Source: United States Navy
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti met His Excellency Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Commander in Charge, Bahrain Defense Force and Rear Admiral Ahmed Mohammed Ibrahim Al Bin Ali, Commander, Royal Bahrain Naval Force, June 5.
Source: United States Navy
BALTOPS is the premier maritime-focused annual military exercise in the Baltic Region gets underway June 7-20, and provides a unique training opportunity to strengthen the combined response capability critical to preserving the freedom of navigation and security in the Baltic Sea.
BALTOPS 24 brings the largest assembled coalition of amphibious and mine countermeasure forces in BALTOPS history.
“BALTOPS 24 is 75 years in the making – the premier example of the strongest and most successful alliance in world history.” said Vice Adm. Thomas Ishee, commander Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKEFORNATO) and U.S. 6th Fleet.
“This year we will exercise new capabilities, and celebrate Sweden’s place as the 32nd nation to join NATO Allies as we provide a clear deterrence message and deliver peace and security for one billion people on both sides of the Atlantic,” he added.
Participating nations include Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Of note, though Sweden has participated in BALTOPS for more than decade, this year will mark the first time Sweden will participate in the exercise as a member-nation and NATO Ally. BALTOPS remains an alliance proving ground, and is vital for honing the leading edge of combined interoperability with ally in partner nations, in and around the Baltic Sea.
These countries will exercise a broad range of capabilities demonstrating the inherent flexibility of maritime forces. Exercise scenarios include amphibious, gunnery, anti-submarine, air defense, and mine clearance operations, as well as explosive ordnance disposal, unmanned underwater and surface vehicle exercises, and medical responses.
While the exercise is led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and U.S. Sixth Fleet (NAVEUR-NAVAF/SIXTHFLT), it will be command-and-controlled by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, headquartered in Oeiras, Portugal. STRIKFORNATO’s headquarters will host a large multinational coalition of liaison officers from each participating nation, working together and bringing unique personal and national strengths to the exercise’s control hub. Royal British Navy Rear Adm. Craig Wood, STRIKFORNATO deputy commander, will command the exercise control group.
“This will be the first iteration of BALTOPS since NATO approved its new and comprehensive set of war fighting plans for the Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area.” said Wood. “We are very much looking forward to having all of NATO’s Baltic Nations fully involved as Alliance Members demonstrating unity and the ability to seamlessly operate together”.
BALTOPS 24 is also part of the U.S. Department of Defense exercise series, Large Scale Global Exercise (LSGE). LSGE is an umbrella term that incorporates several exercises and military activities, which enable the U.S. Joint Force to train with Allies and partners and improve shared understanding, trust and interoperability on security challenges across the globe.
While the exercise is led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet, it will be command-and-controlled by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, headquartered in Oeiras, Portugal.
Details of BALTOPS activities and imagery are available at http://www.c6f.navy.mil. Media interested in covering the exercise should contact the U.S. Naval Forces Europe Public Affairs Office at mail to: cne_cna_c6fpao@us.navy.mil
Source: United States Navy
ScriptCenters are contactless, automated locker or vending machine units. They use state-of-the-art technology to provide convenient and secure access to most prescriptions. Enrollment is easy and convenient. Once registered, you can pick up prescriptions at your convenience. Each kiosk or locker system can hold hundreds of prescriptions except refrigerated medications.
What are the benefits? “One benefit of ScriptCenters is that they allow you to pick up your prescription after pharmacy or clinics close available to you 24/7. “After-hour prescription pickup is especially helpful if you can’t get to the pharmacy during normal operating hours,” said Col. Markus Gmehlin, the Acting Chief of the Pharmacy Operations Division at the Defense Health Agency (DHA). “This convenience means you have less congested pharmacy lobbies, increased access for same-day prescription needs, and significantly shorter wait times.”
How do you use a ScriptCenter? First, you need to complete a one-time enrollment at a ScriptCenter kiosk. To do this, scan your military ID card (Common Access Card or Uniformed Services ID Card), enter your date of birth, and create a password and four-digit PIN. You must have a current prescription number to pick up your medications the first time. Once you create an account, you can use your ID card with your four-digit PIN to unlock and get your medications. This process usually takes less than two minutes.
