Flagship 02.04.2021

IN THIS ISSUE

VOL. 27, No. 05, Norfolk, VA | flagshipnews.com

LOVELL FHCC BUILDS NEW COVID-19 FACILITY CaptainJamesA.LovellFederalHealthCareCenterhas builtanewdrive-thrufacility formedicalprocedures,Building33,informallycalled“The PoleBarn.” See A6

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Hampton Roads Navy installations participating in security exercise, traffic delays possible From Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Public Affairs NORFOLK

Fleet Forces pins new chiefs

By MC1 Stacy Atkins Ricks

Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command Public Affairs

NORFOLK

In a ceremony steeped in tradition, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) held a chief petty officer (CPO) pinning ceremony, Jan. 29, at the USFFC headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia.

After weeks of training and mentorship, Chief Intelligence Specialist Joshua Waldrop, from Newnan, Georgia, and Chief Aerographer’s Mate Travis Strait, from Columbus, Mississippi, were pinned to the rank of chief petty officer with their immediate families in attendance and their shipmates watching virtually from around the world.

Adm. Christopher W. Grady, USFFC commander, presided over the

ceremony highlighting the effort it takes to reach this career milestone.

“We know that it takes years of hard work and dedication to make it to this point; sacrifices that you have made to be here — that you and your families together have made. You have demonstrated the ability to perform at the next level and that you have a mastery of your craft, and just as importantly the ability to use your talent and knowledge to be leaders, mentors, to train the next generation of the Navy,” said Grady.

While COVID changed the face of the traditional CPO season and pinning, USFFC’s Command Master Chief Alicia Kirkland was grateful the command could find a safe way to celebrate the moment that brings everything full circle.

MC1 Theodore Green

“Pinning means ‘I did it! I am accepted!’, said Kirkland. “[It was] one of the proudest moments of my life and definitely the proudest personal moment of my naval career. Although this season was very unique, I am confident that learning did occur. First class petty officers transitioned to chief petty officers, which is the most important part of the process. I am confident that we got it done, and got it done right.”

Strait reflected on what he learned during the season, and a valuable lesson he received.

“My biggest take away from this season is that I did not know as much as I thought I did and that’s okay,” said Strait. “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. That is something I want every Sailor to understand, no matter where they are in their career.”

“I was able to take some of the knowledge and lessons learned by generations of Chiefs that have come 

Navy installations throughout Hampton Roads are participating in an annual force protection exercise, Feb. 1-12.

Exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2021 is conducted by Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command and Commander, Navy Installations Command on all Navy installations in the continental U.S. The exercise is designed to enhance the readiness of Navy Security Forces and ensure seamless interoperability among the commands, other services and agency partners.

“Exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain tests the capability of our Navy Security Forces and personnel to respond to varying realistic threats appropriately, quickly and with confidence in support of defending the homeland,” said Rear Adm. Charles Rock, commander of Navy Region Mid-Atlantic. “Our security forces train and operate 365 days a year.

This exercise provides our entire force an opportunity for dedicated training and renewed focus on our force protection mission in conjunction with our first responder community partners.”

Exercise CS-SC21 is not in response to any specific threat, but is a regularly scheduled exercise.

Measures have been taken to minimize disruptions within local communities and to normal base operations, but there may be times when the exercise causes increased traffic around bases or delays in base access. Area residents may also see or hear security activities associated with the exercise. As always, “see something,

See CHIEFS | A7



See TRAFFIC | A7

Ford commences first independent steaming event of 2021

By Lt.Cmdr. Desiree Frame

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) Public Affairs

ATLANTIC OCEAN

After completing a 44-day maintenance window of opportunity, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) commenced its first independent steaming event (ISE) of 2021, Jan. 28.

During ISE 15, Ford will conduct various drills and system tests as part of her post-delivery test and trials (PDT&T) and will continue carrier qualifications (CQ) for Naval Air Force Atlantic fleet replacement pilots and student naval aviators assigned to Chief of Naval Air Training.

“It was great to get some much needed time in port during the holidays after nearly 200 days underway last year, but the crew and I were very excited to get underway today,” said Capt. J.J. Cummings, Ford’s commanding officer. “It’s more than just readying the ship’s systems, it’s about GERALD R. FORD generating fleet readiness by sending carrier qualified naval aviators to our world-wide deployable aircraft carriers and air wings.”

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While underway, Ford will conduct CQ with pilots from Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 123, and Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106.

The “Gladiators” of VFA-106 are set to mark a milestone while aboard Ford as they complete the first use of Precision Landing Mode (PLM) during initial CQ on an East Coast aircraft carrier.

“This is a revolutionary leap forward in the way we train Naval Aviators,” added Cummings. “Having landed on FORD using PLM last underway, I understand how it improves landing performance. I look forward to seeing VFA-106 aviators CQ and getting their feedback” Three-fourths of the way through its PDT&T, Ford has recorded nearly 6,400 aircraft launches and recoveries with the state-of-the-art Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System and Advanced Arresting Gear, including more than 5,600 launches and recoveries since January 2020 across a total of eight ISEs. For more information, contact USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) Public Affairs Officer at pao@cvn78.navy.mil.

Presidential inauguration NEPLOprogrammobilized10NavyReserveSailorsfrom NavyRegion NavalDistrictWashington andNavyRegionMidAtlanticunitsinsupportof theinauguration See A2

MCSN Riley McDowell Boatswain's Mate Seaman Riva Redding, from Norfolk, assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford's (CVN 78) deck department, pulls a messenger line through a chock on the ship fantail during a sea and anchor detail, Jan. 28.

SAVVi NRL research team Ateamofresearchersfrom the U.S. NRL received a United States andUnited Kingdom Science andTechnology Cooperation Commendation fromtheOfficeof the Under Secretary ofDefense forResearchandEngineering, Dec.4. See A8

SUBLANT holdschief pinning ceremony SUBLANTadvanced three chiefpettyofficerstotheir newpaygrade duringapinningceremony,Jan. 29. See A6

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FRCE V-22 line sets personal best for Osprey turnaround time

By Kimberly Koonce

Fleet Readiness Center East Public Affairs

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C.

Every field of effort has a standard to beat.

Track and field had the four-minute mile. For baseball, the bar is 762 career home runs. For the V-22 Osprey production line at Fleet Readiness Center East, there was the 300day turnaround time for returning the aircraft to their fleet customers.

On January 15, the V-22 line broke that elusive 300-day mark when the team returned its most recently completed aircraft in 297 days, far below the negotiated standard of 420 days.

V-22 production supervisors have credited much of the decreased overhaul time to the line’s recent adoption of a team concept.

Under this new way of doing business, one airframes work leader is responsible for each aircraft, with the assistance of subject matter experts in the sheet metal and electrician trades. Together, these three experts make daily decisions on scheduling, parts and staffing needs.

“What it did was give us a driving force, a person who really knows what needs to be done on the aircraft and what is required to complete that task,” said Don McLean, V-22 first-line supervisor. “At our daily morning briefings, the work leader shares the information with the team, and we assign artisans to work based on that day’s needs. It keeps us laser focused on the line’s priorities.”

Parts are getting the same attention as personnel on FRCE’s V-22 line. The team maintains a spreadsheet detailing required parts and when they will be needed in the process.

Supervisors say this long-view approach helps the team overcome potential obstacles before they become work stoppages.

“We’re identifying long lead-time parts, and as we achieve our milestones on the air-

craft, we can look ahead and say we need this, when can we get it? And if we can’t get it, how can we overcome that obstacle?” said Matt Sinsel, V-22 production control coordinator. “We may have to find an engineering solution, locally manufacture a part, or take the part from another aircraft. We work through our obstacles to keep aircraft on track.”

Program leaders have predicted that turnaround times of less than 300 days will become more common on the V-22 line in the near future, due to improved parts availability and increased staffing of aviation professionals. The line’s ultimate goal is to meet the fleet’s demands for aircraft in 250 days. Andrew Rock, FRCE V-22 branch head, said that goal is attainable by working with the Defense Logistics Agency and the Naval Supply Systems Command, as well as applying more aviation maintenance professionals to each aircraft.

“Our negotiated turnaround time with Naval Air Systems Command is 420 days, but our target turnaround time to meet fleet demand is 250 days. There’s a huge difference in what the negotiated demand is and what we are now being asked to do,” Rock said. “Obviously, in order to do that, material must be available when it is needed and you have to apply more manpower, so we are currently in a ramp up to get the manpower on board, to get them trained, and then, regardless of the material condition of the aircraft, I think 250 days is attainable for most aircraft.”

The line’s achievements have not gone unnoticed by senior leadership at FRCE. Col. Thomas Atkinson, FRCE executive officer, visited several shop areas to thank the people whose efforts contributed to the milestone.

“The difference between the planned turnaround of 420 days and 300 days is about four months. You’ve done this four months faster

Kimberly Koonce FRCE aircraft mechanics perform final maintenance functions on this V-22 Osprey before it is returned to the fleet. FRCE returned this aircraft in 297 days, 123 days before the negotiated completion date.

than you were expected to,” said Atkinson.

“You’ve given one third of an aircraft back to the Marine Corps. We do that three times, that’s like having an extra aircraft that doesn’t have to be purchased and that can be used for training and other missions.”

Supervisors said the new team concept and the success it has produced has energized employees working on the V-22 Osprey, and they predict the team will shatter other milestones in the future.

“This achievement tells me the entire V-22 team has bought in,” said Rock, crediting the artisans, estimators and evaluators, quality assurance, production controllers, and local

manufacturing with contributing to the program’s success. “The entire team takes pride in what they do. Everyone is determined to meet all the goals this command throws at them, and so far they have done it.”

FRCE is North Carolina’s largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, with more than 4,000 civilian, military and contract workers. Its annual revenue exceeds $1 billion. The depot generates combat air power for America’s Marines and naval forces while serving as an integral part of the greater U.S. Navy; Naval Air Systems Command; and Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers.

“This is a fantastic problem to have,” he began. “To select amongst a group of superstars – our best and brightest in the command! Thanks to everybody who nominated, supported, and mentored these petty officers into the program. To the winning Sailors, I would ask that you pay it forward as well.

Mold others in your image – that’s really our charge. Congratulations to our Sailor of the Year, and our Junior Sailor of the Year!”

Sailor of the Year is a time-honored tradition introduced in 1972 by Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Elmo Zumwalt and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Whittet. This

annual competition is held to recognize superior performance of individual Sailors, who exceed in personifying the ideals of the Navy Core Values.

Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic is responsible for four nuclearpowered aircraft carriers, 54 aircraft squadrons, 1,200 aircraft and 50,000 officers, enlisted and civilian personnel based on the East Coast of the United States. It provides combat ready, sustainable naval air forces with the right personnel, properly trained and equipped, with a focus on readiness, operational excellence, interoperability, safety, and efficient resourcing.

CNAL announces Sailors of the Year

By MCSA Devin S. Randol

Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic Public Affairs

NORFOLK

Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic (COMNAVAIRLANT), Rear Adm. John Meier announced the Fiscal Year 2020 Junior Sailor of the Year and the 2020 Senior Sailor of the Year for COMNAVAIRLANT, Jan. 22.

U.S. Navy Information Systems Technician Petty Officer 1st Class Dorothea L. Allen was named the Senior Sailor of the Year, and Navy Culinary Specialist (Submarine) Petty Officer 2nd Class Ralph K. Joseph was named the Junior Sailor of the Year.

Allen, a native of North Carolina, upon hearing the news of her selection, expressed gratitude and humility, as well as surprise and a determination to pay it forward.

“I’m really shocked,” she laughed.

“I’m just really honored, and I don’t really feel like I deserve it, but I really appreciate the recognition. I definitely feel an obligation to mentor junior Sailors and help them to get into the same place that I’m in for next year‘s awards!”

Likewise, Joseph, a native of Haiti who later relocated to Orlando, Florida, felt humbled by the Admiral’s decision to select him. He expressed great pride in the work and the individuals who raised him to his current height.

“It reiterates to me that nothing is given to you,” he said. “You’ve got to earn it, even if you think you’re there, you’re not there yet; there’s always another level. With the right leadership

and mentorship, you’ll keep getting back up, keep going harder and what you’ll do is get recognized for it. I want to thank my mentors and my leaders, especially Chief Josie Paulino, who put me in this position.”

Both Allen and Joseph were able to rise above the competition with their individual positive attitudes. Their enthusiasm raised morale and spread to their fellow Sailors. Outside the workplace, the two winners also took great effort to make a difference in the community as well.

Allen, previously earning Sailor of the Quarter for the third Quarter of 2020, encouraged her junior Sailors to get involved with college programs, and assisted them in becoming fully qualified in over 200 training sessions.

Excelling in her collateral duties as well, she’s taken on the roles of both Command Urinalysis Coordinator and Sexual Assault Prevention Response Victim Advocate. Furthermore, she donated over $1,000 to various charities.

Joseph, exhibiting his true skill and devotion to his work, helmed a complete overhaul of the galley menu, adding 50 new healthy and nutritious options. On top of that, he successfully balanced the Mess Hall’s $8,000 budget with 100 percent accuracy. Outside of his busy full-time work in the kitchen, he completed over 50 hours of volunteering with Virginia-based organizations.

Meier noted just how strong the competition for this year’s selection was, and was proud to acknowledge the winners.

Commander,Navy Region Mid-Atlantic(CNRMA): Rear Adm.Charles W. “Chip”Rock Regional program manager for Navy Region Mid-Atlantic (NRMA):

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Unique NSWCDD program enhances internship opportunities amid pandemic From Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division Public Affairs DAHLGREN

With the pandemic threatening to cancel the internship programs with Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), Brian Dillon, the Software Architect, jumped into action to create a virtual route to keep internships going within the Sites Planning and Tools Branch. The initiative created a unique Navy program and saved internship opportunities.

At the onset of COVID-19, NSWCDD internship programs felt the effects. One such program is the Science and Engineering Apprentice Program (SEAP).

SEAP provides summer internship opportunities for high school students in which they participate in research at Department of Navy (DoN) laboratories.

Research opportunities such as SEAP are a key component of developing a future STEM workforce for DoN. Unfortunately, COVID restrictions led to the cancellation of SEAP this year.

