Category: Defence

Source: United States Navy

The Navy is currently in the environmental review process as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to assess potential environmental impacts of revitalizing the site. The Navy released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in 2021 for public review and comment. In response to comments received, the Navy began a competitive solicitation process in November 2022 and in January 2024 identified a potential master developer, Manchester/Edgemoor, to work with the Navy to develop site-specific details before a final alternative is selected. Now in an exclusive negotiation period, Manchester/Edgemoor may pursue local approvals such as permitting, any necessary environmental documentation, secure financing, and negotiate a potential lease with the Navy.

“The Navy’s enduring partnerships with the City of San Diego and surrounding communities are essential to this successful initiative moving forward,” said Rear Admiral Brad Rosen, Commander of Navy Region Southwest. “While the Navy’s goal is new mission-capable facilities for NAVWAR and other tenant commands, the Navy recognizes that any project that is good for the Navy should also provide positive impacts to the community.”

In the Navy’s largest leasing initiative, the Navy would potentially make available for lease, underutilized property at Naval Base Point Loma in exchange for new mission-capable facilities for its primary tenant NAVWAR.

NAVWAR currently operates out of 80-year-old World War II era aircraft manufacturing plants. The Navy proposes to replace these obsolete buildings with state-of-the-art facilities to meet NAVWAR’s mission requirements. Revitalizing the property, which is centrally located and ideal for transit-oriented development, could provide much-needed housing to help address San Diego’s housing shortage and provide a possible new tax base for the City, County, and State.

NAVWAR is a significant economic contributor to San Diego, with an annual budget in excess of $11 billion, the command infuses $3.3 billion annually to the region. In fiscal year 2022, NAVWAR created 18,858 jobs in San Diego, generated $8.4 billion in contracts with private industry, and $1.74 billion in contracts in San Diego. NAVWAR provides 50% of all cybersecurity jobs in San Diego.

Revitalization of the Navy’s Old Town Campus could achieve mutually beneficial outcomes for the Navy and San Diego. In this potential leasing initiative, the developer would provide new NAVWAR facilities in exchange for private development of the remainder of the site to include housing, retail, commercial and potentially a transit center. The Navy must still complete an EIS and reach a Record of Decision before the project can begin.

“The Manchester/Edgemoor team is excited to start engaging with the local community as we move forward with the Navy through the environmental review process. This project represents a generational opportunity for the Navy and City of San Diego, and we intend to make sure the community is involved in each step along the way,” said Neal Fleming, President of Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate.

Since their selection earlier this year, the Manchester/Edgemoor team has initiated outreach and engagement with the City of San Diego, County of San Diego, state and local transportation agencies, and others, to better understand their priorities.

“We remain dedicated to continuing our collaboration with the Navy and the City of San Diego to create cutting-edge government facilities for the Navy, alongside an engaging mixed-use development for the wider community,” said Ted Eldredge, President & CEO of Manchester Financial Group.

The Navy and Manchester/Edgemoor are committed to remaining engaged with the community throughout all phases of the project. Details of future public engagement opportunities will be announced when scheduled.

Source: United States Navy

Comprised of 1,500 personnel from the U.S. and like-minded partner nations, the mission team will work to strengthen relationships, and bolster host nation capacity in order to provide humanitarian services, and support efforts to prepare and respond to potential natural disasters in the Indo-Pacific region.

“This mission enables us to come together to prepare and train so that we are ready when a humanitarian crisis occurs.” said Melson. “We’ll focus on training and regional interoperability to increase disaster-response-preparedness while creating lasting bonds of friendship and trust amongst mission partners and host nations.”

PP-24.2 officially began in Vanuatu and will continue throughout parts of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific Islands – respectively.

During this mission, medical professionals will focus on working side-by-side with host nation providers to increase overall medical capacity and expertise in community education; preventative medicine; dental; veterinary care; adult and pediatric medicine; first aid; nutritional counseling; mental health activities; and basic life support. Medical subject matter expert exchanges are also interwoven into each engagement.

“This enduring annual mission is such an integral part in maintaining the long-standing friendships we have with allies and partners in the region,” said Keeler. “We are excited to continue this legacy of cooperation and support for this iteration and for many more in the future”.

Pacific Partnership will also include the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band, who will be embarked on USNS City of Bismarck.to provide concerts to local communities at each mission stop.

Now in its 20th iteration, Pacific Partnership, is the U.S. Navy’s largest maritime humanitarian and civic assistance mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific.

At the request of each host nation, the Pacific Partnership team provides focused support to address critical infrastructure concerns. These concerns are traditionally centered around schools and health clinics, along with partnering with local communities to build engineering teams composed of host nation participants, U.S. military engineers, and partner nation engineers where available.

