FRC Mid-Atlantic completes 500th MH-60 Seahawk Planned Maintenance Interval

MC2JordanGrimes

NRMA Public Affairs

NORFOLK,Va FleetReadinessCenter

Mid-Atlantic (FRCMA) held a celebration honoring the completion of their 500th MH-60 Seahawk helicopter to go through the Planned Maintenance Interval (PMI) processatNavalStationNorfolk,July31

Themilestoneachievementhighlightsthe importanceofFRCMAandtheroletheyplay infosteringinnovationandadvancementin navalaviationreadiness

Charles “Chip” Hatfield, a civilian employee of FRCMA, said the approximately 160 government civilians and contractors that work on the aircrafts are morethanjustmechanics.

“[A PMI] is almost a full disassembly of theaircraftthatiscompletedbysomeofthe most talented artisans in the world, said Hatfield. “Yes, we call the mechanics “artisans”becauseofthecomplexworkinvolved inrepairingandassemblinganaircraft…The final product, an MH-60, looks like a work ofartandisreadyforoperationalusebythe squadron.”

OnesuchartisanisSteveTurack,anaircraft examiner for the Norfolk team. Turack said hethinksthemaintenanceworkdoneonthe MH-60s that come in holds a high level of importancetomissionreadiness

“Ifyoudon’tdoperiodicmaintenanceon [theaircraft],corrosioncangetmuchworse,” said Turack. “The saltwater environment thattheseoperateinisverycorrosive sothe changes that we do to them and the repairs we make to the wiring and the airframe are whatkeeptheseaircraftsflying.

FRCMA’s completed MH-60 aircraft are returned to their squadrons to participate in operational missions around the world. Hatfield says the team of artisans are very proud of the work they do and their contribution to the Navy’s ability to complete its mission. The Norfolk location has been performingPMIsontheMH-60since2003.

FRCMA is one of seven Fleet Readiness Centers devoted to the maintenance of naval aircraft and provides full-spectrum aircraftmaintenanceoperations,possessing all of the key capabilities required to maintain high-performance tactical aircraft in supportofwarfighterreadiness.

Navy christens future guided-missile destroyer Harvey C. Barnum Jr.

ByOfficeoftheSecretaryoftheNavy

The Navy christened the future USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr (DDG 124) during a ceremony at General Dynamics Bath Iron WorksinBath,Maine,July29

Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos DelTorodeliveredthechristeningceremony’sprincipaladdress

“I have always looked to Harvey Barnum as a personal mentor, someone whose judgementIvalueinallofmydecisionsand considerations includinginmycurrentrole asSecretaryoftheNavy,”saidSECNAVDel Toro “This man is among the most distinguished and accomplished public servants alive today. May we all be a bit more like him—and may the future USS Harvey C. Barnum carry forth his spirit and his story forever.”

Retired Marine Corps Col. Harvey C. BarnumJr.,receivedtheMedalofHonorfor heroismdisplayed duringanactionoutside KyPhu QuangTinProvince Vietnam.Serving with Company H, 2d Battalion and 9th Marines, he assumed command after the rifle company commander was mortally wounded by a sudden enemy attack. Grabbingtheradiooffthedeadoperator,Barnum strapped it on his back, called the battalion commander and declared, “The company commanderisdown Ihavethefight. Rallyinghistroops,Barnumorganizedthedefeat of the enemy force and the successful evacuationofthedeadandwounded.

“What strikes me as Harvey’s most remarkablecharactertraitishishumility allwhoknowhimknowthereisn’tanounce of self-importance in him. He is kind. He is generous He is down-to-earth. He is a true friend, a good man, and a Marine’s Marine Hiswholelife he“hashadthefight. Andwe areallbetterforit.

This is the first U.S. Navy ship to honor Barnum.

“I stand here before you today as a gratefulAmerican,”saidthe83-year-oldBarnum duringtheceremony.“I’mgratefulthatIwas born, grew up, and still live in the greatest countryintheworld.I’mgratefulthatIhad the opportunity to serve this great country andweartheclothofaUnitedStatesMarine

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BATH,Maine (JULY29 2023) Secretaryofthe NavyCarlos DelToro attends the christening ceremonyofUSS HarveyC.Barnum (DDG 124)July29 The ship’s namesake Col HarveyC. BarnumJr USMC (on the left)was aveteran ofVietnam and recipient ofthe Medal ofHonor The shipwas awarded onJune 3,2013,named in 2016 and the keel laid on May21 2021.(U.S. NAVYPHOTOBYCHIEFMASSCOMMUNICATIONSPECIALISTSHANNONE.RENFROE)

Best in the Fleet: USS The Sullivans wins 2022

Battenberg Cup After Two Surge Deployments

The crewoftheArleigh Burke-class guidedmissile destroyerUSSThe Sullivans (DDG 68)was named the best all-around ship in theAtlantic Fleet based on accumulation of achievements that included two successful surge deployments,July27 PageA6

Hampton Roads Naval Museum receives highest national recognition: Reaccreditation from the American Alliance of Museums

ByMaxLonzanida

Hampton Roads Naval Museum

NORFOLK, Va The Hampton Roads Naval Museum (HRNM) has achieved reaccreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community to governments funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. The museum originally achievedaccreditationin2008.