Another key internship program, used for collegiatelevel personnel, is the Scientific, Technical, Engineering, and Mathematics Student Employment Program (SSEP). SSEP interns work in key DoN programs while finishing their undergraduate or graduate degrees.

SSEP provides a direct hiring process to ensure that Dahlgren has an ample supply of high quality scientific, technical, engineering, and mathematics graduates for its hiring needs. In response to COVID-19 restrictions, the NSWC Dahlgren Human Resources (HR) Office and Technical Departments teamed to re-design SSEP internships to ensure continuity of the program despite unprecedented changes in the educational and work environments. NSWC Dahlgren’s commitment to continuing SSEP through the pandemic, while maintaining rigorous safety protocols for all participants, demonstrates that the Laboratory remained “open for business” despite COVID-19.

Facing sudden loss of the high school SEAP internship program, Dillon and the HR team immediately identified two SEAP interns who qualified for SSEP – by virtue of their age and acceptance into college – and brought them onboard through the SSEP program.

These students formed the nucleus of the new Expeditionary Dahlgren program. Expeditionary Dahlgren

enables the Dahlgren laboratory to conduct cutting edge, exploratory work while indoctrinating its future workforce into the DevSecOps mindset needed for the Agile engineering of Naval software and systems.

The Expeditionary Dahlgren Program uses a projectbased approach similar in form to Dahlgren’s Sly Fox Program. During Sly Fox missions, relatively young engineers and scientists develop leadership skills by executing project-based tasks that force them to learn mission engineering, systems engineering, systems integration, and other skills critical to the Dahlgren mission. Sly Fox participants apply their talents to existing technology gaps and efforts ranging from directed energy and radar systems to unmanned systems and cyber warfare.

Expeditionary Dahlgren made three important changes from the Sly Fox model to adapt to the COVID conditions. Collectively these changes allow the interns to work on real navy software and make important improvements, instead of limiting their internship to a mere academic exercise. First, the interns receive approval from management and cyber experts to work in the public domain. Second, interns would use remote software development practices of high interest to the future of the Navy. Third, a Navy software project was approved for release into the public domain. In this way, the interns would be using the latest software practices on an open-source software project that can be brought back into the classified lab and developed for the specific system needs. These efforts successfully created something with direct applicability to real-world Naval needs.

“We were able to work out the best mix of several objectives academically and programmatically. The ability to ring so many bells at once came out of this new approach, building off the programs that Human Resources Manager for Student Programs Michelle Stuczynski has been stewarding for so long,” explained Dillon.

Currently, the interns are still working virtually from as far away as South Carolina.

“Possibly the best thing we did was extending the internships over the school year,” Dillon shared.

Though the interns are still focusing on their education, working on Dahlgren efforts allows them to gain experience alongside their education. Additionally, the interns are now excelling by successfully applying their work techniques to their schoolwork. Dillon continues to meet virtually with the interns once a week and to find ways to tie their work into projects on base.

“These kids did phenomenal work,” Dillon praised, “They are all very bright and I give them full credit for the success of this program.”

Currently, the two schools involved with Expeditionary Dahlgren are Virginia Tech (VT) and Rappahannock Community College (RCC). However, once COVID-19 is over, there are plans to extend these project-based approaches into more colleges, high schools and middle schools.

“We want to bring the best minds into the Navy and to do that we have to help develop them. By reaching back so far into the educational stream, we can get as much as six to 10 years of contact with these interns before they become full time government employees,” shared Dillon.

It takes many people to forge an effective team. In addition to academic partners, Dillon recognized the strong support provided by the NSWC Line Management, Academic Engagement and Human Resource teams.

“I have never met a good idea I didn’t like, and I will happily fold anything into the Expeditionary Dahlgren concept if I think it will work. I have no doubts that the STEM group will have loads of useful and creative ideas in the near future. I will continue to work with anyone who can help improve education,” said Dillon of the future efforts with Expeditionary Dahlgren.

The primary goal of Expeditionary Dahlgren is to increase the outreach in a project-based way and to prepare these interns for future work at Dahlgren. The program has proved successful in making the NSWCDD internship programs stronger than before and more sustainable, given the virtual environment.

“In the end, we are getting more robust outcomes and he have hopes to reinforce and extend the program in follow-on years,” stated Dillon.

Navy liaison officers provide support for presidential inauguration

By Cmdr. Kip Wright, Navy Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer Program Public Affairs WASHINGTON

The Navy Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers (NEPLO) program mobilized 10 Navy Reserve Sailors from Navy Region Naval District Washington and Navy Region Mid-Atlantic units, Jan. 17-24, in support of the inauguration of Joseph R. Biden Jr. as 46th president of the United States.

The NEPLOs served as liaisons providing inauguration information and situational awareness to federal, state, and local emergency management agencies and U.S. Army North’s Defense Coordinating Element for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region III — each in support of Joint Task Force-National Capital Region.

“I believe this inauguration was the most unique in history because of both the high level of security and the lack of attendees, due to the pandemic,” said

Capt. Andrew Shank, commanding officer of the NEPLO Naval District Washington unit.

The NEPLO program consists entirely of Navy Reserve Sailors professionally trained in emergency management. NEPLOs provide Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) during hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, pandemics — and National Special Security Events (NSSE), such as the State of the Union Address, state funerals or presidential inaugurations.

“FEMA was the lead federal agency crisis management and provided support to JTF-NCR,” Shank said. “FEMA was basically on standby, in case an event occurred, with the personnel necessary to open a Joint Field Office to start processing requests for federal assistance.”

NEPLOs contributed to the readiness of the JTF-NCR Joint Operations Center; Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and West Virginia; Regional Response Coordination Center FEMA Region III; National

Courtesy photo

Guard Headquarters in Pennsylvania and Virginia; and the District of Columbia Homeland Security Emergency Management Agency.

While a few NEPLOs were on site at the Virginia EOC and National Guard headquarters, the rest of the team used various virtual online tools to keep fed-

eral, state and local partners informed in order to maintain social distancing requirements.

“The online collaboration tools were key to maintaining situational awareness and essential to the JTF-NCR JOC in monitoring and managing inauguration activities,” Shank said.

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Kristine Sturkie Rich Honiball, Executive Vice President, Global Chief Merchandising Marketing Officer for the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) was awarded a 2021 OnCon Icon Award, Top 100 Marketer Award.

NEXCOM’s Rich Honiball receives Top Marketer Award

By Kristine Sturkie

Navy Exchange Service Command, Public Affairs after Navy Exchange Service Command

VIRGINIA BEACH

Rich Honiball, Executive Vice President, Global Chief Merchandising & Marketing Officer for the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) was awarded a 2021 OnCon Icon Award, Top 100 Marketer Award. The 2021 Awards were presented virtually at OnCon 2021 on Jan. 20, 2021.

“We are thrilled that OnCon and marketing executives have recognized what we have known all along, that our NEXCOM marketing team, led by Rich, drives innovation and creative marketing strategies that stand shoulder to shoulder with the top organiza-

tions in the world,” said retired Rear Adm. Robert J. Bianchi, Chief Executive Officer of NEXCOM. “Rich and his team’s ability to pivot and change plans mid-stream during the pandemic, while always keeping our customers first and foremost in our minds, is what helps us to continually raise the bar in serving our Navy community. Our military members, reservists, retirees, veterans and their family members benefit greatly from Rich’s expertise and experience.”

The OnCon Icon Awards recognize the top professionals and vendors in the entire world in the categories of marketing, human resources and legal. The OnCon Top 100 Marketer Award is given to an executive who has made a considerable impact on their organization and made strong contributions to their professional community through thought lead-

ership.

During 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NEXCOM’s marketing plans continually evolved to keep up with the myriad of changes in the industry. In spring 2020, while NEXCOM was aggressively developing new safety protocols and working with suppliers to build inventory in critical areas, Honiball made the decision to pivot existing print marketing to a digital first strategy to be able to react in a more agile manner as the retail business and inventory levels continued to shift. In addition, to keep customers engaged while quarantining at home, the NEX introduced virtual events including concerts, 5K runs, cooking demonstrations and contests, and even visits with Santa Claus during the holidays. This switch to a multi-channel approach, which focused more on digital and social communication, led to an 18% increase in customer acquisition and a 35% increase in customer engagement.

The entire listing of the 2021 OnCon Top 100 Marketer Award winners can be found at https:// www.onconferences.com/2021-marketing-winners.

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A6 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

Lovell FHCC builds new COVID-19 testing, vaccination drive through facility

by MCSA Minh-Thy Chu

Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center Public Affairs

CHICAGO

Inspired by pandemic challenges, Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center has built a new drive-thru facility for medical procedures, Building 33, informally called “The Pole Barn.”

The largest construction project ever completed by in-house Lovell FHCC personnel, the new structure on the hospital’s North Chicago campus allows Lovell FHCC providers to test, vaccinate, and provide other types of care to patients in their vehicles, minimizing exposure to people and surfaces that can potentially spread COVID-19, influenza and other infectious diseases. Ultimately planned to provide drive-thru vaccinations to Lovell FHCC patients, COVID-19 surveillance swabbing of Recruit Detachment Commanders has already been moved to the new structure.

“One of the things Building 33 really does is allow for maximum social distancing,” said Lovell FHCC Assistant Director of Plans and Operations Kathleen Kennedy.

Prior to the completion of this testing facility, Lovell FHCC staff members were providing swab tests for personnel from Recruit Training Command at Naval Station Great Lakes and Naval Training Center from a tent set up on the Lovell FHCC campus.

Here, the staff administered about 200 tests, one to two times a week.

“Even though the tent was a great asset - I think giving our staff an enclosed structure with lights, heat, and tables has really benefitted our team doing this testing,” Kennedy said.

Since it was established in 2010, Lovell FHCC is the nation’s first federal health care center, integrating Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs medical and other services in North Chicago, Ill. . Lovell FHCC’s integrated mission of caring for military, military dependent and veteran patients is best captured through the motto, “Readying Warriors, Caring for Heroes.”

Kennedy said, “Building 33 is a great example of integration. We were able to use in-house personnel, and we had a mission, primarily the testing for RTC and NTC, that really drove that building.”

The construction of Building 33 began in September 2020, as soon as the materials arrived, and by mid-December, it was complete. Michael McCullough, Lovell FHCC carpenter shop supervisor, and his shop workers logged close to 3,000 hours to construct the building. Edwin Lopez, electric shop supervisor, and his team put nearly 900 hours into the construction of the building.

“The shops’ supervisors, Edwin and Mike, were always a step ahead of the workers with material and ideas, so there was no lapse in work or any down times waiting on material,” Lovell FHCC Facility Operations Specialist Derrik Heinzen said.

Another individual who was a main contributor to the completion of the project was Lovell FHCC Carpenter Thomas Arndt. Arndt oversaw many aspects of the construction, including building design, planning the physical location, groundwork preparations and coordinating with other trades to accomplish any necessary tasks. Facility Management at Lovell FHCC currently has six in-house shops includ-

ing electrical, carpenter/paint, AC/refrigerator, and a service unit.

Considering the purpose of Building 33, the completion of the project was a crucial step, and utilizing FHCC’s in-house expertise was extremely beneficial, Kennedy said.

“The fact that we did this job in-house, we did not waste time soliciting, awarding bids, and building packages,” Heinzen said. “This usually adds six months to a year onto a time frame.”

Some future goals for Building 33 that are currently under development include expanding the swab testing for Lovell FHCC staff as well. Another one is potentially utilizing the drive-thru for mass patient vaccinations once the COVID-19 vaccine is available to larger numbers of people. In the long run, Building 33 may become an even bigger factor in deploying the vaccine and keeping patients and staff members safe, Kennedy said. This could not be possible without the work of Lovell FHCC’s in-house shops and the joint effort to limit the spread of COVID-19.

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MC2 Cameron Stoner Newly pinned chief petty officers pose for a photo after a chief pinning ceremony at Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic, Jan. 29.

SUBLANT holds chief pinning ceremony

By MC2 Cameron Stoner

Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic Public Affairs

NORFOLK

Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic (SUBLANT) advanced three chief petty officers to their new paygrade during a pinning ceremony, Jan. 29.

The newest Sailors to take on new positions of leadership and responsibility in SUBLANT’s chief mess are Chief Yeoman Brian Battin, Chief Electronics Technician (Navigation) Matthew Mak, and Chief Information Systems Technician (Submarines) Shanaar Barber.

“In the Navy, we often talk about what deckplate leadership really is and everyone usually has their own idea,” said Vice Adm. Daryl Caudle, Commander, Submarine Forces. “To me, deckplate leadership is when Chief Petty Officers have a good sense of the pulse of their ships, commands, watch floors, and staffs they are on. They have a good connection between the junior enlisted, the senior enlisted, and the officers. Chiefs serve as an effective bridge between these different groups, allowing communication to go up and down the chain of command very seam-

lessly with the goal of improving transparency and ownership.”

The advancement to a chief petty officer is often seen as a major milestone in an enlisted Sailor’s career.

“Congratulations to our newest Chief Petty Officers,” said Force Master Chief Steve Bosco. “You are charged with the unfathomable responsibility of leading America’s sons and daughters during unpresented times.

There is no room for failure, ask for help if needed - take charge and lead on! Our Navy team depends on it.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in the way ceremonies are traditionally held, the newly advanced chiefs each received their anchors and combination covers with select family, friends and coworkers in attendance. Additional attendees were able to view the pinning ceremony through a video teleconference held by the command.

The U.S. Submarine Force provides the training, logistical plans, manpower and operational support to maintain the ability of the Force to respond to both peacetime and wartime demands while ensuring the U.S. Navy maintains undersea superiority into the future.

A7 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

CHIEFS |

Fleet Forces pins new chiefs

ContinuedfromA1

MC2 Mark Mahmod Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Terry Smith conducts a detection training exercise with Military Working Dog Zito on board Naval Air Station Oceana during Exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2020.

TRAFFIC |

Hampton Roads Navy installations participating in security exercise, traffic delays possible

ContinuedfromA1 say something” applies, even during an exercise. Everyone should report suspi-

cious activity if they witness something.

Advanced coordination has taken place with local law enforcement and first responders.

