Category: United States Navy

Source: United States Navy

This is the fifth time in ten years that USS Alaska has been selected for this honor, which recognizes outstanding support to the USSTRATCOM mission of strategic deterrence.

Both the Blue and Gold crews were recognized as the ballistic-missile submarine winners. The award consists of four categories which include: intercontinental ballistic missile squadron, ballistic missile submarine, strategic bomber squadron, and global operations squadron.

Cmdr. Bill Dull, commanding officer of USS Alaska’s Blue Crew said he is proud of the hard work both crews exhibited throughout the past year.

“It is a tremendous honor to earn the 2021 USSTRATCOM Omaha trophy,” said Dull. “Earning this award is the direct result of the hard work and effort by both crews of Alaska working together to execute the number one mission in the Department of Defense. I could not be more proud of the Alaska family.”

Cmdr. Justin Hardy, the Gold Crew’s commanding officer, said the award is validation of the crews’ continued hard work.

“This award is a testament to the hard work and perseverance the crew of the Alaska has shown throughout the year and continues to demonstrate every day,” said Hardy. “It is humbling and inspiring to be part of such a dedicated team.”

The award recipients were announced in a message from Adm. Charles Richard, commander of USSTRATCOM. The award will be presented to Alaska at a later date.

“Today’s strategic threat environment requires that we have a combat-ready force on watch 24/7,” said Adm. Charles Richard, commander of USSTRATCOM. “These Omaha Trophy award winners stood out for their continued excellence anytime, anywhere, making our global mission successful. I congratulate all units nominated for their exceptional meritorious service. Each of you demonstrate an unrivaled commitment to strategic deterrence. Bravo Zulu!”

The Omaha Trophy was originally created by the Strategic Air Command Consultation Committee (SCC) in 1971. At the time, a single trophy was presented annually as a token of appreciation to the command’s best wing. The SCC – an advisory group comprised of business leaders in the Omaha area – became the Strategic Command Consultation Committee after the activation of USSTRATCOM in 1992.

Alaska is one of six SSBNs homeported at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga. She is the fourth U.S. Navy ship to be named for the Territory of Alaska or the State of Alaska.

For more news from Commander, Submarine Group 10, visit https://www.facebook.com/submarinegroupten/ and https://twitter.com/SUBGRU10.

Source: United States Navy

Rear Adm. John Okon, director, Warfare Integration Directorate, N2N6I, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, opened the IW speaker’s pavilion April 4.

“First, Vice Adm. Trussler is firmly focused on delivering the most consequential capability for the high-end fight to the fleet,” said Okon. “Information is the most consequential capability in the high-end fight, from the bottom of the ocean to the stars.”

Okon emphasized that Vice Adm. Kelly Aeschbach’s number one priority as the IW community lead is Live-Virtual-Constructive training. “We need to have instantiations of training on the underclass to the most classified networks so we can do reps and sets with our Sailors and civilians,” said Okon. “And we have to get there fast.”

Capt. Nicole Nigro, commander, Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic followed up the IW pavilion with a discussion of NIWC Atlantic mission and priorities.

“We are bringing that new capability out to the warfighter,” said Nigro. “We bridge the gap between industry and program offices to get those new capabilities, new technologies out to the Fleet.”

Ms. Tami North, director, NAVIFOR West, spoke on the second day of SAS, leading a discussion at the IW pavilion on defining information warfare capabilities, including the systems, hardware, software and Sailors.

“Information warfare is the key to all other warfare areas,” said North. “It is absolutely essential to the kill chains of every single warfare area, and it is essential at all levels of war.”

North emphasized that Navy IW is focused on countering adversaries while at the same time enhancing the Navy’s effectiveness. The Navy IW community does this through the integrated employment of the Navy’s information capabilities, intended to degrade, deny, deceive or destroy an adversary’s information environment and enhance the friendly operations in the Fleet.

The Navy Information Warfare pavilion also had Sailors from the several IW community career fields on hand to speak to attendees at SAS.

SAS provides a platform for the professional development of Department of the Navy personnel on the latest developments in naval warfare and an opportunity for Navy engagement with representatives from a broad cross-section of government, industry, academia, and the international community.

The SAS schedule was designed to focus on readiness and innovation, with panels covering topics such as acquisition, cyber, strategic sealift, leadership, shipbuilding, and manpower. SAS showcased leaders from across the United States Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, other governmental agencies and industry.

NAVIFOR’s mission is to generate, directly and through our leadership of the IW Enterprise, agile and technically superior manned, trained, equipped, and certified combat-ready IW forces to ensure our Navy will decisively DETER, COMPETE, and WIN.

For more information on NAVIFOR, visit the command Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NavalInformationForces/ or the public web page at https://www.navifor.usff.navy.mil.

Source: United States Navy

Members from Center for Seabees and Facilities Engineering Chiefs Mess, and instructors and students from the Naval Construction Training Center Port Hueneme volunteered their time to install commemorative bricks outside the entrance of the museum.

