Veteran-founded organization ‘Giving light to those who serve at home’

ByMC1MaddelinHamm CNRMA Public Affairs

NORFOLK,Va Whenitcomestomilitaryservice,themonthofAprilisdesignated as the Month of the Military Child, highlightingtheimportantrolemilitarychildren playinmilitaryfamilies

Navy veteran, and founder of the Hero Kids Foundation, retired Chief Hospital CorpsmanJohnA.Raniowski seesmilitary childrenastheheroesbehindmanymilitary careersincludinghisown.

“WhenIretired,IpromisedIwouldlearn to be a parent, a father more important a ‘Papa’,” said Raniowski who served as a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman on multiple combat, contingency and training missions duringhisNavalservicewhilehisfamilywas backhome “serving”.

Raniowskisayshedidnotseetheimpact, at the time, or the consequences of his devotion to military service and how it had impactedhischildren.Itwasn’tuntiltheend ofa25-yearcareer,thathestartedtoseethe impacthisservicehadonhistwodaughters.

“As I began my journey out of uniform, I began to spend more and more time with themandtheiranimals,”saidRaniowski.“As we did so, I noticed my daughters began to discuss what had been their perspectiveviewpointofmyservice…ourservice.”

Raniowski explained that he noticed himself feeling more comfortable with theseconversationsasheandhisdaughters were working at a barn with their horses a passion his daughters had been doing for years

Aftermanytouchinganddeeplypersonal revelations between him and his daughters while working with the horses, Raniowski begantoseeavaluable,therapeuticelement emerge.

Upon speaking with some of his fellow veteransandformerteammatesaboutthese experiences and theirs as well, Raniowski knew there were more military families who could benefit from these therapeutic relationships, so he formed the Hero Kids FoundationinOctoberof2013withtheaim of“givinglighttothosewhoserveathome.”

Currently,HKFisadedicated,non-profit organization offering mentoring equine therapyandmultipleengagingprogramsto military and first responder families in the Hampton Roads Area aiming to “connect families at their core, restore family spirit andhelpthemthriveinanewnormalcy.”

Thisyear,tohonortheMonthoftheMilitary Child, the HKF partnered with Hunt ClubFarmofVirginiaBeach,astheyhavein the past to offer free tickets to the farm for militaryfamiliesintheHamptonRoadsarea

For more information about signing up for HFK programs, visit their website at hkfva.org.

Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems

Support provides experts during Sea-Air-Space 2023

ByAngelaKing-Sweigart

NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md Several senior leaders from Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support (NAVSUPWSS)wereselectedtoparticipate asexpertsonpanelsofferedduringthethreedaySea-Air-SpaceconferenceApril3-5.

The event brought together U.S. defense industry and key military decision-makers for informative educational sessions, importantpolicydiscussionsandexhibits.

Rear Adm. Ken Epps commander NAVSUPWSS,wasapanelistforNavyShip and Submarine Maintenance The panel brought together the front-runners in ship and submarine maintenance, as well as supply chain management, to discuss the Navy’sholisticapproachtodeliveringships andsubmarinesoutofmaintenanceontime and on budget, along with some of its challenges Epps discussed NAVSUP WSS’s Get Real Get Better and Naval Sustainment System(NSS)initiativesfocusingonhowthe command is tackling end-to-end material challenges for shipyard maintenance availabilities Lynn Kohl, vice commander, NAVSUP WSS, was a panel member on the Navy’s Office of Small Business event. During this event the Department of the Navy (DON) Office of Small Business Programs selected fivesmallbusinessestopresenttheirideaor producttothepanelofexperts Theexperts offeredsuggestionstohelpthebusinesses

Kohl was also panelist for the Maintenance Transformation Challenges and Opportunities panel. This panel centered discussions on the question: How can governments and industry partners jointly navigatethemanychallengestoupgradeand expand shipyard and aviation maintenance capacity and transform into world class maintenance organizations? Kohl briefed the audience on NAVSUP WSS’s plan to buildagreatsupplycapacityandvelocityto meetmaintenancechallenges Inadditiontotheseniorleaders,acontingent of approximately 40 employees traveledtotheconference Theemployeeswere abletonetwork,speakwithindustryprofessionalsandattendinformationpanelslearningmoreonhowtobettersupportNAVSUP

WSScustomer-thefleet.

