition season, each match ends with larger challenges such as lifting the robot off the ground by grasping a horizontal chain.  

“The robot is designed and built each year from scratch meaning that each robot is a bit different,” Moyer explained. 

Teams have about six weeks to complete the challenge, at which point they then move on to compete their team’s robot against other schools at regional championships. 

“SSP’s STEM outreach program has an immense reach and influence in the classroom,” said Moyer who noted that a student from the program also worked as a summer intern for SPS.  

“This will be another season where students not only learn something new but build on teamwork and leadership skills while learning complicated engineering and computer programming skills—and SSP gets to play a primary role in their growth!”
The Navy is the most highly skilled, technologically advanced military force in the world, and offers more than 60 career fields in leading-edge STEM fields. To learn more about SSP’s open opportunities within these fields, visit job openings at www.ssp.navy.mil. For Navy careers, visit www.Navy.com/Careers for more information.

Caren Spahr, Andrew Willmann, Marvin Turner, David Aragon, and John Moyer contributed to this article.

Source: United States Navy

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti met Republic of Korea (ROK) Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Yang Yong-mo at the Pentagon, today.

The two leaders discussed the enduring nature of the U.S. – ROK naval alliance, as well as their shared commitment to security, peace, and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific.

During her discussions with Yang, Franchetti noted the value of increased ROK Navy participation in multilateral exercises. She added that she welcomes the U.S. – ROK continued commitment to improving interoperability, engaging in deeper dialogue and information sharing efforts.

They also talked about regional and peninsular security, to include the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s continuous provocations such as nuclear threats and missile launches.

Franchetti affirmed that the Navy’s commitment to the defense of ROK remains ironclad, and that more broadly, the United States stands firm in its extended deterrence commitment, which includes the full range of U.S. defense capabilities, including our conventional, nuclear, and missile defense capabilities.

This was Franchetti’s and Yang’s second meeting as Heads of Navy. The two previously met in Busan, ROK, aboard USS Carl Vinson in November 2023.