Category: MIL-OSI

Source: United States Navy

“Navigating the Strait of Messina has historical significance as a mariner, as the uniqueness of the transit has been highlighted in myths and legends, with the most notable being the Odyssey. The strong currents and whirlpools within the strait coupled with the proximity to land makes this transit a not only a challenge for the bridge watch standers, but an unforgettable experience.” Lt. Monica Sullivan, the Carney’s Navigator explains. “The strait is 17 nautical miles long and at its narrowest point, 1.6 nautical miles wide with heavy ferry traffic crossing lanes of merchants and pleasure craft.”

Carney entered the C6F area of operations after her Suez transit, and will be working with regional Allies and partners in support of U.S. and NATO commitment to maritime security in Europe and Africa. While in the Red Sea, Carney provided extensive support and defense for vessels transiting and supported the free flow of commerce. Carney will continue to provide a persistent stabilizing force in the Mediterranean and the crew looks forward to some rest after a demanding deployment thus far. During the visit, Sailors will get a chance to visit historic sites and enjoy liberty in Palermo.

“It has been over five years since a ship visited Palermo, and we are excited to have the opportunity to do so,” said Cmdr. Jeremy D. Robertson, commanding officer of Carney. “Palermo has a rich history and the crew is excited to explore and experience the beautiful scenery and culture while we are there.”

The Carney deployed from Mayport, FL, September 27^th, 2023, and has conducted numerous operations in support of maritime stability and security in defense of U.S., Allied, and partner interests.

“Our crew is excited to enter this next phase of our deployment and continues to sail alongside our partners and Allies,” explained Robertson. “Carney’s deployment continues to exhibit our commitment to the 5^th and 6^th Fleet regions, and we look forward to collaborating with our counterparts to ensure maritime security, safety of commerce, and freedom of navigation.”

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.

For more information, please contact the Public Affairs Team, PAO@ddg64.navy.mil.

Source: United States Navy

“QUADLAT provides a valuable platform for open dialogue and partnership building among our allied navies,” said Ms. Bilyana Anderson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Ships. “This year, we aim to leverage this opportunity to share experiences, highlight advancements in strengthening the shipbuilding and repair industrial base, and exchange lessons learned to enhance our collective capabilities.”

The meeting will coincide with the 2024 Sea Air Space Exposition, taking place from April 8th to 10th, 2024. QUADLAT participants are encouraged to attend this leading maritime exposition, which showcases the latest advancements in maritime, defense, and energy technology.

“The Coast Guard is regularly operating around the globe with our partner nations. QUADLAT provides an excellent opportunity to share our collective shipbuilding experiences to maximize learning across all of our programs and create more global maritime capability.” said RADM Chad Jacoby, USCG Director of Acquisition Programs.

The Shipbuilding Quadrilateral meeting underscores the commitment of allied nations to collaborative innovation and knowledge sharing. By enhancing strategic partnerships, these nations aim to maintain maritime superiority and ensure the readiness of their naval forces to address evolving challenges. The event supports Secretary Del Toro’s call for a Maritime Statecraft encompassing a national, whole-of-government effort to build comprehensive U.S. and allied maritime power, both commercial and naval.

Source: United States Navy

This year’s Expo placed sharp focus on the theme of Integrated Maritime Power—in other words, how the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard leverage complementary authorities and capabilities across warfare domains to advance the prosperity, security, and promise of a free and open, rules-based global order.

“The Sea-Air-Space Expo is an excellent opportunity for students to see STEM in action by seeing how many of the principles they learn are applied to Navy products,” said Dr. Greg Bouton, who leads SSP’s STEM education efforts, guiding programs at headquarters and around the nation.

“Being represented at the STEM expo gives SSP a unique platform to market and brand the organization as an exciting place to work with a meaningful and very important mission.”

Volunteers from SSP—the Navy command that owns the cradle-to-grave responsibility for the submarine-launched ballistic missile system—had three demonstration stations available for expo attendees. Students were able to build and launch rockets using straws, clay, and index cards; inflate balloons and attach them to 3D printed rockets to watch them fly; and build structures using toothpicks, spaghetti noodles, and marshmallows. These learning activities represent baseline engineering competencies like building structurally sound shapes or understanding how various elements—like adding fins—can affect a rocket’s time and distance traveled.

