Category: United States of America

Source: United States Navy

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont; U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT); U.S. Representative Joe Courtney (2nd-CT); Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and the Environment Meredith Berger; and, Commander of Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, Rear Admiral Carl Lahti, participated in the event near the base’s Power Plant on the SUBASE waterfront.

“For the Navy, and all military services, October is Energy Action Month, and SUBASE could not be prouder of our ‘energy actions’ today,” said Captain Kenneth M. Curtin Jr., 53rd Commanding Officer of Naval Submarine Base New London, who served as Master of Ceremonies. “Our micro-grid at SUBASE is the first of its kind in the entire Navy to support such a complex electrical infrastructure. And in the parlance of the fall sports season, it’s a ‘game-changer.’”
Curtin noted that while the base’s award winning Galley fuels the Sailors at the base, energy fuels everything else, from the high-tech trainers and their associated computer systems at the Naval Submarine School on the base, to the Submarines moored at the base’s waterfront, dependent on shore power when in port.
The SUBASE Micro-grid enhances the base’s power diversification and transforms its electrical infrastructure into a more intelligent, flexible, and robust system. SUBASE benefits not only from automated data gathering and precise peak demand control, but also from the ability to seamlessly disconnect from the public utility grid during an interruption or loss in power, and efficiently dispatch on-site power generation to mission critical loads.
The State of Connecticut; the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative (CMEEC); FuelCell Energy Incorporated, headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut; NORESCO, headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts; Groton Utilities; and, a number of area and local contractors and subcontractors have been crucial contributors ensuring SUBASE reached this milestone.
“We are playing a small role in making this base a little more resilient,” said Lamont. “This is what it’s all about. Whether it is a weather event or a bad actor, the lights will stay on at our Navy base.”
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Berger thanked the State and partners, who through community and commercial partnerships, brought SUBASE’s energy resiliency to fruition.
“What we are charged with under Secretary [of the Navy] Del Toro’s leadership is to strengthen our maritime dominance, strengthen our people, and to strengthen our partnerships; and what we do here today does all three,” said Berger.
The completion of the comprehensive Micro-grid project reflects more than $235M invested in assuring the energy reliability, security, and resiliency of SUBASE.
Lahti, as the then 50th Commanding Officer of SUBASE, was “the architect moving the initiative from the kernel of an idea, to the growth of the foundational concept, and the development of long range plans and milestones,” said Curtin.
Pulling them from a folder, Lahti showed the audience the nearly decade old, proof of concept and long range plans. He noted that he had carried those initial documents about the “dream” of a micro-grid at SUBASE to each of his successive commands, and he was proud that the dream had finally become reality.
“We invest in the base to create the most combat ready Submarines that we can and to train the Submarine Force,” said Lahti, outlining that utilities are part of the foundation that supports combat forces.
Energy expenses are the single largest cost for Navy installations. Utilities costs are some 38 percent of the Navy’s shore budget. Cost savings created ashore free up dollars that can be used in the Fleet to support operations and improve the tactical performance of forces.
Energy Reduction and Resiliency Projects under Lahti and his successors at the base, not only resulted in annual operating cost savings of nearly $1.2 million a year, but also laid the foundation for the ultimate micro-grid completion and success.
CMEEC’s and FuelCell Energy’s Fuel Cell Park, on leased land at the base, provides energy to the public grid in normal operations, but provides SUBASE with the first right to its 7.4MW of on-site power generation during an interruption or loss in power at the base. The State and NORESCO’s efforts established 10.75MW of power generation in the base’s Power Plant thru a Combined Heat & Power system supported by two new generators and high efficiency boilers. All these elements, connected thru NORESCO’s installation of cyber secure controls, fast load shedding, and ‘islanding’ capabilities within the base Power Plant, assure SUBASE’s micro-grid energy resiliency.
“The First and Finest Submarine Base will not rest on its laurels. We are excited by a grant from the DOD Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation in the amount of $939K in Installation Resilience funding. These funds should allow for our partners to design updated power, water and gas feeds for SUBASE. So, SUBASE’s energy future looks very bright indeed!” concluded Curtin.

Source: United States Navy

The AEV program provides financial assistance to selected senior enlisted personnel to complete post-secondary, Navy-relevant degrees through off-duty education.