“Our installations and local government partners work very closely together to help mitigate unnecessary disruptions to local traffic and services,” Rock said. “But during the exercise, we ask everyone to plan accordingly and allow for extra time when commuting to one of our bases.”

before me,” added Waldrop. “It’s truly an honor to be able to add my own experiences to the Chief ’s Mess.”

As they begin the next chapter of their careers as “The Chief,” Strait and Waldrop will always remember the village that got them here.

“Perseverance, a positive attitude and a lot of love from a lot of people is what got me here,” beamed Strait. “All of this is a culmination of all the hard work of my team, junior Sailors, and leaders. This was a team effort, this body of work is not mine alone.”

I think it’s important to remember where you come from,” echoed Waldrop. “It helps put you in your junior Sailors’ shoes and consider what they’re facing.

That’s what keeps you grounded as a leader, as the Chief. I am genuinely grateful to all of those who believed in me and got me here, and put their trust in me to help guide the next generation of Sailors.”

As they transition into their roles as deckplate leaders, Grady concluded the ceremony with encouraging words about the profound impact they’ll have on those they lead, guide and mentor.

“You must remember that this is all about the center of the universe and that’s our Sailors. So be that visible leader,” said Grady. “You now carry the torch and assume the mantle of the many Chiefs that have come before you. You have my trust and confidence. Be steadfast in your counsel; be devoted to your Sailors, and be exemplars of our Navy’s Core Values. Know that you have earned those anchors but wear them with humility and pride. Remember this is not an end state, this is a new beginning. I am proud to serve side by side with you and your families.”

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A8 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

SAVVi NRL research team receives Science, Technology Cooperation Commendation

By Nicholas Pasquini

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Public Affairs

WASHINGTON

A team of researchers from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) received a United States and United Kingdom Science and Technology Cooperation Commendation from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Dec. 4.

The NRL team of experts with the Bio-inspired Adapted Techniques for Sensing, Actuation and Vocalization using Vibro-acoustics (BATSAVVi) program were commended for establishing bilateral collaboration between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.

The NRL team, led by Don Sofge and Jason Geder, along with Joseph Lingevitch, Ph.D., Matthew Kelly, Daniel Lofaro, Ph.D., Loy McGuire, and Luke Calkins addressed research challenges in small, unmanned vehicle navigation and communication. They successfully proved novel, bio-inspired acoustic approaches to obstacle detection and avoidance within the program.

“It is an honor to be recognized for the work NRL, AFRL and Dstl accomplished to initiate the ongoing collaboration and demonstrate novel solutions for UAV navigation and communications,” said Geder, an aerospace engineer and NRL project co-principal investigator. “This research has fostered new collaborative research with partners in the UK on topics of mutual interest in bio-inspiration for unmanned systems, providing a foundation for future efforts in this area.”

BATSAVVi aims to apply passive echolocation and related techniques to unmanned aerial vehicles, utilizing self-generated vibration from the propulsion and control system to allow bio-inspired communication, localization, and situational awareness the same way bats use echolocation to sense the environment and communicate efficiently and effectively.

Courtesy graphic U.S. Naval Research Laboratory researchers characterize Topological Data Analysis based clustering of acoustic percepts for wall and door detection. NRL Bio-inspired Adapted Techniques for Sensing, Actuation and Vocalization using Vibro-acoustics (BATSAVVi) project aims to apply passive echolocation to unmanned vehicles, utilizing self-generated vibration to allow bioinspired communication, localization and situational awareness.

Geder said this technology could provide the Navy and Marine Corps with a low-size, weight and power solution to object relative navigation and covert communications for operations in confined and cluttered environments.

BATSAVVi leverages a recent discovery of certain species of non-echolocating fruit bats that are able to sense their surroundings by only listening and analyzing the echoes produced by the beating of their wings.

After reading the inspirational work on these unusual species of bats, the team thought it might be possible to harness this capability for artificial systems.

BATSAVVi draws inspiration from bats using passive self-noise to enhance situational awareness, including relative localization, obstacle avoidance, and navigation, through intelligent acoustic processing.

“To use this principle to create a new capability in artificial systems, essentially UAVs that work similarly using the natural acoustic emissions of the motorpropeller systems on rotorcraft vehicles,” said Sofge, an NRL computer scientist and NRL project co-principal investigator. “It is phenomenal to take an idea from inception to laboratory demonstration in such a short period of time.”

The team conducted experimentation in NRL’s Laboratory for Autonomous Systems Research and collaborated with researchers across the Navy Center for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence, the

Laboratories for Computational Physics and Fluid Dynamics, the Acoustics Signal Processing and Systems Branch, and the Off-Board Countermeasures Branch.

“We are encouraged by this recognition and commendation by OSD and the Ministry of Defence in the UK, and look forward to expanding upon our initial successes to further this line of research, and to create new capabilities for larger UAV systems,” Sofge said.

“It has been a joy to work with such talented collaborators across NRL and with researchers at AFRL, and Dstl in the UK.” The Naval Innovative Science and Engineering/Section 219 BATSAVVi program began in 2017 under the Genesis II effort to further bilateral collaboration between the U.S. and UK in the research area of Biologically Inspired Technologies for UAVs.

ABOUT THE U.S. NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY NRL is a scientific and engineering command dedicated to research that drives innovative advances for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from the seafloor to space and in the information domain. NRL is located in Washington, D.C. with major field sites in Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; Key West, Florida; Monterey, California, and employs approximately 2,500 civilian scientists, engineers and support personnel.

NSA Naples shines during Reliant Project 2021 Naval SupportActivity (NSA) Naples participated inReliant Protect 2021(RP-21)onthe Support Site andCapodichinoinstallation sites, Jan.25-26. SeeB6

SECTION B | FLAGSHIPNEWS.COM | 2.4.2021

Madeline Emsick Officer Candidate Gabriel Dabbs, an Officer Candidate School (OCS) student from a senior class, leads physical fitness instruction for OCS class 06-21 students during "First Friday" at Officer Training Command Newport (OTCN), Rhode Island.

Navy shifts 2021 fitness cycle to July

By MC1 Mark D. Faram

Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs

WASHINGTON

The Navy is shifting the dates of the single, six-month physical fitness assessment cycle during calendar year 2021 to July 1 through December 31, to continue to mitigate COVID-19 impacts to the fleet.

The single 2021 cycle was initially announced in November’s NAVADMIN 304/ 20 and was originally scheduled for March 1 through Sept. 30. That message is now cancelled and replaced by NAVADMIN 024/21, which shifts the dates between July 1 and December 31.

The new message was released on Jan. 27.

“Shifting the PFA cycle to July allows the Navy to execute the PFA after the primary influenza season while allowing time for COVID-19 vaccines to be more widely distributed,” Vice Adm. John B Nowell, Jr., the

chief of naval personnel, wrote in the message.

COVID-19 prevention efforts resulted in the cancellation of both of 2020’s semiannual Physical Fitness Assessments. Out of an abundance of caution, the Navy decided to proceed with a single cycle for 2021 as the COVID pandemic is showing no signs of abating yet.

The Department of Defense has long mandated all services conduct annual fitness testing. That mandate for fitness testing means that no exemptions will be allowed for those who scored excellent or above from the previous 2019 cycle. However, going forward, those who score excellent or outstanding on the 2021 PFA will be exempt from participation in the first PFA cycle of 2022.

A new Physical Readiness Program Guide 15 has been produced outlining just how to conduct all testing to mitigate the

possibility of spreading the COVID-19 virus. It is now available for download on the Physical Readiness Program Website.

Twice annual testing cycles are expected to resume as permitted and it is hoped that will happen during calendar year 2022.

What’s not changing is the cycle’s big updates to the Physical Readiness Test (PRT). The rollout of the forearm plank, which will replace the curl-up as a test of core strength, and the introduction of the 2000-meter row as a new optional cardio event, will go on as planned.

The 2021 cycle will also be the first for data entry into the new Physical Readiness Information Management System 2 (PRIMS 2). The Navy is currently migrating the legacy PRIMS data to the new system’s database as part of MyNavy HR transformation efforts. This new system will bring the data management for the PFA into the 21st century and also make the process easier for

CFLs. The migration means that all commands will need to provide up-to-date Command Fitness Leader Certification in the new system. Training for commands on the new system is expected to start sometime in February and all command leaders requiring read only access will be able to request their access “in the March timeframe,” the message said.

More information, including guides for conducting a COVID-19 safe fitness test along with initial performance standards for scoring the forearm plank and 2000-meter row are available to both individuals and command fitness leaders on the Navy Physical Readiness Program website at https:// www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/support/21st_Century_Sailor/physical/Pages/ default2.aspx.

For more news from Chief of Naval Personnel, follow us on Facebook at https:// www.facebook.com/mynavyhr, Twitter at https://twitter.com/mynavyhr or visit https://www.navy.mil/cnp.

Second U.S. destroyer enters Black Sea, operates alongside NATO Air Command

By MC3 Damon Grosvenor USS Porter Public Affairs

BLACK SEA

MC1 Glenn Slaughter Members of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), Indian Navy (IN) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), along with Patrol Squadron (VP) 5's "Mad Foxes" and VP 8's "Fighting Tigers", pose for a photo at the conclusion of Exercise Sea Dragon, Jan. 28.

U.S. Navy, partner nation navies conclude submarine-tracking exercise

By MC1 Glenn Slaughter U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs

GUAM

The U.S. Navy and several maritime partner nations successfully completed operations for the multilateral exercise Sea Dragon 2021 in Guam on Jan. 27.

For two weeks, over 190 personnel from five nations conducted over 250 hours of ground and classroom training, culminating in high-level exer-

cises to track a real-world U.S. Navy submarine.

Commander Task Force 72, based in Misawa, Japan, detached two P-8A Poseidon Maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 5 and 8 to train with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), Indian Navy (IN) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), in the annual AntiSubmarine Warfare (ASW) exercise. 

See EXERCISE | B7

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) entered the Black Sea on a routine patrol, Jan. 28, while conducting multidomain operations with a U.S. Navy P-8A aircraft from Patrol Squadron VP-46 and NATO Air Command aircraft E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS).

Porter joins USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) and the Henry J. Kaiser-class underway replenishment oiler, USNS Laramie (T-AO-203) in the Black Sea to maintain maritime security alongside other NATO Allies and partners. The ships’ combined operations further strengthen interoperability and demonstrate resolve to Black Sea peace and security.

“Porter is excited to be back in the Black Sea demonstrating our continued commitment to security and stability in the region with our NATO Allies and partners,” said Cmdr. Thomas Ralston, commanding officer of Porter. “The crew and I look forward to enhancing our combined readiness and naval capability.”

Porter’s multi-domain operations with AIRCOM build upon Donald Cook’s similar operations during its entry into the Black Sea earlier this month, part of a continual integration of air and maritime units operating across the U.S. European Command area of responsibility. The ultimate goal of these operations is to refine joint air defense procedures to better defend U.S. Navy ships. Participants conducted scenarios to establish air and maritime superiority, which enable 

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HeroesatHome The Flagship | www.flagshipnews.com | 2.4.2021 | B2

What specifically constitutes discrimination in housing?

Discrimination is an act, policy, or procedure thatarbitrarily denies equaltreatmentin housing because ofrace, color, nationalorigin, religion, sex, age,disability, or familialstatusto an individual or agroup of individuals.

istock

Milspouses’ best-kept secret: The upside of loneliness

By Lisa Smith Molinari

This morning, I peered at my baggy, blood-shot eyes in the bathroom mirror. It had been a rough night.Thankstowildfluctuationsin my peri-menopausal hormones, whichareapparentlyinthethroesof death, my hair was a rat’s nest of sweaty tangles. I tossed two Tylenol down my gullet, hoping to relieve a crick in my neck from tossing and turning, and headache pangs from grinding my teeth.

“Today’s gonna suck,” I admitted to myself with a defeated sigh.

A few years ago, I could handle awful mornings like this, because I had secret coping tools at my disposal, learned over 23 years as an active duty Navy wife. However, now that my husband, Francis, has retiredfromthe military —andnow that the pandemic has him working from home and two of our adult children living under our roof again — I have no choice but to suffer through rough days in the constant

company of my family.

Why can’t I use those secret skills I learned as a military spouse? Because they required the one thing I no longer have — alone time.

Everyone knows that military spouses must endure frequent separations and deployments. But people don’t realize that military spouses are alone so often, we get good at it. Our extraordinary resilience doesn’t stem from altruism, benevolence, or good character. It is a mere necessity. There’s no one else there to pick up the pieces if we fallapart,sowemustmaintainsome semblance of control.

When Francis was away, I had plenty of rough nights, when I’d wakeupexhausted,wonderingifI’d be able to get the kids to school, pay the orthodontist bill before it’s late, unclog the toilet, power walk in the pouring rain, and figure out dinner without losing my mind.

However, I soon learned that, whenIwasalone,therewerenowitnesses. All I needed to do was find a

lifeline — no matter how socially unacceptable, lazy, unsanitary or depraved — to get me through the day.

OnceIdroppedthekidsatschool, I was free to soothe my stress however I saw fit. I could open the bag of stalecheesecurlsleftinthetheminivan, and pour them directly into my upturned mouth. I could tune the radio to a 90s channel, and bellow “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It,” off key. I couldflossmyteethatonestoplight, and pluck my eyebrows at the next.

When I’d drive past base gate guard, I’d quickly flip off the radio and wipe my cheese-stained mouth on my sleeve.

Leave no witnesses.

Back at home, I could spend an hour on the floor snuggling with our dog, Moby, if needed. There was no one to hear me baby-talking to him or to see him licking me on the mouth. I could sit down at my desk to pay the bills, but if my eyelids got heavy, there was no guilt in plopping my head down and taking a

APManzanares

EFMP Triangular Strategy Graphic

The Exceptional Family Member Program: Three Parts Working Together From Military Onesource

Those with passing knowledge of the Exceptional Family Member Program may believe it’s a single entity. In fact, EFMP is three interrelated components across the Department of Defense that work together on behalf of military families with special needs – Identification and Enrollment, Assignment Coordination and EFMP Family Support.

As a service provider or military leader, you are in a unique position to clear up misconceptions that can cause frustrations for families with special needs, while pointing them toward the helpful resources the program offers.

