Flagship 08.31.2023

DOD announced changes to the special leave accrual policy for service members

The

Marines tovalidate deployment readiness in preperation forfuture destructiveweatherevents.TOPRIGHT:An MV-22 Ospreyassigned to the“ThunderChickens”ofMarine MediumTiltrotorSquadron 263 (VMM-263) lands on the flight deckofUSS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) in support ofDefense Support ofCivilAuthorities (DSCA) LOADEX.ABOVERIGHT:Alanding craft,aircushion (LCAC) assigned toAssault Craft Unit 4 prepares to depart thewell deckofUSS Fort Lauderdale. (U.S.NAVYPHOTOSBYMASSCOMMUNICATIONSPECIALIST2NDCLASSDUSTINKNIGHT/RELEASED)

Navy and Marine Corps strengthen bond during DSCA Rehearsal

ByPettyOfficer2ndClass

DustinKnight

USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28)

JOINT EXPEDITIONARY BASE

LITTLECREEK-FORTSTORY,Va Natural disasters have proven to be unpredictable all over the globe making it even more importanttotraintorespondtothoseareas thatareaffected.

U.S. Sailors and Marines assigned to USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28), along with Expeditionary Strike Group 2 (ESG-2) and 2nd Marine Logistics Group took part in a Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA)FullMissionRehearsalatNavalBase Norfolk, Virginia, and at sea from August 18to22.

The exercise certified the rapid embarkation of Sailors and Marines with the II MEFMaritimeDSCATaskForceaboardthe Norfolk-basedFortLauderdale,aSanAntonio-class amphibious transport dock ship, to validate deployment readiness requirements in preparation for future destructive weather events along the East Coast and CaribbeanSea

Fort Lauderdale, assigned to ESG-2, provided naval assets such as multiple landing craft, air cushions (LCACs), which enabled the II MEF Maritime DSCA Task Force to exercise logistical procedures essential for the mission. The integration enhanced the Blue/Green Team’s capabilitiesandincreasedmutualinterdependence.

“We are more prepared to provide support when requested by local and state authorities,” saidRearAdm.TomWilliams, Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 2. “This training exercised the same team who would respond to a hurricane, natural disasteroranykindofman-madedisaster.”

During the exercise Sailors and Marines loaded vehicles equipment and personnel onto an LCAC and delivered them to the USS Fort Lauderdale, and unloaded crisis response gear onto the ship Once out to sea,MV-22Ospreys,assignedtothe“Thunder Chickens of “Marine Medium TiltrotorSquadron263(VMM-263),andLCAC’s, assigned to Assault Craft Unit 4 (ACU-4), off-loadedthesamegearandpersonneland returnedthemtoshore.

Althoughtheprimaryreasonfortheexer-

cise to ensure mission readiness, a secondary result was a strengthened relationship betweentheMarinesandSailors

“Anyexerciseallowsus tostrengthenthe Navy and Marine Corps bond,” said Fort LauderdaleCommandingOfficer,Capt Gill McCarthy “This particular exercise allows ustodemonstratethattheNavyandMarine Corps team is more than power projection throughcombatoperations.”

The II MEF Maritime DSCA Task Force, commanded by CLB 26, is designed to respond to a destructive weather crisis rapidly and must be able to recall all forces, move those personnel and all equipment 230miles,loaditontotheUSSFortLauderdale and be ready to go underway in less than 120 hours from notification. During this rehearsal, they were ready in less than 90hours ThisTaskForceprovidessupport to civilian authorities and is comprised of elements from throughout the II Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), stationed in theCampLejeune,NCarea.

“Captain McCarthy got it right,” Combat LogisticsBattalion26CommandingOfficer Lt Col. Zach Embers. “The seamless inte-

gration of our teams speaks to their professionalism and the importance of our naval integration at the service level to maintain this ability to rapidly come together and execute complex amphibious operations bringingaidorotherrelevantmilitarycapabilitytothepointofneed.”