“The AEV program supports the continued educational development of senior enlisted leaders as part of the Navy’s seasoned team of naval warriors,” said Albert Sharlow, NETC AEV program manager. “The program provides the Navy’s chief, senior chief and master chief petty officers a platform to pursue higher education that makes them more effective leaders with varied sets of knowledge, skills and experiences to operate, sustain and maintain an edge in today’s rapidly changing security environment.”

Who is eligible?

Applicants must be top performing active-duty senior enlisted personnel (E-7 to E-9) who are transferring to or currently on shore duty with sufficient time ashore to complete a master’s degree program. Applicants on sea duty may apply provided they submit an education plan that shows the ability to complete the degree program as specified above.

For FY24, applicants must have already earned a baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher learning accredited by an agency recognized by the Department of Education.

How many quotas are available?

The AEV program has seven quotas for master’s degrees available for FY26.

What Navy-relevant degrees are included in the AEV program?

Degrees considered for the master’s program include, but not limited to the below examples:
• Emergency and Disaster Management
• Human Resources
• Project Management
• Engineering and Technology
• Systems Analysis
• Information Technology
• Homeland Defense and Security
• Leadership and Management
• Business Administration
• Education and Training Management

The NETC AEV program manager must validate degree programs other than those listed above as a Navy-relevant degree.

How much funding does the Navy provide?
For FY26, AEV Program participants will receive funds for tuition, books, and related fees for completion of their master’s degree with funding limits set at a maximum of $20,000 per fiscal year for up to 24 months from the date of signing a letter of acceptance, not to exceed $40,000 total program cost.

When does the program begin?

Applicants should be available to commence their studies in the 2025 fall term (after Oct. 1, 2025).

Is there a service obligation?

Participants shall agree to remain on active duty for a period equal to three times the number of months of education completed or three years, whichever is less.

What is the submission deadline?

Applications should be e-mailed to the program manager by May 5, 2025.

Where can I get additional information on the program?

• Visit the AEV information page on the Navy College Program’s website at https://www.navycollege.navy.mil/sailors/additional-funding-and-programs
• Contact Albert Sharlow, NETC N525, (850) 452-7271 or DSN 459-7271
albert.r.sharlow.civ@us.navy.mil

NETC recruits, trains and delivers those who serve our nation, taking them from “street to fleet,” by transforming civilians into highly skilled, operational, and combat-ready warfighters.

For more information about NETC, visit the command’s website at https://www.netc.navy.mil/ and follow the command’s social media: Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NETCHQ, Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/netc_hq, X at https://twitter.com/NETC_HQ and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/netchq/.

Source: United States Navy

With a background shaped by multiple deployments in challenging environments, McQueen was well-prepared for the devastation he encountered. His experience taught him to remain focused under pressure, prioritize critical tasks, and, above all, keep pushing the mission forward. He quickly organized supplies and departed Norfolk for Asheville, making stops to pick up additional equipment and resources along the way.

Brock felt a deep sense of urgency as he headed to North Carolina after receiving a call from his family about the devastation in his childhood town. Upon arriving in Asheville, he immediately recognized the severity of the situation and saw the path of devastation Helene had left firsthand. His brother, a member of the local firefighting team, had already been on the front lines of the relief effort. McQueen saw an opportunity to help not only his family but the wider community, where his leadership and problem-solving skills were quickly put to use. “When I saw the state of things, I knew I had to jump in,” McQueen said. “Helping my family was a priority, but this was about the whole community coming together.”

Reporting to the Volunteer Fire Department in Fairview, a Buncombe County community just outside of Asheville, McQueen’s military training in logistics and coordination proved invaluable.

For six days, McQueen was fully immersed in the recovery effort. His military training became an indispensable asset to the local response teams, who relied on his expertise to organize and conduct welfare checks across the region. Working alongside firefighters, law enforcement, and emergency medical personnel, McQueen assisted with the search and rescue of residents that were unaccounted for after floodwaters damaged multiple neighborhoods, ensuring no one was left behind.

McQueen’s ability to communicate effectively with the local community played a key role in dispelling misinformation and ensuring the right resources went to those in need. His attention to detail, honed by years of military service, helped him identify discrepancies in reports and correct false information spreading through the area.

One of his most significant contributions was turning a small UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) project into a highly effective data collection asset. He spearheaded the integration of UAV operators from different departments, ensuring their platforms worked together seamlessly.

