Category: MIL-OSI

Source: United States Navy

In the EIS, the Navy and NASA will evaluate the potential environmental consequences of the Navy’s and NASA’s proposal to retain the use of 8,348 acres and 23 acres, respectively, of State lands presently utilized pursuant to leases and easements on Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi, for operational continuity and sustainment at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), and NASA’s continued operations, including measurements of the Earth’s rotation and local land motion, at Kōkeʻe Park Geophysical Observatory (KPGO). The Proposed Action is needed because the existing real estate agreements for these State lands are set to expire between 2027 and 2030. Preserving the long-term Department of Defense and NASA use of these State lands is critical for military readiness, continuation of ongoing military training and testing, and maintaining data collection efforts of global and local significance. It also ensures the continued conservation management by the Navy and NASA of natural and cultural resources on these lands.

By ensuring continued Navy and NASA operations on Kauaʻi, the real estate action would also preserve local jobs and income for the residents of Kauaʻi, financially contribute to the overall economic well-being of Kauaʻi, and maintain continued conservation management of natural and cultural resources on State lands at no cost to the State of Hawaiʻi.

For portions of PMRF, the Navy has lease agreements with the State of Hawaiʻi for 8,348 acres, comprised of 684 acres of leaseholds and 7,664 acres of easements. The Navy operates on 410 acres of the total acres leased from the State of Hawaiʻi. The majority of the leased and easement areas remain intentionally undeveloped as they are used as an encroachment buffer and security for the range’s mission. The Navy’s current leases and easements support mission operations, access, and utilities at five general locations: Main Base, Kamokalā Ridge, Mānā Water Well, Miloli‘i Ridge, and Mākaha Ridge.

NASA operates 23 acres across five parcels along a one mile stretch of road in Kōkeʻe State Park. NASA has issued a Use Permit to the Navy for use of portions of KPGO for mission support for PMRF.
For the Department of Land and Natural Resources, in addition to its role as the lessor of State lands, the proposed real estate action presents an opportunity for the agency to secure a revenue source to support its management of public lands and associated environmental and conservation programs. Fees from leases and easements are put into a State fund as required by law.

The EIS will evaluate the potential environmental effects of the Proposed Action and alternatives, including the No Action Alternative. The EIS will satisfy both federal and State of Hawaiʻi requirements and provide the necessary analyses to allow the Navy, NASA, and the Department of Land and Natural Resources to consider the environmental effects of the Proposed Action as part of their decision making.

IMPORTANT DATES: The Navy and NASA are initiating a public scoping period to receive comments on the scope of the EIS. This public scoping effort is being conducted in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 343. The scoping meetings will also serve as an opportunity to obtain public input concerning potential effects to historic properties pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and HRS Section 6E-42.

Members of the public are encouraged to participate in the environmental planning process by providing input on the proposed real estate action, including potential alternatives, environmental or cultural concerns, information the public would like the Navy and NASA to know, and any other information the public would like to see addressed in the EIS.

The public scoping period begins May 8, 2024, and ends June 17, 2024. The public is encouraged to submit written comments by June 17, 2024, and may submit oral comments at the public scoping meetings.

PUBLIC SCOPING MEETINGS: The Navy and NASA will host public scoping meetings at three locations on Kauaʻi. The public is encouraged to attend any of the public scoping meetings to talk story, learn more, and submit written or oral comments. All meetings will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. HST at the following locations:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Kauaʻi Veterans Center
3215 Kauaʻi Veterans Memorial Hwy, Līhuʻe
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Kekaha Neighborhood Center
8130 Elepaio Rd, Kekaha
Thursday, June 6, 2024
Sheraton Kauaʻi Coconut Beach Resort
650 Aleka Loop, Kapaʻa

Meeting Times: 5 to 8 p.m. HST
Agenda:
· 5 to 8 p.m. Information stations – meet the project team, talk story, and ask questions. Visit the comments station to provide a written or oral comment.
· 6 to 6:30 p.m. Project presentation by Navy and NASA.

