Category: United States of America

Source: United States Navy

PORTSMOUTH, Virginia — While driving around Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), you may have noticed new signage in the parking lots and black flags flying from some buildings and gates. It’s all in an effort to mitigate risks to both personnel and property.

“The new parking lot signage identifies evacuation zones in the event a hazard is present where all personnel need to be removed from the immediate area, such as from airborne hazards or contaminants,” said Installation Emergency Management Officer Nicole Roten. “It is expected that if the entire shipyard population is sheltered, we would need to release personnel in an orderly fashion to avoid, or at least reduce, traffic congestion as much as possible, both on the installation and in the cities of Portsmouth and Chesapeake.”

Personnel should look for the evacuation signage in their parking lot to be aware of their zone and make sure to review the Installation Emergency Management Plan, NAVSHIPYDNOR M-3440.1, Chapter 2, Emergency Support Function 16, Release of Personnel/Evacuation located on the sharepoint website at https://flankspeed.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/CNICCNRMAHub/NNSY/NNSY%20Instructions/Forms/AllItems.aspx?id=%2Fsites%2FCNICCNRMAHub%2FNNSY%2FNNSY%20Instructions%2FNAVSHIPYDNOR%20M%2D3440%2E1%2C%2022%20Feb%202024%2Epdf&parent=%2Fsites%2FCNICCNRMAHub%2FNNSY%2FNNSY%20Instructions.
Personnel with questions should contact the Installation Emergency Management Officer Nicole Roten at (757) 396-9491 or alexis.n.roten.civ@us.navy.mil.

Protecting the workforce is a top priority at NNSY and the intense summer heat puts everyone at risk for heat exhaustion or stroke. Everyone should be familiar with the Heat Stress Flag Status and that NNSY notifies the workforce regarding “black flag” status via AtHoc alerts, Giant Voice and posted flags at Building 1500, industrial area Gate November, and the NNSY Callaghan Center Gymnasium.

“The purpose of the black flags is to notify personnel when a black flag heat stress condition exists,” said Roten. “This means the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) has reached or exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit.”
“When black flag conditions exist, strenuous, non-essential outdoor physical activity will be suspended for all personnel, excluding operational commitments not for training purposes,” said Roten. “All reasonable efforts should be made to reschedule these activities during cooler periods of the day.”

Personnel should make sure they are prepared for hot weather by monitoring the conditions outside, staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water, and dressing accordingly. If any individuals onboard the shipyard require emergency assistance, call (757) 396-3333.

Source: United States Navy

YAP, Federated States of Micronesia – A multinational team of service members deployed in support of Pacific Partnership 2024-2 (PP24-2) helped preserve WWII memorial markers during a host nation outreach cleanup event (HNOE) with the Yap Visitors Bureau and members of the Yap Veterans Association at multiple WWII crash sites on the Island of Yap, Sept. 7.

Strategically located between the Philippines and Guam, Japanese-occupied Yap was targeted almost daily by American aircraft from June of 1944 to August of 1945. This resulted in several historical ruins on land and in the water that offer a glimpse into the island’s wartime past.

There are 19 WWII aircraft crash sites on the Island of Yap, four of which were identified as needing revitalization by the Yap Visitors Bureau.

“This is American history preserved by the Yapese. They were the ones decades ago that identified the sites, and erected these monuments with tributes to the fallen service members,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Zachary Zumwalt, PP24-2 mission chaplain and HNOE lead. “We as Americans owe a significant debt of gratitude to the people of Yap for preserving these sacred locations.”

The Yap Visitors Bureau purchased the supplies for the restoration project and escorted the PP24-2 teams to the remote crash site locations, on the sides of mountains, in the middle of jungles or town villages, all at the end of long trails. The Yap Veterans Association worked side-by-side with the PP24-2 team to rehabilitate the memorials.

The Yap Visitors Bureau purchased the necessary supplies for the restoration project and guided the volunteer teams to the remote crash site locations—whether perched on mountain slopes, nestled in dense jungles, situated in small village squares, or at the ends of long trails. The Yap Veterans Association collaborated closely with the PP24-2 teams to rehabilitate the memorials.

“This is a way for us to express our gratitude to them, to thank them for their preservation of our history, but also to recognize our fallen brothers from previous wars and to pay it forward to future generations as they come out and explore these sites,” Said Zumwalt. “It’s a fantastic opportunity and personally it affects me to see the stories of these service members, to read about their hometowns, their families that they left behind, the bright futures that they sacrificed for our country.”