The Fort Lauderdale looks forward to growing alongside its green counterpart moreinthefuture “DSCA is a life-saving effort and locally delivered support of devastated communities, said McCarthy. “The flawless integration of Combat Logistics Battalion 26 (CLB 26)andUSSFortLauderdaleexemplifiesthe Department’s flexibility and power which we will continue to work on more in the future.

FormoreinformationonUSSFortLauderdale (LPD 28) visit https://www.facebook. com/FORTLAUDERDALELPD28

FormoreinformationonCombatLogisitics Battalion 26 visit https://www.2ndmlg marines.mil/Units/Combat-Logistics-Regiment-2/Combat-Logistics-Battalion-26/ FormoreonExpeditionaryStrikeGroup2 visithttps://www.facebook.com/ESGTWO.

USS Iowa gun barrel ribbon-cutting ceremony held at JEB Little Creek-Fort Story

ByNRMAPublicAffairs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va Joint Expeditionary Base (JEB) Little Creek-Fort Story hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on base to celebrate the relocation of the historic Iowa-class battleship USS Iowa (BB 61) gun barrel #270L at 1 p.m., Aug. 29 The66-footlong,120-tonbarrelwastransportedto JEBLittleCreekFortStoryinMayofthisyearandwas placed next to the historic Cape Henry Lighthouse followingastopinPortsmouth,Virginia,whereitwas paintedandpreparedformemorialdisplay.

Transport and salvage of the historic barrel was arrangedbytheCoastDefenseStudyGroupandthe USS Iowa Veterans Association.

“We are humbled to welcome this historic piece of Naval history to our base,” said Capt. David L. Gray, JEB Little Creek-Fort Story’s commanding officer “This barrel will serve as a heritage site to visitors, military members, and veterans alike who will be able to learn about and share the history of the USS Iowa with others in our community for years to come.”

This display will honor USS Iowa veterans who served on the battleship during WWII, the Korean War, and the Cold War. Barrel #270L is the last of nine gun barrels from the USS Iowa to be relocated with others on display in Arizona, Delaware and New Jersey

The USS Iowa (BB 61) gun barrel #270Lis nowon displayatJoint

Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command awarded Meritorious Unit Commendation

ByDenverBeaulieu-Hains

U.S. Fleet Cyber Command / U.S. 10th Fleet

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md

NavyCyberDefenseOperationsCommand (NCDOC) was recently awarded a MeritoriousUnitCommendationforunitachievementsbetweenJan.1,2021andFeb.10,2023.

MeritoriousUnitCommendationsrecognize units that distinguish themselves by eithervalorousormeritoriousachievement. It recognizes service comparable to that whichwouldmerittheawardoftheBronze StarMedaltoanindividual.

The Sailors are recognized for meeting Department of Defense strategic goals and fulfilling mission requirements by leading the execution of endpoint security at the host level. NCDOC was at the forefront of implementing zero trust and continuous monitoring on DoN networks, while

improving cloud behavior analytics and machine learning. This enhanced analysts’ ability to prevent, detect, investigate, and respondtoadvancedcybersecuritythreats.

“NCDOC led the Department of the Defense and Department of the Navy towards a paradigm shift in the execution ofendpointsecurityatthehostlevel,aggressivelyandrapidlyadoptingdetectiontools,” accordingtothecitation,signedbyChiefof Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday. “The commandledtheU.S.Navy-wideoperation TRITON PHALANX, deploying transformative cloud-based endpoint monitoring and response tools across the U.S. Navy enterprise and expected networks across theglobe.”

The command was recognized for supporting more than 3,800 commands and 700,000 individual users worldwide, NCDOC maintained continuous watch

operations and reviewed at least 5 million dailyalerts TheSailorsmitigatedmorethan 1,800 cyberspace threats to Department of DefenseInformationNetworks.

Theawardwaspresentedtothecommand on Aug. 17, 2023 by Vice Adm. Craig Clapperton,Commander,FleetCyberCommand and 10th Fleet, who said “The achievements of NCDOC are truly extraordinary. Youdefendournetworksdayinanddayout, proactively seeking out threats and mitigate or remove them from the battlefield to ensurethecontinuityofourvitalcommand andcontrollinks Trulywelldoneall.”