HOW TO SUBMIT COMMENTS:
Submit Comments in Person, Online, or by Mail
Submit comments by June 17, 2024. The Navy and NASA encourage the public to attend a public scoping meeting and to visit the project website to learn more. The public may submit comments in any of the following ways:
· In person at a public scoping meeting
· Through the project website at PMRF-KPGO-EIS.com
· By email to info@PMRF-KPGO-EIS.com
· By mail, postmarked by June 17, 2024, to the following address:
Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Hawaiʻi
Environmental OPHEV2
Attn: PMRF and KPGO RE EIS Project Manager, Ms. Kerry Wells
400 Marshall Road, Building X-11
Pearl Harbor, HI 96860

For language assistance or special accommodations, the public should contact the PMRF Public Affairs Officer at (808) 335-4740 or PMRFPublicAffairs@us.navy.mil. Requests for language assistance or special accommodations should be made at least seven days prior to the public meeting.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES TO BE STUDIED
The Navy and NASA propose to evaluate potential environmental impacts for each of the alternatives on the following resource areas identified below. The public is invited to provide input on these and other resources that should potentially be considered in the EIS.
Social Environment
· Archaeological and historic resources
· Cultural practices
· Visual resources
· Public health and safety
· Land use
· Socioeconomics
· Environmental justice
Physical Environment
· Air quality and greenhouse gases
· Water resources
Biological Environment
· Biological resources
Built Environment
· Utilities
· Transportation
· Hazardous materials and solid wastes

ABOUT THE PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY AND KŌKEʻE PARK GEOPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY: The U.S. Navy’s PMRF is the world’s largest instrumented, multi-domain training and testing facility. PMRF is an essential part of Department of Defense training, research, development, testing, and evaluation. PMRF is unique because of its simultaneous capability to support subsurface, surface, air, and space operations.
On Kauaʻi, the Navy is the largest high-tech employer and third largest overall employer. Most of the 900 personnel at PMRF are civilians, including many from the local community. PMRF contributes approximately $150 million annually in salaries, contract goods, and services to the local economy. PMRF supports operations from single-unit exercises to large-scale, multiple-unit training events. PMRF is located on the southwest coast of the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi.

NASA operates KPGO to collect geodetic data about the Earth’s shape, orientation in space, and gravity. This data supports modern navigation technology such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) that is used every day in a wide variety of devices, from handheld smartphones to satellites. In addition, this data is used for scientific studies, spacecraft navigation, and the geolocation of Earth observations. Continued operation of KPGO is needed to ensure these data-related operations of global and local significance can continue, allowing multiple agencies’ missions to persist without interruption. KPGO is located on a remote ridge within Kōkeʻe State Park in the western portion of Kauaʻi. For more information, visit https://space-geodesy.nasa.gov/NSGN/sites/KPGO/KPGO.html. For more information about PMRF, visit https://cnrh.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/PMRF-Barking-Sands/.

NASA has issued a Use Permit to the Navy for use of portions of KPGO for mission support with radar, telemetry, and communications services.

Preserving the long-term Department of Defense and NASA use of these State lands is critical for military readiness, continuation of ongoing military training and testing, and maintaining data collection efforts of global and local significance. It also ensures the continued conservation management by the Navy and NASA of natural and cultural resources on these lands.

Source: United States Navy

“Earning the CNO Aviation Safety Award is a testament to the robust safety culture at FRC East, and a demonstration of the safety concepts and practices that are second nature throughout the command,” said FRCE Commanding Officer Capt. James M. Belmont. “Our focus remains on the Marines and Sailors supported by every aircraft we touch. The FRC East workforce understands the risks our service members take when performing their duties, and we take very seriously our responsibility to ensure we don’t transfer any risk from the depot to our nation’s warfighters.

“While we don’t have our own aircraft on which we can proudly display the Safety S, our Fleet customers have come to understand that the FRC East name is synonymous with safety and quality,” Belmont continued. “Earning the CNO Aviation Safety Award just reinforces that reputation.”

This marks the seventh time FRCE has received the award, with previous wins in 1984, 1991, 1996, 2004, 2010 and 2013.

Marine Capt. Andrew Neuman, the H-53E Military Branch Head at FRCE who serves as the command’s aviation safety officer, said he feels the command’s robust safety management system weighed heavily in the Naval Safety Command’s decision to award the honor to the depot.