“Seeing how quickly the UAV team became a critical tool for recovery was rewarding,” McQueen reflected. “It was just an idea at first, but everyone came together to make it work.”

The result was a vital resource for first responders—real-time aerial mapping of damaged homes, infrastructure, and roadways. His efforts also led to the discovery of missing persons and damaged areas that had gone unnoticed.

A local fire chief noted that Lt. Cmdr. McQueen’s involvement was transformative for the team. He handled complex tasks that enabled the personnel to focus on other emergency responses, and his leadership provided the additional support needed to navigate those critical days.

Yet, despite his success, McQueen understood that the road to recovery was far from over. “The community came together after the storm, which was amazing to see,” he said. “But I know that the hard work doesn’t end when the relief trucks leave. It’s going to take a long time to rebuild.”

McQueen’s warfighter resiliency and the mental toughness developed through multiple deployments enabled him to remain focused on the daily challenges of the relief effort, keeping the mission on track. His training and experience, combined with a deep sense of duty to his family and community, made a lasting impact on the Fairview Community as it began the long process of recovery from Hurricane Helene.

As Lt. Cmdr. McQueen packed up and prepared to leave Asheville on the seventh day, a mix of emotions weighed on him. Driving out of the storm-ravaged town, he glanced at the landscape one last time—the uprooted trees, battered homes, and streets still lined with debris. The devastation was still everywhere, and the work was far from finished. He had done everything he could in the short time he had, but as he started the long drive back to Virginia, he couldn’t help but feel a pull to stay longer, to continue helping the community that had welcomed him so warmly.

“Disaster doesn’t discriminate,” McQueen said. “It hits everyone, and when it does, all we can do is come together to lift each other up. I’m just grateful I could play a part in that.”

As he crossed the state line back into Virginia, McQueen’s thoughts turned to his own family. He knew they needed him, too, especially with his upcoming Permanent Change of Station (PCS) looming. His role as a father and husband couldn’t be put on hold, even for a crisis like this one. Still, he found solace in the fact that he had made a meaningful impact, and that others would carry on the work he had started.

“It was tough to leave,” McQueen admitted. “But I felt like I’d done all I could for now. I just hope the efforts we started there will continue.”

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

Participating ships included the USN Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105) and the RAN Anzac-class frigate HMAS Stuart (FFH 153). The two ships took part in exercise Malabar 2024 earlier in October.

“This exercise further builds on our existing interoperability and combined readiness we have with the Royal Australian Navy,” said Vice Adm. Fred Kacher, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. “Every time we operate together, we strengthen our capabilities and shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Over four days, the ships engaged in a formation sailing exercise, an air defense exercise, maritime communications training, personnel cross-decks and visit, board, search and seizure drills.

“Conducting a joint sail with USS Dewey has been of great value, with multiple different activities conducted between the ships, including personnel exchange, boarding practices, manoeuvring in close company, and warfare drills,” said Cmdr. Warren Bechly, commanding officer, HMAS Stuart. “Whether it is large scale exercises, or ships in transit between the same ports, working with our allies and partners is always a valuable opportunity to build closer ties and enhance interoperability.”

The U.S. Navy regularly operates alongside our allies in the Indo-Pacific region as a demonstration of our shared commitment to the rules-based international order.

Bilateral operations such as this one provide valuable opportunities to train, exercise and develop tactical interoperability across allied navies in the Indo-Pacific.

Dewey is forward-deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.

U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Source: United States Navy

Introduction/Thank You

Good afternoon, everyone!

It is wonderful to be with you at Georgia Tech Research Institute, the future of engineering, science, and technology.

President Cabrera, thank you for your leadership of the students here at Georgia Tech, the future scientists, engineers, innovators, and problem-solvers of our country.

Dr. Hudgens, thank you for your leadership and vision for the Georgia Tech Research Institute, and all that you are doing to advance our national security interests.

I thank the future Navy and Marine Corps Officers from the NROTC consortium here with us today.

Thank you for answering the call to service—for choosing a path both challenging and difficult. I look forward to you joining our Fleet and Force.

To all of our Georgia Tech faculty and students, distinguished visitors, and guests—welcome, and thank you for your time today.

World Today

As you have read in the news, we face challenges in every corner of the world—from the Indo-Pacific, to Europe, to the Red Sea.

In Europe, we are approaching the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale and illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine is fighting not only for their own liberty and freedom—they are fighting to protect democracy in Europe and indeed around the world.