Testing these fundamentals relates to the real-world deterrence mission SSP serves—a mission that ties directly to the CNO’s “America’s Warfighting Navy” guidance and contributes to the Navy’s ability to “preserve the peace, respond in crisis, and—if necessary—win decisively in war.” SSP oversees all aspects of research, development, production, logistics, storage, repair, and operational support of the Strategic Weapons System (SWS) for Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBN). The submarine launched ballistic missile capability represents 70% of the nation’s nuclear triad.

SSP’s presence at the Expo is a multipurpose benefit for the command. Representation at an expo like Sea-Air-Space not only supports public buy-in and understanding of the mission, it also provides a unique venue to attract the right talent to enable the mission. During a recent television interview, SSP’s Director Vice Adm. Johnny Wolfe, Jr also highlighted the command’s need for more “players on the field” at SSP.
 
“What we really need today is, we need a very talented workforce that understands the mission— that is all in,” said Vice Adm. Wolfe.

Part of SSP’s no-fail mission is not only to deliver capabilities for the strategic deterrence mission at speed and on target but to equip its people with the right skills, tools, training, and mindset to innovate and carry sea-based strategic deterrence through 2084.

“Because SSP must continue sustainment efforts and develop future technology for the weapons system, it is paramount that we actively execute strategies and tactics to sustain our succession plan as we grow, evolve, and expand our scope to meet current and future developmental needs,” explained Dr. Bouton.

Nationwide, SSP’s STEM outreach program focuses on local community efforts to generate early interest in the field for students of all ages. SSP’s outreach into the local community has resulted in strong partnerships to provide vital STEM education for students.

“SSP’s leadership understands the importance of a strong STEM pipeline to ensure the longevity of the organizations future,” said Nicolas Tarver, SSP’s headquarters STEM Team lead.
“It’s important to have an active presence so that SSP will become more commonly recognized amongst the STEM community, and hopefully attract some of its best talent.”

For the expo, SSP collaborated with The Future Innovative Rising Engineer (FIRE) STEM Rocket Challenge organization, founded by Ms. Robin Houston, to provide one of the STEM activities during the expo. Houston’s exhibit provided students the opportunity to build miniature rockets, add features like fins to the pencil-sized models, and then launch them to test how mechanics, features, and angle of launch affect trajectory.
 
Houston launched the FIRE Rocket Challenge program in 2021 to mentor youth from grades 5-12. Her program is tailor-made to reach diverse youth in underrepresented and under-resourced groups to encourage them to pursue careers in a STEM field.

“Many youths from diverse backgrounds face barriers to participation in high-quality STEM programs for reasons such as program costs/fees; locations, days, and times the programs are offered; lack of role models they can connect with; and knowledge that programs exist,” Houston said.
“The Fire Rocket Challenge program breaks down these barriers by providing mentors and coaches who look like the students they support.”

She stressed the importance of continued support from businesses and organizations that match her program’s dedication to grow diverse talent. Last year, she connected with Tarver at an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics networking event and said collaboration with SSP—including funding support—has been monumental for her program.

Houston pointed out organizations like FIRE and SSP alike rely on engagement with each other’s missions as the vehicles for casting vision and expectation in young people—and an event like Sea-Air-Space brings that vision to life.

“Because we are a 100% volunteer organization without a consistent income stream, partnering with organizations like SSP that can provide financial support is critical to our ability to provide quality experiences to youth from families that do not have a lot of discretionary funds left at the end of the month,” said Houston.

“These types of alliances allow us to be the boots on the ground to get the job done.”

Houston emphasized that immersive experiences for students and connection to people working in the industry are all important ways to help unlock the potential these students may not have realized.

“Exposure is the key to dreaming big!” 
 

A special thanks to Ms. Robin Houston (FIRE Rocket Challenge, Straw Rocket Launcher activity); Oscar Wiygul (3D printed balloon rocket activity); Adam Allex (setup and event support); Marvin Turner (setup and event support); Dr. Greg Bouton (SPHQ STEM Outreach education lead) and his daughters (setup, SSP display, marshmallow/toothpick building station); Kathleen Cushman (SSP memorabilia); and Nick Tarver (SPHQ STEM Outreach lead) for making SSP’s participation in the Sea-Air-Space STEM Expo a reality!

Source: United States Navy

The improved portal allows individuals not represented by an attorney or individuals through their attorneys to submit new claims, track the status of a claim, securely upload supporting documents, and communicate with Camp Lejeune Claims Unit (CLCU) personnel reviewing their claim.