“I’d say the policies and procedures we have in place here definitely make a difference,” Neuman said. “People here are already doing things the right way the, and the overall safety culture of the command permeates everything we do. The Navy tell us how to be safe, or how to report mishaps, or be proactive in preventing mishaps – it’s all in writing already. But unless you choose to actually read, comprehend and implement what the Navy is saying, it’s not going to help. I think the comprehension and implementation are something we do particularly well here, and the safety culture is very alive and strong as a result of that.”

In fiscal year 2023, FRCE logged 230 mishap-free flight hours in five types of aircraft for the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force: the F-35B Lightning II, MV-22B Osprey, MH-53E Sea Stallion and CH-53E Super Stallion, and UH-1N Huey. The team of five military pilots, one civilian pilot and three enlisted military aircrew accomplished this feat over 192 flights, including functional check flights that test aircraft systems and performance, and ferry deliveries of aircraft as they return to their home squadrons.

Neuman said the number of hours flown at FRCE may seem minuscule in comparison to operational squadrons, but the depot has posted 26 years of flight without a Class A mishap, and 45 years of operation since the last Class B or C mishap. He attributes this success to the care and attention of the depot’s workforce.

“Safe flight operations are preceded by proper maintenance being conducted. We may only have a total of nine pilots and aircrew at FRC East, but really, there are more than 4,200 people contributing to this process,” Neuman explained. “It comes back to the fact that we really care if there’s a problem that’s identified, and we do everything we can to mitigate any issues. It takes a proactive approach to safety to try to stop problems before they occur.”

FRCE dedicated almost 670,000 labor hours to aircraft maintenance in fiscal year 2023, returning to the Fleet 62 aircraft, 67 engines and 11,435 components. Neuman said the workforce’s attention to detail and adherence to safety and quality instructions enable this level of safe, successful performance.

“There is inherent risk to aviation safety, but being very methodical, following the checklists and doing everything step by step and in order allows us to complete maintenance evolutions in the safest manner possible,” he added. “We really are delivering a fantastic product back to the Fleet.”

Results like these stem from proactive leadership, education, and dedication to incremental improvements in every area and level of the command, said Compliance and Quality Department Head Amy Morgan, who provides oversight to the team staffing the depot’s Safety and Occupational Health Division.

“Instilling a sense of ownership through education is a critical contribution to FRC East’s proactive safety campaign,” she said. “Persistent leadership follow-up after aviation safety stand downs ensures that the command’s civilian workforce and Marines remain committed to the safety posture, risk management and crew resource management practices, and current trends in safety. Those lessons are integrated into daily routines.”

When safety-related best practices become second nature for everyone within the command, it can only improve outcomes for both FRCE and the nation’s warfighters, Morgan explained.

“By actively seeking to improve our safety culture and expand our high standards of quality, FRC East will continue to lead the Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers enterprise in safety achievements,” she added.

FRC East has a history of promoting safety as a key tenet of the command’s values, which is now yielding impressive results. Recently, FRCE was selected as the winner of the Chief of Naval Operations Shore Safety Award in the Large Industrial category for fiscal year 2023. FRCE’s exemplary safety record has also been recognized by the North Carolina Department of Labor Safety Awards Program, which recently awarded the depot its seventh consecutive Gold Award and four Million Hour safety awards. The Million Hour safety awards are given to employers each time they accumulate 1 million employee hours with no injuries or illnesses involving days away from work. To meet the Gold Award standard, an organization must meet the criteria for a safety award and achieve a DART rate at least 50 percent below the industry average.

Additionally, FRCE recently earned recertification as a Star Site in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) for two of the depot’s nine application areas in early 2023. Star Site status is the highest level of recognition in the VPP program and is awarded only to employers who demonstrate exemplary achievement in the prevention and control of occupational safety and health hazards. FRCE first achieved OSHA VPP Star Site status in 2019 in two of the depot’s application areas, becoming the first naval aviation command to reach that level. With that accomplishment, FRCE is the only NAVAIR command to achieve Star Site certification, and one of just 20 Navy sites and 62 Department of Defense facilities worldwide to earn the recognition.

Source: United States Navy

Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) artisans recently had the rare opportunity to restore a piece of aviation history for display onboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.

As an aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul facility, FRCE’s Aircraft Clean and Paint shops prime and paint each aircraft that passes through the facility. However, artisans had the chance to “travel back in time” as they restored a retired Douglas A-4M Skyhawk – a platform that has not been serviced by the depot in more than 20 years – to its former glory.

