Category: United States Navy

Source: United States Navy

Capt. Miguel Dieguez relieved Capt. Jorge R. Cuadros as commanding officer Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Southeast during a change of command ceremony held onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, Florida, May 13.

Dieguez is the ninth commanding officer since the command was established in 2006 and is dual hatted as the Navy Region Southeast Regional Engineer.

A change of command exemplifies the formal passing of command, navy regulations and tradition. The ceremony provides a chance to celebrate past accomplishments and look toward the future.

“An orderly, unbroken chain of command is a fundamental component of our Navy history and is critical to our continued success,” said guest speaker Rear Adm. Wesley McCall, commander, Navy Region Southeast.

McCall commended Cuadros and the entire NAVFAC Southeast team for their support to the region over the past two years stating that literally everything the region does in the shore enterprise relies on NAVFAC in some manner.

“Your accomplishments over the past two years is too long to delve into completely,” claimed McCall.

NAVFAC Southeast completed critical military construction (MILCON) programs throughout the southeast, such as the ongoing construction of the $600+ million Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay recapitalization project and the reconfiguration of the Aviation School’s Command primary school house aboard NAS Pensacola after the horrific terrorist attack in 2019. The team displayed innovative and cost-effective environmental management strategies which brought NAS Pensacola to win the 2022 Secretary of Defense Environmental Award for Natural Resources Conservation and NAS Key West winning the 2022 Secretary of the Navy Natural Resources Conservation for a small installation.

Through the command’s contingency response teams, they mobilized and maintained installation operations throughout five hurricane events, tornadoes, a winter freeze and flooding in Texas. The region simply could not do their jobs without NAVFAC claimed McCall.

Rear Adm. Lore Aguayo, commander, NAVFAC Atlantic, and U.S. Fleet Forces Civil Engineer, was the presiding officer for the ceremony and presented Cuadros with a Legion of Merit medal for exceptional service.

“It is a special privilege and my personal honor to participate in today’s change of command ceremony, a tradition that’s as old as naval service itself,” said Aguayo. “A treasured part of our heritage where the complete authority, responsibility, and accountability of command will be passed from Capt. Cuadros to Capt. Dieguez.”

The role of the presiding officer is to publicly recognize two exceptionally talented naval officers and to highlight the accomplishments of NAVFAC Southeast.

“Capt. Jorge Cuadros is a phenomenal leader, and energetic and honorable officer and role model in every sense,” said Aguayo. “He is always completely focused on his people and the success of the team. He has tremendous integrity and has had a very successful tour in command.”

Under the leadership of Cuadros, NAVFAC Southeast maintained NAVFAC’s best overall MILCON program, adopted “Early Contractor Involvement” leading NAVFAC Southeast to forge stronger partnerships with the construction industry and he guided the development of Cybersecurity Work Induction Process to include cybersecurity requirements into MILCONs and special projects.

“As we reflect on the extraordinary achievements of the past two years, we must also keep an eye to the future,” said Aguayo. “Capt. Miguel Dieguez is, without a doubt, the right officer to build upon NAVFAC Southeast’s accomplishments and great reputation.”

Cuadros thanked several people by name for their support to the command during his tenure from July 2020 to May 2022. He also mentioned how humbled he was for the personal recognition in receiving the Legion of Merit medal and said that he accepted the award on behalf of the command whose men and women, who over the course of the last two years, overcame any challenge to deliver the products and services that the region supported commanders needed to fulfill their missions.

“NAVFAC Southeast and the region’s character reflect the Southern values,” said Cuadros. “I’m most excited about NAVFAC’s future. Moving forward, we will further align to the Fleet by managing the delivery of projects, products and services through the lens of force development, force generation and force employment of key warfighting capabilities.”

Cuadros has led NAVFAC Southeast since July 2020. His next assignment will be chief of staff at NAVFAC Headquarters.

As Dieguez takes command of NAVFAC Southeast, he thanked Rear Adm. Aguayo and Rear Adm. McCall for the extraordinary opportunity.

“My previous tours in the Southeast have always been special for me because of the amazing people, the diversity of missions across the Region, and of course, this is where my daughter was born,” said Dieguez. “I appreciate your trust and confidence in my ability to lead this team. It is an honor and privilege to serve with you.”

Dieguez was commissioned as an Ensign in the Navy’s Civil Engineer Corps (CEC) after earning a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1997 from the U.S. Naval Academy. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and has completed Joint Professional Military Education Phase I through the Naval War College.   

Dieguez has served in various ascending positions of responsibility in the CEC including assistant company commander and material liaison officer, operations officer, instructor, construction manager, flag aide, production control officer, assistant regional engineer, facilities investment and real property management branch head, and commanding officer Naval Mobile Construction Battalion ONE THIRTY THREE. He has five deployments.

Dieguez is a Seabee Combat Warfare Officer, a registered Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia, an Acquisition Professional Member, and a certified Project Management Professional. His most recent assignment was as Public Works Officer for Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia.