USNHO staff constantly strives to provide our beneficiaries with the best medical care possible. From sourcing the best talent in the medical industry to using cutting-edge technology to providing medical care in the most remote and austere environments, you will find a Navy provider. On land, underwater, at sea, and in the air, Navy Medicine will be there!
The U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Okinawa (USNMRTCO) supports the Defense Health Agency’s U.S. Naval Hospital, Okinawa (USNHO) as the largest OCONUS Navy Medicine medical treatment facility and stands t ready to respond to contingency operations to support the INDOPACOM region. It is a critical regional asset for direct care delivery, regional referrals, and medical contingency operations. The staff of USNHO understands their vital role as pre-positioned, forward-deployed naval forces within the first island chain, aligned and in support of the joint military commands and operations.
Trey Savitz, Public Affairs Officer
U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan
Comm: 011-81-971-7024
DSN: (315) 646-7024
isaac.s.savitz.civ@health.mil
Story originally posted on DVIDS: U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa is Improving the Patient Experience with Modernization Through Innovation
Source: United States Navy
With approval from the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), NCTF-RH will start venting Tank 7 at the facility – the second of 14 tanks to be ventilated and cleaned as part of the decommissioning process. The Navy began venting Tank 8 last week.
Tank ventilation is the necessary first step of a lengthy and deliberate process to decommission the facility and remediate the environment. This action is one example of the Navy’s broader commitment to environmental stewardship in Hawaii.
“Safety for the public, the aquifer and environment, and for our workers is our top priority,” said Rear Adm. Marc Williams, Deputy Commander, NCTF-RH. “I’m happy to report that after meticulous preparations our tank venting operations are occurring safely and in full view of the public. This is in keeping with our motto: Safe. Deliberate. Engaged. Committed.”
As part of venting operations, the task force installed nine air quality monitoring (AQM) stations along the RHBFSF perimeter, including at the Halawa Correctional Facility, to track changes in air quality, measure potential volatile organic compound (VOC) levels, and collect atmospheric data (i.e., air speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure).
During venting operations, AQM data will continue to be updated hourly on the NCTF-RH mobile app, and daily on the NCTF-RH website.
NCTF-RH has a series of fail-safes and redundancies to mitigate risk and safeguard the public. In the event of an exceedance during operations, NCTF-RH will alert regulators, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA), Honolulu Department of Emergency Management (DEM), and the public via the app, website (www.navyclosuretaskforce.
For more information about NCTF-RH, visit www.navyclosuretaskforce.navy.
SAFE. DELIBERATE. ENGAGED. COMMITTED.
Source: United States Navy
VS24 is a multinational, biennial field training exercise focused on integrating interoperability in a multi-domain environment. The exercise builds real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces by detecting, locating, tracking, and engaging units at sea, in the air, in space, on land, and in cyberspace in response to a range of mission areas.
Exercises such as VS24 allow forces across the Indo-Pacific the opportunity to integrate Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Space Force, and partner nations to train in precise, lethal, and overwhelming multi-axis, multi-domain effects that demonstrate the strength and versatility of the Joint and Combined Force. With the involvement of U.S. Space Command and U.S. Transportation Command, VS24 is expanding the multi-domain cross-Combatant Command collaboration that is incumbent on any large-scale exercise or operation.
“Valiant Shield provides us a unique opportunity to operate and engage with our allies and partners and to demonstrate our shared commitment to global security and stability,” said Adm. Stephen T. Koehler, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. “It takes all of us to maintain a safe, stable, and secure Indo-Pacific, as we flex our joint and combined capabilities to advance multi-domain operations.”
The exercise prepares the Joint and Combined Force to rapidly respond to crises and contingencies across a spectrum of operations from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to armed conflict.
VS24 assists U.S., allied and partner forces in developing regional and global power projection capabilities. Integrated training allows the participating countries to refine the skills required to succeed in the defense of their shared interests in the region.
This is the 10th Valiant Shield exercise, which began in 2006.
Media queries regarding VS24 prior to exercise commencement should be directed to the U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs Office at (808) 471-3769 or cpf_newsdesk@navy.mil. Contact information for the VS Combined, Joint Information Bureau will be made available prior to the beginning of the exercise. Imagery and stories regarding Valiant Shield can be found here: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/ValiantShield.