Service branches vary in how they implement the Exceptional Family Member Program. However, the Department of Defense is working with the military services

nap. After all, the drool stain on the orthodontist’s invoice seemed apropos. I would eventually unclog that toilet, but only after binge-watching DVRed episodes of “The Bachelor.” The secret sleeve of Oreos I’d eat for lunch might leave me feeling too sluggish to power walk, but I’d feelnoguiltputtingontrackpantsto make it look like I did.

My secret coping strategies allowed me to function. When I was alone, there was no one to balk, demand my attention, or roll their eyes.Noonetoembarrass,shameor disgust. It was just me, and as I discovered over time, that could be quite wonderful.

AndhereIsittoday,nowa“veteran”militaryspouse,wishingIcould eat a sleeve of Oreos and take a nap at my desk. But alas, my family is home,sotherearewitnesses.Irecall my days as a lonely Navy wife with an ironic nostalgia. Military retirement, the pandemic, remote working,andquarantinemayhavedrastically changed my circumstances, but I still remember that strangely liberating solitude — unfettered by parental responsibilities, social mores, ethical rules, and basic human decency.

The secret joy of being alone.

to standardize elements, which will allow families with special needs to have a more consistent EFMP experience.

Identification and Enrollment Identification and Enrollment is the point of entry into EFMP. When a family member is identified as having special medical or education needs, medical services will coordinate the documentation of those needs and the family’s enrollment in EFMP. They will also review the family’s eligibility for the TRICARE Extended Health Care Option.

EFMP enrollment is mandatory for families with special needs. It’s required to enroll in TRICARE ECHO and ensures the family’s needs are considered during the assignment process.

Assignment Coordination With the family member’s special medical or education needs

documented, medical and military personnel departments work together to coordinate assignments to locations that have the resources to address those needs. While the military mission is the driving force in assignments, the family member’s needs are considered since appropriate services may be limited in some locations.

Family Support This is the most visible component of EFMP, with a Family Support center on most installations.

Family Support providers help families navigate the Identification and Enrollment and Assignment Coordination processes.

They help families become their own best advocate by providing: • Information and referrals for military and community services • Education outreach • Information about early intervention and local school services

• Warm handoff to the EFMP program at the next location • Non-clinical case management Tap Into EFMP & Me EFMP & Me is an online tool for military families with special needs to directly solve problems, stay organized and informed, locate support and plan ahead.

EFMP&Me’sinterfaceforservice providers and leaders provides easily-accessible information and answers to your questions about EFMP, allowing you to guide service members and their families to the resources they need. EFMP & Me offers: • Up-to-date information on what is happening with the Office for Special Needs and across EFMP • Flexible, ready-to-go briefing materials • Easy access to tools, messaging and information that address common misperceptions about EFMP, help you answer questions and address readiness concerns of EFMP-enrolled service members

NAVY HOUSING Norfolk(757)445-2832 JEBLCFS(757)462-2792 Oceana/DamNeck (757)433-3268 Yorktown(757) 847-7806 Mid-Atlantic Fleet and Family Support Centers (FFSC) programs and services are designed to help youmake the most of your military experience, and they’re all available to you atnocost.

Functionsand/or servicesFFSCprovides:

nClinicalCounseling(Individual,Couples,and ChildCounseling) nPersonalFinancial Management nInformation&Referral nFamilyEmployment Assistance nTransitionAssistance nFamilyAdvocacy Program nDeploymentand MobilizationSupport nOmbudsmanSupport nRelocationAssistance nParentingPrograms nStressandAnger Management nCommandSupport nCrisisSupport nSuicidePrevention nSAPRSupport

B3 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

MCC Rebecca Ives Eduardo "Ed" Santana, quality assurance specialist for Trident Refit Facility Bangor's (TRFB) weapons repair department and one of TRFB's NAVSEA certified fiber optics (FO) instructors stands inside the new FO classroom located at TRFB.

TRFB employees develop time, money-saving fiber optics system

By MCC Rebecca Ives

Trident Refit Facility Bangor Public Affairs

SILVERDALE, Wash.

Trident Refit Facility Bangor (TRFB) is no stranger to troubleshooting problems.

The command is built on identifying and correcting technical challenges found within the daily mission of submarine refits.

Maintenance and modernization is TRFB’s mission, so it’s no surprise when new maintenance requirements arise, TRFB is there to find a solution.

Fiber Optics (FO) is not a new technology. The U.S. Navy adopted it in 1975 and first used it aboard the USS Little Rock (CLG-4). Since then, it has become the main communications medium for surface ships and submarines. From communication to weapons systems, radar and sonar systems, navigational systems, virtually every mission-critical system relies on FO networks because they are no larger than a strand of hair and offer many advantages over copper cables. These thin, flexible fibers of glass are faster at transmitting digital information, resistant to many outside forces like electro-magnetic interference (EMI) and radio-frequency interference (RFI), ideal for long-distance hardline communications and have significant weight and space advantages over traditional copper wire.

While FO is used on the submarines TRFB maintains, it’s more prevalent on surface ships. Shipyards, like Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS&IMF), do the most work in FO maintenance and repair. How-

ever, with the future launch of the new Columbia-class submarine, TRFB employees will need to have at least a basic understanding of FO and many more will need to be trained on how to handle them.

This is where the challenge begins. According to Steve Skaw, TRFB Weapons Repair Department Head, there are only two companies that offer the required FO training at a cost of approximately $15,000 per student.

“It’s expensive and time consuming,” said Skaw. “But that doesn’t make the need go away. So the shipyards got together and decided to develop their own in-house training. TRFB took a leading role.”

In 2017, Skaw tasked TRFB Strategic Weapons Quality Assurance Officer Chuck Cook with representing TRFB as part of the NAVSEA team developing the FO course.

TRFB led the development of the “core” module of the core curriculum for the naval shipyards.

According to Cook, to start, TRFB sent a few employees to the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) FO training and certified them as NAVSEA FO Instructors to give them the knowledge they needed to bring the training to the Pacific Northwest region. The course went over the types of FO the Navy uses and provided hands-on training.

“The U.S. Navy currently uses three types of optical cables,” said Eduardo “Ed” Santana, quality assurance specialist for TRFB’s weapons repair department and one of TRFB’s NAVSEA Certified FO instructors. “Conventional, which looks like normal copper cables from the outside with

multiple FO strands internally; Optical Fiber Cable Component (OFCC) which are individual FO strands surrounded by aramid synthetic fibers and protective coating; and individual Blown Optical Fiber (BOF) which are also individual fibers but with no aramid or cover, just a light acrylate coating. BOF is routed inside a BOF tube, which looks like a large conventional cable from the outside, but internally there are multiple 8mm in diameter micro-tubes.

BOF provides flexibility in repair and modernization.”

Santana went on to explain, “The current shipbuilding design uses the micro-tube system in many systems because of the ease with which fibers can be replaced. The future Columbia-class submarine will also feature this technology. The problem is that there are only 10 patented machines worldwide that can blow fibers and they are approximately $25,000 a year to lease.”

The Navy has a new requirement for BOF, according to Skaw. So, TRFB will need to train more people to meet the requirement for hands-on training on the system. TRFB employees looked for innovative solutions to work around the high price tag and still meet the hands-on training requirement.

Due to the increase in demand for BOF coupled with a limited amount of BOF systems worldwide, Cook’s team set out to find the Navy a cost-effective, time-saving solution and ended up developing a new method using custom designed parts and pieces to install their own BOF. “Because we are laymen, we have a different perspective,” said Cook. “We knew

we wanted to create a machine that was simple to use, can go down a submarine hatch and does its job.”

TRFB has developed a $1,500 system that can be made almost entirely on site using 3D printers, saving the Navy money by training at the command, while eliminating the need and cost of leasing the BOF machine.

“Our team is hopeful this system could eventually be used Navy wide,” said Skaw.

Following any validation and certification testing, the system has the potential to vastly improve efficiency during ship maintenance periods. Expanding training and capabilities is necessary as the Navy is continually searching to create capacity.

“The Navy will own the process,” said Santana. “Each command will be able to acquire as many of these systems to meet their needs, reducing the total time needed for all installations on a project. Imagine conducting say, 10 installations, simultaneously on one project at the same time in different locations of the ship instead of waiting on one machine for the whole shipyard. It will be a day-saver; not hours, days.”

NAVSEA certified the system in February 2019 and TRFB plans to start training employees once the classroom is ready, which is scheduled for completion the first quarter of 2021.

TRFB was established in the Pacific Northwest on July 1, 1981, as the primary maintenance facility for the West Coast Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN) fleet.

TRFB’s principal mission is to support the nation’s strategic deterrence mission by repairing, incrementally overhauling, and modernizing the Ohio-class and the future Columbia-class until the end of service life.

The TRFB team is comprised of approximately 500 military and 1,500 civilians.

For more information, visit: https:// www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/TRFB

USS Gabrielle Giffords returns from rotational deployment From U.S. Third Fleet Public Affairs SAN DIEGO

Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) returned to its homeport of Naval Base San Diego, January 31, following a 17-month rotational deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet and U.S. 4th Fleet areas of operation.

“I am incredibly proud of the Gabrielle Giffords team and all they have accomplished”, said Cmdr. Rion Martin, the commanding officer of Gabrielle Giffords. “From Executive Officer to Culinary Specialist Seaman Norfleet, we have all led and followed one another. This dynamic team of Sailors, Coast Guardsmen and Marines demonstrated sustained superior performance with physical, mental and emotional toughness while executing a range of maritime operations.”

U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary to flawlessly execute our Navy’s timeless roles of sea control and power projection. U.S. 3rd Fleet works in close coordination with other numbered fleets to provide commanders with capable, ready assets to deploy forward and win in day-to-day competition, in crisis, and in conflict.

For more information on Gabrielle Giffords, please visit https://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/lcs10/Pages/default.aspx.

MC2 Robert Price Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) returned to its homeport of Naval Base San Diego, Jan. 31. Gabrielle Giffords returned following a 17-month rotational deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet and U.S. 4th Fleet areas of operation.

B4 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

Courtesy photo U.S. Navy retired Vice Adm. Edward Moore Jr., left, becomes the newest member of the university's Hall of Fame, Jan. 26, as presented by distinguished NPS alumnus retired Adm. Cecil D. Haney during a virtual ceremony. Moore became the 24th individual inducted into this prestigious community since its inception in 2001.

NPS welcomes retired Vice Adm. Edward Moore Jr. Into Hall of Fame From Naval Postgraduate School Public Affairs MONTEREY, Calif.

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) inducted its newest member, retired Vice Adm. Edward Moore Jr., into the university’s prestigious Hall of Fame (HOF) during a virtual ceremony, Jan. 26, making him the 24th person to be welcomed into this revered community since 2001. As a unique addition to Moore’s induction, retired Adm. Cecil Haney presented Moore for induction following his SECNAV Guest Lecture to the university community.

Moore joined the U.S. Naval Reserves as an enlisted Sailor in 1963. In June 1968, he received his degree in Psychology at Southern Illinois University (SIU) and was commissioned as an officer. In 1974 he became a graduate of NPS when he completed his master’s degree in management.

According to Moore, his NPS education was beneficial in several ways, making him a stronger critical thinker and problem solver.

“I found myself using knowledge and analytical skills learned at NPS in most of my subsequent tours whether at sea or ashore, especially my Executive Officer and Commanding Officer tours, and my tour as the Personnel and Manpower division director for the Pacific Fleet,” said Moore.

Moore’s service included commanding

officer of USS Cowpens in 1989, where he was the ship’s first commander, and the first African American commanding officer of an Aegis-cruiser. While on the Cowpens, Moore led the ship, along with three other ships, in an attack on Iraqi nuclear weapons site in Baghdad on January 17, 1993.

He then went on to serve as commander of U.S Naval Forces in the Persian Gulf in 1996, commanding the Carl Vinson Task Group and Cruiser-Destroyer Group 3 with successful missile strikes against Iraqi military sites in Operation Desert Strike. Upon his promotion to Vice Admiral in 1998, he became the highest ranking African American Naval officer on active duty through his retirement in 2001.

Moore continued to serve the Navy in a different capacity following his retirement, becoming Vice President for Anteon, and later General Dynamics Information Technology, providing personnel to engineering support. He retired fully in 2012 from the business.

He now continues his legacy by giving back to the community. He volunteered at Four Seasons Hemet Veterans Support Group and California Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., helping homeless veterans and youth in Riverside and San Bernardino counties in California. He has been on the board of directors of the San Diego Fleet Week Foundation, San Diego Armed Forces YMCA, Navy Federal Credit Union, Surface Navy Association, and National Boy Scouts of America.

A compelling story, written by Moore’s son Edward Anthony Moore III titled, “Tearing Down Racism or Erasing Our History.”

“Amid the controversy surrounding the tearing down of confederate statues and the potential renaming of military bases, I came across an article that mentioned Carl Vinson and his historic support of segregation. It immediately dawned on me that my father, a man who attended school with the Little Rock 9 and their siblings during desegregation, had been stationed to command a ship named after a man who had directly opposed his equality,” he wrote.

“It was important for him to be selected because it proves that when brought to the front line, in the light of nomination, people cannot deny great people of their quality of work and consistency regardless of race, religion, or creed,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Brandon Carter, am NPS student. “For those who have been disenfranchised or marginalized, it demonstrates to them that the mindset of the powers that are shifting to become more accepting and understanding of hard-working men and women. Men and women who have had the energy to break down social and racial barriers while maintaining an extensive resume of sustained superior performance.”

NPS President retired Vice Adm. Ann Rondeau noted that recognizing the incredible service and accomplishments of our most distinguished alumni is an inspiration to the university and all those who serve.

“As a leader, warfighter and trailblazer, it is an honor to formally commend and induct Vice Adm. Moore into our prestigious NPS Hall of Fame,” said Rondeau.

“Showcasing individuals who have attained the highest levels of public service and made significant contributions to our Navy and our society can only set the standards for all of us serving who dare to do great and remarkable things.”

“VADM Moore is the epitome of resilience and mental toughness,” added Carter. “He has gone from being an enlisted sailor to an officer, becoming the first black person to command an AEGIS Cruiser and reach the highest rank any black person in the Navy has seen and then continued to serve as a senior executive in the defense field. Even after all that, he has been able to still give back to his community because service has been that important to him.”