Source: United States Navy

“Today we are at an important turning point as we confront real-time impacts of climate change, and what it means for the mission of the DON to protect our air, land, and sea resources, which are essential to the health, safety, and defense of Americans today,” said Meredith Berger, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment. “I am proud of our Sailors, Marines and their families who responded to the call to action this past Earth Day to invest back into our planet and develop partnerships in their communities to advance the DON’s mission as environmental stewards.”

The DON’s Earth Day activities and environmental stewardship efforts are not limited to a single day. Through continued dedication to the stewardship of the environment the DON ensures the values of Earth Day are upheld every day. Clean air, water, and land are essential to the safety and health of our military and civilian personnel, our families, and our neighboring communities, and the ability of our installations and ranges to continue to meet mission critical functions. The Department has a duty to conserve and protect natural and cultural resources on our installations and ranges, both as a public trust responsibility, and because well-managed resources ensure the continued access to long-term sustainability of our ranges and installations. Conducting training, testing, construction and other base operating activities in a manner that minimizes impacts to natural and cultural resources safeguards important species and habitats ensuring the continued resiliency of the environment to support vital naval missions and changing operational demands.

The DON encourages and empowers every Sailor, Marine, and Civilian to take action both on behalf of the Department and personally to invest in our planet, develop partnerships in the communities, and take care of our planet. Every action taken helps contribute to the Department’s mission and the global mission of protecting the environment and combating climate change.

Below are examples of Department of the Navy’s Earth Day activities from around the globe:

Source: United States Navy

The future USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. is the first ship to honor Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Frank E. Petersen, Jr., the first Black Marine Corps aviator and the first Black Marine Corps officer promoted to brigadier general. When Petersen retired in 1988 after 38 years of service, he was, by date of designation, the senior-ranking aviator in the Department of the Navy.

The principal speaker is The Honorable Carlos Campbell, Naval aviator and former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. Additional speakers include The Honorable Nancy Mace, U.S Rep. from South Carolina’s 1st District; The Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy; Gen. David Berger, Commandant of the Marine Corps; Adm. Michael Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations; The Honorable John Tecklenberg, Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina; Mr. George Nungesser, Vice President of Program Management, Ingalls Shipbuilding; and Ms. Gayle Petersen, daughter of the ship’s namesake. 

The ship’s sponsors are Mrs. D’Arcy Ann Neller, wife of former Commandant of the Marine Corps, retired Gen. Robert “Bob” Neller, and the late Dr. Alicia J. Petersen, Lt. Gen. Petersen’s wife at the time of his passing in 2015. Dr. Petersen passed away in September 2021. Both sponsors participated in the keel laying, mast stepping, and christening ceremonies. Mrs. Neller will give the order to “man our ship and bring her to life.”

“This ship honors the life and legacy of Lt. Gen. Frank E. Petersen, Jr., a pioneer not just for Marine Corps aviation but for our entire naval force,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro. “I have no doubt the crew will be a cornerstone of the Surface Force carrying his legacy forward and strengthening the bond between our Navy and Marine Corps team.”

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are the backbone of the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet providing protection to America around the globe. These highly capable, multi-mission ships conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence to national security, providing a wide range of warfighting capabilities in multi-threat air, surface and subsurface domains. These elements of seapower enable the Navy to defend American prosperity and prevent future conflict abroad.

The nearly 9,500-ton USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. is 509.5 feet in length, has a waterline beam of 59 feet, and a navigational draft of 31 feet. Four gas turbine engines will power the ship to speeds in excess of 30 knots. USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. will homeport at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. 

The ceremony will be live streamed at: USS Frank E. Petersen, Jr. Commissioning. The link becomes active approximately ten minutes prior to the event (9:50 a.m. EST).

Additional information on a history of the ship and its namesake can be found at: https://www.history.navy.mil/news-and-events/multimedia-gallery/infographics/heritage/history-of-u-s–marine-corps-pioneer–frank-e–petersen.html

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342. More information on guided-missile destroyer programs can be found at:  https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2169871/destroyers-ddg/

Source: United States Navy

Goodfellow Air Force Base was chosen as the location to host the RSC to showcase the successful planning and execution which allowed Navy CTIs back into the esteemed Air Force-led Apprentice Cryptologic Language Analysis program. The seeds for this success were planted long ago by retired master chiefs and active master chiefs alike. Considering the success of their endeavor it was only fitting to honor that effort by hosting the council there.
 
The history of the CTI RSC dates back decades, but it was a nebulous, inconsistent gathering of CTI master chiefs. Circa 2012, retired Master Chiefs Jeff Salazar, Brad McNamar, Shannon Hickman, Barry Armstrong, Rich Robinson, and Edo Forsythe (to name a few), collaborated with senior enlisted CTIs from across the Navy to implement an annual, structured forum.
 
When asked about the purpose and history of the CTI RSC, Salazar offered this insight.
 