Funding issues and Covid-19 safety protocols temporarily halted the installation of commemorative bricks purchased to, and a total of 132 bricks accumulated behind the Seabee Museum.

Doing what they do best, the Seabee volunteers completed this seemingly overwhelming task in no time.

The Seabee’s work was recognized by a surprise visit from attendees of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 40 annual reunion. The meeting between the volunteers and reunion attendees brought together generations of Seabees centered on a shared lineage of heritage and pride.

Each memorial brick that paves the entry walkway to the U.S. Navy Seabee museum is a permanent recognition of a Seabee and his/her service in the U.S. Navy civil engineer corps. Seabee family members and friends can purchase bricks to honor their Seabee’s service to their country.

According to the Seabee Historical Foundation website, the decorative bricks showcase the “Can Do” spirit of the Seabees and the Civil Engineer Corps, still strong and vital after six decades of helping preserve our national freedom, protect our interests and create a safe, better world.

To learn more about the Seabee Museum at Port Hueneme California, visit their website at https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/seabee.html. 

To purchase a brick, or to find a brick already purchased, please visit http://seabeehf.org/bricks/. Bricks can also be purchased for the Seabee Heritage Center in Gulfport, Mississippi.
 

Source: United States Navy

In fact, since USNWR added the specialization category of Homeland/National Security and Emergency Management for its rankings of public affairs schools in 2020, NPS has been ranked at or tied for the top overall spot.

Additionally, NPS comes in ranked 34th in industrial engineering, 39th in aerospace engineering, and jumping an impressive 25 spots from last year to 75th in electrical engineering in the latest rankings. In the cumulative overall rankings, the school came in 109th in general Engineering school rankings, and 65th overall in USNWR’s ranking of public affairs schools.

“With five academic programs ranked in the top 75 of our country, including the nation’s number one Homeland Security Program, and a ranked and ABET accredited engineering school, NPS continues to demonstrate outstanding teaching and research that place it among the nation’s top graduate institutions,” said Dr. Scott Gartner, NPS Provost and Academic Dean.

USNWR employs both statistical surveys and peer assessments in evaluating programs, which are determined eligible through their accreditation. While the rankings began as a service to prospective students and parents exploring graduate program options, the popular rankings have a become a critical measure of a university’s quality in instruction, research and degree value.

For a unique institution like NPS, school leaders say the rankings are a direct reflection of NPS’ ability to execute its mission at a high level of excellence.

“NPS strives to conduct high quality, innovative academic teaching and research that support and augment our nation’s military, especially its Naval services, to provide a cutting-edge warfighting advantage today and moving forward,” said Gartner. “The continued excellent rankings of NPS programs demonstrates the high quality of our academic programs, and why they can be impactful to America’s security.”

Source: United States Navy

The port visit began with a high-level reception aboard Porter co-hosted by Cmdr. Christopher Petro and the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy, Usha Pitts.

“This port visit is a wonderful illustration of our partnership,” Pitts said during the reception. “We have to remember that some country will patrol the ocean, will make a show of force, and will hold other countries accountable for their behavior. I thank God it is the U.S. doing it and that we have the tools, like USS Porter, and the personnel, like the Sailors on this ship, doing it.”

Porter recently completed maritime operations in the North Sea and a task force exercise certification off the coast of the U.S. This port visit provided an opportunity to strengthen an important bilateral partnership between maritime neighbors, which is essential to regional stability.

“As a Forward Deployed Naval Forces-Europe ship, it is an incredible opportunity for the Porter crew to cross the Atlantic and enjoy the beautiful Bahamas,” said Cmdr. Christopher Petro, Porter’s commanding officer. “After completing demanding maritime operations, training and certifications, the crew and I are eagerly looking forward to experiencing the warm Bahamian hospitality and enjoying the beautiful beaches, culture and local sights of The Bahamas.”

Minister of National Security the Hon. Wayne Munroe attended the reception and offered remarks to the crew and guests.

“We talk about friends, but I’d like to think that the United States and The Bahamas are really in a relationship where you are our big brother,” Munroe said. “Next year we will celebrate 50 years of independence, and you celebrate 246 years of independence. That makes you quite a bit older than us. We accept you as our big brother, and standing on a vessel like this… it’s kind of good to have a big brother like you.”

Upon arrival in The Bahamas, Porter Sailors volunteered in the local community with The Bahamas Red Cross Society, assisting with the Community Resilience and Food Security Pilot Program. Sailors worked on raised garden beds and planted vegetable seeds that will support a feeding program serving over 125 Bahamians daily.

Porter, forward deployed to Rota, Spain, is currently operating in the U.S. 2nd Fleet area of operations. Porter is one of four U.S. Navy destroyers based in Rota, Spain, and assigned to commander, Task Force 65 in support of NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense architecture. Forward Deployed Naval Forces-Europe ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle, demonstrating their mastery of the maritime domain.