Flagship 01.19.2023

ByChiefPettyOfficerPatrickGordon Naval Air Station Patuxent River

A member of Naval Supply Systems CommandFleetLogisticsCenter(NAVSUP FLC)PaxRiverFuelsDivisionassistedinthe savingofalifeJan.3inLexingtonParkwhen alibrarypatronsuddenlylostconsciousness

AviationBoatswain’sMate(Fuel)1stClass Charles Osei Yeboah was in the St Mary’s County Library Lexington Park Branch studyingfortheMedicalCollegeAdmission Testwhenhenoticedsomeoneindistress

“AfterbeingintheLexingtonParklibrary for approximately 45 minutes reviewing my MCAT notes I noticed a young man in his late 20’s or early 30’s lost consciousness abruptly,” described Yeboah. “He began

presenting dyspnea or shortness of breath, clenching of hands, and suddenly became completely unresponsive irrespective of trying to wake him. His entire face began turningblue.”

Yeboahquicklyjumpedintoaction,yelling for staff to call 911 while checking the young man for vital signs He observed the victim’s carotid pulse was present, but weak, and had irregular breathing Yeboah checked the man’s airway to see if it was blocked, and seeing nothing, got him off his chair and on the floor with the help of a librarian.

“When he began shaking, clenching his fists andlookingblue thelibraryprovided Narcan which was administered,” said Yeboah. “A second dose was administered

after a few minutes At this point his eye started twitching like it wanted to open. EMT then arrived and provided oxygen to him. He gained full consciousness after 5 minutes of oxygen supply.”

EMTs were grateful for the fast action of Yeboah the St Mary’s Library staff who providedcrucialaidinthefirstfewminutes of the medical emergency

“The EMTs were grateful that we took all first aid necessary steps to sustain his life before they arrived on the scene,” said Yeboah. “It feels great to be in a position to save a life Knowing that he will be able to meet his family again.”

Yeboah is no stranger to working under pressure.Astheleadingpettyofficerofthe Fuels Division at NAS Patuxent River he

is responsible for the daily operation and maintenance of the fuel farm at Pax River and ensuring that all safety procedures are followedduringfuelingoperationsandthe handling of volatile propellants

“OfalltheABF1sI’veseencomethrough here in the past three or four years, he’s been the best one yet, said Tony Ramirez, FuelsDirectoratNASPatuxentRiver “I’m notsurprisedthathewasabletosavealife, I’m just glad that he was there to help that young man. He’s qualified to operate an AED and perform CPR. He was ready.”

NAVSUP FLC is the Navy’s oldest and largest Fleet Logistics center, with a command footprint that includes global logistics support to 37 naval installations including NAS Patuxent River

ByJoshuaRodriguez Naval Information Forces

SUFFOLK, Va Operations Security, or OPSEC, is a 24/7 mission, but throughout the month of January, the Navy is participating in National Operations Security (OPSEC) Awareness Month to further increase understanding of OPSEC principlesandtopromotewaysSailorsandfamily memberscanprotectcriticalinformation.

OPSEC is defined as the process that identifies critical information to determine if friendly actions can be observed by enemy intelligence, determines if information obtained by adversaries could be interpreted to be useful to them, and then executes selected measures that eliminate orreduceadversaryexploitationoffriendly criticalinformation.

Naval Information Forces commander ViceAdm.KellyAeschbachemphasizedthe criticalroleofOPSECineffectivelycompetingintoday’schallenginginformationenvironment, noting that Information Warfare forces and the Navy as a whole must focus on cultivating OPSEC and protecting criticalinformation

“Forthefirsttimeever,the2022National Defense Strategy specifically addresses OPSEC, noting that DoD, as a whole, must focus on cultivating operations security and protecting critical information,” said Aeschbach.“Asinformationwarriors,we’re oftenbestpoisedtoseehowourinformation environment is changing and in recognizing that good OPSEC makes us best able to meetstrategiccompetition, saidAeschbach “Everydayourcompetitorsattempttoidentify, aggregate, and analyze information to gaininsightsaboutourNavy Theyhaveone purpose:tofindourweakpoints,andtohurt uswhereandwhenweleastexpectit.”

NAVIFOR’s Force Master Chief Laura Nunley also highlighted the role every memberplaysinprotectingOPSEC

“We know that evena small disclosure of

[critical]informationcanthreatenourability to conduct the missions that our Navy and our Nation need, said Nunley. “Ask yourselves:HowisOPSECintegratedwithyour command’s mission? What information do youneedtoprotect,andwhatindicatorsdo you need to manage so your command can accomplishthemission,orforustowinthe nextwar?”

Kurt Fischl OPSEC Specialist for NAVIFOR and the Navy OPSEC Support Team, iterated that the entire Navy family must worktoprotectcriticalinformation.

“It all starts by doing the easy if occasionally inconvenient things correctly,” said Fischl, emphasizing key items Navy membersandtheirfamiliesshouldconsider whendealingwithcriticalinformation: „ Follow existing OPSEC and other security policiesatyourcommandandbefamiliarwith yourcommand’sCriticalInformationList.

„ Encrypt emails Assume unencrypted

emails and conversations in the open may becompromised.

„ Do not use commercial applications or email to transmit operational information, regardlessoftheiradvertisedencryptionor security.

„

Keepcriticalinformationoffsocialmedia, includingmessagingplatforms „ Consider the information shared via commercial email accounts like Gmail, Yahoo Hotmail,orother.comaccountsmay bepotentiallycompromised. „ Strictly follow telework policy and procedures. „ Always remember unclassified information in the aggregate can become sensitive or even classified. Take the conversation to SIPRifyouneedto

Many resources are available online for OPSEC practitioners leaders and federal personnel wanting to learn more about identifying and safeguarding critical infor-

mation. The National Counterintelligence and Security Center the lead agency for the national OPSEC program publishes anewsletterthatprovidesOPSECprogram updates, training, events and resources (https://www.odni.gov/index.php/ncscwhat-we-do/operations-security). Additionally, resources from the Naval OPSEC SupportTeamareavailableathttps://www. navifor.usff.navy.mil/opsec/.

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, andWIN.

FormoreinformationonNAVIFOR,visit the command Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/NavalInformationForces/ or the public web page at https:// www.navifor.usff.navy.mil.

Super Bowl champion, Purple Heart recipient meets Navy recruiters

ByPettyOfficer1stClass

Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH-SailorsfromNavyTalentAcquisitionGroup(NTAG)Pittsburgh,metwithfour-time SuperBowlchampionandPittsburghSteeler,Rocky BleierpriortotheSteelersSalutetoServicegamevs. theCincinnatiBengalsNovember20

Bleier, a Vietnam War veteran, Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient, spoke with the Sailors at StageAE Gunner’sMate2ndClassRickySheldon,a recruiterstationedatNavyRecruitingStationWashington,attendedthegameasamemberofthePittsburgh Joint Service Color Guard and was honored tospeakwiththelegendaryplayer.

“What I took away from meeting Rocky Bleier is how you can come back from anything,” Sheldon said. “He was telling us about his days in the military, when he was drafted into the Army after his rookieseason.

WhileservinginVietnam,Bleierwaswoundedin the left thigh by a rifle bullet when his platoon was ambushed in a rice paddy While down, an enemy grenade landed nearby after bouncing off a fellow soldier,sendingshrapnelintohislowerrightleg.

“WhenhegotoutoftheArmypeopledidn’tthink he would play football again,” said Sheldon. “The Steelers ended up calling him and saying ‘Hey we needRocky Weneedyou. Heovercamethatfearof neverplayingfootballagainandhewonfourSuper Bowls with Terry Bradshaw That’s this history of RockyBleier.”

Sheldon along with other Sailors assigned to NavyTalentAcquisitionGroup(NTAG)Pittsburgh, attended the Salute to Service game to present the colors during the national anthem and to compete inapunt passandkickcompetitionduringhalftime

The Pittsburgh Joint Service Color Guard performs ceremonial

duties throughoutthecommunity NTAGPittsburgh,partofNavy Recruiting Command, recruits the next generation of Navy Sailors throughout areas in Pennsylvania, NewYork,WestVirginia,andMaryland.

BenjaminDobbs

color guard

PITTSBURGH (November20 2022)VietnamVeteran and four-time SuperBowl Championwith the Pittsburgh Steelers RockyBleier speakswith (from left) Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class RickySheldon Operations Specialist 2nd Class Dylan Chrispen,and Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class CoreyCallacki during the Pittsburgh Steelersvs the Cincinnati Bengals pregame at StageAE November20 Sailors from NavyTalentAcquisition Group (NTAG) Pittsburgh attended the Salute to Service game to present colors during the national anthem

compete

kickcompetition during halftime.NTAG Pittsburgh,part ofNavyRecruiting Command,recruits the next generation ofNavySailors throughout areas in Pennsylvania,NewYork,WestVirginia,and Maryland.(U.S.NAVYPHOTOBYMASS

NETC recognizes FY-22 Sailors and Civilians of 4th Quarter and the Year

ByPettyOfficer2ndClass

ZacharyMelvin Naval Education and Training Command

PENSACOLA, Fla. —Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) awarded the Junior and Senior Sailors of the Quarter (SOQ) and of the Year (SOY) and Civilians of the Quarter (COQ) and of the Year (COY)for4thQtr fiscalyear(FY)2022and for FY-22 during a ceremony in Pensacola Fl. Jan.10 2023.

Rear Adm. Pete Garvin, commander, NETC, delivered opening remarks and presentedaccoladestotheSailorsandciviliansduringaceremonyheldatNETCheadquartersonNavalAirStationPensacola.

“Congratulations to the awardees and their teammates,” said Garvin “I think that everyonewouldsaythatittakesateam,and the NETC team is world class. Thank you all for everything that you do day-in and day-out to support the training of our Sailorssothattheymaybereadytofightandwin whentheNavyandthenationcalls.”

Electronics Technician 1st Class Justin Thompson, assigned to NETC Site East in VirginiaBeach,Va.,wasselectedasNETC’s 4thQtr FY-22SeniorSOQ.

Thompson supervised 13 sailors in the successful resolution of 4,751 service requestssupporting48learningsitesacross 12 Department of Defense installations As baseline team lead, his efforts resulted in the successful build of 35 Naval Nuclear Propulsion information computers for submarine learning facility installations, all while updating patching and maintaining an additional 34 baseline images used for the deployment of over 2,400 assets across theHamptonRoadsareaofresponsibility

Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Sharonda McKenzie, also assigned to NETCSiteEast,wasselectedasNETC’s4th Qtr FY-22JuniorSOQ.

McKenzie completed daily remediation checks across Non-classified Internet Protocol, Secure Internet Protocol Router Network and Naval Nuclear Propulsion information networks. She also supervised the reimaging of workstations and installation of software patches, which directly contributed to the remediation of vulnerabilities

Ms. Kelly Looney, a program analyst for Planning, Metrics, Analytics and Future Capabilities branch (N51) in Pensacola, Fla was selected as NETC’s 4th Qtr FY-22 SeniorCOQ

She demonstrated exceptional performance coordinating and collaborating across the domain toimprove performance outcomes aligned to strategic objectives Looney completely redesigned the dash-

boardfunctionalityfordomain-wideperformance of the MyNavy HR strategic goals using Tableau Software to speed up the process of updates and ensure others could completeupdatesasnecessary

Mrs Carla Orr, while serving as the Lead Command Quota Control Program Analyst SupplyChainOperations Norfolk,Virginia, was selected as NETC’s 4th Qtr FY-22 JuniorCOQ

Her scope of responsibility included managing, overseeing, reviewing and processing over 12,560 quota requests, emails,andphonecalls;trackingandmanagingover30fleetspecialconveningrequests; and coordinating quota management and scheduling with over 60 learning centers andlearningsites Gunner’sMate1stClassAndresDerizans assignedtotheNETC’sSupplyChainOperationsdirectorate(N3)inMillington,Tenn., wasselectedasNETC’sFY-22SeniorSOY.

As a Gunner’s Mate (GM) rating specialist, Derizans led 18 in-rate trainings for 11 GMs,leadingtoeightqualificationsandfour warfarequalifications Handselectedtolead the Combat Systems Production Alignment Conference he produced immediate resultsthroughtheplanningoffuturetrainingpipelinesfor3,794Sailorsfor11training commands Healsoplanned,developedand implementedNETC’sfirstpersonnelqualificationstandardfordetailers

Information Systems Technician 2nd ClassSalenaSalinas,assignedtoNETCSite East, was selected as NETC’s FY-22 Junior SOY.

Salinas maintained five sites to stay compliant for 35,000 students across 48 buildings. She also managed the electronic key management system and is the lead for NETCSiteEast’strainingprogram.

Mr DamonDeloach,aproductlineanalyst for NETC’s Supply Chain Operations (N31) inMillington,Tenn.,wasselectedasNETC’s FY-22SeniorCOY.