U.S. Navy Lt. Dylan J. Rich, from St. Clair Shores, Mich., medical operations officer for PP24-2 assisted in the preservation of the crash site memorial of an FG-1 Corsair from the U.S. base on Peleliu Island, flown by U.S. Marine Corps 1st. Lt. Girvis Haltom, Jr. of Stephens, Ark., a pilot with Marine Fighter Squadron 122. Lt. Rich discusses why he participated in the project and what it means to him personally.

“I think honoring those who have gone before us, especially in the wars of WWI and WWII in this case is vitally important and I wanted to do a small part and help out with that,” said Rich. “I was able to read the plaque behind me, just one story of many, it was very powerful for me. It’s too easy to lose sight of the macros, so many people were participating (during WWII), but everyone has their own story and it just really brings it home and reminds me of why I’m doing what I’m doing, being able to clean it up and memorialize the 1st Lt., it’s impactful for me and hopefully for his family as well.”

During the mission stop, the HNOE team also organized 25 community engagement events consisting of school visits, U.S. Navy recruiting events, interfaith dialogue sessions, and concerts from the Pacific Partnership Band, composed of musicians from the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band and the Royal Australian Army Band.

Now in its 20th iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the U.S. Navy’s largest annual multinational humanitarian aid and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific.

For more information about Pacific Partnership visit, www.clwp.navy.mil/Pacific-Partnership.

Source: United States Navy

“We welcome the visit from Finland’s minister of defense and his supporting team,” said Capt. Justin Harts, commander of Destroyer Squadron 15. “We hope to continue goodwill visits such as these from our partners and allies across the globe in to enhance surface operations in the Indo-Pacific region.”

During the visit, Häkkänen toured the DESRON 15 command cave and met with staff members. After the visit to the cave, Häkkänen transitioned to the waterfront and visited USS Benfold (DDG 65) to meet with the captain and crew.

Häkkänen is Finland’s 59th minister of defense. He has served as minister of defense in Petteri Orpo’s government since June 20, 2023.

DESRON 15 is the Navy’s largest forward-deployed destroyer squadron and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force. It is forward deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

Source: United States Navy

By the end of September, four Navy fitness centers on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) will be open around the clock and in May, gyms were outfitted with $600,000 in new fitness apparatus.

JBPHH Fitness Center celebrated the start of 24/7 access this month with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Two other gyms – Pier Side Fitness Center and the Wahiawa Annex Fitness Center – are scheduled for round the clock access by Sept. 30. Hickam Fitness Center has had 24/7 access since 2017 but will be updating its computer system and offering expanded access to its showers and basketball court.

“I am thrilled that we’re able to provide 24/7 gym access to the service members on the joint base. We will continue to do everything we can to improve the quality of life on the base,” said Capt. Samuel White, JBPHH commander.

Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC), which oversees all 70 Navy bases around the globe, signed a memorandum on March 8 authorizing installation commanding offers to move forward with implementing 24-hour entry to fitness facilities. “If we require our Sailors to be physically fit and healthy so they can fulfill the Navy mission and deploy at a moment’s notice, then we must provide the facilities and resources for them to do so,” said Vice Adm. Scott Gray, commander of Navy Installations Command. “Not only does this make sense, it is the right thing to do for the quality of life of our Sailors and other service members.”

Military personnel stand duty at varying hours of the day, including night shifts, depending on their roles and responsibilities. As a result, service members often had difficulty getting to the MWR gym during normal business hours and were forced to find alternatives.

“Maximizing access to fitness facilities makes it more convenient for our Sailors,” Gray said. “We all know that exercise benefits one’s physical health, but it also reinforces mental, emotional, and social health, which are important for our Sailors’ overall wellbeing.”

In addition to 24/7 access, four manned fitness centers received $600,000 worth of new gym equipment including treadmills, elliptical machines, strength training machines and squat racks.

In the past, gyms on Navy installations with 24/7 access did not allow the use of any free weights like squat racks, Olympic benches, Smith machines, and dumbbells over 75 pounds, according to Dawn Pierce, sports and fitness program director for Commander, Navy Region Hawaii (CNRH) and JBPHH, JB9. This current rollout does, a key benefit for Sailors and civilians who like to weight train.