In addition to his NPS Hall of Fame induction, Moore has also been inducted into the Arkansas Black HOF in 1999, SIU distinguished Graduate in 2003 and inducted to the Buffalo Soldiers Museum HOF in 2013.

“It is truly a humbling experience to be recognized by induction into the school’s Hall of Fame,” said Moore. “Thousands of students over the years have benefited from the educational, professional, cultural, social, and environmental skills imparted to them in their time here as a student. Most have probably applied what they learned in productive ways, personally and professionally. So, it is a clear honor to be singled out as having lived up to the expectations that the school has for all students.”

Watch the complete ceremony welcoming Moore into the university’s Hall of Fame on the NPS YouTube Channel.

Navy medical personnel to join in Texas COVID-19 response From U.S Army North Public Affairs HOUSTON

At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, approximately 80 military medical personnel from across the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force, will deploy to Texas as part of a Department of Defense COVID-19 response operation. U.S. Army North (ARNORTH), the Joint Force Land Component Command (JFLCC) of U.S Northern Command, will oversee the military COVID-19 response in support of federal efforts and the state.

“This is the fourth time Department of Defense medical assets have deployed to support our home state,” said Lt. Gen. Laura J. Richardson, ARNORTH and JFLCC commander. “While COVID-19 continues to challenge communities here and across the U.S., we remain steadfast in our support of our local, state and federal partners.”

The military medical personnel, including nurses, respiratory therapists and medical doctors, will support three hospitals in three Texas cities: Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene, CHI St. Luke’s Health - Memorial Hospital in Lufkin, and Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center in Eagle Pass.

“As the National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness states, we can and we will beat COVID-19,” said Richardson. “This is truly a joint effort and I am confident that collectively our service members are up to the task.”

While ARNORTH continues to oversee multi-service military medical personnel in the Navajo Nation as well as in Yuma, Arizona, it has adjusted its support to Wisconsin and California.

Army Sgt. Samantha Hall U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jarimaris Garcia, a registered nurse stationed at Joint Base Andrews, Md., prepares medical equipment for incoming patients within the emergency department of Del Sol Medical Center, El Paso, Texas, Nov. 24, 2020.

On January 14, approximately 45 medical personnel concluded their deployment in Wisconsin after supporting four hospitals in four cities in the state.

On January 29, approximately 40 military medical personnel will also conclude their deployments at two hospitals in California: Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton and Dameron Hospital in Stockton. Approximately 185 military medical personnel, however, remain in California, supporting six hospitals in five cities in the state.

Managing the operation for ARNORTH are elements of Task Force 46, formed primarily by the Michigan Army National Guard’s 46th Military Police Command, which recently assumed command and control of the response from Task Force 51, ARNORTH’s forward-deployable headquarters.

For additional information, contact ARNORTH Public Affairs office at usarmy.jbsa.arnorth.mbx.pao-media-operations@mail.mil or 210-428-9835.

B5 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

John F. Williams Photograph taken from a high-speed video camera during a record-setting firing of an electromagnetic railgun (EMRG) at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, Va., firing at 10.64MJ (megajoules) with a muzzle velocity of 2520 meters per second.

NPS Railgun Lab propels technology leaders, alumnus into award-winning research

By Huy Tonthat

Naval Postgraduate School Public Affairs

MONTEREY, Calif.

Since its establishment approximately two years ago, the Naval Postgraduate School’s Railgun Laboratory – the largest of any academic institution – has empowered students and faculty with the facilities to conduct advanced, applied research in hypervelocity projectile (HVP) technology. But advanced technologies aren’t the only result … In fact, the lab has quickly become a critical asset in equipping alumni to be enduring technologicalleadersintheHVPspace,readytomakean immediate impact in the fleet after graduation.

Two of these alumni leaders are Dr. Ben McGlasson, NPS’Electric Weapons Advisor and Railgun Laboratory lead, and Lt. Paul Cross, the Naval Strike Missile Lead Military Engineer at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD).

McGlasson, who just completed his PhD in Applied Physics at NPS furthering railgun research – a technology that uses Gun Launched Guided Projectiles for anti-air and surface missions – also helped commission the NPS Railgun Lab in 2018. He used the lab’s initial research results to establish credibility for its simulations positioning theRailgunLabtoday to successfully explore the challenges associ-

ated with electric weapons.

“The railgun research that we do here is not only for student projects or learning purposes,” said McGlasson. “We’re executing experiments sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, collaborating with a variety of research labs and universities. The discoveries that we make [at the Railgun Lab] would improve any kind of gun-based defense, which is a new approach to doing shipboard missile defense using guns instead of missiles to defend against missiles. Using guns to defend against those kind of threats helps preserve our own missiles for a higher-end threat. This would be in addition to the surface strike mission, in which the railguns being tested at Dahlgren and White Sands can reach over100 nautical miles.”

McGlasson noted that railguns will benefit from continued research and that he hopes the Railgun Lab will continue to help faculty and students conduct that research.

As for Cross, a 2018 NPS alumnus, he put his education to immediate use at NSWCDD and was recently awarded the C.J. Rorie Award for his impact on the Navy’s Gun Launched Guided Projectile program at the warfare center in Dahlgren, Va. The Rorie Award–namedinhonorofretired RearAdmiral C. J. Rorie, a former warfare center commander and NPS alumnus– recognizes excel-

lence in performance of military personnel who contribute significantly to the effectiveness of the division’s operations.

According to command officials, Cross was recognized for outstanding leadership in the Gun Launched Guided Projectile effort leading a successful fielding of a guided projectile.

“I was able to work with some amazing scientists and engineers at Dahlgren,” said Cross.

“The people and technology that are present here [in Dahlgren] are definitely world class.

My time at NPS and my thesis research there made for an easier transition to the work at Dahlgren.”

Prior to being a technological leader at NSWCDD, Cross’NPS research focused on howelectromagneticcontactscoatedwithcarbon nanontubes (CNT) could be applied to modern day weapon technology. Cross conducted his NPS thesis research at the NPS Railgun Lab, albeit while it was still under construction.

While the burgeoning Railgun Lab enabled Cross’ research, NPS’ multidisciplinary education prepared him to apply it, and to be a critical thinker and leader in the field.

“NPS prepared me by educating me into the science, technology, and real-world applications for which I have been working,” said Cross. “In addition to a fundamental grasp of the scientific principles, I also received a bed-

rock foundation of how federal acquisition regulations work, and the systems engineering coursesalsotaughtmethefundamentalprinciples of how the ‘system of systems’ work together to bring a new capability to the fleet and warfighter.

“All of this enabled me to hit the ground running in [Dahlgren] and understand the avenues a program can take to get capability to the warfighters as fast as possible,” continued Cross.

Whether developing railgun technology at NPS or NSWCDD, Cross agreed with McGlasson that railguns are appearing to be a more cost-efficient warfighting capability.

“Railgun and HVP technology would allow for far cheaper options to counter adversarial threats,” said Cross. “When you look at engagements, the cost per engagement becomes an issue that must be addressed for protracted conflicts. The logistics of having the depth of fire with HVPs, operating at their maximum capability, on shooting platforms starts to become extremely attractive.”

From the new Railgun Lab to the traditional classroom, Cross expressed that he’s the perfect example of how NPS can transform its military officer students into innovative leaders who can respond to emerging military needs.

“The science, curriculum and personal experiences [at NPS] are unmatched,” said Cross. “What I learned via the curricula, faculty and my fellow students positioned me to lead, excel, and make an immediate impact after graduation.”

USS Donald Cook conducts underway replenishment in the Black Sea

By MC3 Will Hardy

USS Donald Cook Public Affairs

BLACK SEA

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) conducted an underway replenishment (UNREP) with the Henry J. Kaiserclass fleet replenishment oiler USNS Laramie (T-AO 203) in the Black Sea, Jan. 29.

The underway replenishment demonstrates the U.S. Navy’s operational logistics capability to remain on station to ensure maritime security. Donald Cook is one of three U.S. Navy ships operating concurrently in the Black Sea in 2021, alongside Laramie and USS Porter (DDG 78).

“Taking fuel at sea is the most concrete way for us to sustain independent operations,” said Cmdr. Matt Curnen, commanding officer of Donald Cook. “While the execution of this underway replenishment was business as usual for the crew, the greater implications for U. S. Navy operations in the Black Sea were anything but usual. It’s a new operational model in a new year.”

Both Donald Cook and Porter entered the Black Sea conducting multi-domain operations with a U.S. Navy P-8A aircraft from Patrol Squadron VP-46 and NATO

MC3 Will Hardy The Henry J. Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oiler USNS Laramie (T-AO 203), right, and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75), execute an underway replenishment in the Black Sea, Jan. 29.

Air Command aircraft E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS).

The three ships will continue to maintain maritime security alongside other NATO Allies and partners. The ships’ combined operations further strengthen interoperability and demonstrate resolve to Black Sea peace and security.

The Black Sea is a critical waterway for maritime commerce and stability in Europe and combined operations in the Black Sea will strengthen interoperability between NATO partners and allies, including Turkey, Ukraine, Georgia, Bul-

garia and Romania. Black Sea operations also demonstrate the U. S. Navy’s commitment to peace and security in the U.S. Sixth Fleet Area of Responsibility.

Donald Cook, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is on her 11th patrol in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations in support of regional allies and partners and U.S. national security in Europe and Africa.

Four U.S. Navy destroyers, including Donald Cook, are based in Rota, Spain, and assigned to Commander, Task Force 65 in support of NATO’s Integrated Air

Missile Defense architecture. These Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle, demonstrating their mastery of the maritime domain.

U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

B6 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

MC1 Donavan K Patubo Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Sean Chastain, assigned to Naval Support Activity (NSA) Naples security department, performs a simulated felony stop during Reliant Protect 2021 on the base Support Site, Jan. 25.

NSA Naples shines during Reliant Project 2021

By Lt. Jamie Moroney

U.S. Naval Support Activity Naples Public Affairs

NAPLES, ITALY

Naval Support Activity (NSA) Naples participated in Reliant Protect 2021 (RP-21) on the Support Site and Capodichino installation sites, Jan. 2526.

RP-21 is an annual exercise involving active shooter and hostile activities training that focuses on the execution of existing installation plans and evaluating their overall effectiveness in realtime simulated scenarios.

“This exercise presents a great opportunity for our naval security forces, the integrated training team, and our installation management team to practice how to respond to an active shooter situation which includes all commands onboard NSA Naples,” said Lt. Cmdr.

Alex Lamis, NSA Naples security officer.

Training opportunities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic have been their own exercise in flexibility and determination. Through proper planning, NSA

Naples was able to hold a safe training evolution to increase the readiness of their personnel despite the challenges caused by COVID-19.

“We’re really excited to have the opportunity to bring together all of the different training entities,” said Daniel Tressler, NSA Naples deputy emergency management officer. “Everyone came to the table ready to train, work together, and improve the readiness of everyone living or working on the base.”

The experience provided by RP-21 not only trained security and emergency forces, but also all personnel onboard the Capodichino and Support Site installation locations.

“This was a great way to ‘shake the dust off’ of general emergency procedures for our entire community,” said Tressler. “Using AtHoc messaging and giant voice prepares our community for a real world situation. The more we train for real scenarios, the safer and more prepared we are as a community.”

The training began on Jan. 25 with an Antiterrorism Training Team (ATTT) surveillance, entry control point pen-

etration, and a suspected improvised explosive device drill. Naval security forces and watch standers were able to exercise their Post Orders and preplanned response to the threat and validate the team’s effectiveness. The ATTT completed their periodic drills, and the day served as “scene setter” for the events on the second day.

The remainder of the exercise was completed on Jan. 26, which culminated with the active shooter drill. The drill involved activation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and coordinated response by naval security forces.

The use of the giant voice alert (GV), Computer Desktop Notification System (CDNS), and AtHoc Networked Crisis Communication system to simulate emergency communication avenues during a crisis and train community members on what to expect was also exercised. This exercise also validated the installation Antiterrorism Plan and Barrier Plan, and was a success overall.

“Our security forces responded exactly as they were trained to do,” said Lamis. “ITT assessed our procedures, and we were able to identify and apply various lessons as we moved through the scenarios. The more we train, the better we will be for our Naples community. I’m very impressed by what we accomplished, and I’m excited to apply

what we’ve learned so we can continue to serve our community with excellence.”

The mission of NSA Naples’ naval security forces is to safeguard the NSA Naples community and its assets, and to respond to hostile actions against personnel, resources and facilities. Active shooter exercises like RP-21 enhance that mission.

Directed by Commander, Navy Installations Command and Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central, NSA Naples naval security forces were able to run through complete training scenarios and bring together all relevant partners for the exercise. Some of the involved groups included the Integrated Training Team (ITT), Installation Management Team, Emergency Management, Fire and Emergency Services, NCIS, and members of a medical response team from U.S. Naval Hospital Naples Capodichino Clinic.

NSA Naples is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed, when they are needed to ensure security and stability in Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia.

For more news on NSA Naples, please follow us on Instagram @NSANaples and Facebook at facebook.com/ NSANaples/.

IWTC Corry Station modernizes AN/SLQ32(V)6 Shipboard Operations Course From CT1 Joseph A. Lipster

Center for Information Warfare Training Public Affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla.

Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station completed a major revision and modernization of its AN/SLQ-32 Shipboard Operations Course over the last two months.

The AN/SLQ-32 is a shipboard electronic warfare (EW) suite which provides a full array of EW capabilities that can be managed and controlled manually from a console or semi-manually or automatically by the host combat management system.

The modernization efforts led to the replacement of 10 SLQ-32A consoles with a mix of two SLQ-32A, four SLQ-32B and four SLQ-32(V)6 console emulators.

These emulators look similar and function the same as a SLQ-32 would in a real-life environment, but are essentially normal computers running specialized software.

“The biggest benefit is that we are able to assign students to a system like they will operate in the fleet, much earlier than just the two weeks in the Enhanced Shipboard Operational Training System lab,” said Chief Cryptologic Technician (Technical) Jefferson Heidenheimer, the leading chief petty officer of the Shipboard Operations Course. “A great side advantage is that the console emulators are basically maintenance free and run on standard 110-volt power vice three phase at 400 hertz.”