Deloach is the Navy’s Inter-Service (ITRO)ProductionLineAnalyst(PLA)and quota manager for the Army and Air Force. He demonstrated outstanding technical acumenandsoundjudgmentwhileprovidingdirectiontotheNavy’sITROand“Other Service” programs located at multiple sites throughout the United States He ensured theprecisequotamanagementofover3,500 coursereservationsfor11ITRO“A”schools, 283 Army courses and 152 Air Force trainingcourses

Mr Michael Elkins, a program analyst supervisor and reclassification lead for NETC’s Supply Chain Operations (N31) in Millington, Tenn., was selected as NETC’s FY-22JuniorCOY.

Serving as the PLA and reclassification program supervisor with Supply Chain Operations, in Millington, Tenn., he led the

Reclassification Order Writing transformation initiative. To date, over 1,400 sets of orders were written and released with an average availability to orders released time of 6.71 days, a reduction of thirty-two percent Maximizing talent management, SailorsatisfactionandneedsoftheNavy Mr Elkins’effortsresultedinthereclassification of2,963Sailorsincluding1,042Sailorsfrom Warrior Challenge ratings, 118 Sailor nominations to the submarine community and 179 Sailors to the cryptologic community. Additionally,hemanagedateamof7personnellocallyanddozensmorethroughoutthe UnitedStates

NETC’s mission is to recruit and hire talented civilians deliver training and educationtotransformciviliansintoSailors and distribute accession Sailors to the fleet to maximize readiness and ensure mission success;toprovidespecializedtrainingand educational tools to advance the personal and professional development of Sailors throughout their career; and serve as the sole claimant for individual training and educationandastheprincipaladvisortothe ChiefofNavalOperationsandCommander U.S.FleetForcesCommandontrainingand educationrelatedmatters

For more information about NETC, visit thecommand’swebsiteathttps://www.netc. navy.mil/andfollowNETC’sFacebookpage athttps://www.facebook.com/NETCHQ

RearAdm.Pete Garvin, commander Naval Education andTraining Command (NETC),presents Gunner’s Mate 1st Class Andres Derizans,assigned to the NETC’s SupplyChain Operations directorate (N3) in Millington,Tenn.,with a plaque forhis selection as NETC’s fiscalyear2022 seniorSailoroftheyear during an awards ceremony in Pensacola,Fla.,Jan.10, 2022 NETC’s mission is to recruit train and deliver thosewho serve ournation, taking them from streetto-fleet bytransforming civilians into highlyskilled, operational and combat readywarfighters.(U.S. NAVYPHOTOBYMASS

ByJoeAndes Fleet Readiness Center East Public Affairs

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. Fleet Readiness CenterEast’s(FRCE)BearingShopisaplace wheresuccessorfailurecanbemeasuredin

thousandths of inch. In this shop, bearings areinspected,measuredandanalyzedwith a painstaking attention to detail by a small teamofhighlytrainedprofessionals.

These artisans refurbish hundreds of bearings each week, turning out several thousand each month The Bearing Shop handlesnearly5,000differentpartnumbers These bearings are used on vehicles that operateintheair,onland,andatsea.

“FRCE has many shops that can vary in size but they all play a crucial role in supportingtheFleet, saidFRCECommanding Officer Capt. James M. Belmont. “Our Bearing Shop is a great example of a small shop that has a huge impact on our operations. There are only four artisans working there but they supply components that are absolutely essential to what we do here throughoutthedepot.”

The four artisans working at the Bearing Shop are responsible for cleaning polishing lubricating preserving inspecting and packaging everything from wheel bearings togearboxbearings Duetothevitalnature of these components, their work needs to be perfect. A defect imperceptible to the naked eye could lead to a potential failure inanaircraft.

“A supervisor once told me that when flying an aircraft, there’s nowhere to pull over if there’s a problem, said Chad Bogdahn, a bearing reconditioner at the depot “That’swhyit’ssoimportantthatwe make sure everything is done right. There’s noroomforcuttingcornershere.Inourjob, it’spassorfail Thereisnothinginbetween.”

This pass or fail process begins when bearings enter the shop They are meticulouslycleaned,buffed,sandedandpolished Thebearingsarethenputthroughrigorous pre-inspectionandinspectionprocesses In additiontoin-depthvisualinspectionsusing tools such as inspection lights and microscopes, the artisans precisely measure the outer and inner diameters of each bearing

thatpassesthroughtheshop

To aid in the process, the Bearing Shop utilizes a $1.6 million computer system and othersophisticatedequipment.

“We’re measuring things down to ten thousandths of an inch,” said Bearing Shop work leader Justin Parrish. “A lot of the tolerances are within thirty thousandths of aninchfrompasstofail

“Machines in the shop read to the nano range,”headded.“Everythingisonamicroscale Allthisequipmentiscalibratedandwe trust it Everything has to be exact because thesebearingsleavethisshopandthey’llbe put on an engine People’s lives are in your hands.”

AccordingtoBogdahn,trainingandattentiontodetailarecrucialwhenhandlingbearings during the refurbishing process. To protect the bearings they must maintain a meticulously clean working environment. Artisans take precautions such as wearing glovesandhairnets

“We’re checking extremely tight tolerances and inspecting for almost imperceptible damage,” said Bogdahn. “We also have to ensure the bearings stay clean and damage-free during the process We have to make sure we don’t get hair or any other particles such as lint in our clean room. We take tremendous steps to make sure that these bearings are immaculate when they leavehere.”

Parrish said that although these precautionsmaysoundexcessive,theyareanecessity when working with bearings He said a stray hair falling from an artisan’s beard or even a fingerprint could lead to a bearing failure

“That’swhywegotakesomanymeasures in here with rubber gloves, the clean room andthelubricationprocess,”saidParrish.“It mightsoundtediousbutwehavetodoit We even have a chemical that removes fingerprints We’reoneoftheveryfewshopsthat has its own manual to dictate what we’re doingonaday-to-daybasisforeachindividual process. There is an entire chapter that dealssolelywiththecleanlinessofpersonnel intheshop.

Once bearings pass the various inspections and are certified by the artisans, they are lubricated, preserved and packaged.

During the packaging process the bearingsaresealedinair-tightbagsandlabeled. When packaged, the bearings have a threeyearshelflife

“Tome,thepackagingprocessisthemost stressful because every single thing has to be perfect,” said Parrish. “Everything done before the packaging process is now riding onyoubecauseyou’retouchingitlast.”

Once packaged the bearings are utilized by other shops performing maintenance overhaul and repair work within the depot SomearesentoutdirectlytotheFleet

“Weprideourselvesontheamountoftime ittakesustoinductabearingandthentagit, bagitandsenditoutforthewarfighter,”said Parrish.“Weturnthemoutquickandwedo it right It feels good to do that. It means a lottous.”

Artisans in the shop turn out several hundred bearings each week. According to Bogdahn, the shop supplies bearings for a varietyofaircraft,vehiclesandapplications.

“Some of these things you’d never think of,”saidBogdahn.“We’retalkingaboutbearings for things like cargo hooks that go on winches mounted underneath the aircraft. Theseutilizeapulleybearing Wedealwith a huge variety of bearings Some are tiny and weigh just a few milligrams; others can weighmorethan60pounds.

Both men say there is a steep learning curve due to the wide variety of bearings they handle in the shop and the exacting nature of the work. According to Parrish, it takestwotothreeyearsforanartisaninthe Bearing Shop to become fully trained and certified.

“Two years is about the norm from start to certification, said Parrish. “You really need the recommended time learning the dimensional and visual processes in here. Afterthat,it’sanotheryearofgoingthrough theclean,pre-inspect,lubricationandpackagingprocess.”

Parrishsaidthathavingtrustinhisteammates alleviates the potential stress that can come when performing work that leaves no room for errors. He also cited the job’s unique demands as one of his favorite aspectsofworkingintheshop.

“Theguysinthisshopworktheirtailsoff,” saidParrish.“Imean,theycometoworkand

we get it done They’ve been trained and knowexactlywhattheyneedtodo

“I also like the challenge, he continued. “Wegettodothingsthatnobodyelsegetsto do NotonlyarewedealingwiththeMarine Corps, but we support the Navy, Army and the Air Force. We even support the State Department from time to time Not every shopinthisfacilitycansaythat.”

In addition to the unique nature of the work they perform both men also credited a family tradition of supporting America’s warfighters as a motivating factor Their fathersbothworkedatFRCEsupportingthe F-4Phantom Additionally,Parrish’smother workedasanartisanintheBearingShop. “Shetrainedme,”saidBogdahn.“Shebuilt this program. After she retired, I had the honoroftrainingJustinwhenhecamein.” Parrishsaidhewelcomestheopportunity toaddabitofhisownlegacywithintheshop.

“My mother wrote the reference guides for all these aircraft platforms over the years,” said Parrish. “Many are still in use today Now, with the F-35B Lightning II coming in, I have an opportunity to do the samething.”

Parrish said that although aircraft platformsmayhavechangedsincetheirparents worked at the depot the mission at FRCE hasremainedthesame.

“Just like back then, our job is to support thewarfighter,”saidParrish “That’sexactly what we are doing at the Bearing Shop; making sure that this country is protected, one bearing at a time It’s our job They put thesebearingsinanaircraftandexpectitto flywhentheygotothedesert,tothejungle or when they’re on an aircraft carrier They expect it to work and their lives depend on it Wecan’tletthemdown.

FRCE is North Carolina’s largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, with more than 4,000 civilian, military and contract workers. Its annualrevenueexceeds$1billion.Thedepot providesservicetothefleetwhilefunctioning as an integral part of the greater U.S. Navy; Naval Air Systems Command; and Commander,FleetReadinessCenters Learn more at www.navair.navy.mil/frce or https://www.facebook.com/FleetReadinessCenterEast.

Chad Bogdahn,a bearing reconditionerat Fleet Readiness CenterEast (FRCE),inspects a bearing inside the depot’s bearing shop (PHOTOBYJOEANDES,FLEETREADINESSCENTEREAST PUBLICAFFAIRS)

Naval enterprise can expect risk management assessments

ByStephanieSlater Naval Safety Command Safety Promotions-Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va Naval enterprise commands can now expect assessments of their risk management and self-improvement practices by Naval Safety Command (NAVSAFECOM)assuranceteams

While the visits may conjure up visions of safety inspectionswithsafetyrepresentativesonhand thatisnotthecase Assurance teams do not conduct safety inspections but rather risk assessments with principal command leaders overaone-weekperiod.Theword‘safety’willonlybeheard once,saidthegoldteamleadinNAVSAFECOM’sassurance directorate,Capt.BrianTurney

“We start discussions with commands by saying the only time you will hear the word ‘safety’ is when we say we are here from the Naval Safety Command,” Turney said.“Riskandself-improvementaretheprimarysubjects of discussion.

Assurance teams have conducted 11 assessments since June Assessedcommandsappreciatethefeedbackprovided andrealizetheassessmentsarehelpingthemimprove,said the director of NAVSAFECOM’s assurance directorate, DavidBussel.

“The assessments measure whether behaviors of self-awareness,self-assessment,self-correctionandcontinual learning are instilled within the command,” Bussel explained. “When these behaviors are present then the command is likely ‘safe to operate’ and ‘operating safely’ because they are properly identifying and communicating risk,andaccountingforriskattheappropriatelevel.

Sowhatdoes‘safetooperate’and‘operatingsafely’mean? ItisaquestionthatcommandshaveaskedNAVSAFECOM assuranceteams

“Throughout this first year of assessments, we will also assume an educational role to explain new concepts from therecentlyrevampedSafetyManagementSystem(SMS),” said the NAVSAFECOM assurance directorate’s blue team lead,Capt JohnBub.“Weunderstandthatthisisalearning processandhowtobetterself-assessandself-correct.

For example, the assurance teams will explain that ‘safe to operate’ and ‘operating safely’ are the lynchpins within theSMS,whichencouragesasafetyfocusandmindsetthat embraces self-assessment and self-correction to manage riskandmaintainaccountability TheSMSreliesonfourkey takeaways: safe place safe people safe property and materiel,andsafeprocessesandprocedures(4Ps).

Yet the ‘safe to operate’ and ‘operating safely concepts arenotoneandthesame,whichisimportanttounderstand, Bubsaid.

“These are completely different aspects, and who owns these aspects can be different,” Bub said. “But they do not operate in isolation and in fact, are completely reliant on theother.”

‘Safetooperate’istheas-designedsafetyforplaces,propertyandmateriel people andprocessesandprocedures It is the defining design, policy, engineering resourcing and expectation management that sets the safety risk envelope forthehazardousactivityoractivitiesforagivenoperating environment.