Pierce added that the Department of Defense requires that Navy fitness centers update at least 20% of their gym equipment each year.

Melissa Darling, the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) director for JBPHH, said unmanned fitness centers are also benefitting from the equipment upgrade. The gently used equipment replaced by the new gym equipment is being distributed among five unmanned Navy gyms: Family Fitness Center, Ford Island Fitness Center, Makalapa Fitness Center, and West Loch Fitness Center.

To gain 24/7 gym access, registration is required and is only for authorized users 18 years of age and older. The process can be completed at any participating fitness center and involves completing a form to create a household within the MWR system. The fitness center user must then register their common access card (CAC) for updated access privileges.

Darling said the fitness center upgrades will have positive and lasting impacts.

“Ultimately … the fitness program is essential to mission readiness and contributes directly to our MWR mission,” she said. “This is hopefully going to have a positive effect on the quality of life for our military service members.”

Source: United States Navy

Bernard, a CHDS alumnus, took the helm at his alma mater starting in July. He comes from the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), a component of DOD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), where he served as the Talent Portfolio Director as well as Acting Managing Director.

“I’m immensely grateful to have been appointed CHDS Director, and I’m looking forward to working with the outstanding faculty, staff, and students at the nation’s leading homeland security educational institution,” Bernard said. “I see this as an opportunity to continue contributing to the growth and innovation of the homeland security enterprise using empathy, systems thinking, and creative problem-solving while building trust and collaborative partnerships.”

Bernard referred to himself as a “strategist, innovative problem solver, and storyteller” working in the national and homeland security mission space. He takes over for longtime CHDS Director Glen Woodbury, who retired last summer after two decades with the institution, headquartered in Monterey, Calif.

Jodi Stiles has served as interim CHDS Director since Woodbury’s retirement. In a message to CHDS staff, Stiles said she was “excited to welcome Greg aboard, and I am really looking forward to his ideas and energy for the center.”

Retired U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Ann Rondeau, President of NPS, said Bernard is an ideal choice to lead CHDS into the future, noting his reputation as an innovator at the federal level and his knowledge and experience with the institution’s educational programs.

“Dr. Bernard brings broad experience in developing solutions to complex problems across a range of federal, state, and local governments, the private sector, academia, and the international community,” Rondeau said. “We are looking forward to his ideas on how to continue and further grow CHDS’ excellence.”

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said, “Dr. Bernard’s distinguished federal service and his dedication to government innovation has prepared him to not only lead CHDS but propel the center forward. We look forward to the contributions he’ll make to advance our nation’s collective readiness and resilience to future threats.”

As NSIN Talent Portfolio Director, Bernard led a team responsible for changing the way the Department of Defense solves problems by building a diverse network, and delivering innovation programming designed to solve national security problems by matching them with non-traditional problem-solving communities, primarily in venture and academia.

Bernard has worked with the U.S. government since 2003, when he joined the DHS Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP) as a contractor working on the Homeland Security Grant Program. He left his contracting firm in 2005 and joined ODP as a federal program manager.

In 2007, Bernard was approached by the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office to help establish their Office of State and Local Affairs. In addition, he has worked in the Operations Support Directorate, developing state and local preventative radiological/nuclear detection capabilities. He also served as a risk assessment subject matter expert and Principal Deputy Assistant Director for Architecture and Plans, providing leadership and oversight of the organization responsible for the development, analysis and enhancement of the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture (GNDA).

Later, in 2016, Bernard served as the senior DHS representative to the first U.S.-China Counter Nuclear Smuggling dialogue and frequently briefed Congressional members and staff on national security risk and the GNDA. His last post at DHS was as the Acting Innovation Officer and Acting Chief of Strategic Analysis for the National Risk Management Center within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Bernard graduated from CHDS in 2012 with a Master of Arts degree in Security Studies. His thesis was titled, “Whistleblowing in a Wikileaks World: A Model for Responsible Disclosure in Homeland Security.” He also helped found the CHDS HSx Program and completed that program in 2019.

Additionally, Bernard received a Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) in Civil Security, Leadership, Management, and Policy in 2016 from New Jersey City University. His dissertation was titled, “Who is Professor Plum: A Framework for Defining Non-State Adversaries.”

A native of Maryland, Bernard lives in Monterey with his wife and two daughters.