Located in Norfolk, Virginia, the HRNM is one of 10 Navy museums operated by the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC)opentothepublicacrossthecountry The museum preserves and interprets the naval history of Hampton Roads dating fromthecolonialeratothepresentday.

AAMAccreditationbringsnationalrecognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professionalstandardsandcontinuedinstitutional improvement. Developed and sustained by museumprofessionalsfor50years,theAlliance’smuseumaccreditationprogramisthe field’sprimaryvehicleforqualityassurance self-regulation and public accountability It strengthens the museum profession by promoting practices that enable leaders to makeinformeddecisions,allocateresources wisely, and remain financially and ethically accountable in order to provide the best possibleservicetothepublic.

“ForHRNM,AAMaccreditationdemonstratesthemuseum’scommitmenttoprofessional excellence and affirms our vision to make history a core component of a Sailor’s education and to bring the American people closer to their Navy In preparation forthereaccreditationreview HRNM’spaid and unpaid staff, stakeholders, and leadership,workedtogethertocriticallyassessthe museum’s policies, procedures, and institutional culture in order to ensure that all activities meet the highest standards and bestpractices,”saidJohnPentangelo,Director of the HRNM. “The museum staff is so proud to hold this distinction and to serve our community here in the capital of the UnitedStatesNavy.”

Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums,only1,102(lessthan4%)arecurrently accredited. HRNM is one of six official Department of the Navy museums that are currentlyaccreditedbyAAM.

“In layman’s terms, especially given NHHC’slimitedresourcing this60%benchmarkshowsthatweoperateatthe“Smithsonian”levelofexcellenceinthestewardship of the collections in our care, service to the Fleet,andoutreachtotheAmericanPeople, throughallofoureducationaloutreachand programming,”saidNavalHistoryandHeritageCommand’sDeputyAssistantDirector, NavyMuseumsDivisionJeffBarta.

Accreditationisarigorousbutrewarding processthatexaminesallaspectsofamuseum’s operations To earn accreditation, a museum first must conduct a year of selfstudy andthenundergoasitevisitbyateam of peer reviewers The AAM Accreditation Commission, an independent and autonomousbodyofmuseumprofessionals,considers the self-study and visiting committee report to determine whether a museum shouldreceiveaccreditation.

“This multi-year accreditation process ensures that we run our museums to the highestprofessionalindustrystandardsand bestpractices,”saidBarta.“Nationwide only around 3% of the nation’s museums meet the highly rigorous standards to be accredited.We’reveryproudoftheimmensework andtalentthatwentintotheeffort HRNM’s educationalprogramsareinsteadydemand, andtheteamhasbeenaskedbyFleetForces Command to contribute to the history education curriculum for our Chiefs and Sailors.Itdoesn’tgetmuchbetterthanthat.”

In 2019 HRNM opened a major new exhibit, “The Ten Thousand-Day War at Sea:TheU.S.NavyinVietnam. Theexhibit explores the role of the Navy during that conflict and shares the experiences of the men and women who served during that turbulent era via oral history touchscreens HRNM is also the custodian of artifacts related to the Civil War shipwrecks of USS Cumberland and CSS Florida. Their robust educational outreach program serves the entireNavyfamily,includingcivilians,family members and retirees With 75 Navy and Military Sealift Command ships 34 air squadrons over 300 tenant commands and activities, and the largest concentration of flagofficersoutsideofthePentagon,Hampton Roads is truly the capital of the United StatesNavy NHHC, located at the Washington Navy Yard, is responsible for preserving, analyzing,anddisseminatingU.S.navalhistoryand heritage. It provides the knowledge foundation for the Navy by maintaining historically relevant resources and products that reflect the Navy’s unique and enduring contributions through our nation’s history and supports the fleet by assisting with and delivering professional research, analysis, and interpretive services NHHC comprises many activities, including the Navy Department Library the Navy Operational Archives the Navy art and artifact collections underwater archeology Navy histories,10museums,theUSSConstitution repairfacility,andthehistoricshipNautilus