On the other hand, ‘operating safely’ is executing the

missionwithinthedesignedsafety envelope When unplanned or unforeseen safety risks manifest outsideoftheapprovedsafetycase andthemilitarybenefit(operationallydefinedobjective)oftakingthe risk outweighs the cost of the risk exposure, then commands should apply the principles of operational riskmanagementtocontrolrisk NAVSAFECOM conducts three tiers of assessments for Echelons IIthroughVcommands:

Tier I: The assurance directorate provides assurance of Echelon II-IIIriskresilienceaswellassafety and risk management systems and policies in order to assure the Naval Enterprise is safe to operate andoperatingsafelybyidentifying communicatingandaccountingfor riskattheappropriatelevel.

TierII:Certificationandinspection teams from aviation, shore, afloat and expeditionary directorates focus on inspection and certificationprocessesinsupportofthe Navy’s Optimized Fleet Response Plan (OFRP) milestones Units includecarrierstrikegroups(CSG) andafloattraininggroups(ATG)

TierIII:Multidisciplinaryteams from aviation, shore, afloat and expeditionarydirectoratesfocuson day-to-dayunit-level(EchelonsIV and V) standards and compliance duringlocalareaassessments

While Tier II and III assessments are no-notice the NAVSAFECOM assurance directorate,whoconductsTierIassessments,willnotifycommandseight weeks in advance asking for data and documents no later than four weekspriortotheassessment The 8-weekadvancenoticealsoensures that commands have principals on handsuchasdirectors

Duringtheassessmentweek,the TierIassuranceteamswillconduct interviews, review records, and observe battle rhythm and decision-makingevents

Following the assurance assessment week, NAVSAFECOMwillprovidetheunitcommanderanassessment out brief and follow-on written report with a ‘grade’ corresponding with levels of risk control effectiveness and details regarding risks The assessed command will in turn provide a response report outlining corrective actions to theirreportingseniorwithin30days

NAVSAFECOM is not the primary recipient of the response report but rather copied because the risk picture

belongs to the commander, said the deputy director of NAVSAFECOM’sassurancedirectorate,NateElder.

“It is not the position of the assessment team to judge individual risk decisions because that is the role of the commander,” Elder said. “Our teams verify to the commanderwhetherstaffprocessesareinplacetoprovide acompleteriskpicturewhenthecommanderneedstomake an integrated risk decision. We are the third party coming in to look and see how well the system is working and help highlightwhereimprovementscanbemade.”

ByDODNews

NAS Patuxent River announces Sailors and Civilians of the year for 2022

a ship’s deployment.

prescribed

ener discussed the creation of the Surface Response Plan, the Surface Force’s strategy to prioritize and allocate ships to supportfleetcommanders Withinthetype commands Surface Maintenance OperationsCenters(S-MOCs)willbeestablished to address the challenges of current readiness by driving down casualty reports (CASREPS) and prioritizing repairs and parts Kitchener also discussed the establishment of Surface Readiness Groups (SURFGRUs) in fleet concentration areas

The readiness focused commands will be manned, trained and equipped to manage surfaceshipsthroughthemaintenanceand basicphasesoftheoptimizedfleetresponse plan,whilemaintainingoversightofreadinessduringthefollow-onphasesincluding

“This transformation of our readiness structure is a journey,” said Kitchener. “A course from which our Surface Force cannot deviate, lag, or delay and we will need the help of our partners in industry, in Congress and at OPNAV to achieve this necessary goal.”

In alignment with the previous year’s theme, the 2023 SNA theme is “Getting Ready:SharpeningOurCompetitiveEdge.

“Getting ready is why we embarked on theCompetitiveEdgecampaignayearago, a strategy that is laser-focused on generating and sustaining Force Readiness,” said Kitchener “It’s kept us busy this past year Implementing accelerating and sharpeningourcompetitiveedgeandthecoreLines of Effort.

The Competitive Edge Strategy details fivebroadlinesofeffort,assigningaccountability, responsibility, and leadership roles while providing action items with

Thestrategylaysoutcommander’sintent to face current and future challenges and maintain the Surface Force’s warfighting advantage in the decade ahead.

TheSurfaceNavyAssociationwasincorporated in 1985 to promote greater coordination and communication among the military businessandacademiccommunities who share a common interest in naval surfacewarfareandtosupporttheactivities of Surface Naval Forces The SNA is dedicatedtorecognizingthecontinuingcontri-

butionsoftheUnitedStatesNavyandCoast Guard’ssurfaceforces,showcasingprofessional excellence within the surface naval forces,dealingwiththechallengesfacedby surfacenavalforces,nurturingcommunicationamongmilitary,academicandbusiness communities, enhancing and preserving the heritage of surface naval forces and providing forums on professional matters affecting the surface naval forces

The mission of CNSP is to man, train, andequiptheSurfaceForcetoprovidefleet commanders with credible naval power to control the sea and project power ashore.

For more news from Naval Surface Forces, visit https://www.surfpac.navy mil/

For information about the Competitive Edge visit: https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/ Portals/54/Documents/CNSP/SNA/ SNA-2022/Competitive-Edge-Paper-Approved-Dec-20th.pdf

Command Career Counselor of the Year

GasTurbineSystemsTechnician(Mechanical) 1stClassJannVhernalF.Banzon

uarterdeck

U.S. and Japanese leaders chart path to strengthen ‘cornerstone’ alliance

ByJimGaramone DOD News

U.S. and Japanese security officials have announced a series of initiatives that will strengthen the alliance between the two nations and help guarantee a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken hosted Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada at the Security ConsultativeTalksinWashington

Commonly called the 2+2 talks, U.S. officials reiterated the alliance with Japan is the “cornerstone” for security in the region The talks further deepen an already close relationship, occurring as China becomes more assertive, Russia has invaded a sovereign nation and North Korea is developing nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them.

ThetalksareinadvanceofFriday’smeeting between President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the WhiteHouse.

Both Austin and Blinken expressed unqualified support for the decisions manifested in Japan’s new national security strategy national defense strategy and

theirdecisiontoincreasedefensespending. “Thereisclearstrategicalignmentbetween the visions of President Biden and Prime MinisterKishida, Austinsaid.“Itisashared commitment to uphold the rules-based international order and to strengthen resilientpartnershipsaroundtheglobe Andthe essentialU.S.-Japanallianceisatthecenter oftheseefforts.”

The security and defense leaders also made a historic alliance decision to optimize American force posture in Japan “by forward-stationing more versatile mobile and resilient capabilities, Austin said. “Theseactionswillbolsterdeterrenceinthe region and allow us to defend Japan and its peoplemoreeffectively.”

Given the increasing complexity of the security environment in the Indo-Pacific, “we’ve decided that the 12th Artillery RegimentwouldremaininJapanandbereorganizedintothe12thMarineLittoralRegiment by 2025, Austin said. “We will equip this new formation with advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as well as anti-shipandtransportationcapabilitiesthat arerelevanttothecurrentandfuturethreat environments.”

This is a new type of Marine formation that is nimble, quick and suited for the vast distances of the region. There are approxi-

mately 50,000 American service members based in Japan today. The regiment will consistofbetween1,800and2,000Marines but will not increase the overall U.S. presence in the nation. DOD officials said that the unit will receive the new Navy/Marine ExpeditionaryShipInterdictionSystem,or NMESIS,asitiscalled

The officials discussed the temporary deployment of an American MQ-9 UncrewedAerialVehicleunittoKanoyaAir BaseinsouthernJapantoincreasepresence overtheEastChinaSea

“We also discussed updating our alliances, roles and missions so that Japan can more actively contribute to regional security alongside the United States and other like-minded partners,” Austin said. “In our meetingtoday,westronglyendorsedJapan’s decision to acquire a counterstrike capability,andweaffirmthatclosecoordinationon employingthiscapabilitywillstrengthenthe US-Japanalliance.”

The officials also determined that an attack “to, from or within space” could lead to the invocation of Article V of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty. This is part of the treaty being updated to reflect current trends:In2019,theU.S.andJapanincluded cyber as a military domain that would be covered under Article V. This clarifies that

space is also included in the treaty Article V states: “Each Party recognizes an armed attack against either Party in the territories under the administration of Japan would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common danger in accordance with its constitutionalprovisionsandprocesses.”

Japanisalsoexpandingitsparticipationin effortstomaintainregionalpeaceandstabilityandwillworkwithU.S.officialstoaccelerate work on “evolving alliance roles and missions and to employ interoperable and advancedcapabilities.

PartofthisisJapanwillestablishapermanent joint headquarters and will work with U.S. officials on the command-and-control arrangementswithanemphasisoninteroperabilitywithU.S.forces.

Thetwomilitarieswillalsoexpandjoint/ shareduseoffacilitiesinJapanandincrease exercises This will include exercises in Japan’sSouthwestIslands.

TheIndo-Pacificisahugeareacomprising more than 50 percent of the globe The two nations agreed to strengthen activities with allies and partners in the region including Australia, South Korea and India. Both nations also welcomed greater engagementintheIndo-PacificbyEuro-Atlantic partners

ByDavidVergun DOD News

The Department of Defense is modernizing its approach for developing medical countermeasures to protect warfighters fromnovelbiologicalagents

This is made clear in a new document, “Approach for Research, Development and Acquisition of Medical Countermeasures and Test Products,” which was recently publishedbytheOfficeoftheDeputyAssistant Secretary of Defense for Chemical and BiologicalDefense.Thisoffice overseesthe Department of Defense’s Chemical and Biological Defense Program. The CBDP’s mission is to anticipate future threats and deliver capabilities that enable the Joint ForcetofightandwininCB-contestedenvironments.

TheCBDPhasalwaysprioritizedmedical countermeasures,whichconsistofvaccines, medical tests and drugs. “No matter how good our boots suits gloves and masks perform there’s always going to be the risk that our warfighters don’t necessarily have their equipment on when they need it. So having medical countermeasures as anaddedlayerforprotectionmakessense,” Dr Kevin Wingerd, CBDP’s medical director,said.

What has changed is the nature of the threat

“The convergence of different sciences andtechnologiesistransformingthebiological threat landscape,” Wingerd said. “In particular, it has created a nearly limitless numberofpotentialthreatswemustdefend against.”

This contrasts to the past, when DOD developedmedicalcountermeasuresagainst a defined list of specific threats typically ones adversaries had already weaponized. But this “one bug one drug” approach isn’t viableinthefaceoftheexponentiallylarger numberofpotentialthreats,includingnovel ones Nor is the Department solely focused on

deliberate biological threats. In his BiodefenseVisionMemopublishedinNovember 2021, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III directed the Department to be postured against agents that are naturally occurring aswellasthosethatmayhavebeenreleased accidentally,alongsidetraditionaldeliberate ones The new medical countermeasures approachprovidesaroadmaptoaddressthis morechallengingproblemset

According to the document nonspecific medicalcountermeasureswillenablewarfighters to remain on the battlefield after being exposed to an agent. After that agent has been identified, rapid development of medical countermeasures that eliminate the specific threat will be given to all warf-

ighters, including those newly entering the battle.

Nonspecific medical countermeasures arebroad-spectrumactingandaredesigned to target a set of similar agents, diseases or symptoms Nonspecific medical countermeasures are particularly vital for novel agents that have no medical countermeasures Administrating nonspecific medical countermeasurescouldalleviatesymptoms, slow down disease progression and reduce transmission of the agent, allowing troops to remain in the battle with little impairment. While the agent may be suppressed for a given period, a medical countermeasure that targets and eliminates the novel agentisstillrequired.

As Wingerd puts it, “Using nonspecific medicalcountermeasuresallowstheagent’s effectstobemitigatedandthewarfighterto remainoperationalandcombatready,while simultaneously allowing for rapid development of specific medical countermeasures thatcanbeusedtocompletelygetridofthe agentandprotectincomingwarfighters.”

To rapidly develop narrow-spectrum medical countermeasures, the CBDP will leverage cutting edge technology including artificial intelligence and machine learning and establish partnerships with known pharmaceutical manufacturers The CBDP considers manufacturing capacity a strategic challenge, which the new approach addressesasagoal

“In a response preparedness posture, we need to invest in unique medical infrastructure designed to rapidly produce new vaccines and drugs, and leverage existing medical infrastructure by adapting them to target new agents quickly,” Wingerd explained.

“What COVID has certainly taught us is that if that industrial base isn’t present, it doesn’t matter how good your ideas are, they’re just not going to go anywhere,” he added, mentioning that partnerships with theinteragency,academiaandU.S.alliesand partnersarealsocritical.

Besides the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is the regulating agency for medical countermeasures Wingerd mentioned the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and theWhiteHouseOfficeofScienceandTechnology Policy as key CBDP interagency partners Pointing to the recently updated NationalBiodefenseStrategy,Wingerdsaid, “Thiseffortisreallyawholeofgovernment approach and the CBDP’s new approach alignswithandsupportstheNBS.”

He added that he expects new advances in medical countermeasures to bear fruit beginning as early as next year, with more tofollow.