We proudly stand beside them in support for their just and noble cause.

For the first time since World War II, we face a comprehensive maritime power—our pacing challenge—in the Indo-Pacific.

The People’s Republic of China continues to exert its excessive maritime claims through their navy, coast guard, and maritime militia.

In the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, we have been working tirelessly alongside our NATO allies and Middle Eastern partners to protect innocent civilian mariners and commercial shipping from Iranian-aligned Houthi attacks.

Following the October 7th attacks in Israel one year ago, our Navy and Marine Corps were swiftly deployed to the region, forming an integrated force capable of responding to any threat.

Carrier Air Wing Three, our “Battle Axe,” played a pivotal role in protecting civilian mariners, deploying over sixty air-to-air missiles and over 420 air-to-surface weapons.

We mourn the loss of two trailblazing, combat-decorated naval aviators from Carrier Air Wing Three who passed away during a training event last week: Lieutenant Commander Lyndsay “Miley” Evans and Lieutenant Serena “Dug” Wileman.

Their sacrifice reminds us that what we ask of our Sailors and Marines is anything but routine.

And our hearts go out to the families and friends of these brave and selfless warfighters.

The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, made significant contributions in the region by deterring hostile Houthi attacks and preventing the conflict from escalating throughout the region.

Our warships—including the Carney, Mason, Gravely, Laboon, Eisenhower, and Thomas Hudner—have demonstrated exceptional performance under fire, successfully deterring and defeating missile and drone attacks targeting innocent maritime shipping.

Two of our highly capable destroyers, the USS Cole (DDG 67)—a warship which carries a proud legacy of standing tall to acts of terrorism—and the USS Bulkeley (DDG 84)—which will always have a special place in my naval carer as her first Commanding Officer—aided our Israeli allies in shooting down Iranian ballistic missiles. 

I am incredibly proud of the professionalism, dedication, and resilience shown by our Cole and Bulkeley Sailors.

These brave young men and women illustrate the consistent excellence and effectiveness expected of our United States Navy.

Our Navy-Marine Corps Team remains at the center of global and national security—maintaining freedom of the seas, international security, and global stability.

DON Innovation Initiatives

To win the fight of the future, we must embrace and implement emerging technologies.

We stand on the shoulders of giants in innovation.

And delivering technology which changes the very nature of warfighting is in our DNA.

A little over a year ago, I stood in the courtyard of the Pentagon to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Naval Research Lab—the place that invented radar, GPS, and the first satellite tracking system—and a place I worked at as a young lieutenant commander.

At that time, I challenged the research, engineering, and technology developers of today to take their place in the company of those innovation giants.

I challenged my team to innovate at the speed of relevance to deliver concepts of operations and capabilities which bolster deterrence and expand our warfighting advantage.

I challenged my Chief of Naval Research to align the Office of Naval Research’s investment in science and technology research—including the research conducted here at Georgia Tech—with each effort aimed at addressing issues we face as a maritime nation.

Within three months of my challenge to the Chief of Naval Research, he delivered.

Our new Naval Science and Technology Strategy now drives our Navy and Marine Corps’ innovation investments in science and technology research during this decisive period.

This strategy is a global call to service for scientists, engineers, inventors, and innovators from academia, industry, and government to work with us in solving naval problems to ensure our freedom and way of life.

And the Georgia Tech Research Institute has answered this call.

During this past fiscal year, ONR completed 22 grants here at GTRI worth $23.6 million, and Georgia Tech currently has 72 active contracts and grants with the Navy worth $216 million.

These ONR grants support research and development of technology in cyber, AI and autonomy, materials and electronics, as well as ocean, atmosphere, and space—focus areas in our Naval S&T Strategy.

Service to our national security is indeed the engine of GTRI.

Another critical investment we have made as a result of our strategic change is the establishment of the Naval Innovation Center at the Naval Postgraduate School.

The NIC will enhance and accelerate the innovation process at NPS by driving “ideas to impact,” bringing research concepts out of the lab and into the field faster by empowering students and partners across the entire Naval Research and Development Establishment to work with the Naval innovation ecosystem and industry—in a whole-of-Navy approach—to speed the delivery of warfighting advantages to our Naval forces.

Furthermore, we are supporting the construction of a purposefully-designed facility to house the NIC at the Naval Postgraduate School, providing a space for collaboration, defense-focused experimentation, and demonstration of operational use cases to ensure the right technology is evolving.