NAVSUP WSS is one of 11 commands under Commander NAVSUP Headquartered in Mechanicsburg Pennsylvania, NAVSUP employs a diverse worldwide workforceofmorethan22,500militaryand civilian personnel. NAVSUP and the Navy Supply Corps conduct and enable supply chain,acquisition,operationallogisticsand Sailor and family care activities with our mission partners to generate readiness and sustain naval forces worldwide to prevent and decisively win wars Learn more at www.navsup.navy.mil, www.facebook. com/navsupwss , and https://twitter.com/ navsupsyscom.

DAHLGREN,Va (April 20,2023) the region’swaterways and the land-based ecosystems throughwhich theyrun.(U.S.NAVYPHOTOBYMASSCOMMUNICATIONSPECIALIST3RDCLASSOLIVERSERNA)

NDW celebrates Earth Day with activities across the region

ByRickDocksai

Naval District Washington

NavalDistrictWashington(NDW)installations are honoring Earth Day throughout outthemonthofAprilwithstreamcleanups tree plantings and other activities aimed at protecting the region’s waterways and the land-basedecosystemsthroughwhichthey run.

“Wetrytobegoodstewards,bothbalancingthemilitarymissionwiththepublicrelations of the community Showing that we can balance the needs of the military with theenvironment,”saidLauraLaBella natural resources specialist at Naval Air Station (NAS)PatuxentRiver.

NASPatuxentRiversitswherethePatuxent River empties into the Chesapeake Bay andrecentlycompleteda“livingshoreline” project to stop shore erosion by laying out rocks, sand, and plant beds along a nearby shorearea Foritsefforts,St Mary’sCounty will honor the installation with a Sustainability Award in a ceremony this Saturday, April 22—Earth Day—at Summerseat Farm inMechanicsville

TheinstallationalsohostedanEarthDay observance Thursday morning, April 20, at the Patuxent River Beach House Volunteers from the Forrest Technology Center in Leonardtown gathered at the water to cleanthebeachand,elsewhereontheinstallation theyworkedtoclearthehighlyinvasiveBradfordPeartrees.

NAS Patuxent River Environmental staff andtheTechCentervolunteersalsostaffed tables at the Beach House, where they gave students from three nearby schools—St Michael’sSchool,LeonardtownElementary, andGreenHollyElementary—presentations about nature and how the installation is protectingit.Thestudentslearnedaboutthe installation’sbeepollinatorsites,batconservation,stormwatermanagement,recycling and natural resources conservation efforts. Inaddition,thePortOperationsboatthatthe installation uses to clean up chemical spills onthewaterwasondisplay,withcrewavailabletoexplaintheboat’soperation.

“We have set up a strong active habitat management and outreach program,” LaBella said “We work closely with the tenant commands and outside schools and organizations aswell.”

Naval Support Activity (NSA) WashingtonhostedaSpringCleanup,onWednesday, April 19 Volunteers collected thousands of poundsofusedcomputerhardware,batteries,lightbulbs,andotherusedproductsfrom officebuildingsforrecycling.

“Throughout the year, we get emails:

‘HowdoIdisposeofthis?’‘HowdoIgetrid of that?’ ” said Justin Barlow, Environmental Program Director with Naval Facilities EngineeringSystemsCommand(NAVFAC) Washington “We’rekeepingtheseelectronics out of the landfills keeping them out of waterways.

NSA Washington will also participate in a volunteer stream cleanup, Clean the Bay Day,onWednesday,April26 Volunteerswill clearlitterfromthePotomacRivernearthe Naval Surface Warfare Center-Carderock DivisioninBethesda.

The event was in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Jasmine Tyson, NSA Washington stormwater programmanager,saidthatthekeepingthe Potomac clean benefits the Bay because all ofthePotomacandotherareariversallflow intoit “All of our installations are near water bodies that impact the Chesapeake Bay,” Tyson said. “DC, Maryland, Virginia, parts ofPennsylvania,allofthoseareasdraininto theChesapeake.”

Naval Support Activity (NSA) Annapolis personnel will team up Saturday with the Midshipmen Action Group to clear overgrown vegetation and clean up litter along the trails of the Greenbury Point ConservationArea,anaturepreservenearAnnapolis. NSAAnnapolisEnvironmentalDepartment personnelwillalsogivenatureconservation presentationstothepublicatthepreserve’s GreenburyPointNatureCenter

NSA South Potomac held a volunteer event with the Dahlgren School on Thursday, April 20 Students from the school helpedplanttreesandpickuptrash

Another tree-planting project added 50 new trees to NSA Bethesda over the last few months to replace trees that were lost to development or adverse weather The lastfivewillbeplantedinfrontoftheWalter Reed Medical Center on Friday April 28 in an Arbor Day ceremony that is open to the public.