2022 Regular routine exchangeswith ourallies and partners are instrumental in cultivating military cooperation,increasing emergencypreparedness,and enhancing bilateral response capabilities (U.S.AIRFORCEPHOTOBYAIRMAN1STCLASSALEXISSANDOVAL)

Robert Hansen becomes Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s Lifting & Handling Director

The Reading Massachusetts native,began his careerat NNSYinJuly1991where he became a Radiological Controls Engineer PageB4

NPS research in electromagnetic waves hunts for ship’s ‘ghost signals’

ByNavalPostgraduateSchool

Oceans cover more than 70 percent of the world and finding ships at sea especially those that do not want to be found is still quiteachallenge.NavalPostgraduateSchool (NPS) Department of Meteorology professorQingWangisonthehunt,trackingatmospheric conditions that result in what are known as “ghost signals,” where ship radar or radio communications travel and linger wellbeyondtheline-of-sighthorizon.

Backinthe1940s,theU.S.Navyrecognized that under specific atmospheric conditions electromagnetic frequencies would travel much longer distances Understanding how and when this happens informs combat system designs and enables operational advantagesfornavalcommanders.

“It’sahide-and-seekgame,”explainsWang “You want to see and hear others especially the adversaries, but you don’t want them to findyou.

Before atmospheric ducts were understood, far-reaching radio signals shocked radio specialists who were hearing “ghost voices.”Radarductsarechannelsintheatmosphere that have the right temperature and water vapor conditions to bend radar waves along the curvature of the earth. Targets can be detected hundreds even thousands of kilometers away from the radar inside these ducts

Ifmilitaryradarisinoneoftheseducts withanadversary,operatorscandetecteach otherfromgreatdistances

“We are meteorologists,” says Wang, “so wewanttobeabletoforecasttheconditions thatcreateradarducts Thatistheknowledge advantagethatyouwanttohave.”

Tocatchtheseghosts,Wanghasbeenleading a research effort that coincidentally is the name of a familiar and friendly ghost. CASPER, or Coupled Air-Sea Processes and Electromagnetic Ducting Research, is a collaborative effort initially funded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) through the MultidisciplinaryUniversityResearchInitiatives(MURI)Program.Thegrantfundedsix primary investigators from different universities Ohio State University; Oregon State University University of California, Irvine; UniversityofMinnesota,andNotreDame ledbyWangatNPS.

CASPER has also supported the research effortsofNPSstudents.Todate twodoctoral students and eight master’s students gained hands-on experience solving relevant problemsthroughtheirtheses,whilecontributing theiroperationalexperience,innovativeideas andpublishedworktotheproject

According to ONR’s Marine Meteorology and Space Weather Team Lead, Dr Daniel Eleuterio,theCASPERMURIisanexcellent example of coordinated basic and applied researchwheretheMURIprogramprovides funding for multidisciplinary solutions to emerging or particularly complex scientific challenges

“Inthiscase,anoutstandingteamofatmosphericandair-seainteractionscientistsfrom NPSwerepartofateamthatincludedsensor developersandfluiddynamicistsfromNotre Dame,computationalscientistsfromUniversity of Minnesota, electrical engineers from The Ohio State and Oceanographers from Oregon State, said Eleuterio. “The complex air-sea interaction in coastal zones strongly effects radio wave propagation, and affects it differently at different frequencies The results of this research both advanced our fundamental understanding and provided thebasisforverysuccessfulappliedresearch under ONR sponsorship that will likely continueforatleastthenextdecade

“Dr Wang with her team of university colleagues and NPS students have done terrificworkandprovidedfutureleadersfor the Navy and our allies a deep understanding of the fundamentals of Electromagnetic ManeuverWarfare,”Eleuteriocontinued.

Over the years, Wang’s work with electromagnetic waves has required specialized equipment, employing research aircraft, autonomous maritime vehicles oceanographic research vessels and the particularly unique Floating Instrument Platform (FLIP)ownedbyONRandformerlyoperated throughScrippsInstitutionofOceanography atUCSanDiego

Wang and part of her team spent a month onboardtheresearchvesselFLIPinsupport of her work. FLIP, now a ship emeritus, is a 355-foot vessel that would be towed to its research location in a horizontal position, then slowly rotated vertically to become a sparbuoy.Intheverticalposition,thevessel

extends 300 feet below the surface, and the extruding spar buoy can unfold three 60-foot arms

“From the end of one arm, we had a mast going down that was fully instrumented and couldtakeundisturbedmeasurementsaway from the buoy And for 30 days, I was on this thing,”Wangsayswithalaugh.“Thatmeans for all this time I did not move. I was at one point on Earth. Every day there was a lot of stuff to do, and I didn’t realize it until I was off and thought, ‘Oh, wait a minute! I was on FLIPfor30days!’”

Wang has excitedly watched the research evolve and improve over the past several years The data that Wang’s team collected has been used to help evaluate and improve the Navy’s operational environmental forecastmodels Predictingthedistanceincoming targetscanbedetectedbyshipboardradarat anymomentinformsthetimingandmanner in which the Navy responds to an attack or shiftinconditions

The team’s measurements and analyses have also resulted in many publications on new discoveries of the physical processes in theloweratmosphere.

Atmospheric ducts are leaky and could also allow for naval detection of adversary radarfromoutsidetheducts Wang’ssuccess with CASPER brings opportunities for new offshoot projects like the Radar and Electromagnetic Wave Ducting in the Stable AtmosphereoverWater(REDSAW)project REDSAW will build on research completed through CASPER, continuing its legacy of operational impact through fleet engagement, student involvement and research partnerships Ultimately, it’s about accurate forecasting Wangsays thatgivestheU.S.Navyadistinct operationaladvantage

“This is the world of electronic warfare Everything is in the spectrum, you just can’t ignorethat,”Wangsays “Andtheatmosphere is always in the way. It may help, and it may deter, so we just need to know more about it becauseitisaperpetualpresence.”

NPS fuses defense graduate education and research with student experience and facultyexpertisetodeliverimpactandinnovation.LearnmoreaboutresearchintheNPS DepartmentofMeteorology

NIWC Atlantic collaborates with College of Charleston to mentor students

ByKrisPatterson Naval Information Warfare Systems Command

A recent academic collaboration effort between Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC)AtlanticandtheCollegeofCharleston(CofC)hasresultedinawin-winsituation for the command, CofC students, local high schoolstudentsandthewarfighter

What started as a professor searching for mentors for her students manifested into a new relationship with NIWC Atlantic. That relationship now enables college students to gain real-world research experience and careerfieldknowledgethatnotonlyleadsto job opportunities, but provides information warfarecapabilitiesthatprotectthemedical information of millions of warfighters and theirdependents.

AmyLangville,aprofessoratCofC,wanted to offer her students a more diverse learning environment, one similar to an actual career experience She reachedout to one of her former students, Erin Langenstein, who earnedbothaBachelorandMasterofScience in Mathematical Science with a concentrationinStatisticsfromCofC

AccordingtoLangenstein,thecombination of having a great professor and the unique opportunity to have hands-on experience working with NIWC Atlantic’s Defense HealthInformationTechnology(DHIT)division,allowedhertobetheidealcandidateto fulfill Langville’s vision of having students mentoredinareal-liferesearchenvironment.

On the flip side Langville is the reason that Langenstein decided to study mathematics Langenstein took Langville’s classes, graded student work, conducted research, andreceivedmentoringfromherthroughout hercollegecareer

So, when Langville asked Langenstein to mentor some of her research students, she happilyagreed

“Iwasexcitedtobeabletogivebacksince she was so influential to my education and careerpath, Langensteinsaid.

Langenstein initially interned with NIWC Atlantic Defense Health IT Division during the summer of 2019 as a predictive analyst on the Medical Information Delivery (MID) team. During this internship, she builtanXGBoostmodelandapplicationthat predictedthelikelihoodforveteranoverdose.

After completing her internship Langenstein stayed on during the school year parttimetobuildothermodels,includingonethat tracks and predicts bed occupancy rates in military hospitals, and another that predicts veteranhearingloss

“I always wanted to be in the healthcare fieldgrowingup,andafterplentyofmentorshipandinternships Irealizedhowcrucialit wastomodernizehealthcareinformaticsand that I had sufficient background knowledge and experience to be a part of this modernization, Langensteinsaid

InJune2020,Langensteingraduatedwith hermaster’sandNIWCAtlantichiredheras adataengineerfocusingonclouddatamigrations and Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) pipelines Since joining the NIWC Atlantic workforce, she has automated countless ETLprocessesandcompletedarotationwith the DHIT Division’s Clinical Infrastructure Modernization (CIM) team as an Amazon WebServices(AWS)Engineer

A year later, Langenstein began tackling a healthcare test data problem that needed

N.Charleston,SC (November17 2022)

Brianna

and theirdependents.(U.S. NAVYPHOTOBYJOEBULLINGER/RELEASED)

copious amounts of test data, too much for a human to create manually She automated a great deal of the process to create more than 6,000 datasets to test the Military Health System(MHS)andprovideresearchersdata withouttheriskofusingtherealdata.

In her current position as data innovation deputy, Langenstein is the technical lead for datascienceeffortsandcontinuestoresearch bestpracticesfortestdataandencryption.

Thanks to her recent experiences with medicalhealthsystemsandunderstandingof NIWCAtlantic’spotentialinternshipopportunities, Langenstein envisioned Langville’s collaborationandmentorshipideaasaplausible reality She agreed to help her former professor and following a review of the courseintent,brainstormedsomeapplicable problemsetsthatcouldbenefitbothstudents andNIWCAtlantic.

Langville’s research course consists of a mockconsulting-typescenarioduringwhich the students are the consultants and industrymentorsactascustomers Thesementors create project ideas, and the students select which project they want to pursue for the semester

A small team of students Brianna Brunson,MaddoxJohnstonandChristyCharbonnet —chose to pursue one of Langenstein’s ideas:“Astechnologyadvancesandtheworld transformstobemoredatadrivenbytheday,

havingreliable,safe,testdataisparamount.”

“Although I gave several ideas for them to explore, they made the project and deliverables on their own,” Langenstein said. “The research students were very independent I reached out to them occasionally with some ideas but for the most part they excelled withoutmuchguidance.”

WhilepartneringwithLangensteinandthe MID team, the students delved into recent literature regarding machine learning techniques to develop a simple proof-of-concept model that extracts PHI/PII from free text fields

“Given the latitude to experiment with newapproaches thisprojectgaveusmassive opportunities for growth and experimentation,” Brunson said “We gained such a valuableresearchexperience.”

From their work, the students built a Weighted Logistic Regression with L2-regularization to detect personally identifiable information (PII) in a synthetic dataset. The MID team intends to implement it in their testdatapipeline

“Implementing this model will improve our test data creation pipelines further reducingdatasecurityriskonthewarfighter,” Langensteinsaid

Seeing the value gained from this venture,

Public/PrivateVenture(PPV) Housing is also referred to as privatized housing in the Navy The Navy partnered with different private management companies to provide housing to Service Members. These companies are responsible forthe construction, renovation,maintenance and day-to-day management ofthe housing PPVhousing may be located on oroffgovernment property and in most cases will be formermilitary housing GovernmentOwned (also known as Military Housing orNavy Managed Housing is what was formerly called on-base housing While only available in limited quantities CONUS,Government Owned Housing is still widely available OCONUS.

CommunityHousing is any housing that a Service Member may choose that is not PPVor government operated This is housing outside ofthe base that is privately owned and operated

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Brunson,a data scientist,was hired as a NewProfessional byNaval Information Warfare Center(NIWC)Atlantic just two months aftergraduating from the College ofCharleston (CofC) this past Maywith a master’s degree in Mathematical Sciences and a concentration in Statistics.Brunson was a mentee in a recent academic collaboration effort between NIWCAtlantic and the College ofCharleston (CofC) that nowenables high school and college students to gain real-world research experience and careerfield knowledge that not onlyleads to job opportunities,but also provides informationwarfare capabilities that protect the lives and medical information ofmillions ofwarfighters

ByPettyOfficer1stClassRyanSeelbach Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet

Capt. Blair Guy, commodore, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28 relieved Capt. Milciades “Tony” Then, commodore, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22, as Maritime Homeland Defense (MHD) DESRON at a change of charge ceremony aboard Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads,Jan.6.DESRON28assumedresponsibilityastheMHDDESRONandwillserve as Commander, Task Group Greyhound (TGG)

TheMHDDESRONiscriticaltoprotecting the United States and its Allies from maritime threats in the Atlantic, and provides continuity of command for naval units assigned to this mission. In the maritime domain, the DESRON provides the command element necessary to respond with lethal combat capability in the deterrence and defeat of military attacks on the homeland Task Group Greyhound is a readiness initiative designed to provide the fleet commanders with additional highly trained and fully certified warships The TGG readiness model is nested within the Navy’s Optimized Fleet Response Plan (OFRP), which is the standard fleet read-

iness construct guiding units through a 36-month repeating cycle of maintenance and modernization, unit-level and integrated training, and then deployment.