Previously NCDOC received the Department of the Navy’s 2023 Information Technology Excellence Innovate Award and the 2022SANSInstituteDifferenceMakersTeam oftheYearAwardsfortheseinnovations

About NCDOC: Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command (NCDOC), executes

defensivecyberspaceoperationsandenables global power projection through proactive network defense The command is the Navy’s Defensive Cyberspace Operations (DCO) Task Force and sole Cyber Security ServiceProvider(CSSP).

About U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and U.S. 10th Fleet: U.S. Fleet Cyber Command (FCC) is responsible for Navy information networkoperations,offensiveanddefensive cyberspace operations, space operations, andsignalsintelligence Comprisedofmore than14,000Sailors Reservistsandcivilians stationedacrosstheworld U.S.10thFleetis theoperationalarmofFCCandexecutesits missionthroughataskforcestructuresimilartootherwarfarecommanders.

For news and information from Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command / U.S.10thFleet,visitwww.fcc.navy.mil.

Competitive Edge: Students win CNR Scholarship Awards at Global Science Fair

ByWarrenDuffie Office of Naval Research

ARLINGTON, Va

For excellence in researchareassuchasroboticsandmachine learning, the Department of the Navy’s (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/MinorityInstitutions(HBCU/ MI) Program recently presented $15,000 scholarshipawardstofivestudentscompeting in the Regeneron International Science andEngineeringFair(ISEF)inDallas,Texas.

The prizes took the form of Chief of NavalResearch(CNR)ScholarshipAwards which recognize students in grades nine through 12 for producing and presenting quality science and engineering projects, andaregivenbytheOfficeofNavalResearch (ONR)

The honors were distributed at ISEF one of the world’s largest science and engineeringcompetitionsforhighschoolers as part of the Naval Science Awards Program (NSAP),aNavyandMarineCorpsprogram encouraging American students to develop and retain an interest in science and engineering. NSAP celebrates the accomplishments of eligible students at regional and state science and engineering fairs, as well aslargeonessuchasISEF.

Anthony C. Smith Sr., director of the DoN HBCU/MI Program, which is located at ONR, presented the CNR Scholarship AwardstotheirrespectivewinnersatISEF Smith, a captain in the Navy Reserve, also presidedoverateamofotherreservistswho wereservingasvolunteerjudges evaluatingstudentpresentationsonscientificrigor and potential application to future naval challenges “It was an honor and a joy to present the CNRScholarshipAwardstothesedeserving students,”saidSmith.“Thesophisticationof

theirresearchpresentations,aswellastheir passion, attention to detail and inquisitive natures, exemplify what the awards seek to spotlight. Events like ISEF are valuable for discovering the brightest young minds that couldpotentiallystrengthenthenavalworkforce.”

Thewinnersofthisyear’sCNRScholarshipAwardsare:

„ Roy Gross (Palo Alto, California) “Tactical Drone Detection and Tracking Using Machine-Learned Radio

Interferometry:LessonsFromUkraine „ Hanna Matusik (Lexington, Massachusetts) “A Novel PneumaticallyActuatedSoftRoboticHandWith3DVisionBasedTeleoperation”

„ Jordan Prawira (Mountain House, California) “Pura Aer 2: Dual-Stage Energy-Efficient, Modular Air Purifier System, Inspired by Porifera To Improve AirQuality” „ Ethan Zentner (Glendale, Wisconsin) “Design, Construction, and Testing of a Passenger-CapableeVTOLHexacopter”

„ Rodrigo Valdes (El Paso, Texas) “Optimizing Aero-Stability in Model Rockets Using Advanced Flight Algorithm andServo-ActuatedThrustVectorControl”

Throughaglobalnetworkoflocal,regional and national science fairs ISEF enables millionsofstudentstoexploretheirpassion for scientific inquiry Each year a group of these students is selected as finalists and offered the opportunity to compete in the globalISEFsciencefairforapproximately$9 millioninawardsandscholarships