Individuals who previously submitted a CLJA claim by email or U.S. mail will receive an email from the CLCU when their claim is available for review in the new portal. If no email address was provided on the original claim form, then information will be sent by U.S. mail to the mailing address provided on the original claim form.

Individuals interested in submitting a new CLJA claim should visit the link below to create an account and follow instructions for submitting a new claim.

Individuals represented by an attorney should continue to direct all questions to their attorney and should not create their own account on the portal or file a new claim in the portal.

The CLJA Claims Management Portal is available at https://clclaims.jag.navy.mil. Please note the Department of the Navy will never request a claimant’s personal information by email or over the telephone. Please also note there is no fee to access the portal or to file a CLJA claim and individuals can file without an attorney. The Department of the Navy cannot provide legal advice, including whether you should retain an attorney to assist in filing a claim.

For more information regarding CLJA claim eligibility and answers to other frequently asked questions, please visit the Department of the Navy’s official CLJA website at www.navy.mil/clja or contact the Camp Lejeune Claims Unit at CLClaims@us.navy.mil or (757) 241-6020.

Source: United States Navy

Commissioned in December 1995, the nation’s seventh Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier entered RCOH in May 2021, under a $3 billion contract with NNS. The overhaul is now more than 65% complete and tracking for redelivery in October 2026.

Aircraft carriers enter refueling complex overhauls at the mid-point of their 50-plus-year lifespan, incorporating upgrades to propulsion equipment, infrastructure, and electronic systems. After NNS flooded the dry dock with more than 100 million gallons of water, the ship moved to the shipyard’s outfitting berth, where shipyard workers and crew will complete the installation and testing of major components and combat support systems.

Rear Adm. Casey J. Moton, Program Executive Office Aircraft Carriers, recognized the important milestone, adding that the next phase of the ship’s overhaul will deliver impressive new technologies to support the Navy’s warfighters, enabling John C. Stennis to meet operational taskings during another 25-plus years of service.

“When John C. Stennis redelivers, she’ll be the most technologically advanced Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in the Navy,” said Moton. “She’ll bring to the Fleet the highest level of capability across all mission sets.”

Moton also acknowledged that the shipyard and Navy team have been navigating several challenges and working under an extended redelivery schedule due both to mandatory growth work following ship condition assessments, as well as industrial base challenges.

“The Navy-Industry team is dealing with the lingering effects of a post-COVID industrial base – one that includes a reduced or unstable capability and capacity along with challenges in workforce recruitment, retention and proficiency. However, the bottom line is that Fleet operators need us to deliver these capital assets to our warfighters ready for tasking, so we are working on a daily basis with our Industry partners and within the Navy to accelerate problem solving and to speed production on the deck plates—all focused on delivering readiness. I am proud of our entire team for achieving this important production milestone towards redelivering USS John C. Stennis to the Fleet.”

Capt. Mark Johnson, manager of the PEO Aircraft Carriers In-Service Aircraft Carrier Program Office, said that the Navy-Industry team is leveraging lessons learned from the Navy’s previous RCOHs, especially on USS George Washington (CVN 73), which recently was redelivered in May 2023.

“Recognizing the changing workforce demographics coming out of the COVID pandemic, the combined Navy/Shipbuilder team has taken measurable steps to improve the level of support to the mechanic or sailor actually performing work on the ship by leveraging new digital management tools and processes,” said Johnson.

More than 25 million total man-hours of work will go into John C. Stennis’ RCOH, with crews refitting and installing a new square and tapered mast, accommodating state-of-the-art defense and communications systems, updates to the ship’s shafts, refurbished propellers, and modernized aircraft launch and recovery equipment.

“RCOH construction enhances nearly every space and system on the carrier, beyond the most critical requirement to defuel and refuel the ship’s two nuclear reactors and to repair and upgrade the propulsion plant,” Johnson said. “We work on every part of the ship, from the hull, screws, and rudders to more than 600 tanks; thousands of valves, pumps, and piping components; electrical cables and ventilation; as well as combat and aviation support systems. It’s demanding, complex work that challenges every member of the planning team, shipyard crews, and ship’s force.”

During the upcoming outfitting and testing phase, shipbuilders will complete the overhaul and installation of the ship’s major components and test its electronics, combat, and propulsion systems. This period will also focus on improving the ship’s living areas and the general quality of life for the sailors, including crew living spaces, galleys, and mess decks.