Vice Adm. Daniel Dwyer commander U.S.2ndFleet,presidedovertheceremony and discussed examples of DESRON 22’s activities in the past year In March 2022, DESRON 22 embarked USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) to represent 2nd Fleet, commanding and controlling four U.S. destroyersdeployedforwardintotheNorth Atlantic under Task Force Two.

“Yousetupourheadquartersforsuccess asDESRON22,”Dwyersaid.“Itisallabout exercising training and working with all assets in our domain using our available resources to succeed. During the 90 days embarked, you had my complete confidence in commanding the CTF,” Dwyer added. “On behalf of the entire U.S. 2nd Fleet, congratulations on a job well done, and we wish you the best!”

Task Group Greyhound consists of four Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers homeported in Mayport, Fla. and Norfolk, Va., assigned at one time to ensure at least two will be ready for any mission tasking at all times This model allows the other two “off-duty” ships to conduct necessary repairs and conduct

advanced tactical training to sustain proficiency “Adm. Dwyer let me do the things I needed to do and never second guessed me,”saidThen.“Aswemoveforwardinthe Atlantic theater we must remember that this is a thinking warriors’ game”.

What makes TGG units unique from other DESRONs is that assigned units enter TGG post-deployment and remain fully certified for operations until their next deployment rather than execute extended depot-level maintenance at a shipyard Ships assigned to TGG conduct morelimitedmaintenancetocorrectmaterial casualties and ensure safe equipment operation.Thisallowsthemextendedtime to sustain tactical proficiency and keeps them ready to accomplish the full range of surface combatant missions, including countering adversary naval threats to the homeland.

“Task Group Greyhound provides us a waytoincreasecontinuitybetweentraining and operating against high-end competitors in a dynamic environment, Rear Admiral Brendan McLane, Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic said. “These destroyers are now designated under Task Group Greyhound in the western Atlantic on watch 24/7 ready to practice, integrate,

and operate at a moment’s notice.”

In September 2021, TGG began with the induction of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS The Sullivans(DDG68)andUSSDonaldCook(DDG 75). The TGG initiative paid immediate dividends as The Sullivans and Donald Cookwerethefirsttwoshipsreadytosurge for an unplanned deployment to Europe in the Winter of 2022 to support the U.S. Navy response to Russian aggression in Ukraine. Units currently assigned to TGG include USS The Sullivans homeported in Mayport, Florida and the Arleigh Burkeclass guided missile destroyers USS Cole (DDG 67), USS Porter (DDG 78) and USS Gravely(DDG107),whoareallhomeported in Norfolk.

“Task Group Greyhound under the command of the MHD DESRON provides 2nd Fleet and the U.S. Navy with the flexibility to prepare for and rapidly respond to threats to the homeland and abroad while minimizing downstream impact to a destroyer’s readiness for future maintenance and deployments,” said Capt Mathias Vorachek, future operations, U.S. 2nd Fleet.

U.S. 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 in response to the changing global security environment, develops and employs maritime forces ready to fight across multiple domainsintheAtlanticandArcticinorder to ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests FormoreU.S.2ndFleetnewsandphotos, visit facebook.com/US2ndFleet, Https:// Www.C2f.Usff.Navy.Mil/, and Twitter - @ US2ndFleet

The

CarloMargottini (F 592), and Aquitaine-class frigate FS Alsace (D656).

“James E Williams has quickly demonstrated that she is ready to execute the demanding responsibilities of NATO task groupflagship saidU.S.NavyRearAdmiral ScottSciretta,commanderofSNMG2 “The shiphasquicklyintegratedintoamulti-national environment, seamlessly operating and communicating with Allied warships.

Her addition, along with that of ITS Carlo Margottini and FS Alsace, strengthen our deterrence and defense posture and deny adversaries of any possible opportunities for aggression.”

As a NATO task group SNMG2 prioritizes its mandate to enhance the collective readiness, responsiveness, deployable readiness, integration and interoperability of its forces Its focus is on deterrence and defense against all adversaries in the

maritime domain, upholding freedom of navigation,securingmaritimetraderoutes and protecting the main lines of communication.

SNMG2isamultinationalintegratedtask group that projects a constant and visible reminder of the Alliance’s solidarity and cohesion afloat. This continuous maritime capability performs a wide range of tasks, including exercises and real-world operations in periods of crisis and conflict.

SNMG2 is one of four

For more news and information on SNMG2 visit https://mc.nato.int/SNMG2 or follow us at: www.facebook.com/StandingNATOMaritimeGroup2 www.twitter.com/COM_SNMG2 www.instagram.com/snmg_two.

Standing Naval

Forces that operate under NATO Allied Maritime Command, headquartered in Northwood, United Kingdom.

Robert Hansen becomes Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s Lifting and Handling Director

ByTroyMiller Norfolk Naval Shipyard

Many people attribute life milestones, newchaptersintheirlife,andtheirsuccesses to a family member, spouse, coworkers, coach, scout leaders, and many more types of people who had a strong impact in their lives Usually it is someone they know. However,NorfolkNavalShipyard’s(NNSY)

Lifting and Handling Department Director (Code700)RobertHansenaccreditsAmericannovelist,thelateTomClancyinhelping himgethisstartatNNSY

“I just finished the book by Clancy, Hunt for Red October, right before my interview withaNNSYrecruiteratFloridaInstituteof TechnologywhereIwasgettingtograduate fromwithadegreeinmechanicalengineering,”saidHansen.“Iwasabletospeaksomewhatintelligentlyaboutmilitarysubmarines byusingthetechnicalportionofthenovelto myadvantage.”

TheReading,Massachusettsnative,began his career at NNSY in July 1991 where he becameaRadiologicalControls(RADCON) Engineer AftertenyearshejoinedtheReactor Servicing Engineering Division, Code 2370, where he became a Shift Refueling Engineer. He worked his way up to being an Assistant Chief Refueling Engineer to becomethechiefrefuelingengineerforUSS RhodeIsland(SSBN740)fromJune2016to

Jan. 2017 during its Engineered Refueling Overhaul. Hansen then spent time in West Milton, New York, where he was the chief refueling engineer for the S8G prototype at the Kesselring Site where it’s a training site for nuclear officers and enlisted Sailors to operate he United States Navy’s nuclear-poweredaircraftcarriersandsubmarines

“I learned that the Lifting and Handling Director position was becoming available with the retirement of then Lifting and Handling Department Director Theresa Makely This caught my attention, because I always wanted to become a member of NNSY’s senior leadership team from day one,”saidHansen.“WhenIwascontemplatingonapplyingforthepositionornot,Idid quite of abundance of research on the position, including talking to Terri Makely and other leadership and mentors at the shipyard butitwasn’tuntilmywife Amy,asked me‘Doyouthinkyoucanmakeadifference?’ thatconvincedmethatapplyingforthepositionwastherightthingtodo Hansenadded,“ThisisthefirsttimeIam taking a step outside of the nuke world and into the non-nuke world, so there is a great dealoflearningIwillhavetodo,butIdofeel that with my experience passion and dedicationtoNavyandcommitmentandloyaltyI havewhatittakestoleadthepeopleofCode 700 to meeting the mission of the shipyard whichinturnshelpstheU.S.Navyasawhole

insucceedinginitsmissiontoourcountry.”

HansenconsidersCode700asashipyard within the shipyard, as it has its own engineers, production, quality assurance, maintenance and training divisions “I feel my experienceasachiefrefuelingengineerhas prepared me well to lead a department as complex and vital to the shipyard as Code 700 Asachiefrefuelingengineer,myduties and responsibilities were well defined. Working with my refueling assistant project superintendent, I was responsible for training, quality assurance, manning, work performance, self-assessment, and budget forsomeoftheNavy’smostcomplexnuclear maintenance All of these responsibilities is what the leadership of Code 700 is responsiblefor,justonalargerscale.”

Although Hansen never joined the military tohim,workingatNorfolkNavalShipyard is his way of supporting not only the U.S. Navy as a whole, but in particular the menandwomenwhovolunteertoputthemselves in harm’s way to defend the United States Heknowsfirsthandthatnoteveryone getstocomehomefromservinghiscountry “Mybrother,Bill,wasservingonboardthe USS Stark (FFG 31) in the Persian Gulf as a FireControlmanThirdClassonMay17 1987 duringtheIran-Iraqwar.AnIraqijetaircraft fired two Exocet missiles which struck the USS Stark on the portside killing 37 Sailors and injuring another 21,” said Hansen “My

brotherwasoneofthe37.”

Hansenadded,“WhenIhaveareallybad day at work or things aren’t going the way I had hoped, I think about my brother and whatheand36otherssacrificedontheUSS Starktohelpmeputthingsintoperspective andtoremindmewhoandwhyIamserving ourcountryinthiscapacity.”

During his off time, Hansen enjoys pistol shooting at the range and spending his time with his family His daughter Courtney, completed a culinary apprenticeship in Colonial Williamsburg and is now the Executive Chef for Farmhouse Table Food in Rochester, NY, while his son, Chris is in his sophomore year in NNSY’s apprenticeship program working in the welding shop, Shop26.

“Although my son and I work in two completely different departments it’s nice toknowthatwecanaddNorfolkNavalShipyardtoourcommoninterests, saidHansen “Although he went a different direction at the shipyard than I took, I know he’s taking thejourneythatisbestforhim,asdidI.You can’taskforanythingmorethanthat.”

Hansen knows he that his current path willhavemanylearningmoments,whichhe inviteswholeheartedly buthelooksforward toservingwiththemenandwomenofCode 700 as together they show what right looks likeforAmerica’sShipyard

ByPettyOfficer2ndClass ChadSwysgood Navy Personnel Command

Navy Casualty during a ceremony, Jan. 7,

Guests,familyandfriendsofbothincoming and outgoing commanders attended the ceremony The event marked Nguyen’s assumption of command and the end of Chhipwadia stwo-yeartour Chhipwadia’s next assignment will be at Navy Reserve Commander Naval Forces Japan.

“It has been a personal honor to be given theopportunitytonotonlybepartofsucha noblemission,buttobepartofanincredible

wadia

Chhipwadiareceivedadirectcommission as an engineering duty officer in 1999 and completed the Direct Commission Officer IndoctrinationCourseatNASPensacola.He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical EngineeringfromtheCaliforniaPolytechnic State University and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the UniversityofHouston.

At sea, he served as the officer in charge oftheNavyReserveunitattachedtoAvenger-class mine countermeasures ship USS Gladiator(MCM11),officerinchargeofthe Navy Reserve unit attached to the Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship USS Avenger(MCM1),thenasexecutiveofficer of Navy Reserve unit attached to the Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 56). While attached to the USS Avenger, he completed his surface warfareofficerqualificationsandconverted designatortosurfacewarfareofficer.

His combat zone deployments included tours in Iraq 2009-2010, first serving as a political-military planner helping oversee

Capt. Ketan C. Chhipwadia of Austin TexaswasrelievedbyCmdr AnvyT.Nguyen ofCorona,Californiaascommandingofficer ofNavyReserveNavalPersonnelCommand

2023.

teamthatreacheseverySailor,”saidChhip-

the US/Iraq security agreement, then as deputy director of personnel recovery for the Iraq joint operations area to search/ rescue/recover all missing friendly forces He deployed to Afghanistan in 2012-2013 withNavalSpecialWarfareastheNSWliaisonofficertoJointSpecialForcesHeadquar-

Langenstein took project ideas from the students’researchtocreateacurriculumfor NIWC Atlantic’s STEM outreach program Creativity,Research,andScienceHandbook (CRASH). The handbook offers collaborativementoringprojectsinscience,technology engineering and math to prepare high schoolstudentsforrealworldsituationsand help them develop skills they can take into theworkforce

“Essentially, the curriculum created has the concepts for test data, data security, PII andprotectedhealthinformation(PHI),but with analytics that are on par with a high school AP Statistics course,” Langenstein said.

Langenstein said she felt it was important to align the academic curriculum with industry needs so students can better learn aboutindustrydemandsandfigureoutwhat interests them within certain careers a sentimentechoedbyherCofCmentees

“Academic curriculum has to serve so manypurposesandaparticularlyimportant purposeispreparingstudentsforsuccessin the workforce,” Brunson said. “Curriculum alsohastobedevelopedwithbothshortand long-term needs of industry in mind or the students will not be effective in the workforce.”

“The best exposure for any student is to have real-world, hands-on experience to helpthemlearnspecificallywhattheirinterests are for potential careers,” Charbonnet said.

As a systems engineering student interested in the possibility of pursuing a career in defense manufacturing, Charbonnet said working with NIWC Atlantic not only helped her develop more skills for operationsresearch,butalsogavehertheopportunitytolearnmoreabout“themanysystems thatarecriticaltomeetournation’sdefense needs how NIWC Atlantic meets those needs with their warfare capabilities and all that NIWC Atlantic’s employees do to protectnationalsecurity.