Editorial Staff

ManagingEditor | MCC Amanda Kitchner

757-262-2852 | amanda.s.kitchner.mil@us.navy.mil

MilitaryEditor | MC1 Maddelin Hamm

757-322-2853 | maddelin.v.hamm.mil@us.navy.mil

AssistantEditor | MC2 Jordan Grimes

757-322-2853 | news@flagshipnews.com

GraphicDesigner | TeresaWalter teresa.walter@virginiamedia.com

Contributing Staff Ninoshka Basantes, Kaitlyn Hewett, Elizabeth Reisen

757-322-2853 | news@flagshipnews.com

Flagship,Inc.

MNVMilitary Manager | Ski Miller ski.miller@virginiamedia.com

AnthonyC.Smith Sr (left) directorofthe Department ofthe Navy’s HistoricallyBlackColleges and Universities/MinorityInstitutions Program standswithwinners ofthe ChiefofNaval Research ScholarshipAward during the recent Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fairin Dallas,Texas.Thewinners (left to right)were Ethan Zentner Hanna Matusik,Jordan Prawira,RoyGross and RodrigoValdes (not pictured). Cmdr MarkMurray a NavyReservist and engineering professorat the U.S.NavalAcademy,is on the right-hand side.(PHOTOPROVIDEDBY ANTHONYC.SMITHSR.)

DOD announced changes to the special leave accrual policy for service members

ByU.S.DepartmentofDefense

On August 25 2023 the Department of Defense (DoD) announced changes to the specialleaveaccrual(SLA)policyforservice members The DoD Instruction 1327.06, “LeaveandLibertyPolicyandProcedures,” was reissued incorporating change five to implement the provisions of section 701 of title 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) that was revised by section 632 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FiscalYear(FY)2023

Aservicemembermayretainamaximum of60daysofannualleavefromoneFYtothe nextFY However,aservicememberwhois assignedtocertaindutiesthatpreventheor shefromtakingannualleavemaybeeligible forSLAthatqualifiestheservicememberto retainmorethan60daysofleaveattheend oftheFY

The revised provisions of section 701 U.S.C.title10reducedthemaximumamount of accrued leave that may be retained by a Service member at the end of the FY from 120 days (60 days of annual leave plus 60 days of SLA leave) to 90 days (60 days of annual leave plus 30 days of SLA leave).

Also, the timeframe a service member may retain SLA leave was shortened from three FYs to two FYs following the FY in which the SLA qualifying duty ended. Further, a duty assignment in support of a designated contingencyoperationbyitselfisnolongera qualifyingdutyforSLA.Thesechangeswent intoeffectonJanuary1,2023 Therevisedprovisionsoflawmadebythe FY2023NDAAdonotnegativelyimpactthe unused SLA leave of service members who accumulatedSLAleaveduetotheCoronavirusDisease2019orduetootherreasonsthat occurred before FY2023 Service members

may continue to use this SLA leave according to the timelines previously established bytheirService

BeginninginFY2023,aservicememberin aSLAqualifyingdutysuchasanassignment to a designated deployable ship may retain a maximum of 90 days of accrued leave (60 daysannualleaveand30daysofSLAleave) attheendoftheFYifheorshereceiveswritten approval to do so from the first flag or general officer in their chain of command. Theservicemember’sleavethatisapproved as SLA will be forfeited unless used before the end of the second FY following the FY in which the SLA qualifying duty ended. For example, SLA leave that is approved for FY2023 will be forfeited unless used by September30,2025

ServicememberswhohaveapprovedSLA leavethatcausedtheiraccruedleavebalance to exceed 90 days as of December 31, 2022

may continue to carry SLA leave that is in excess of 90 days; however, any SLA leave that exceeds 90 days on or before September 30 2026 will be forfeited. No service member may be authorized additional SLA at the end of the FY2023 if their accrued leavebalanceexceeds90days.