“During my time at NAVIFOR (Navy Information Forces Command) (2010-2014), because we were in a steady state of compromise and being reactive, I imagined that we could produce the best group of CTIs that had ever walked the earth, ideally by changing the entire machine, cradle to grave,” said Salazar. “The first steps involved were to analyze root causes, not the symptoms, and then make systematic changes to all MPT&E (Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education) processes for long-term sustainability. This could only be done by the entire CTI (Chiefs) Mess through the RSC.”
 
Attendees are typically CTIs in positions of greater affect, but the entirety of the Mess channels informs and reports to those leaders to represent the overall population of CTIs. Common attendees are senior CIT Sailors in positions such as the CTI Technical Advisor, the Senior CTI Detailer, NAVIFOR, Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT), IWTC Monterey, Goodfellow ACLP (Apprentice Cryptologic Language Program) representatives, Military Personnel Plans and Policy, Naval Operations for Information Warfare, Fleet Cyber Command, Tenth Fleet, Senior Language Authorities, Command Language Program Managers of the larger sites, the CTI Reserve component, and representatives from all CTI Centers of Excellence.
 
The four-day symposium provides a discussion forum for all attendees to brief strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) specific to their domains. They also have the chance to suggest changes to the current status quo, collaborate in person with the CTI body of influence, identify what changes and processes need to be worked, and assign an accountable party to action the due-outs. At the end of the gathering, the CTI Mess exits the Rating Strategy Council with a unified voice and a way forward to incrementally improve the Rate year after year.
 
Master Chief Micah Epley, the host and organizer of the 2022 CTI RSC, offered his insight to the benefits of holding the council at Goodfellow Air Force Base.
 
“We were very fortunate to have the CTI RSC at Goodfellow this year,” said Epley. “CTI’s just returned to Goodfellow for “A” school, so allowing the RSC to see CTI staff and students in action will pay huge dividends down the road. In the Chiefs Mess, we say ‘train your relief’. This week, we all got to see that first-hand and it was a great reminder of why the RSC meets every year to tackle the challenges impacting the CTI rate. I’m very proud to be associated with this group and I know the CTI rate is in very capable hands.”
 
Master Chief Ken Paulsen, who has served in numerous roles of influence for over ten years, also shared his tear-jerking reflection of this process.
 
“Here’s what I find most impressive with this group; many of our members are here to work toward solutions that they will not see to fruition,” said Paulsen. “They will not personally witness the reward for their efforts. They are here simply because it must be done.”
 
One other insight directly from the Technical Advisor to any CTI at any point in their career, Master Chief Scott Welker offered these words of reassurance saying, “Never let quotas deter you from being the best you can be; you control your destiny.”
 
In closing, an ancient Chinese proverb states, “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago; the second best time is now.” It is comforting to see leaders like Salazar and McNamar who had that understanding over a decade ago. It is even more reassuring to see the continuous power of the Mess come together each year to plant seeds for trees they will never see. Navy Chief! Navy Pride!

Source: United States Navy

“Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is a powerful presence in the Philippine Sea that serves as a deterrent to aggressive or malign actors and supports a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Rear Adm. J.T. Anderson, commander, Carrier Strike Group Three. “There is no better way to strengthen our combat-credible capabilities than to work alongside other joint forces to demonstrate our commitment to sovereignty, the region, and a rules-based international order.”

Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 aircraft, integral to the Air Wing of the Future, including the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye and F-35C Lightning, launched from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) while underway in the Philippine Sea to conduct joint, dynamic deterrence missions with mission support and aerial refueling from Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) KC-135 Stratotankers.

“Carrier Air Wing Nine’s highly skilled aviators and Sailors, with the coordination and support from Pacific Air Forces, demonstrated concurrent, multi-axis long range maritime strike capabilities,” said Capt. Lew Callaway, commander, CVW-9. “Naval aviators led a joint team to demonstrate to any potential adversary that we may hold their forces at risk at a time and place of our choice, from every direction.”

Abraham Lincoln, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Spruance (DDG 111) and USS Dewey (DDG 105) trained to their multi-domain mission sets to defend the carrier while supporting strike group-wide capabilities.

The Abraham Lincoln Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability through alliances and partnerships while serving as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

The ABECSG consists of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 3 including Abraham Lincoln; Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9; Destroyer Squadron 21; Mobile Bay (CG 53); and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), USS Gridley (DDG 101), USS Sampson (DDG 102) and Spruance.

CVW-9 consists of an F-35C squadron, the “Black Knights” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314; three F/A-18E/F Super Hornet squadrons, the “Tophatters” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14; “Black Aces” of VFA 41, the “Vigilantes” of VFA 151; “Wizards” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 133, operating the EA-18G Growler; “Wallbangers” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 117, operating the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye; “Titans” of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30, operating the CMV-22B Osprey; “Chargers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 14 operating the MH-60S Sea Hawk; and “Raptors” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 71, operating the MH-60R Sea Hawk.

For more news from CSG-3, http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/USSAL-CVN72#