ForBrunson,workingwithNIWCAtlan-

tic gave her the real-world experience she neededtolaunchacareerinafieldsheloves. Two months after graduating from CofC this past May with a Master of Science in MathematicalSciencesandaconcentration in Statistics, Brunson was hired as a New Professional by NIWC Atlantic and now servesasadatascientistforhercurrentprojectontheCommandDatateam.

Justasstudentsandinstitutionsofhigher education benefit from collaboration and mentorship programs with industry and government agencies, so too do those agencies garner advantageous and holistic outcomes by expanding the hiring talent pool, while expediting the research and developmentofmoderntechnologies,Brunsonsaid.

“University students, particularly grad students, have tremendous access to academic resources and research, which inherently gives them access to novel technologies,”Brunsonsaid.“Collaboratingwith colleges and universities provides industry and government agencies a diverse set of newperspectives,whicharealwayshelpful

forfurtherprogress.”

Langenstein said she thinks this type of collaborationwillblazenewtrailsforyoung professionals considering pursuing careers inengineeringorotherSTEMfields,andshe offersthemthefollowingadvice: “There are countless tools and resources available to our generation entering the workforce, so use every resource you can andpursueasmanymentorshipopportunities as possible,” Langenstein said. “As long as you identify what you need to learn and don’t give up until you have figured it out, youwillbeafantasticemployee.”

AboutNIWCAtlantic:AsapartofNaval Information Warfare Systems Command, NIWC Atlantic provides systems engineering and acquisition to deliver information warfare capabilities to the naval, joint and nationalwarfighterthroughtheacquisition, development, integration production, test, deployment and sustainment of interoperable command, control, communications computer, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance,cyberandinformationtechnologycapabilities

BySidneyHinds Naval Medical Research Center

ARLINGTON Va Lt Cmdr. Robert Hontz,amicrobiologistwithNavalMedical ResearchUnit(NAMRU)-2,participatedin the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Service Chiefs’ FellowshipProgram(SCFP)fromSept.20 Dec. 16, 2022.

Fellowship participants shadowed program managers, meeting with subject matter experts and independent verification & validation partners to better act as informal liaisons between their organizations and DARPA.

“This fellowship has the potential to broaden the relationship between

NAMRU-2 and DARPA and open new areas of cooperation,” said Capt. Jonathan Stahl, commanding officer of NAMRU2. “DARPA’s areas of interest often intersect with our mission, and having an officer onboard with advanced knowledge of DARPA’s internal structure and processes will greatly aid in fostering collaborative efforts.”

Hontzshadowedninedifferentprogram managers in the DARPA Biological Technologies Office, focusing on medical countermeasures, diagnostics and biosurveillancetools vaccineplatforms personal protective equipment, pathogen detection techniques and vector bioengineering He also attended partner meetings at Georgia Tech, University of Georgia and Texas

A&M, as well as meetings with partners from Vanderbilt, MIT, Harvard, Stanford and University of Michigan.

The SCFP began in 2008 as an opportunity to expose mid-grade uniformed officers to the DARPA mission, and to provide DARPA program managers with military personnelofvarioustechnicalbackgrounds toidentifycurrentandfutureprogramsthat can fill gaps in the needs of the services Once per quarter, DARPA liaison officers representing each branch of the armed services review applications from O4s and O5stoparticipateinthefellowshipattheir headquarters in Arlington, Va Hontz said he would encourage fellow officers in the Enterprise to consider applying for future fellowships

DARPA, established by DoD Directive in 1958, identifies and initiates advancementsintechnologytofurtherU.S.national defense.DARPA’seffortsareresponsiblefor innovations that range from GPS stealth aircraft, self-driving vehicles, and mRNA vaccines

NAMRU-2, a command of Naval Medical Research Center headquartered out of Singapore, conducts research in cooperation with host nations in Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand to improveglobalhealth ensuremilitaryforce health protection and address infectious diseasessuchasmalaria,denguefevervirus and gastro-intestinal pathogens.

ByPettyOfficer1stClassDevinLowe Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC)

Morethan130U.S.Navysurfacewarfare tactics instructors (WTIs) and surface warfare subject matter experts (SMEs) came together for Naval Surface and Mine Development Center’s (SMWDC’s) first combined surface warfare WTI “Re-Blue” conference in Washington, January 9-12

WTI Re-Blue brings SMEs together with the WTI cadre to refine their tactical knowledge and maintain the surface force’s competitive edge These conferencesgiveWTIs,SMEsandseniormentors not only the chance to network, but to ensure surface warfare technical experts aresynchronizedandpreparedforthechallenges they will face in the fleet.

“It’s important for all of us to be on the samepage,becauseattheendoftheday,it’s oneteam,onefight,”saidLt AmberMendez, ananti-submarinewarfare/surfacewarfare (ASW/SUW) WTI assigned to Surface Advanced Warfighting School (SAWS). “Meeting face-to-face is the best interaction you can get When we are behind the computer talking to each other, it enhances our ability to work as a team because we

knowthefacebehindthename.”

In the past, SMWDC held Re-Blue conferences by WTI Warfare area or patch type ASW/SUW, Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD), Amphibious Warfare(AMW)andMineWarfare(MIW) This conference was the first to bring all warfareareastogetherforoneevent,giving the WTIs, SMEs, and mentors the chance to network and make new connections outside of their warfare area.

“Thenetworkingaspectisamazing,”said Lt CarlDowzicki,anASW/SUWWTIand a surface gunnery SME assigned to SAWS “The number of people other WTIs and technical experts I’ve gotten to speak to find out where they’re at now and what they’redoingisincredible Mondaywasour bigjointday.Itwasimportanttoseeeveryonetogetherandit’sgreattoseewhatother patchtypesareupto,whatthey’reworking onandtoseethatwe’reultimatelyallworking toward the same goal.”

During the four-day conference, attendeesheardkeynoteremarksfromViceAdm.

Roy Kitchener commander U.S. Naval SurfaceForces(CNSF),andRearAdm.Fred Pyle, director of Surface Warfare, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations Breakout sessionsprovidedlessonslearnedandbest

practices for Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training (SWATT) exercises; updated baseline knowledge on doctrine and tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) updates; and classified discussions about weapons systems capabilities

“Re-Blue conferences are a great opportunity for WTIs who are completing production tours, or are out serving in the fleet, to come together with the rest of the WTI cadre to learn about the latest developments in surface warfighting, SWATT, and to connect with WTIs who can help solve tactical challenges, and collaborate on the latest developments from fully informedsecuritylevels,”saidCapt Steven McDowell, SAWS Director.

While in the D.C. area, WTIs were also able to attend sessions of the Surface Navy Association’s (SNA) 35th National Symposium where they were able to further network with leaders within the surface warfare enterprise and defense industry

Lt Cmdr LaToya Banks, an AMW WTI and the first lieutenant aboard USS Bataan (LHD5),wasapanelistontheSNASymposium’s Junior Officers Roundtable

“I did not know how exciting being on a panel was going to be until the first couple of questions started rolling,” said Banks

“I could see the way the division officers and young department heads were realizing that we’re all thinking the same things, and getting to hear each other’s insight on how to best handle these issues in the fleet is pretty awesome.”

SMWDC plans to continue hosting combined surface warfare WTI Re-Blue conferences annually to continue giving WTIs the opportunity to network and refresh their knowledge on topics across the surface Navy WTIs who were not able to attend the Re-Blue conference due to operational requirements can download the presentation briefs SMWDC’s command-at-sea (CAS) portal; https://www.pr.cas.navy. smil.mil/secret/navy/45/site.nsfforPacific or https://uar.cas.navy.smil.mil/secret/ navy/45/site.nsf for Atlantic.

Junior surface warfare officers as well as surface-designated chief warrant officersandlimiteddutyofficerswhoareinterested in becoming WTIs can learn more by contacting the WTI Management Cell viaemailSWO_WTI@NAVY.MIL andare invited to follow them on Instagram at @ swo_wti

The Big Easy meets big thrills!

Mardi Gras returns to Busch Gardens Williamsburg on select dates January

NEW bayou-inspired cuisine, and returning favorites from 2022 including Carnaval Imaginique a captivating and electrifying cirque showintheGlobeTheatre.ColorfulentertainmentfillsallofBuschGardens’villageswithan excitingNewOrleans-styleeventforthewhole family;featuringthreeworld-classrollercoasters,overfifteenridesandthirtymouth-watering

MardiGrasflavors.

Busch Gardens® Williamsburg is an action-packedEuropean-themedadventure parkwith17th-centurycharmand21st-century technology, boasting more than 100 acresoffamilyfun.Hometotop-ratedroller coasters,morethan50ridesandattractions, livestageshows,monthlyspecialeventsand

delicious culinary experiences For more information, visit www.BuschGardens com Busch Gardens is owned by SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc (NYSE: SEAS), a leadingthemeparkandentertainmentcompany providing experiences that matter and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wildwondersofourworld

PressRelease

NORFOLK, Va On Saturday, January 28, Nauticus’ 6500 square foot exhibit gallery will be transformed into a one-of-akindvideogamearcadewiththeopeningof theinternationalexhibit GameChangers

Developed and produced by subject expertsfromIngenium Canada’sScience and Technology Museum, and managed by Science North, Game Changers takes visitorsonafascinatingjourneytodiscoverhow innovationhasshapedthevideogameindustrywhileexploring120ofthemostinfluentialgames

“Thisexhibithasauniversalappeal, said Stephen Kirkland, Nauticus’ CEO & President “I’m pumped up to play Pac Man, my eleven-year-old daughter can’t wait to learnmoreaboutSonic,andvideogameafficionados will love the more in-depth tech exhibits.Ourteamplanstohostvideogame competitions,eventnightsandmoreforthe communitytogettheirgameon!”

Contemporary Christian music icon Amy Grant performs live in concert at the Sandler Center

PressRelease

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va Strumming her way through a thirty-plus year adventure as a singer-songwriter author television host, and speaker, platinum-selling, CCM legend Amy Grant comes to Virginia Beach this May!

The Langley Federal Credit Union Concert Series presents Amy Grant, Live in Concert on Wednesday, May 3 at 7:30 PM at the Sandler Center for the PerformingArts Ticketswillgoon sale this Friday, January 13 at 10 AM and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or by visiting the Sandler Center Box Office located at 201 Market Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23462.

Tickets are priced at $39, $49, $59, and $79, plus applicable fees To receive the exclusive presale code to purchase tickets before the general public, join the Sandler Center Cyber Club at SandlerCenter.org Thepresaleforthisshowwilltakeplaceon Wednesday, January 11 at 10 AM through Thursday, January 12 at 10 PM.

Early on, Grant’s iconic voice became instantly recognizable in both the Christianandpopworlds.Overtheyears,shehas sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, including three multi-platinum, six platinum, and four gold. Her chart performance has also been consistent throughout her career boasting six No 1 hits ten “Top 40” pop singles, seventeen “Top 40” Adult Contemporary tracks, and multiple Contemporary Christian chart-toppers In recognition of such success, Grant has receivedsixGRAMMYAwards,twenty-six Dove Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a star on the Music City Walk of Fame Additionally she was most recently inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in Nashville Stepping out from behind her guitar, GrantfoundherselfhostingtheNBCprime timeseries“ThreeWishes”in2005,bringing her into millions of living rooms across AmericaeveryFridaynight.Thepeopleshe met and stories she collected proved to be

great inspiration for creating new music and even writing a book. Two years later, Grant’s first book, Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far, was published. She continues toshareherstorieswithaudiencesallover the country as a keynote and inspirational speaker

In April 2016, Grant celebrated the 25th anniversary of her first pop hit, “Baby Baby”, with a worldwide release of a new versionofthesongfeaturingpopsensation and fellow Capitol Music Group recording artist Tori Kelly Growing her wildly popular Christmas brand, Grant then released Tennessee Christmas” in October2016,herfirstall-newChristmasalbum in nearly twenty years She looks forward to national arena symphony Christmas tours each November and December with long-time friend Michael W. Smith, as well as an annual Christmas residency at the world-famous Ryman Auditorium in Nashville with country superstar husband Vince Gill Grant resides with her family in Nashville, Tennessee, and is widely known for her philanthropy and tireless involvement inlocalcausesandcharitableorganizations. Herownorganization,TheHelpingHands Foundation, has afforded her the opportunity to identify needs around her and the resources to help meet them, which has proven to be the sweetest reward of all

ABOUT THE SANDLER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS: The Sandler Center opened on November 3, 2007 and is managed by Oak View Group (OVG360). With 1,308 seats and a soaring glass façade, the building is located in the heart of Virginia Beach’s Town Center, a hub for cultural entertainment. With local andinternationaltalentvisitingtheSandler Center performances are perfect for audiences of all ages Patrons will experience an intimate environment when visiting the Sandler Center, as no seat is further than 100 ft. from the stage Learn more at SandlerCenter.org and Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

FromFamilyFeatures

Travel in 2023 will be about saying “no” to normal, breaking routines and searching for experiences without compromises Whether it’s flying to those once-in-a-lifetime events or hosting group celebrations at a vacation rental home, travelers are no longeradaptingtothenextnewnormal,but creating their own status quo altogether

“We see a detailed and robust picture of travelinto2023,”ExpediaBrandsPresident Jon Gieselman said. “We’re seeing a surge in trips to culture capitals a new wave of interest in wellness retreats and a spike in demand for outdoor destinations beyond just beaches and mountains It’s not a new normal so much as people branching out tounexpectedtrendsinwhatwe’recalling the ‘no normal.’