EnlistedServicememberswhowouldlose accumulatedSLAleaveinexcessof90days may elect to be paid for SLA leave up to 30 days This election can only be taken once in a career. The sell back counts toward the enlisted service member’s cap of 60 days overacareer Service members are encouraged to reviewthe“remarks”sectionoftheirLeave andEarningStatementtomonitortheirSLA leave balance and to determine the expiration date of their SLA leave to avoid forfeitingdaysofSLAleave

ByNavalFacilitiesEngineering Systems Command Mid-Atlantic

NORFOLK, Va Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Mid-Atlantic (NAVFAC MIDLANT) awarded MIG WMJ JV1 LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia, a $23,039,522, firm-fixed price contract for fire protection repairs to building NH-95 onboard Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads Norfolk,Virginia.

Naval Support LowMonthly Payments Offer valid until 9/05/23

The project will modernize the fire protectionsystemtoincludefireprotection repairs/construction to building NH-95 Work will be performed in Norfolk, and is expectedtobecompletebyMay2026.

Fiscal year 2023 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $23,039,522 will be obligated at time of award, and will expire at the end of the currentfiscalyear Thiscontractwascompetitivelyprocured

Hampton +

team, NAVFAC MIDLANT provides leadershipthroughtheRegionalEngineerorganizationtoensuretheregion’sfacilitiesand infrastructure are managed efficiently and effectively For additional information about NAVFACMIDLANTonsocialmedia,follow ouractivitiesonFacebookatwww.facebook. com/navfacmidatlanticandonInstagram@ navfacmidatlantic. Staying in the know is easy Each weekday,you’ll get the latest stories curated by our editors on your smart speaker or streaming service. Available on Amazon Echo, Apple Music, Google Home, Spotify and more. Start now at PlayOurNews.com

via the www.sam.gov website with three proposalsreceived NAVFAC MIDLANT is the contracting activity(N40085-23-C-0040)

NAVFAC MIDLANT awards contract for www flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | Section 1 | Thursday, August 31, 2023 3 FREE INSTALL on bathremodeling projects

LABOR DAYSALE UPGRADE YOUR SHOWER OR BATH TODAY! BATH REMODELING DONE RIGHT From start to finish,weprovide customers with a quick and easybathroom remodeling experience Simply meet with one of our design consultants, view our styles and options, design your new shower or bath, andreceive an exact quote. Afterwards, our in-house installers will remove yourold unit, get your new project installed in as little as 1day and your home cleaned up before they leave. REAL REVIEWSFROMREAL CUSTOMERS 4.8/5 Based on 19,682 reviews

4.9/5 Based on 12,009 reviews

4.7/5 Based on 6,996 reviews (Company reviews across all branches as of 8/01/2023)

OVER 144,413+ BATH REMODELING JOBS COMPLETED IN 1DAY 757-280-2257 *Financing available to well qualified buyers on approved credit at an APR of 6.99% for 180 months, with an estimated monthly payment of 0.89% of your purchase amount. For example, for $11,000 financed, the payment will be 180 payments of $99 paid monthly.You may prepay your account at any time without penalty.Money down may be required. Financing is subject to credit requirements and satisfactory completion of finance documents. Any finance terms advertised are estimates only.Normal late charges apply.See your Truth in Lending Disclosures for more information. Call 866-393-4573 for financing costs and terms. Minimum purchase $9,999 required. See design consultant for details. Other restrictions may apply.**Free install is equal to 20% offthe total project price. New orders only.Offer not valid on previous sales or estimates and cannot be combined with other offers. Offer expires 9/05/23.

Navy Expeditionary Combat Forces enable distributed maritime operations during LSE 2023

By Navy Expeditionary Combat

Command

Sailors and Marines assigned to Navy ExpeditionaryCombatCommand(NECC) refined their warfighting concepts and tactics in live, virtual, and constructive training events throughout the month of August during Large Scale Exercise (LSE) 2023 NECC’s operations center provided command and control of NECC’s forces throughouttheexercise,workingcloselyto supportFleetcommandersin2nd,6thand 7th Fleets NECC forces operating in the continentalU.S.demonstratedtheirability to provide expeditionary re-arming, refueling, port damage repair, airfield damage repair, mine countermeasures and battle damage assessments ashore in Virginia, North Carolina and Florida and at sea in the U.S. 2nd Fleet operational area.