Working on the A-4 was a first for many FRCE artisans, including aircraft painter Kirby Mills, as it has been 21 years since the Navy retired its last A-4 Skyhawk in 2003.

“I’ve done a few restorations for display aircraft, but this is the first A-4 I’ve seen come through here,” said Mills. “I had never worked on an A-4 before. It was very neat and it’s nice to see it put to use.”

Though this was the depot’s first time restoring an A-4 Skyhawk for historical display, it was not the first time FRCE has performed maintenance on an A-4. Prior the A-4 platform’s retirement, FRCE serviced A-4s from 1989-1996.

Stephen T. Gurley, who currently serves as the Fleet Support Team’s Critical Item Management Team branch head at FRCE, said seeing an A-4 back at the depot made him feel as though he traveled back in time.

“The A-4 platform was the first aircraft platform I worked on at FRC East in 1991, and I spent a lot of time working on them,” said Gurley. “I traveled to different squadrons all throughout the ‘90s to repair A-4s, and now to hear about this, it’s exciting. It brings back memories.”

Aircraft Transfer Branch planner Jeffrey Mitchell said this project was unique because it has a one-of-a-kind paint scheme.

“This is the fourth historical aircraft we have done for the air station, but the first A-4,” said Mitchell. “This project was chosen to honor Marine Attack Squadron 223 here on base, who flew the A-4 until ’87 when they received their first McDonald-Douglas AV-8.”

FRCE’s Aircraft Paint Shop provides paint schemes for the aircraft the depot services, but due to the A-4’s historic ties, Mitchell and his team sought additional help.

“We worked with historians at Marine Attack Squadron 223 for this aircraft’s paint scheme as the squadron is still stationed here,” said Mitchell. “We were able to get pictures and ideas from them; they were very helpful. We wanted to make this aircraft look like it did back in the day.”

Mills said due to the nature of this restoration, they were able to put their own touches on the aircraft’s paint scheme.

“It was nice to have a bit of our own creative freedom with this paint scheme,” Mills added.

In addition to a unique paint scheme, Mitchell said restoring historical aircraft for display differs from the processes used to paint the operational aircraft the depot normally services.

“We still painted it with the same color schemes as what they used during that time, but the overall paint job does differ from a regular aircraft painting process,” said Mitchell. “When you see aircraft flying missions, they usually look weathered and dull. For restoration jobs, we put a good clear coat on the aircraft to help withstand the sun and weather. The clear coat really helps protect the paint from bubbling up and fading over time.”

The Vietnam-era aircraft known as the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat attack aircraft developed for the Navy and Marine Corps in the 1950s and remained in service until 2003 when the Navy announced its retirement. The aircraft quickly became popular due to its compact size, lightweight body and ground attack capabilities.

Aircraft Clean and Paint Shop Supervisor Ronald Gray emphasized that while restoration projects like the A-4 deviate from FRCE’s usual focus on maintaining the Fleet’s operational aircraft, they showcase yet another way the depot’s artisans provide service to the fleet.

“Reviving old, retired aircraft like the A-4 for display is such an honor,” Gray said. “In doing so, we honor the depot’s history, the aircraft’s history, the aviators who flew A-4s and those who serviced it.”

FRCE is North Carolina’s largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, with more than 4,000 civilian, military and contract workers. Its annual revenue exceeds $1 billion. The depot provides service to the fleet while functioning as an integral part of the greater U.S. Navy; Naval Air Systems Command; and Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers.

Source: United States Navy

The portable, land-based containerized missile launcher, as compared to a shipboard missile launcher, increases the Navy’s flexibility to move and employ the shore based weapon systems to support maritime security along sea lines of communication.

The U.S. Navy conducted this operation on Bornholm Island for the first time last year, September 2023. This second iteration continues to reaffirm our commitment to a strong NATO security Ally, and strengthens the U.S.-Denmark partnership.

For over 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.

Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.

Source: United States Navy

Good evening, everyone! And welcome to Miami Fleet Week!

I am quite confident tonight’s event will prove to be the highlight of your week.

It is an honor to be with you here tonight to speak with you at this beautiful Miami venue!