”

A close look at these trends suggests there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to travel in 2023 Insights sourced from the company’s first-party data, and from custom research of thousands of travelers and industry professionals across 17 countries, show food, abundant space and unconventional destinations are influencing travel choices.

Consider these conclusions from the experts at Vrbo:

Foodie-Menities

Kitchencredentialsareamustwithtravelerslookingtoplateupattheirownconvenienceinaprivatevacationhome Outdoor kitchens, pizza ovens and air fryers are the top three foodie-menities travelers crave. Additionally, nearly half of U.S. travelers (43%) use cooking to cut down on costs

Travelers are looking for amenities in their vacation rentals rather than focusing on location. In fact, more than half (57%) of travelers would rather book a unique vacation home to be with their people in a lesser-known destination than a less interesting, less equipped vacation home in a popular area.

Cowboy-Cations

Rustic getaways are on the rise as travelers crave private vacation homes with abundant space and exhilarating views Cue the cowboy-cation, offering an intimate escape in the rugged wilderness Demand for homes in western destinations increased by more than 30% from September2021-August2022.Plus,42%of U.S. travelers find inspiration in outdoorsy destinations and landscapes that include log-linedcabins,flickeringfiresandsweeping vistas

Travelers can live out their western fantasies by booking a luxurious lodge, ranch retreat or farmhouse that fits the whole crew Destinations across Montana, Colorado and other western states spring to mind, but the cowboy-cation is not confined to the U.S. For a home on the range in Europe travelers are booking converted barns and farmhouses in Italy, Spain, France and the United Kingdom. Thrill-seekerscanalsoembracetheirinner cowboy in Australia, where farmhouses in

Linda Johnson Rice, former Chairman of Ebony and Jet magazines will speak at the Norfolk Forum January 24th

InterviewByYiorgo

The Norfolk Forum is very proud to welcometherenownedLindaJohnsonRice Chairman & CEO of Johnson Publishing Company and former Chairman Emeritus ofEbonyMediaOperations,knownfortheir magazinesEbonyandJet,onTuesday,January24,2023atdowntownNorfolk’sChrysler Hall. Ms Rice has spent decades managing JohnsonPublishingCompany,theNo 1African-American publishing company in the world as well as building globally recognizedbrands

A visionary leader Ms. Rice is one of Chicago’s 100 Most Powerful Women and theTop10WomeninMediaaccordingtothe ChicagoSun-Times,aswellasCrain’slistof the 20 Most Powerful Women in Chicago. Over the past 30 years, Ms. Rice has served on10corporateboardsincludingOmnicom Group Tesla, and GrubHub to just name afew.

The moderator for this Norfolk Forum event is two-time best-selling author, TEDxspeaker,anda2021EbonyPower100 Honoree, Dr Angela D. Reddix, Founder & CEO of ARDX, a 16- year multi-million dollaraward-winningprofessionalservices management and consulting firm located hereinNorfolk.

ThisistheNorfolkForum’s90thanniversary season. Founded in 1933, The Norfolk Forum is the oldest publicly-subscribed speakers’foruminthecountry Eachseason, The Forum presents thought-provoking public figures who, in different ways, help shapeAmericanthoughtandopinion After eachpresentation,speakersengagetheaudienceinaquestionandanswersession.

For more information on The Norfolk Forum, go to www.thenorfolkforum.org. Single tickets for The Norfolk Forum event featuring Linda Johnson Rice are available nowatwww.thenorfolkforum.org/tickets

Yiorgo: With us today by phone is Linda Johnson Rice Ms. Rice, why should people attendyourpresentation?Whatisthetopic, whatwilltheylearnandhear?

Linda Johnson Rice: Call me Linda please My presentation is a fireside chat a conversation where questions are posed to me either by the moderator, the audience or both, that is my preference I love that give and take. That of course should not be surprising,giventhatIcomefromajournalistic, magazine, editing background where interviewswerethebackboneforEbonyand Jet. That’s how you find out so much about people,ratherthanjustgivingaspeech.

IwillbetalkingaboutJohnsonPublishing Company, it’s origination, my parents John and Eunice Johnson and how they started it and how that intersects with my life and thethingsthatIdidgrowingupinthebusiness Also we will talk about how the businesshadtoshiftasthemedialandscapehas shifted The internet that we now take for grantedandisapartofourlives,thatmedia landscapeshiftedin2008andthatchanged our business seismically and in a way that was a challenge for us We learned how to adaptandbeflexibleandIhadtomakehard andtoughdecisionsaswetransitionedwith Ebony, Jet and the Cosmetics business that wereallsold

Eventhroughallthosechallengingtimes, I retained Johnson Publishing Company and pivoted that business towards television, film content and production which is whatIamkeenlyinterestedinandlove One ofthetakeawaysIhopewillbethatthrough dark and difficult times comes a lot of light andalotoflearning Youalsohavetohavea lot of strength and conviction in yourself in ordertobeabletosurvivethosedark,trying times So hopefully the audience will get to know me and some of the challenges and leadershipskills someofmyexperiencesnot only in publishing but also being on several corporate boards. There are many layers here,andhopefully,that’swhatwewilltalk about.

Y: You are on demand constantly as a speaker, thank you for deciding to do the NorfolkForum?

LJR: You know, I was approached by the Washington Speakers Bureau and they said a request has come for you to speak in Norfolk I thought, I have never been there sothatwouldbeinterestinginitselfandthen when I saw the breadth of depth of speakers that have graced that audience, I was very impressed and maybe a little intimidated.TheyhavehadformerHeadsofState and I’m not in that category but hopefully I

can embark some wisdom and encouragementtotheaudience Iwasintriguedbythe NorfolkForumitselfwithsuchanincredibly variedgroupofspeakersandIwasdelighted tobeinvited.

Y: What was life like growing up as Mr andMrs Johnson’sbabygirl?

LJR: I grew up with such a privilege of being adopted at three months old by John andEuniceJohnsonandbeinggivensuchan incrediblelifetoberaisedbythem.Ilearned that I was adopted around age seven. My mother told me that I was adopted and I will never forget what she said My mother said to me, “If somebody at school teases youaboutbeingadopted,youtellthemthat you were no accident, we chose you.” And I never forgot that With that etched in my heart, I never had any feelings of being less than because I was adopted, never, never. I had a brother named Johnny who was also adopted. He passed away in 1981, he had sickle cell anemia He was not expected to live past the age of 16 and he lived until the age of 25 He was never really interested in working in the business, instead he loved photography

Y:Fromanearlylife,youshowedastrong interestinthefamilybusiness

LJR:Ilovedbeinginthecompanyevenat a very young age After school I went to the office It was my playground, my stomping ground I’m sure I was completely annoying to the editors because I would dart in and out of their offices just to say hi, I was a kid.IwouldgototheArtDepartment,what nowwecallGraphicDesign,theywouldlay out the pages, you would smell the rubber cement glue, God, I’m really aging myself, but that’s how they laid out the pages back then.SoIgrewupinthebusiness Itwasfun.

I mean where else do you get the chance to meet The Jackson Five? Because they are coming by the offices of Ebony and Jet. Growing up, my parents never said to me, come and work in the business. But they were smart enough to have me come by the

officeeveryday,afterschoolsoitwaskindof by osmosis that I really gravitated towards it. It was fun and interesting meeting such amazing people I continued going to the office through high school. I made time to socialize with my friends and go into the office

IwenttotheUniversityofSouthernCalifornia(USC)andgraduatedfromtheAnnenberg School of Communications I came back to Chicago worked in the business andstartedgoingtoNorthwesternforbusinessschool.Istartedfulltimebutswitched to night time so I could work in the office with my father and mother during the day. Myparentsbuiltthatbusinesstogether My mother came up with the name and named themagazineEbonyafterthewoodinAfrica. And I think my father named Jet because it wasanewsmagazineandaquickread.

Y: Your mother founded Ebony Fashion Fair(EFF)andyouworkedcloselywithher Canyoutellusaboutyourmotherandshare some fond memories or anecdotes of those earlyyears?

LJR: I first started working with my mother in the fashion department She was the fashion editor for Ebony, and wrote the monthly fashion issues She started in 1958 oh my goodness, that was the year I was born, the Ebony Fashion Fair Fashion Show as the producer and the director As I got older and came back from college, I started to shadow my father more. That’s howIgrewupinthebusiness.

Y: And because of EFF, you traveled throughoutEuropewithyourmother

LJC: I did, and what an incredible experiencethatwas.Iwouldgowithmymother as she would buy clothes from the famous designers for the Ebony Fashion Fair FashionShow.IstartedgoingtoEuropewithmy mother when I was seven years old I tell everyyoungpersonIsee,thatifyouhavethe opportunity to travel and experience other people and cultures, take it, because it adds so much richness to your life I traveled for

about20yearsormorewithmymotherand wewenttothefashioncapitalsoftheworld like Paris Milan, Rome London, Greece. I remember we did a fashion shoot at the ParthenoninGreece

As glamorous as it sounds, as I got older, I could see that for my mother, it was very isolating because she was the only black person buying couture and she was one of the biggest couture buyers As an individual, it took them years for the designers to invite her to their parties While she had to writethechecksforthoseexpensiveclothes rightthenandthere,theotherclientsdidnot necessarilyhavetodothat Theyhadcredit but my mother did not On top of that, she iswearing two different hats here Not only is she buying, but she is also going in as the fashioneditorandthepress Shewasbuying clothes during the day and we would book studiostophotographthoseclothesatnight so they could be in the pages of Ebony. It was a lot I will say that they respected her because my mother demanded that. She was sophisticated, glamorous, elegant and atoughnegotiatortodealwith.Theycalled herMadamJohnson.

Y: Tell us about the Ebony Fashion Fair FashionShow.

LJR: It was a traveling fashion show that wentfromcitytocity,foradifferentcharity every night From its existence from 1958 to 2009 over 55 million dollars was raised for African-American charities. With every fashionsale,youcouldpickaprescriptionto eitherEbonyorJet,soitwasagreatmarketingtool

Y:IwasahugefanofEbony/JetShowcase growing up What was your involvement withitandcanyousharesomememories?

LJR: I was the executive producer of the Ebony/Jet Celebrity Showcase for seven years Therearesomeincredibleinterviews that we only have such as Michael Jackson, WhitneyHoustonandsomanyothers.Black celebrities have always felt very confident talkingtoEbonyandJetbecausetheyfeltit was going to be authentic I really did love beinginvolvedwithitandit’sreallyinterestingbecauseithasnowcomefullcirclewith Johnson Publishing because we are now doing television content We have a documentary out called The Empire of Ebony that we are doing some final editing and negotiations for, to hopefully be on air on a streamingplatform.

Y: Can you tell us more about Johnson Publishing?

LJR: I actually ended up taking the company through a bankruptcy transition and of course it was extremely difficult personally and professionally because this was my whole life, my whole business, but it was something that had to be done I had exhausted every measure that I could. We ended up selling Ebony and Jet as two brands We then separated the cosmetic businessbutIretainedtheJohnsonPublishingCompanyandwepublishseveraldifferentbooks Weareworkingthroughsomeof the copyrights of some of the books to turn them into film and television projects We havefourprojectsunderourbeltsnowandI amexecutiveproducingthreeofthoseprojectsnow.

IshouldaddthatIhavehadserioushealth challenges with my vision, due to negative reactions to radiation treatment that I have not discussed at all before I have lost my vision in my right eye and my left eye is compromised as a result of some medical issues But I have decided that I just need to keep going I have gone through a lot of challenges and hurdles and just because you grow up in a privileged lifestyle, stuff happenstoyounomatterwhat.IamthankfultoGodforwhatIcansee.

Y:Youhaveexperiencedsomuch,canyou tellusaboutapinchmemoment?

LJR: Yes, it was the time my parents and I went to visit Nelson Mandela at his home I sat down next to him, in his library, on his sofa and it was just the four of us When I was in my late thirties, he gave me a copy of his book, Long Walk To Freedom and he said,“I’mgoingtoautographittoyou.”And I said, no please autograph it to my daughter Alexa who was four at the time She is a grown woman now but I kept the book. I havethatbooktothisday.