“This base is part of the community, and maintainingthattreecanopymatterstothe community We’remakingsurethatweplant trees in order to keep that canopy in place,” said Jeremy Brooks, NSA Bethesda public affairs officer “What’s important to them andtothecountyisimportanttous.”

Arbor Day is one of four environmental events happening at NSA Bethesda this week and next. The installation had a NAVFAC information fair on recycling and environmental programs Tuesday, April 18; on-basetrashcleanuponWednesday,April 19; and there will be an internal Earth Day observanceWednesday,April26.

USS Arlington arrives at General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard

ByPettyOfficer1stClassJohnBellino

USS Arlington (LPD 24)

TheSanAntonio-classamphibioustransport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24) arrivesatGeneralDynamicsNASSCOshipyard in Norfolk, Virginia, for a scheduled maintenanceavailabilityperiod,April18

After having completed three deploymentsandamaintenanceavailabilityperiod thatwasconductedpiersideatNavalStation Norfolk,inNorfolkVirginiafrom2019-2020, this is the first time Arlington has transitioned to the shipyard since being commissionedin2013

Upon returning from its most recent seven-month deployment in Oct. 2022, Arlington maintained an active operational tempoleadinguptothistransitionbytravelingtoandparticipatinginNewYork’sVeterans Day events; it conducted Sea Trials for theU.S.MarineCorpsnewesthelicopter,the CH-53K King Stallion; and the ship represented the amphibious fleet on the Norfolk waterfront as groups from NATO, the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy JROTC visited for tours.

“Entering the shipyard is bittersweet,” saidCapt.EricKellum,commandingofficer of the Arlington “On the very positive side, itprovidesopportunitiestogetSailorssome much needed time off, required schooling, and a predictable weekly schedule All of which are well deserved and necessary.”

“However, Sailors are made to be on ships and ships are made to be at sea, so we will maximize this time in the yards to get the ship and our Sailors operating at 100% and getArlingtonbackintothefight!”

Over the last couple months it was an all-hands effort to prepare the ship for the shipyard All office items and equipment throughout the ship had to be boxed up andhauledoffforstorage;hazmathadtobe removedfromtheship;andthecrewhadto prepare to transition their work spaces to a bargethatwillsitalongsidetheship Arlington has definitively entered its maintenancephaseashundredsofcontrac-

Sailors assigned to the SanAntonio-class amphibious transport dockship USSArlington (LPD 24),gatheronArlington’s flight deckas the ship maneuvers toward the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in Norfolk,Virginia.Arlington is homeported at Naval Station Norfolkand transitioned to the shipyard fora scheduled maintenance availabilityperiod.(U.S.NAVYPHOTOBYMASSCOMMUNICATIONSPECIALIST1STCLASS JOHNBELLINO tors make their way aboard every day. The diligentworkofthecrew however,remains asimportantasever Itwillcontinuetotake an all-hands effort to maintain the safety of the ship and personnel throughout the entiretyoftheyardperiod.

“It involves a whole team concept, from weekly damage control training and drilling to laying out a comprehensive and sequenced plan to repair the ship over the next 550 days,” said Command Master Chief Christopher Farrar, the command master chief assigned to the Arlington “It involves the Arlington crew, the shipyard maintenanceteam,theashoremaintenance communityandamyriadofotherpartnersto make it all work seamlessly.” “The Captain andIcannotbemoreproudoftheextended Arlington team on a successful start to a maintenance period at Norfolk General Dynamics/NASCCOshipyards.”

NORFOLK,Va

SupportActivityHampton base chapel,April 20 2023.ATorahwhich originated from central Europe,and is on loan to the aircraft carrierUSS Dwight D.Eisenhower(CVN 69) from Temple Israel inAkron,OH,was present forthe ceremony.Service members gathered to rememberthevictims ofthe Holocaust.Days ofRemembrancewas established bythe U.S.Congress to memorialize the sixmillionJews murdered in the Holocaust aswell as the millions ofvictimswhowere targeted forracial,political,ideological,and behavioral reasons.(U.S.NAVYPHOTOSBYMASS COMMUNICATION1STCLASSNATHANT.BEARD)