Source: United States Navy

“It’s another exciting step to see our Royal Australian Navy sailors graduate from this unique and challenging training. I am incredibly proud of their exceptional dedication and effort to reach this significant milestone,” said Chief of the Royal Australian Navy Vice Adm. Mark Hammond. “I’d like to thank our long-standing partners and friends in the U.S. Navy for providing the training to assist the Royal Australian Navy to operate, maintain and support Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarine capability.”

Incorporating Royal Australian Navy enlisted personnel into the U.S. Navy’s submarine training pipeline is essential to developing Australian crews ahead of Australia’s acquisition of sovereign Virginia-class submarines that will be sold to Australia by 2030. Enlisted personnel make up the bulk of a Virginia-class submarine crew, which is typically comprised of 15 officers and 117 enlisted sailors. Royal Australian Navy sailors are also enrolled in the UK Royal Navy’s nuclear training pipeline, with the first officers graduating from the UK Royal Navy’s Officers Nuclear Operators Course earlier this month. All work by Australian personnel in the U.S. and UK will remain consistent with Australia’s domestic and international legal obligations, including its non-proliferation obligations and commitments.

“For the last two months, these sailors have trained diligently alongside their American counterparts to acquire the capability to safely operate SSNs,” said Naval Submarine School Commanding Officer Capt. Matthew Fanning. “They will continue to hone their skills in rate-specific training prior to reporting to a Virginia-class submarine as part of the crew to put their training into execution alongside U.S. submariners.”

The BESS graduation comes just months after the first three Royal Australian Navy officers completed their training at the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Officer Basic Course in April 2024 and reported to Virginia-class submarines based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Nearly 100 Royal Australian Navy officers and enlisted personnel will enter the submarine and U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion training pipelines this year.

“Our sailors are the backbone of our Navy. Their training success demonstrates the exceptional skillset and knowledge of our people,” said Warrant Officer of the Royal Australian Navy Andrew Bertoncin, the service’s senior non-commissioned representative. “I’m proud of what our sailors have achieved and look forward to seeing them continue to master their craft onboard a Virginia-class submarine.”

At BESS, the Royal Australian Navy sailors joined their American counterparts for a rigorous eight-week course where they developed the skills and competence needed to operate nuclear-powered attack submarines. Sailors studied the construction and operation of nuclear-powered submarines and gained hands-on experience through intensive simulations.

“We are extremely proud of what these sailors have accomplished as the first Royal Australian Navy enlisted sailors to graduate from one of the U.S. Navy’s most demanding training courses,” said Vice Adm. Jonathan Mead, Director General of the Australian Submarine Agency. “Their success in this training is another positive step forward as we work with our U.S. and UK partners to progress along the AUKUS Pillar 1 Optimal Pathway and toward our shared goal of a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”

“These sailors are the foundation of Australia’s future SSN crews,” said the U.S. Navy’s AUKUS Integration and Acquisition Program Manager Rear Adm. Lincoln Reifsteck. “They are trailblazers leading the broader effort to strengthen the interoperability and capabilities of the AUKUS nations. Their graduation is a major step toward realizing the strategic goals of AUKUS as well as deepening the ties among our nations.”

AUKUS is a strategic partnership that will promote a safe, free, and open Indo-Pacific, enhance national security, and uplift the three industrial bases. AUKUS Pillar 1 will deliver a conventionally armed SSN capability to the Royal Australian Navy by the early 2030s. The Department of the Navy’s AUKUS Integration and Acquisition Program Office is the U.S. lead responsible for executing the trilateral partnership to deliver conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarines to the Royal Australian Navy at the earliest possible date while setting the highest nuclear stewardship standards and continuing to maintain the highest standards of non-proliferation.

Source: United States Navy

From a maiden deployment in 1991 and emergency deployments to Somalia and Kuwait in 1993, the USS Wasp (LHD 1) has been one of the premier emergency response forces since her commissioning. Throughout her first decade of service, Wasp participated in Operation Restore Hope, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and served a key role in humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts throughout Central and South America. In 2007, Wasp was the first ship to deploy the MV-22B Osprey, and in 2011 was the first ship to receive flight deck modifications for the F-35B Lightning. While forward deployed in Sasebo, Japan in 2018 Wasp served as the first operational shipboard deployment for the F-35B.

Fast-forward to 2024, while steaming in the Mediterranean Sea during a scheduled deployment, the first-in-class amphibious assault ship and her crew celebrated the ship’s 35th birthday with a cake cutting on the ship’s mess decks. This milestone provided an opportunity to pause during the steady drum of underway life and a chance to look back upon all the ship has accomplished over the preceding years.