Expeditionary Re-Arming

ThetrainingeventskickedoffwithNavy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG) further refining their ability to reload a destroyer’s missile tubes using a crane from an auxiliary ship, August 3. NAVELSG Sailors assigned to Navy Cargo Handling Battalion’s expeditionary reload team assisted the crews of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78)andMilitarySealiftCommand’s(MSC) dry cargo ammunition ship USNS William McLean (T-AKE 12) in performing a MK 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) re-arm using simulated ordnance, pier-side, at Naval Station Norfolk. The expeditionary ordnance reload teams also conducted re-arming efforts in Mayport, Florida, during the exercise “Expeditionary logistics allow the Navy to quickly return to maintaining maritime dominance,” said Rear Adm. Brad Andros, commander,NECC.“Operatinginsupport of Military Sealift Command during Large Scale Exercise 2023 provides our expeditionary reload teams the opportunity to traintodifferentplatformssothattheycan continue to sustain capacity and increase the persistent combat power of naval forces.”

Expeditionary Port Damage Repair

Navy Expeditionary Combat Forces leveraged an aging pier on Naval Station Norfolk August as a training site to not onlypracticetheirabilitytoconductexpeditionary port damage repair operations (ExPDRO) but also improve real-word infrastructure for future fleet use

Priortobeginningtherepair,Navydivers from Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU)2conductedharborclearanceand apiersurveywithremotelyoperatedvehiclestoensureasafeworkingenvironment, and the Maritime Expeditionary Security Force conducted patrol boat operations, providing security of the entry and exit points for our forces Sailors conducting ExPDRO revive sea ports of debarkation through diving, salvage expeditionary dredging and expedient construction operations to remove impedimentstoshipping,repairpiers quay wallsandotherwaterfrontinfrastructurein contestedenvironmentstosupportmaneuverabilityandresupplyofforces The22nd Naval Construction Regiment oversaw the successful ExPDRO event, commanding and controlling Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 2, who provided underwater constructioncapabilities andNavalMobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 who used a task-tailored waterfront construction company who specializes in maritime construction to provide topside constructioncapabilities Improvementsforthepier includedconstructingnewreinforcements

withtrussing,restoringandpaintingcleats, wrapping piles, and underwater pier bracing “Repairing sea ports of debarkation is incredibly important for enabling distributed maritime operations,” said Andros “Ourforceswereabletodemonstratetheir abilitytorepairpiersquicklyandeffectively sothattheFleetcanreturntothefight This capability enables expeditionary logistics and resupply of expeditionary advanced base forces.”

Expeditionary Airfield

Damage Repair and Expeditionary Refueling

Navy Expeditionary Combat Forces also conducted airfield damage repair efforts onboard Seymour Johnson Air Force Base

in Goldsboro, North Carolina. To exercise integration with the amphibious surface fleet and U.S. Marine Corps, Seabees from NMCB11embarkedtheamphibioustransportdockshipUSSNewYork(LPD21)with construction vehicles and supplies and conducted a beach landing onto Onslow BeachatMarineCorpsBaseCampLejeune with the support of landing craft, air cushions

Once they landed, they refueled and convoyed to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base where they met Navy explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians from EOD Mobile Unit (EODMU) 6 and beganairfielddamagerepaireffortswhich included surveying the airfield, identifying explosive hazards, clearing the area of simulated ordnance and repairing craters and spalls to return the airfield back to full functionality

Sailors from Navy Cargo Handling Battalion’s expeditionary refueling team also integrated with Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 to establish a forward arming and refueling point for fixedwingaircraftatSeymourJohnsonAir Force Base that enabled sea-to-shore and shore-to-sea expeditionary logistics capabilities, a critical node in ensuring distributed maritime operations

Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures and Battle Damage Repair

An expeditionary mine countermeasurescompanyfromEODMU12comprised of a command and control element, an unmanned systems platoon and an explosive ordnance disposal mine countermeasures platoon, embarked aboard the amphibiousdocklandingshipUSSGunston Hall (LSD-44) to provide expeditionary mine countermeasures “q-route” clearanceinthe2ndFleetoperationalarea.They used a combination of unmanned systems and EOD technicians to locate, identify and eliminate simulated explosive threats with underwater detonations so that the ship could safely operate in a simulated contested environment.