The course modernization now provides students with more valuable time for practical skill building that is vital to get more confident and comfortable at the console.

“I felt very fortunate to be in one of the first classes to be able to learn on the new V6 systems,” said Cryptolog-

CTCS Raymond M. Donato Chief Cryptologic Technician (Technical) Jefferson G. Heidenheimer (left) provides an overview of an AN/SLQ-32(V)6 electronic warfare system as a part of the updated Shipboard Operations Course at Information Warfare Training Command Corry Station, Jan.

ic Technician (Technical) (CTT) Seaman Naymarie Vera. “I’m looking forward to using the technical skills offered by the upgraded systems and great instructors in the fleet.”

Sailors who participate in the Shipboard Operations Course complete seven weeks of training in the various labs and classrooms, receiving both knowledge and practical following 12 weeks of CTT “A” School.

Graduates earn a Navy Enlisted Classification Code designator as a SLQ-32 Operator before reporting to a surface warfare vessel in the fleet. Some students go on to also receive training as SLQ-32 technicians.

“Anytime we can provide better and more impactful training, it will benefit the fleet,” added Heidenheimer.

“The more hands-on practical training we can do with new-accession Sailors, the better prepared they are to fight and win. CTTs on ships attend more in classroom and shipboard training than most shipboard Sailors between “A”, “C”, fleet or “F” schools and the Afloat Training Group Monthly In-port Exercises. One of my XO’s told me ‘I want and need my CTTs to be the smartest, sharpest people on board because on our worst day I need you them to be the best!’ I carry that with me

now and pass along to my instructors and all our students because it is true. That young Sailor sitting the watch as the EW operator and the EW supervisor at their side are the best chance that on that worst day–when missiles are in-bound, those missiles never make it.”

IWTC Corry Station, as part of the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT), provides a continuum of training to Navy and joint service personnel that prepares them to conduct information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations.

With four schoolhouse commands, a detachment, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, CIWT trains over 22,000 students every year, delivering trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. CIWT also offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists, information systems technicians, electronics technicians, and officers in the information warfare community.

For more news from Center for Information Warfare Training domain, visit https://www.public.navy.mil/ netc/centers/ciwt/, www.facebook.com/NavyCIWT, or www.twitter.com/NavyCIWT.

B7 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

MCSN Aaron Smith Capt. P. Scott Miller, left, relieves Capt. Matthew C. Paradise as commanding officer of Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) during a change of command ceremony presided by Rear Adm. Timothy Kott, commander, Carrier Strike Group One, center, aboard the ship, Jan. 24.

USS Carl Vinson holds change of command

By MC2 Matthew Fink USS Carl Vinson Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO

Capt. P. Scott Miller relieved Capt.

Matthew Paradise as commanding officer of Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) during a change of command ceremony on the ship, Jan. 24.

Paradise assumed command of Vinson in June 2018. Rear Adm. Timothy Kott, commander, Carrier Strike Group One, presided over the event and praised Paradise’s leadership.

“The continued success of Vinson and her crew are a direct result of your exceptional leadership,” said Kott. “Your efforts have ensured Vinson’s ability to deploy forward with a more lethal and ready flagship, manned by the world’s best trained, educated and well-equipped Sailors.”

Paradise led Vinson’s crew of 3,200 Sailors through several exercises, two changes of homeport, various carrier qualifications and a 17-month docking planned

incremental availability, during which the ship was modified to support both the joint strike fighter and CMV-22 Osprey.

During his final address to the ship’s crew as Vinson’s captain, Paradise spoke via the ship’s internal address system, thanking the crew for their hard work and dedication.

“Thank you for all you have done,” said Paradise. “From the highest level officer to the most junior Sailor, this ship is nothing without its crew. It has been the absolute privilege of a lifetime to be your commanding officer.”

Paradise received the Legion of Merit award for exceptional accomplishments during his tour. He is next scheduled to report to Commander, Naval Air Forces Pacific in San Diego.

After Miller assumed all duties and responsibilities as Vinson’s commanding officer, he addressed the crew as captain for the first time.

“Shipmates, I am proud to be serving

alongside you on Carl Vinson as her 17th commanding officer,” said Miller. “Soon, we will be put to the test. The schedule for 2021 is demanding, and we will rise to the challenge. Our crew and our ship are strong, and we will prevail. I look forward to starting a groundbreaking deployment as the new look of naval aviation with the air wing of the future.”

Miller is a second generation Naval Aviator and a 1994 graduate from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. He holds a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.

After earning his wings in 1997, he completed F/A-18C Fleet Replacement Squadron training with VFA-106 at Naval Air Station Cecil Field. Capt. Miller’s career includes operational tours with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 34 at NAS Cecil Field and NAS Oceana; VFA-87 at NAS Oceana; as Executive Officer and Com-

manding Officer of VFA-192 at Naval Air Facility Atsugi and NAS Lemoore; and as the Executive Officer of USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).

Ashore, he served as a VFA-106 Instructor Pilot and Landing Signals Officer at NAS Oceana; as Flag Lieutenant for Commander, U.S. Fifth Fleet/U.S. Naval Forces Central Command; and on the Joint Staff J-8 as the author of the Secretary of Defense’s Global Force Management Implementation Guidance. His decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, four Strike Flight Air Medals, Navy Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, and various campaign and unit level awards to include five Battle Efficiency Awards.

He has accumulated over 3,100 flight hours and more than 700 carrier arrested landings.

Vinson is currently pierside in its homeport of San Diego.

For more news from USS Carl Vinson CVN 70, visit http://www.dvidshub.net/ unit/CVN70.

| Second U.S. destroyer enters Black Sea, operates alongside NATO Air Command NATO

ContinuedfromB1 freedom of navigation in all international waters and airspace.

“Every time our adversary changes how they operate, we stay one step ahead of them,” said Capt. Joseph Gagliano, Commander, Task Force 65.

“We maintain control of the sea by drawing from the best capabilities of the NATO alliance, and together we are guaranteeing stability in the Black Sea.” Porter, forward-deployed at Naval Station Rota, Spain, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe.

The U.S. Navy routinely operates in the Black Sea consistent with international law, including the Montreux Convention.

Porter is one of four U.S. Navy destroyers based in Rota, Spain, and assigned to Commander, Task Force 65 in support of NATO’s Integrated Air Missile Defense architecture. These Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle, demonstrating their

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) transits the Canakkales Strait, Jan. 28.

mastery of the maritime domain.

Patrol Squadron (VP) 46 belongs to Task Force 67 which is composed of land-based maritime patrol aircraft that operate over the waters of the Mediterranean in anti-submarine, reconnaissance, surveillance, and min-

EXERCISE |

U.S. Navy, partner nation navies conclude submarine-tracking exercise ContinuedfromB1 Now in its third year, the goal of Sea Dragon is to demonstrate advanced ASW tactics while continuing to build on multinational participation with U.S. allies and partners, as well as commitment to the security of the Pacific region.

VP-5 pilot Lt. Reed Arce was excited to compete with, but also to learn from the other aircrews.

“VP-5 was certainly looking forward to the opportunity to flex our ASW muscles and enjoy some friendly competition with our allied partners during

ing roles. Task Force 67’s official mission is to provide responsive, interoperable, and expeditionary combat ready maritime patrol aircraft and supporting forces to U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa and U.S. Sixth Fleet.

Exercise Sea Dragon,” said Arce. “We learned so much when comparing tactics between aircrews, and the ability to constantly improve our warfighting skills.

We hope to leave Guam with all participants being at their peak performance in prosecuting sub-surface threats anywhere in the world.”

The final days of Sea Dragon consisted of a tracking exercise with the Los Angeles-class submarine, USS Providence (SSN-719) acting as the adversary. The nations worked in shifts to find and track the elusive submarine.

VP-8 pilot Lt. Joseph Moralesvargas found the exercise to be a unique occasion for sharing perspectives on the technically challenging process of ASW. “Sea Dragon 2021 has given VP-8 the chance to coordinate and be on station with other crews and other countries, which has proved invaluable,” said Moralesvargas. “The opportunity to speak with other op-

MC2 Damon Grosvenor

U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

erators and hear their philosophy and insight on ASW has given me new perspective. I can’t think of any other exercise that would give us this chance."

The nations were scored individually for the competitive portion of the exercise. The highest points were awarded to the Royal Canadian Air Force 407 Squadron, which earned them the coveted Dragon Belt.

Canada, India, Japan, Australia, and the U.S. are natural maritime partners, sharing common values and seafaring traditions. Exercises such as Sea Dragon are vital in strengthening relationships and maritime security.

As the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed fleet, 7th Fleet employs 50 to 70 ships and submarines across the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. U.S. 7th Fleet routinely operates and interacts with 35 maritime nations while conducting missions to preserve and protect a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

B8 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

Dave Amodo Undocking Charlotte from Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard Intermediate Maintenance Facilities Dry Dock #3 required the use of the shipyard buoyancy assist modules adding to the complexity of the evolution.

PHNSY, IMF successfully undocks USS Charlotte PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY & IMF) successfully undocked Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Charlotte (SSN 766) Jan. 26. The undocking was a major milestone in the submarine’s engineered overhaul (EOH) availability.

Undockings, led by the shipyard’s docking team, are complex efforts that require teamwork across the project team, ship’s force, and numerous codes and shops at PHNSY & IMF to complete the work, testing and documentation safely, on time and with first-time quality. In addition, undock-

ing Charlotte from Dry Dock #3 required the use of the shipyard’s buoyancy assist modules adding to the complexity of the evolution.

“Achieving this milestone brings us one step closer to getting Charlotte back in the fleet and executing our nation’s tasking,” said Shipyard Commander Captain Greg Burton. “I am extremely proud of the superb collaboration and teamwork of our project team and the Charlotte’s crew over many months to reach this critical step in the ship’s availability. The shipyard is in a high workload of ship movements and our undocking team performed flawlessly undocking Charlotte.”

An EOH is a major multi-year over-

haul near the mid-point of a submarine’s service life to perform necessary repairs, maintenance and modernization to ensure the submarine is operating at full technical capacity and mission capability for its entire designed service life.

Charlotte has been at PHNSY & IMF since April 2019. The ship’s EOH will require approximately 339,333 mandays of work to complete all required maintenance, modernizations and certifications necessary to return the ship to the fleet.

The shipyard team supporting Charlotte’s EOH will complete the overhaul pier side and prepare to return the ship back to unrestricted operations. Com-

pleting EOHs in a safe and timely manner require experts such as project management, contracting specialists, quality assurance technicians, engineers, shop and waterfront mechanics, docking officials and private industry working in sync to achieve each milestone throughout the availability.

Commissioned in 1994, Charlotte is the fourth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name. Charlotte is one of the most versatile weapons platforms ever placed in the world’s oceans, capable of longrange Tomahawk strike operations, antisubmarine and surface shipping operations, surveillance and intelligence gathering, and special forces insertions.

For more news from Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & IMF, visit navsea.navy.mil/Home/Shipyards/ PHNS-IMF or facebook.com/PearlHarborNavalShipyard.

DillDip |Turnyour favoriteherb into this addictivedill dip.

Loaded withfreshherbs, scallions andlemon, this easydilldipis the perfectrecipe to get inthe spring spirit or serveasaBBQ sidedish thissummer.It’sjust afewingredients,but hasaton of flavor,soit’sthe perfectsnack to makeonawhim.  See

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SECTION C | FLAGSHIPNEWS.COM | 2.4.2021

‘AFTER ANGELO’ SPECIAL EVENT ON FEBRUARY 27 AT JAMESTOWN SETTLEMENT CULMINATES A MONTH OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN EXHIBITS & EDUCATION PROGRAMS From The Jametown-Yorktown Foundation WILLIAMSBURG, VA.

Throughout the year and in honor of Black History Month in February, Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown present gallery exhibits, films and educational programs that recount the experiences of Africans and African Americans in early America, from the first known West Central Africans in Virginia in 1619 to the contributions of African Americans in the Revolutionary War. On Saturday, February 27, “After Angelo” returns to Jamestown Settlement for a special one-day event honoring the legacy of the first African woman mentioned by name in the historical record at Jamestown, featuring a lively celebration of African-American culture and heritage with art, music, storytelling and a community conversation.

Exhibits and event activities have been adapted with limited capacity in indoor spaces and protective safety protocols to ensure visitors enjoy a safe experience.

‘After Angelo’ February 27 at Jamestown Settlement “After Angelo” festivities on February 27 feature a traditional African Libation by Corey Staten at 12 p.m., followed by a performance from Atumpan Dance Theatre. Visitors can enjoy drumming and storytelling by Brandon Lee and Sylvia Tabb Lee at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., a “Between Two Shores” performance of Angelo by Valarie Gray Holmes at 1 p.m., and instrumental music by Odysseus at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Atumpan Dance Theatre also performs at 3 p.m. with Corey the Talented Blind Guy and LaQuita Marie.

At 2 p.m., a “Many Voices/One Story” community discussion will feature Christy S. Coleman, executive director of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, and Barbara Hamm Lee, host of WHRO/WHRV’s “Another View,” a weekly call-in radio talk show that discusses today’s topics from an AfricanAmerican perspective. The one-hour discussion will explore the importance of including African American, American Indian and other cultural perspectives in teaching America’s history.

Throughout the day, art by African-American artists will be on display, some of which will be available for purchase.

Space also will be available for local organizations promoting and empowering the Black community to share their stories and literature or host special activities. “After Angelo” is supported in part by the Williamsburg Area Arts Commission West Central African Exhibits, Films & Education Programs at Jamestown Settlement Jamestown Settlement’s permanent exhibition galleries feature one of the most varied collections of objects relating to the nation’s beginnings in17th-century Virginia, including more than 500 objects representative of the Powhatan Indian, European and West Central African cultures. The documentary film, “1607: A Nation Takes Root,” shown every 30 minutes, traces the evolution of the Virginia Company that sponsored the Jamestown colony, examines the relationship between the English colonists and the Powhatan Indians, and

“Finding Angelo” portrait by artist Austin Miles

chronicles the arrival of the first recorded Africans in 1619, and features scenes filmed in Angola.