“Wasp is recognized as one of the most lethal and versatile ships on the waterfront because she’s always had the best crews in the fleet,” said Capt. Christopher Purcell, Wasp’s commanding officer. “Every Sailor and Marine on Wasp is a true American hero for today’s Navy.” Purcell thanked the crew for their part in bringing the ship to mission ready status and looked back to all Wasp Sailors who have contributed to defending the nation’s security.

“This birthday marks the 35th year since the ship commissioned and is the 10th ship to bear the name Wasp,” Purcell said. “I’m proud to serve with each and every one of you and be part of a ship with such time honored tradition.”

During the birthday ceremony on the ship’s mess decks, the youngest and oldest Sailors present at the ceremony were able to cut a custom birthday cake made by the ship’s “cake boss,” Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Hayden Clark.

“It’s my third year aboard Wasp, and to see it come out of the yards and into deployment makes me extremely proud,” said Clark.

After the ceremony, the crew enjoyed a specially crafted lunch to celebrate. The meal featured chicken and beef kabobs, gyros, fried cabbage, garlic roasted potato wedges, and macaroni salad.

“I’m ecstatic to be part of the crew and along for the ship’s journey through history,” said Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Norie Roberson. “This birthday is special because we’re on deployment and the entire crew is able to celebrate together. This is an experience I can be proud to share with my family back home.”

Culinary Specialist Seaman Apprentice Isaiah Climes, a lead member along with Roberson on the galley team that prepared the special meal, explained how humbling it was to put together the meal for the crew on such a significant anniversary.

“I’m happy to do something I love to do,” said Climes. “We put a lot of effort into this meal so the crew can enjoy the birthday as much as possible.”

In a speech over the ship’s 1 main circuit, Purcell reiterated the motto which all Wasp Sailors keep to heart whenever they report for duty. “It’s you, the crew, who have made this ship ‘Number One in the Fleet,’” Purcell said.

Wasp is conducting operations in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) area of operations as the flagship of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group (WSP ARG)-24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Special Operations Capable (SOC). The WSP ARG-24th MEU (SOC) is on a schedule deployment to the NAVEUR-NAVAF area of operations, supporting U.S., Allied and partner interests in the region, including in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, to continue promoting regional stability and deterring aggression.

You can follow USS Wasp’s adventures on Facebook and Instagram (@usswasp_lhd1).
To learn more about WASP ARG and 24th MEU “Team of Teams,” visit their DVIDS feature page at https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/wasparg24thmeu.

Source: United States Navy

Richard E. “Dick” Miralles, assigned to Bombing Squadron (VB) 21 of Carrier Air Group (CVG) 11, received the Air Medal (first through 14th Strike/Flight) and Distinguished Flying Cross (with three gold stars in lieu of fourth) awards for meritorious achievement in aerial flight during 85 combat missions as an Aviation Radioman 2nd Class from 16 August 1942 to 25 July 1943.

During the ceremony, Lt. Cmdr. Brantley Harvey, Naval Aviator and executive officer of Navy Reserve Center Sacramento had the privilege of presenting the awards to Miralles in the presence of his friends and four generations of family.

“I accept these for all of those that didn’t make it back,” said Miralles.

Miralles is believed to be the last surviving veteran of CVG-11 and received this award days before his 100th Birthday on July 28, 2024.

Dick joined the Navy at 17 years old and began his career in the back seat of the Scout Bomber Douglas (SBD) Dauntless Dive-Bomber. He describes experiences in war where he survived multiple crash landings, being shot down, torpedoed on USS Honolulu (CL- 48), and even an occasion where he threw his radio and equipment as a last resort during aerial combat. He concluded his service as ship’s company aboard the escort carrier USS Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75).

Miralles completed his service in 1945 without receiving the awards he earned in aerial flight.

During a search for fellow members of CVG-11, Miralles connected with the grandson of one of his old shipmates, George Retelas. George Retelas, named after his grandfather who served with Dick, wrote to the Honorable Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro on October 10, 2023 and helped Miralles finally receive his awards.

“It was a great honor to help him get his awards,” said Retelas. “Mostly, it was an honor to spend time with him. Hearing his stories and the oral history of the service members was such an honor. Dick is the last living member of Air Group 11, so being there for the award pinning was so special because at any age, but especially at his age, every day is a gift.”

After the war, Dick spent more than 30 years with the California Department of Forestry (now CalFire) and authored his memoir, “War and Fire” where he recounts his time in service and in Forestry.

Miralles currently resides in Sacramento, California with his wife Joy and will celebrate his 100th birthday this Sunday with friends and family at the church he attends.