Yiorgo is an arts, entertainment and sports writer A stage, TV and movie actor, he is also a sports entertainer, educator, motivational speaker, writer, storyteller and columnist

LindaJohnson Rice (right)with herparentsJohn and EuniceJohnson.(COURTESYPHOTO)

Linda’s motherEuniceJohnson (COURTESYPHOTO)

LindaJohnson Rice is one ofChicago’s 100 Most PowerfulWomen and theTop 10Women in Media according to the Chicago Sun-Times,aswell as Crain’s list ofthe 20 Most Powerful Women in Chicago.She has served on 10 corporate boards including Omnicom Group Tesla, and GrubHub (COURTESYPHOTO)

Master the art of Italian comfort cuisine

FromFamilyFeatures

Cool crisp days call for comfort foods, like the classic flavors of traditional Italian cooking Whether you’re Italian by heritage or simply by heart, learning the art of Italian cuisine may be easier than you may think.

Perfectyourpastagame. Limp, mushy, overcooked pasta can ruin an otherwise delicious Italian dish. Aim for al dente pasta, which is soft but still firm. It’s important to note variables like the type of pasta, size of your pot and amount of water can all affect cooking time Treat the package instructions as a guide and start taste testing 1-2 minutes before you expect it to be done.

Bechoosyaboutyouringredients Many of the best Italian dishes are incredibly simple, so it’s important to select quality ingredients that allow the flavors to really stand out. Made in Italy, Bertolli d’Italia sauces are available in premium red and white varieties to elevate the at-home culinary experience and bring the authentic and delicious flavors of Italy to your table Every jar reflects more than 150 years of authentic Italian culinary tradition using high-quality ingredients like tomatoes vine-ripened under the Italian sun, finely aged Italian cheeses, fresh cream and Mediterranean olive oil Giveseasoningstimetosimmer Great things come to those who wait. That’s why the best Italian chefs sample their sauces along the way, adding and adjusting until the taste is just right. Then, they allow the ingredients to simmer together to create a perfectly balanced harmony of flavors

Experimentwithproteinsand veggies. For many Italian recipes you can create an entirely new dish by adding or swapping the protein and adding fresh produce Try introducing juicy strips of grilled chicken and fresh, steamed broccoli to an alfredo pasta like this Cavatelli with Cacio e Pepe Sauce Or, if you’re a seafood lover, reimagine this Fresh Tomato Bruschetta Chicken by swapping in a mild white fish like halibut cod or snapper Get cozy in your kitchen this winter with more comforting recipes at Bertolli.com.

Cavatelli with Cacio e Pepe Sauce

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Servings: 4

freshlygroundblackpepper totaste

Bringlargepotofcoldwatertoboil Saltwaterheavily. Cookdrypastaaccordingtopackageinstructionsuntil aldente.Strainpasta,reservingpastawater.

In large saucepan over low heat, warm pasta sauce 3-5 minutes Add1-2tablespoonspastawater. Transfercookedpastatosaucepan. Stir and toss pasta approximately 30 seconds over medium heat to integrate it with sauce Add pasta water asneededforcreamiertexture.

PlatepastaandtopwithfinelygratedPecorinoRomano andfreshlygroundblackpepper,totaste

Fresh Tomato Bruschetta Chicken

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 28 minutes

Servings: 6

cupextra-virginoliveoil

3clovesgarlic,minced

2teaspoonskoshersalt

teaspoongroundblackpepper

teaspoondriedoregano

6thinlyslicedboneless,skinlesschickenbreastcutlets(about1½pounds)

1largeonion,thinlysliced

1jar(24.7ounces)Bertollid’ItaliaMarinaraSauce

2tablespoonsbalsamicglaze

Preheatovento400F.

In small bowl, whisk olive oil, basil, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano until combined Combine 2 tablespoons oil mixture and chicken in resealable plastic bag Letstand5-10minutesatroomtemperaturetomarinate

In medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil mixture over medium heat. Add onions; cook 3-4 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Stir in marinara sauce Pour mixtureintolightlygreased13-by-9-inchbakingdish.Arrangechickenbreasts in dish, overlapping if necessary Top with grape tomatoes and cherry tomato stems.Spoonremainingoilmixtureovertomatoes

Bake,covered,25minutes,oruntilchickenisdone(165F)andtomatoesstart toburst.SprinklewithParmesan,drizzlewithbalsamicglazeandgarnishwith freshbasilleavesbeforeserving

FromFamilyFeatures

Gatheringforthebiggame isasourceofannualexcitementforfansacrossthe country butthemomentis asmuchaboutconnecting withfamilyandfriendsasit istheactiononthefield.The superstarofthecelebrations isoftenthefood,fromsnacks andappetizerstofull-blown mealsandtastysweets

Forabetter-for-youway togruboutatgametime, thisHealthy7-LayerTaco DipfromMilkMeansMore featuresessentialnutrients providedbyyogurtsoyou canenjoyafootballfavorite thatnourishesboththebody andsoul.

Thisrecipeiscourtesy ofLizDellaCroceof“The LemonBowl”onbehalfof MilkMeansMoreFindmore gamedayrecipesatMilkMeansMore.org

Servewith tortillachips

Public health nutritionist shares strategies, resources for meeting New Year weight loss goals

ByJoannaReagan Public Health Nutritionist, Defense Centers For Public Health-Aberdeen

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND,

Md

The New Year allows us to start fresh with a new calendar and new beginnings which may prompt a resolution for a positivechangeinourbehavior AcommonNew Year’s resolution for many people is to lose weight,butlosingweightisnoteasy(asmost ofusknow).Soifyouareseriousaboutlosing weight, there are many resources at your military installation, through TRICARE or MilitaryOneSource,tohelpyoureachyour weightlossgoals

Explore your resources to help you with your goals Weight loss has proven to be more successful with professional counseling, shared accountability and enhanced motivation. Consider the following options to see what might be available at your local military installation. Depending on your location, a variety of in-person and virtual optionsareofferedbytheseresources:

„ You can personalize your weight loss goals with a registered dietitian nutritionist,orRDN,atyourlocalmilitarytreatment facility An RDN will look closely at your eating habits and help you set your weight loss goals Usually he or she will meet with you over a series of sessions to help refine yourweightlossgoalswithatargetoflosing about 1 to 1.5 pounds per week until you reach your goal. Contact your local MTF Nutrition Clinic to make an appointment foragroupclassorindividualappointments

„ The Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness humanperformanceteamsofathletictrainers, strength and conditioning coaches, physicalandoccupationaltherapists,cognitiveperformancespecialists andRDNsoffer an interdisciplinary approach to meet your weightlossgoalsandoptimizeperformance.

„ Army/Armed Forces Wellness Centers offer a review of your current health habits and an exploration of your personal health and wellness goals Services also include sleep and health education, exercise testing and prescription, stress management, and body composition testing The AWC/ AFWC also offers metabolic testing to find out how many calories you need to meet your objectives Knowing your calorie goals can guide your food choices, thus empowering you to meet your weight loss goals Learn more at https://p3.amedd. army.mil/army-wellness-center-locations

„

The ShipShape Program is an intensive weight management program for activeduty Sailors and Marines Government civilians,retireesaswellasfamilymembers

who exceed healthy body weight or have weight-related health problems This no-cost program consists of four sessions that cover the primary components of weight loss: nutrition, physical activity, mindset and sleep Contact your local military treatment facility command fitness leaderorhealthpromotionstaffmemberfor your ShipShape Program point of contact.

„ The Air Force/Space Force offers a Best S.E.L.Fprogramthataddressesfourcomponents of lifestyle modification (nutrition, activity,mindfulnessandsleep)tofacilitate lossofweightandbodyfat Thecurriculum consists of five sessions designed to help servicemembersseekingtoloseormaintain their weight and enjoy an overall healthy lifestyle SeveralAirForce/SpaceForcelocations also offer a 12-session group-lifestyle balance,orGLB,programcalledHealthcare to Health, or H2H This program, led by speciallytrainedlifestylecoaches,addresses obesity and has been proven to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes through weight reduction and increased physical activity.

„ Military OneSource offers health coaching Losingweight,managingstress,tackling transitions ifyou’rereadytomakesomelife changes, free consultations with a Military OneSource health and wellness coach can help. Learn more at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/confidential-help/specialty-consultations/health-wellness-coaching/

„

TRICAREalsooffersweightlossoptions if you meet specific conditions TRICARE covers intensive, multicomponent behavioral interventions for obesity. These servicespromotesustainedweightloss(12 to 26 sessions in a year). These weight loss services must be provided by a TRICAREauthorized provider such as a physician or a registered dietitian working under a physician’s supervision, for TRICARE to cover them. To qualify for these services, you must be: „ AnadultwithaBodyMassIndexof 30kg/m2orhigher,or

treatment for non-active duty service members This includes gastric bypass surgery and other surgeries for weight loss You must meet certain conditions for TRICARE to cover such treatment. Click on the link below to learn about obesity treatment and the medical conditions which may make weight loss surgery medically appropriate for you. Through a referral from your primary care provider, TRICARE will cover medically necessary services provided by RDNs. Learn more at https://newsroom.tricare.mil/Articles/ Article/2913796/need-help-managingyour-weight-see-what-tricare-covers

Research shows that if individuals continuewithaprogramfrommorethansix months to one year, they are more successful at losing weight and keeping it off With assistancefromahealthprofessional,those seekingtoloseweightcanexploredifferent optionstodeterminewhatmightworkbest forthem.Whilesomeindividualslikehaving a very specific meal plan to follow, others maypreferahealthcoachingapproachusing SMART goals A SMART goal is specific, measurable,achievable,relevant,andtimely HerearesomeSMARTgoalstoconsiderfor weightloss:

„ To track or not to track? Tracking your weight-loss program in an application or a journalcreatesawarenessandcanhelpyou focusonthecaloriesandmacronutrientsof your diet Tracking can help you see eating patternsandisalsousefulinprovidingyour RDN or health coach with appropriate feedback Youdon’thavetotrackeveryday Determine what works best for you to stay accountable and on track. A SMART goal mightbe:“Mygoalistorecordallofmyfood and beverage choices and portions for at least 3 days each week for the next month.”

„ Do you stress-eat? For many individuals, stress, anxiety, boredom, or using food as a reward can derail your weight loss progress Strategies to avoid temptations can be addressed in a variety of ways A SMART goalmightbe:“Mygoalistonothavetemptingfoodsinthehouseoroffice Startingwith developing a grocery list and not purchasinganytemptingfoodsforthenextmonth.” Another strategy to short-circuit stress eating is to make a list of distractions like goingonawalk,startingahouseholdchore, or calling a friend that you can engage in when the temptation to stress-eat hits

„ What to drink? Liquid calories can add up quickly In social situations, set a limit of how many alcoholic beverages you will drinkduringtheevent.Alcohol juice energy drinks fancy coffees and regular sodas add extracaloriestoyourplan.Limityourselfto

one to two of these drinks and then transition to water or a non-calorie beverage Be particularly cautious with alcohol; not only are alcoholic drinks often high in calories, they can also lower your inhibitions and makeyoumorelikelytogobackforseconds or cut a particularly large slice of dessert

A SMART goal might be: “My goal is to limit my alcohol consumption to one drink on one night a week for the next month.

„ Do you meal-prep? Spending some time on your days off to cook a few meals in advance can help with the “empty refrigerator syndrome.” Leftovers make a great lunchforthenextday,ordinnerthefollowingnight.Evenifyoudon’tmeal-prep spend some time considering your food for the week. Make a grocery list of choices that supportyourgoals likefreshfruittopack withlunches,orhealthyandquickbreakfast options Thenfillyourfridgewithfoodsthat encourage you to eat healthier A SMART goalmightbe:“Mygoalistoprepareahealthy lunchwithnomorethan600caloriesonthe nightsbeforeatleast3workdaysperweek.”

„ How many fiber-rich foods are in your diet? Fiber is the best food to eat for weight loss Fiber is the indigestible component of plant-based foods: fruits and veggies, legumes, whole grains, and certain seeds, such as chia seeds Fiber slows down the rate of digestion, which is why we feel satisfied longer after a high-fiber meal and are less inclined to reach for a snack later on. A SMART goal might be: “My goal is to eat two fruits a day.

„ Are you well hydrated? Your body functions better when you are well hydrated. Choose low- or no-calorie beverages like plain water, water infused with fruit, or unsweetened tea or zero calorie beverages A SMART goal might be “Keep a filled water bottle at my desk.

Trying new options or new resources will give you a boost toward meeting your goals for health. By June, your weight loss orhealth-relatedgoalswillmatchyourNew Year’s resolutions a new reason to celebrate!

The Defense Centers for Public Health-Aberdeen advances Joint Force health protection with agile public health enterprise solutions in support of the NationalDefenseStrategy

NOTE: The mention of any non-federal entity and/or its products is for informational purposes only and not to be construed or interpreted, in any manner as federal endorsement.

Acommon NewYear’s resolution formanypeople is to loseweight but losingweight is not easy There are manyresources available at militaryinstallations,throughTRICARE orMilitary OneSource to helpyou reachyourweight loss goals.(DEFENSECENTERSFORPUBLICHEALTH-ABERDEENGRAPHICILLUSTRATIONBYGRAHAMSNODGRASS)