The skill of West Central African craftsmen, as well as African contact with Europeans, is reflected in a pair of bronze bracelets from Benin whose decorations include stylized pictures of Portuguese soldiers, and an Owo carved ivory bracelet, an example of an object highly valued by European collectors. In a diorama representing the Ndongan culture of the first known Africans in Virginia, 30 objects from the Ambundu culture of Angola are exhibited courtesy of the Mercer Museum of the Bucks County Historical Society in Doylestown, Pa. The Ambundu were part of the Ndongo kingdom in the16th and17th centuries. Collected in the early 20th century by Swedish American scholar Amandus Johnson, the Ambundu artifacts are similar to the weapons, tools and personal items used by17th-century Ndongans.

A “From Africa to Virginia” multimedia presentation, featuring chronicles African encounters with Europeans, the impact on African culture, and the development of the transatlantic slave trade. The story of Angelo is shared in the newly refreshed permanent galleries along with exhibits exploring the late 17th century and the development of a new AfricanAmerican culture.

Education programs on select dates in February will allow visitors to learn about the culture, society and technology of West Central Africa, the first recorded arrival of Africans to Virginia in 1619, and stories of Africans in Virginia and their shift in status as laws changed, developing into the institution of slavery. Education programs in exhibit galleries feature reproduction African objects, images and documents, exploring aspects of African tools, weaponry, transportation,

Courtesy Photo

housing, clothing and ornamentation.

Education programs will take place at 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays throughout February. As part of the “After Angelo” special event on February 27, education programs will be available10 a.m.-5 p.m.

African American Exhibits & Films at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown From the first shots fired at the Boston Massacre to the final victory at Yorktown and points in between, exhibits and films at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown explore the contributions of both well-known and little-known participants in the Revolutionary War. Among the iconic artifacts of the Revolution on exhibit is a circa 1733 portrait of Ayuba Suleiman Diallo, one of the two earliest known portraits done from life of an African who had been enslaved in the 13 British colonies that became the United States of America. Also on display is a first edition of the Phillis Wheatley 1773 volume, “Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral,” the first book to be published by an African American. Visitors can learn about diverse Americans – Patriots and Loyalists, women, and enslaved and free African Americans, including Benjamin Banneker, a free African American who became famous in the 1790s as a scientist and writer. An interactive exhibit shares accounts of Billy Flora and James Lafayette, an enslaved African American from New Kent County, Va., who successfully spied on the British for the American forces. Shown every 30 minutes in the museum theater, “Liberty Fever” features the stories of five people who lived during the American Revolution, including Billy Flora, an African-American hero of the Battle of Great Bridge in 1775.

Norfolk Botanical Garden Celebrates Black History Month with FREE Admission Thursdays in February From Norfolk Botanical Garden NORFOLK, VA.

Norfolk Botanical Garden (NBG) celebrates Black History Month by offering Free Admission Thursdays in February. A Virginia Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, NBG has a long history with humble beginnings. The Garden celebrates the 220 African-American Works Progress Administration (WPA) workers who cleared dense vegetation and planted the first azaleas at NBG in the late 1930s. As a way to honor their lasting legacy and share the gift of na-

ture with all, we invite the community to enjoy all that the Garden has to offer free on Thursdays this Februrary.

Explore the Garden’s 175 acres, an oasis nestled between diverse neighborhoods surrounded by stunning water views - the most beautiful location in Coastal Virginia. The Winter Orchid Display at the NBG Tropical Display House is a must see during your visit with blooming orchids and tropical plants. This February, canine family members are welcome to explore the Garden with their humans for February FIDO Fridays. Members and members’ dogs are free - not-yet-members’ dogs: $5.00 (human admission applies)

Courtesy Photo

INSIDE: Check out Flagship Values, your source for automobiles, employment, real estate and more! Pages C6-7

C2 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

Community

n Submit YOUR events, news and photos TheFlagshipwelcomessubmissionsfromourreadersonline.

Pleasesubmit events here:www.militarynews.com/users/admin/calendar/event/ Pleasesubmit news and photos here:www.militarynews.com/norfolk-navy-flagship/submit_news/

RSA /

Renaissance School of the Arts offers 30 Classes at Suffolk Center!

From Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts COASTAL VA

Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts is excited to announce a new educational partnership with Renaissance School of the Arts. RSA will offer 30 homeschool programs at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts beginning February 4th through May 13th, between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM. RSA’s Spring Class schedule offers a variety of instruction by interest and age, providing small group settings to students age 4 – 18. RSA membership is required, and class enrollment is open to homeschoolers and students virtually learning.

“We are pleased to welcome Renaissance School of the Arts to the Suffolk

Center and look forward to a long partnership serving the homeschool community in the heart of downtown Suffolk.” - Susan Lawrence, Executive Director SCCA As one of the oldest operating homeschool cooperatives in Hampton Roads, Renaissance School of the Arts has a long history of providing successful education and enrichment programs for students from preschool through high school. One of the biggest challenges for RSA has been finding a suitable and affordable space that accommodates the wide variety of courses offered.

COVID-19 has created an especially difficult challenge in finding space that allows RSA’s programs to continue, while keeping members’ safety a top

priority, and adhering to state and federally mandated health guidelines.

The Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, with its mission to encourage and advocate the visual and performing arts by providing a forum where diverse audiences can actively participate in cultural experiences, is the perfect fit for RSA’s homeschool programs. The Center’s unique 78,000 square foot facility provides beautifully appointed art classrooms, dance studios, music rooms, rehearsal halls and the historic Charlie Byrd stage in the Birdsong Theater.

RSA courses include music, dance, theater, writing, engineering, gardening, painting, mixed media arts, photography, leather craft, jewelry-making, fitness, creative world building, anime &

manga, Driver’s Ed, Dungeons and Dragons, martial arts and chess, as well as private lessons and tutoring in many related subjects.

“The space at the Suffolk Center is ideally suited for our classes and we are thrilled that we have room to safely accommodate students this spring.” Eryn Siegel, Executive Director RSA Renaissance School of the Arts and Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship founded in a love of the arts and a belief that rich and diverse cultural experiences are a great benefit to the Hampton Roads community.

To request membership at Renaissance School of the Arts and view the full list of Spring Classes, please visit www.rsahomeschool.org. For RSA enrollment questions please contact RSA at: info@rsahomeschool.org. The Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts is located in historic Downtown Suffolk, 110 W. Finney Ave., Suffolk, VA 23434.

BBQ Joint in Norfolk Opens Heated Outdoor Patio From Redwood smoke shack NORFOLK, VA

“Diners can now savor our Texas-inspired, award-winning, wood-smoked barbecue in our new covered patio open to the outdoors with ceiling-mounted infra-red heaters,” says Bob Roberts, owner and pitmaster. “Our tables are spaced for proper social distancing and the overhead heaters provide a comfortable environment while still allowing air circulation from the outside.”

“The wood structure invokes the rustic, rough-hewn look of a Texas roadhouse and compliments the “shack” look of the restaurant, itself,” according to architect Paul Turok of Virginia Beach who designed the original building and addition. “We appreciated the opportunity to be involved in a project that expands the opportunities for restaurants in these difficult times,” added Bjorn Marshall of Spacemakers, Inc., the building contractor.

Redwood Smoke Shack, which began life as a food truck in Hampton Roads three years ago, opened a brickandmortar location at the corner of Manteo and 20th Streets in Norfolk’s Ghent district in June, 2019, and serves up 100% wood-smoked barky brisket, pulled pork, chicken, St Louis-style ribs and house-made sausages, along with eight made-from-scratch sides and daily specials. The hours currently are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 AM to 8 PM, or sold out! Orders for pick-up and local delivery can be placed Online at www.redwoodsmokeshack.com. For further information, call 757-624-1000.

Courtesy photo/

C3 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

Courtesy image

MilTax: Free Tax Return Filing Help for Your Service Member From Military Onesource

If your service member has recently entered the military, you may now lose the ability to claim them as a dependent.

On top of that, this may be the first time your loved one has ever had to file a tax return.

All service members have access to Military OneSource MilTax, a suite of free tax services designed specifically for military personnel, to help save them money and let them file their tax return quickly and confidently increasing their chances of scoring a nice tax refund.

MilTax includes: • Easy-to-use tax preparation and e-

filing software • Personalized support from tax consultants • Current information about filing taxes in the military MilTax is designed to address the realities of military life, such as deployments, combat and training pay, housing and rentals and multistate filings.

Best of all, MilTax is 100% free for service members. There are no hidden surprises. That’s a lot of savings compared to a commercial tax preparation company. Most people spend an average of $132.93 per person on tax preparation services alone – that’s money back in your service member’s pocket.

Easy-to-use tax software with guaranteed results MilTax preparation and e-filing software is available mid-January through mid-October. It’s easy to use, walking your service member through a series of questions to complete their return. The software allows users to securely e-file federal returns and up to three state tax forms. All calculations are guaranteed accurate by the software provider, so your service member can use MilTax with confidence.

Easy, accessible tax support from military experts If your service member has questions about taxes or just needs help getting started, MilTax consultants are available by appointment over the phone to help with tax situations specific to military service, such as how to report deployment and combat pay, filing dead-

lines and extensions.

Our tax consultant was fantastic! Last year I was on the phone with the IRS for hours. This year, with a simple 10-minute call, he solved all of our issues.

MilTax user In-person support is also available at Volunteer Income Tax Support Assistance offices on many military installations.

MilTax services are always 100% free, and they’re available 24/7 through Military OneSource. Encourage your service member to learn more about MilTax software and tax consultations.

Your service member also has access to free financial counseling to make the most out of their tax refund or for assistance on any financial matter. They can call 800-342-9647 for 24/7 help.

OCONUS/International? View calling options.

C4 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

Food

Dill Dip | Turn your favorite herb into this addictive dill dip.

By Samantha Macvoy and Kate Merker

Loaded with fresh herbs, scallions and lemon, this easy dill dip is the perfect recipe to get in the spring spirit or serve as a BBQ side dish this summer. It’s just a few ingredients, but has a ton of flavor, so it’s the perfect snack to make on a whim.

What’s in dill dip?

The base of our dill dip is Greek yogurt rather than sour cream or mayonnaise to make the dip feel as light and fresh as it tastes. Just make sure you use full-fat Greek yogurt for the creamiest, smoothest texture. Lemon juice and zest add citrusy, floral flavor, while scallions add an addictive savory bite.

In addition to plenty of fresh dill, we add fresh

parsley to truly embrace the bright green herbs of the season. The last thing you’ll need is a generous platter of cut vegetables, crackers and bread for endless dunking.

Good news: This is basically a one-step, one-bowl recipe that takes about 10 minutes to make. Just combine the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and pepper in a bowl, followed by the scallion, parsley and dill. We wouldn’t recommend substituting dried herbs here, as the fresh herbs are what truly make this dip recipe shine. Plus, it’s finally time to start adding fresh herbs to all your favorite spring dinners, so that bundle of dill will not go to waste.

What to serve with dill dip?

We love a combination of sturdy veggies like

Mike Garten

sliced cucumbers, raw carrots, peppery radishes and crunchy green beans, plus plenty of ruffled potato chips and salty crackers. Add slices of baguette for a more substantial appetizer.

If you’re lucky enough to have any leftover dill dip, you can use it up as a yogurt sauce for roasted chicken or as an herby spread for salmon burgers.

Ingredients • 2 c. plain Greek yogurt • 2 tsp. grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice • Kosher salt and pepper • 2 scallions, finely chopped • 1/4 c. flat-leaf parsley, chopped • 1/4 c. fresh dill, roughly chopped, plus more for sprinkling • Cut vegetables, crackers, and bread for serving Directions • In a bowl, combine yogurt, lemon zest and juice and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Fold in scallion, parsley and dill.

• Serve topped with more dill and cracked pepper, and with veggies, crackers and bread for dipping.

Apple Fritters | Get ‘em while they’re hot

By The Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen

Tucked inside the brown sugar batter (spiked with fresh apple cider!) is a combo of chopped and grated Granny Smiths that add tons of texture and a tart edge to these sugar-dusted, shallow-fried apple fritters.

Ingredients • Canola oil, for frying • 1/2 c. granulated sugar • 1 tsp. apple pie spice, divided • 11/4 c. all-purpose flour • 2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar • 11/2 tsp. baking powder • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt • 1/2 c. fresh apple cider • 1 large egg • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract • 1 large Granny Smith apple Directions • Fill large Dutch oven with 1½ inches oil and heat to 350°F. Set wire rack on rimmed baking sheet. In large bowl, combine granulated sugar and ½ tsp pie spice; set aside.

• In another large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon pie spice. In separate bowl, whisk together cider, egg and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

• Peel and core apple. Coarsely grate half the apple and cut remaining half into ¼-in. pieces. Gently fold into batter.

• Working in batches, drop spoonfuls of batter (about 2 Tbsp each) into oil. Fry, turning once, until golden brown, 2 to 4 min.

• Toss warm fritters in sugar-spice mixture. Transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temp.

Brian woodcock

C5 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

Health

Courtesy photo Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Luis Reyes (right) from Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, mentors Navy Hospital Corpsman First Class Jon Alexander, who is stationed at the Navy Medicine Training Support Command there. Reyes is the senior chief instructor of the Hospital Corpsmen Program and trains young officers for the most part. He relies on four pillars of mentoring: family, finances, fitness, and faith.

Mentoring advice from a Navy senior chief

By Military Health System Communications Office

For Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Luis Reyes, mentoring plays an important in sailor development. The 23½year veteran now serves as the senior chief instructor for the Hospital Corpsmen Program at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio.

He recently explained how he uses four pillars of mentoring in his interactions with young officers as he focuses on training young officers in the skills of leadership and development -- family, finances, fitness, and faith.

He credits his previous mentors with showing him the way to mentor because they all were interested in him as more than a sailor, but as a person with outside interests and needs.

His goal is to mentor young officers in not only the successes of their challenging military medical careers but also in turning them away from its possible pitfalls.

Reyes recently discussed his mentoring style with the Military Health System communications office.

MHS: Who do you work with?

Senior Chief Petty Officer Reyes: I work alongside a cadre of chiefs, firstand second-class petty officers, and other officers. As chiefs, one of our responsibilities is to train junior officers and help them learn leadership skills.

MHS: How do you introduce yourself to a mentee?