S&T Board One Year Update

Last fall, I also announced the establishment of the Department of the Navy’s Science and Technology Board, with the intent that the board provide independent advice and counsel to the Department on matters and policies relating to scientific, technical, manufacturing, acquisition, logistics, medicine, and business management functions.

Our Science and Technology Board just completed its inaugural year.

Under the expert leadership of former Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig, this impressive group of thought leaders with expertise in government, industry, and academia has completed an ambitious research agenda to identify new technologies for rapid adoption.

Since I signed out the Board’s initial tasking in February, they have achieved the impressive feat of undertaking and concluding six studies, delivering near term, practical recommendations, that the Department of the Navy can quickly implement.

I have accepted recommendation reports from the Board and issued implementation guidance related to the path forward on unmanned systems, improving sailor physical and mental health, mission assurance of digital infrastructure, and capitalizing on opportunities for additive manufacturing.

In fact, Georgia Tech’s own Chief Manufacturing Officer and Manufacturing Institute Executive Director Dr. Tom Kurfess, lent his breadth and depth of expertise in leading a study on additive manufacturing which I accepted last month.

It is a testament to the Board’s energy and dedication, that it is already embarking on additional projects to keep our Navy at the leading edge of technology and innovation.

Innovation Closer to the Fight

Similar to the focus of our S&T Board of Advisors, who are looking at today’s problems and ways that technology can provide new ways to tackle our operational challenges, I chartered a Disruptive Capabilities Office last January to look at already-available or emerging technology to address the Fleet’s capability gaps. 

And they have delivered.

DCO identified meaty organizational, doctrinal, and technological advancements that the Navy has implemented, within six months, to close an emergent warfighting gap in Counter-UAS base defense for the CENTCOM area of responsibility.

DCO is also leading an effort to combine innovative commercial space-enabled capabilities in coordination with the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, and other governmental agencies to enhance Maritime Domain Awareness for the Department of the Navy along with our allies and partners.

Replicator and Capability-Based Delivery

My call to innovation has also put more “ready players on the field” as we look to grow force structure in the near term.

In the last twelve months, I have fielded varying sizes of unmanned surface vessels into the hands of our operators for use in experimentation, CONOP development, and for operation.

We are expanding our systems to include not only homogeneous but also heterogeneous collaborative autonomy.

I am extremely proud of my team’s leadership in this domain, to include our leadership in identifying and quickly procuring the capabilities that support Deputy Secretary of Defense Hicks’s “Replicator” initiative.

It is no accident that four of the five selected “Replicator” systems came out of the Department of the Navy’s innovation ecosystem.

And over the last year, our Department has expended more missiles than we have since the Second World War.

My Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems has been at the forefront of this fight.

Last year, I challenged that office to operate and field its systems as a “portfolio of capabilities”—and they have delivered.

The IWS RCO has been working hand-in-hand with our operators in the fight in the Red Sea to deliver innovations, in near-real time, as we continue to innovate—at speed.

Call to Action/Closing

I am extremely proud of everything our department has accomplished over the last three years, and I am excited for our Navy-Marine Corps team as we chart a course for the future—a future that will require us to respond and adapt to whatever geopolitical challenges our Nation may face.

To those Georgia Tech, Spellman, and Morehouse College students who are not affiliated with the NROTC program—if anything that I said today interests you, I encourage you to speak with me or a member of my staff to learn more about how you can join our team in the Navy or Marine Corps.

Service in the Navy and Marine Corps is more than just a job—it represents a chance to serve and become something much bigger than yourself.

And the Department of the Navy also provides numerous opportunities for public service beyond serving in uniform—we need engineers, scientists, and analysts in our Department.

As our Department continues to re-imagine and refocus our innovation efforts, I encourage all of you—our nation’s scientists, engineers, researchers, and inventors—to join us.

No matter how you serve, you’ll be part of a team working together toward a shared goal.

We are indeed in an innovation race—and it is one we must win.

Innovation must permeate every aspect of our Department’s approach to deliver technologies and capabilities at a speed and scale necessary for our Navy and Marine Corps to confront the challenges of today and the future.

Thank you all for your commitment to the Department of the Navy, the maritime services, and indeed our Nation.

May God continue to bless our Sailors, Marines, Civilians, and their families stationed around the globe with fair winds and following seas.