And I want to thank my dear friend Emilio Estefan for making Latin Music such a significant part of the American landscape and for making tonight possible, as well.

Allow me to take a brief moment to thank my wife Betty, for being by my side throughout our 40 years of marriage which included a naval career, a career in the private sector and now, again, service to our Navy and Marine Corps team.

And I welcome our uniformed service members.

You servicemembers who serve so proudly as part of our Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard – we are indeed the strongest, most lethal, and most resilient armed forces in the world because of you.

Thank you for your incredible service and dedication to this great nation.

I want to recognize and thank Blue Star Families, an organization which strengthens military and Veteran families across the world.

Now I’d like to again recognize Ms. Kathy Roth-Douquet for her extraordinary distinguished public service by granting her the Secretary of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award.

I’m sorry folks, my notes are a bit displaced—I’m supposed to next introduce someone knows Miami, salsa, and a conga line.

Would anyone know who that is? Can someone help me?

Now, Gloria (Estefan), I need you to hold on for a second.

I know you’re excited to be here amongst all these great Sailors and Marines.

But I need to you hang on for a second.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Miami holds a special place in my heart, not only because of its incredible food and culture—but also because Miami warmly welcomed my family to the United States when we fled Fidel Castro’s Cuba in the early 1960s—just like Gloria’s and Emilio’s.

Miami became a safe haven for thousands of Cubans who were forced to flee government persecution and oppression.

The city welcomed the Cuban refugees with open arms—and still does today.

But Miami did not only provide refuge. It allowed the Cuban diaspora that came here—like my family—to rebuild their lives, start businesses, and become pillars of this community.

Today, Miami is a thriving metropolis in large part thanks to that tradition of welcome and the Cuban-Americans who have helped build the city over the past 70 years.

That shared history is what makes Miami one of the greatest cities on Earth—and emblematic of what makes this country the greatest country in the world.

Miami is a shining example of what happens when a city welcomes all who come seeking a better life.

That is why it is my honor and privilege to announce the name of the next Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine, SSN-811, USS Miami.

I am also honored to announce the ship sponsor of the future USS Miami, Ms. Gloria Estefan.

Now more formally, you may know Gloria from one of her many internationally chart-topping hits.

An eight-time Grammy Award winner and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, she was named one of the Top 100 greatest artists of all time by both VH1 and Billboard.

As I said earlier, she, too, was an immigrant whose family fled Cuba and settled in Miami.

Gloria’s father, José, was a member of Brigade 2506, and was captured and held as a prisoner in Cuba following the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

Upon his return to the United States, he joined the U.S. military and proudly fought in the Vietnam War.

Her mother was an educator here in Dade County.

Tonight, I am honored to announce that Ms. Gloria Estefan will be the sponsor for USS Miami.

The ship’s sponsor fills a critical role throughout the life of a warship, serving as the bond between the ship, her crew, and the nation they serve.

And I can think of no one more fitting to take on this vital role—no one with more resilience and grit and whose spirit embodies that of Miami than Gloria.

Thank you, Gloria, for your lifelong commitment to our Navy, to our service men and women, and to the United States of America.

You, like the service members who will serve on this proud ship and the city it will be named after, represent the absolute best this country has to offer. Thank you.

Our Navy and Marine Corps Team is the most powerful, capable, and lethal Force this world has ever seen because of the people in this audience tonight.

And I know that we can have the best ships, aircraft, equipment, and weapons—but without the best Sailors and Marines, all of this will go to waste.

You are the reason why we are the greatest armed forces and nation in the world.

I hope that you enjoy this concert tonight, and I hope that you enjoy Miami and its beautiful music, food, and culture throughout this week.

But I do have to ask you for one thing before I go.

Remember when your Chief or Gunny told you that there’s never a free lunch?

That’s the case right now.

After this concert, you have a job to do.

Your job is to go out in Miami and recruit at least one Sailor or Marine into our Department of the Navy.

If you’re in the Coast Guard, your job is to recruit at least one future Coast Guardsman or woman.

I think you can all do that for us and our nation!

Thank you for all that you do to ensure that America is the greatest nation in the world.

May God bless you and our service men and women stationed all around the globe.

Thank you.

Now I turn the podium over to you, Gloria.