Reyes: My introduction to my mentees is always the same. I tell them who I am, I ask for their expectations of me – their ears perk up at that – I say to them “Give me some time to get to know me,” and I follow up.

MHS: What specific skills do you work on with your charges?

Reyes: There are four things we work on: Family, finances, fitness, and faith. I explain each one and the pitfalls or successes that could happen with each one, so I’m giving both positive and negative examples. I ask them their goals, and then I take those goals on as mine.

MHS: How often do you follow up?

Reyes: I check in periodically. The younger the sailors are, the more likely

they are to share with me often. I just take an interest in them. That means an interest beyond their role as sailors.

MHS: What sort of leadership challenges do you find?

Reyes: I look at their priorities to see if they have too many eggs in one basket and try to adjust their expectations and to see that their goals are accomplished. This is one of the highlights of my job.

MHS: What are the best qualities of a mentor?

Reyes: You have to understand where an individual is at in their career or journey, and to be a good listener.

You have to understand the different stressors, like a first child or a marriage, and have a genuine concern for the whole person. You have to look beyond just the military person in front of you to see the whole person.

MHS: How does it work?

Reyes: It’s important to acknowledge achievements small or large – simple things like “I got my driver’s license” for young sailors – to bigger accomplishments like graduate school degrees, marriage, and children.

MHS: How did you find a mentor?

Reyes: I looked for people who were leaders who’ve gotten to know me beyond the work environment, for example those who’ve gotten to know my family. The ones I’ve gravitated to don’t just know me as a sailor but for things in my life.

MHS: How do you plan to use these skills after the Navy?

Reyes: It’s really rewarding and is something I’m looking forward to. I’ve looked at Junior ROTC, helping underserved youth in New York City to think bigger, or being a high school or college counselor. But, I have to be where I am now, which is focused on my mentees. The future is open.

MHS: What is your best advice for a mentor?

Reyes: Believe in your mentee and provide support. Establish early on that goals are not always going to be easy to achieve but find creative ways for them to reach their goals. This goes for both positive goals and to those who need reinforcement of positive goals. I’m always mindful that sailors who are struggling need help too. Also, find ways to say ‘yes’ to sailors’ goals. I don’t give them promises but tell them it may take a team to get this done.

Weed Army Community Hospital staffers show off their skills

By Kimberly Hackbarth, WACH Public Affairs

Weed Army Community Hospital staff members showed what they could do – and learned some things they couldn’t – at a skills fair January 21 at the Mary E. Walker Center.

Army Capt. Megan Jensen, a clinical staff nurse with Weed ACH on Fort Irwin in California, helped plan and run the event. “[The event is] basically a catch-all of skills that we need either to review based on things that have happened at the hospital or things that we don’t do very often that we want to keep skilled in,” Jensen said.

First, participants visited different stations and learned or revisited skills such as emergency code recognition and response, estimating blood loss, and first responder familiarization.

Jensen enlisted the help of Company C, 2916th Aviation Battalion for the final station on the airfield where a flight crew from C Company spoke with hospital staff about medical evacuation procedures.

“We do a lot of transfers from the hospital, both from the [emergency room] and from [mother-baby unit] and a lot of people aren’t familiar with who we transfer or why we transfer them or what capabilities we have,” Jensen said.

The second part of the event featured a team competition where staff could apply the skills reviewed during the first half.

Army Sgt. Maureen Kang, a licensed practical nurse with Weed ACH’s medical surgical ward, explained how the event benefitted her.

“Seeing what 500 milliliters of blood loss is gave me perspective so that in the future if any of these situations do occur, I know exactly how to be prepared and what to expect,” she said.

Though LPNs like Kang participated, Jensen said all hospital staff were invited to attend.

“It’s open to everybody who works at the hospital because a lot of the stations have to do with non-

Kimberly Hackbarth Army Sgt. Maureen Kang, a licensed practical nurse with Weed Army Community Hospital Medical Surgical Ward, triages a simulated casualty during the team competition portion of the hospital skills fair January 21 at the Mary E. Walker Center at Fort Irwin, Calif.

medical things, and we’ve picked the scenarios for each station based on things that have happened at Fort Irwin,” Jensen said.

The fair also focused heavily on COVID-19 with skills including COVID-19 screening criteria, managing a patient on a mechanical ventilator, and COVID-19 swabbing techniques.

“Typically, we take care of anyone from newborns to the geriatric population [on the medical surgical ward], including COVID-19 patients, so we can easily be working with ventilators like in the skills fair,” Kang said.

Hospital staff continued to take COVID-19 precautions during the event to ensure a safe learning envi-

ronment.

“The fact that we’re able to hold this kind of event is because we were all wearing masks and maintaining our social distancing and practicing good hand hygiene, so it’s a good reminder for the community that wearing masks is essential,” Kang said.

More than 70 Weed ACH staff members attended the skills fair with positive feedback upon completing the event.

“As an LPN, I think this is just a great fun way to refresh my skills to know that these incidents do happen,” Kang said. “It’s good to refresh our skills and just make sure we are keeping our skills up to date.”

C6 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

AntiquesSales & Collectibles Estate

AMERICAN ANTIQUE BUYER

AntiquesSales & Collectibles Estate

DECOYS WANTED

RAY HIGGINS

BUYING ANTIQUES &

Estate Sales Estate Sales

ESTATE SALE 1/31- 2/5 Gas & Oil, Antiques, Furniture, Nautical, Tools; Catalog Open Now, L e ga cya u c t i o n s L L C. h i b i d . c o m 757-735-4272 VIRGINIA BEACH Estate sale! 4 generations of items. Fine antiques 17th, 18th & 19th Century, Asian antiques & fine china, Italian paintings, pottery, books 150+, Military/ Red Cross, mane pre war items, clocks, mcm, vintage barware & home décor, sterling jewelry, large selection women’s LLBean clothing, shoes, outerwear, camping, home goods, furniture, crafting, kitchen, gardening, tools & home improvement. Not to be missed! COVID-19 friendly. Masks required. No large bags, backpacks or purses please.

Cash or credit. Thurs 2/4, 12-4, Fri 2/5, 10-4, Sat 2/6 9-4 & Sunday 2/7, 10-3. 2813 Pine Ridge Ln.

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2815 Geo. Washington Hwy., Yorktown 757-867-8280. www.batteryout.com

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LICENSED, 7 DAYS A WEEK FIREWOOD FOR SALE Truck Load $135 or Laundry Basket $20; Seasoned & Split Call Adrian 757-869-9592

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757-617-4043

www.raymondsantiques.com

LG SOUND BAR & SUBWOOFER Like New. $110. 757-479-0566

Subscribe to The Pilot today.

757-446-9000 PilotOnline.com

Highest CA$H prices paid Old wooden ducks or Canvas geese Swans and Shorebirds. Also buying Old fishing tackle & Wooden lures Boat oars Nautical & Lifesaving items Call Mark at 757-721-2746

COCKAPOO

WE BUY MUSIC RECORDS $$ Jazz, R & B, Rock, albums & 45’s from the ’60’s, ‘70’s & ‘80s. Call Howard 757-717-8945 We’ll come to you 24/7!

Jump start your day.

Room For Rent

Cockapoo puppies, 6 weeks old. Up to date on shots and deworm medication. $2,200 for black and $2,500 for tan. Male and female. Cute and playful! Family raised. Call or text 757799-0809.

KEMPSVILLE Virginia Bch. Lg furnished rm, all inclusive. $165/wk. 757-652-2151

GERMAN SHEPHERD AKC, Solid Black/Black & Tan, 8 wks & up. Shots & Wormed, Family Raised. $1000 & up. 35 years experience. Financing available! 540-907-1696

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CHESAPEAKE Through June 30, 2021. $950 Bckgrd/ credit/appl reqd. No pets/smokers Thesandways@verizon.net

NORFOLK Room for rent, close to everything, washer/dryer, $600/mo. 757-235-3630

Wanted To Buy WANTED- CASH FOR DIABETIC TEST STRIPS NEW UNOPENED UNEXPIRED CALL/TEXT 757-335-1130

Roommate Wanted

Fridays in The Pilot

Call 757-446-9000 or go to PilotOnline.com

Travel/Camping Trailers CONSIGNMENTS WANTED! Let us clean, sell, & finance your RV. Snyders RV 499-8000.

Early home delivery. 757-446-9000 or PilotOnline.com

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757.622.1455 | placeanad.pilotonline.com Concrete/Asphalt Estate Sales DRIVEWAYS/CONCRETE WORK RICHARDS 757-869-0380 DRIVEWAYS FOUNDATION REPAIR, ADDITIONS, SIDEWALKS, RGSPROS.COM

Care For The Elderly SENIOR CARE Private Home, Exp’d Nurse w. Refs Virginia Beach Call: 757-808-4111

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S & H ENTERPRISE 20 YRS. Concrete Exp. All types of concrete work driveways, stamped & exposed.

We accept credit cards. 757-652-4050. www.shabazznva.com

Handyman Services ★GENERAL REPAIRS★ AFFORDABLE SAME DAY REPAIR All Handyman, Int & Ext: Flooring, Bathrooms, Small Jobs, Remodel, Rot Repair. 30 Yrs. Exp. BBB A+ Rating. Fall prices! 757-430-2612.

Hauling (A) FAMILY TRASH MAN-HOUSEHOLD, Demo inside & out, construction sites, dumpster drop off, backhoe work. We haul it all! 20 yrs. exp., lic & ins. 485-1414

Home Improvements

ADDITIONS, SUNROOMS, ROOFS, Decks, more. Member BBB. 757-986-3777. www.builderscorporation.com

ALL HOME IMPROVEMENTS Custom Home Repairs & Renovations.

Patrick Ellis Ent. Inc. Lic. & Ins. BBB A+ 757-635-6609

YOUR PERFECT

HIRE

IS WAITING

BEST PRICE EXTERIORS 757-639-4692 Siding, Windows, Trim, Roofing. FREE ESTIMATES! Lic. & Ins’d. Lowest Prices & Top Quality Work. No Repairs. BBB A+ Rating BRICK & STONE REPAIRS Steps, Walls, Foundations, etc. Virginia Beach Native.

Masonry Contract. 40+ yrs Known As Stone Smith USA. Semi-Retired - A Legend In His Own Mind! Earl Smith 757-2700578. You Won’t Find A Better Man! D & W GARAGES 20x24’ $15,995; 24x24’ $17,995; 24x30’ $20,995; w/Slab & Vinyl Siding. 465-0115 or 362-1833. dandwgarages.com

FRANK’S SIDING & REPAIRS Repairing Siding & Trim. Small & large jobs.

Lic/Ins. Low Prices. BBB A+ RATING 757-227-8964

Lawn and Tree Service ★ 100% DRAINAGE & YARD CLEANUP ★ Shrub & Tree Removal, Pruning, Tractor Work & Grading, French Drains, Mulching, Fences. ★★757-282-3823★★

YARD CLEAN UP - GRASS CUTTING, MULCH & WOOD FENCE REPAIR Weed eating, Blowing, Bushes & Mulch, Reasonable prices. Call 757-477-2158

Painting/Paperhanging INTERIOR/EXTERIOR PAINTING Wallpapering, Pressure Washing, Carpentry, Plumbing & Renov! Free est! Paint & Wallpaper By Bob: 757-714-4573

Plumbing PLUMBING REPAIRS/CLOGGED DRAINS Clogged Drains - Leaky Pipes Water Heater Replacement Sewer Service - Camera Inspections - Plumbing Repairs 757-869-0380 24HR Emergency Services SEWAGEPROS.COM/ RGSPROS.COM

Roofing ROOF REPAIR Shingles, tar, rubber, slate, metal, asbestos removal. 757-718-1072 ROOFING SALE 30 Yr. Architect Shingles $1.99 sq ft.

Labor & Material included, repair, siding.

Class A Lic’d & Ins’d. (757) 345-9983.

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Autos for Sale

Trucks and SUVs

CHEVROLET 1994 VAN

Medical van with wheelchair lift. 32k mi. Asking $12,600. 757-377-9959

CHEVROLET 2016 MALIBU

CHEVROLET 2017 SUBURBAN

LT. 4WD, leather, loaded, warranty, new inspection, all serviced. $26,900. 757-675-0288. Va. Dlr.

FORD 2020 F250

4000 miles, diesel, crew cab, 4X4, 8’ bed, STX pkg, $51,900. Call 757675-0288. Va. Dlr.

C7 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

Trucks and SUVs

TOYOTA 2019 SIENNA

Van. XLE pkg., navigation, sunroof, leather, loaded, warranty, $26,900.

757-620-7570. Va. Dlr.

Boats & Watercraft

28’ WELLCRAFT, 264 COASTAL

GMC 2005 SIERRA 1500

LS. 82,000 miles. Silver. New Tires.

Back up camera. $9995 OBO. 757463-7604

HONDA 2014 CR-V

1 owner, 1 driver, non smoker, very clean! $12,300 Call: 757-620-8107

LEXUS 2017 ES 300H

V8, Auto, 127k, 2 owners, cold ac, cruise, 8ft bed, runs & drives excellent, no rust or dents. $5750.

757-237-5757

HONDA 2016 PILOT

27K original mis., 1 owner, hybrid, garage kept, showroom new, all serviced & state inspected. $29,500.

757-675-0288. Va. Dlr.

EXL. Leather, sunroof, AWD, new inspection, just serviced, warranty, $22,500. 757-675-0288. Va. Dlr.

Early home delivery. 757-446-9000 or PilotOnline.com

Early home delivery. 757-446-9000 or PilotOnline.com

Cuddy cabin, twin 200 Yamaha, radar, ff/gps, vhf, stereo, great fast & stable fishing boat, 1998,$17,320 Call: Jeff 757-715-3442

Check out Pulse every Friday. To subscribe call 757-446-9000.

USED TRAILER SALE!!!

OVER 100 Avail. For Boats 12’-38’ BUDGET BOATS: (757) 543 -7595 Early home delivery. 757-446-9000 or PilotOnline.com

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Subscribe to The Virginian-Pilot today.

Call 757-446-9000 or go to PilotOnline.com

Early home delivery. 757-446-9000 or PilotOnline.com

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Don’t pay full price!

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C8 | www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | 2.4.2021

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