SailorsfromMDSU2demonstratedtheir ability to rapidly deploy, conduct damage assessments, and “fight the ship” alongside Sailors from the USS Porter (DDG 78) during a simulated emergency response scenarioontheship Thiscapability,known as expeditionary battle damage assessment and repair is designed to increase surface combatant resiliency and get the Navy’s ships back in the fight to continue their missions The initial entry team from MDSU 2 conducted a fast rope insertion onto the Porter from a helicopter where they integrated into shipboard damage control and engineering efforts while also establishing communication back to their higher headquarters ashore. They then dispersed throughout the ship to check repair efforts, identify water intrusion points, and conduct clearance and explosive hazard mitigation.

Andros said he was incredibly proud of his Sailors and the warfighting concepts that were refined during LSE 2023 so that theNavyExpeditionaryCombatForcecan continue to support the Navy in fighting winning and deterring potential aggressors

“Our Sailors are trained to operate globally and thrive in littoral environments to reinforceAmerica’smaritimedominance,” said Andros “The capabilities of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Force were on full display during Large Scale Exercise 2023, and I look forward to future iterations as we build upon our ability to rearm, refuel, resupply, repair and revive naval forces to stay in the fight.

Navy Expeditionary Combat Command mans,trains,equips,organizes,andsustains warfightingreadinessfortheNavy’sexplosiveordnancedisposal,construction,maritimeexpeditionarysecurity,expeditionary logistics support, and expeditionary intelligenceforcessothatNavyandJointForce commanderscanapplyouruniquecapabilities to their missions.

LSE 2023 demonstrates the Navy’s and Marine Corps’ ability to employ precise, lethal, and overwhelming force globally acrosssixmaritimecomponentcommands, seven numbered fleets, and 22 time zones LSE 2023 merges real-world operations with virtually constructed scenarios to createarealistictrainingenvironmentthat allows Sailors and Marines to train how they will fight, regardless of geographic boundaries

For more information about NECC and our units, visit our website: https://www necc.usff.navy.mil/

NAVSTA Norfolk’s Diversity Committee holds Women’s Equality Event

ByBoatswainMatePettyOfficer

3rdClassJessicaNunes

NORFOLK, Va Sailors from Naval Station (NAVSTA) Norfolk’s Diversity Committee held their annual Women’s Equality Day celebration at the base galley Aug. 23 Sailors and civilian personnel from around the installation were invited to attend and learn about the history of Woman’s Equality and listen to a poem and personal experiences from guest speakers abouttheirtimeinthemilitary.

Women’s Equality Day is celebrated on Aug. 26 to commemorate the passage of the 19th Amendment and call attention to women’s continuous efforts towards true equality. On March 21, 1917 Loretta Walsh

became the first official enlisted woman in the U.S. Navy as a civilian clerk at a Navy recruiting station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.In1978,theNavystartedit’s“Women On Ships” Program, that led to an ever expandingroleandopportunityforwoman

“Women’s Equality Day is a reminder to us still that the fight for women’s equality did not end with the passing of the 19th amendment,” said Damage Controlmen

Petty Officer Third Class Shaniece Boyce, from NAVSTA Norfolk’s Command Career Counselorsoffice

The event was held in the NAVSTA Norfolk Chief Petty Officers Mess which was decorated with artwork of women, tables were displayed with bright colored tableclothsadornedwithpaperflowers

The event commenced with a poem named “I Am SHE” by Butch Decatoria, recited by Operation Specialists Petty Officer Second Class Chianne Moore, from NAVSTANorfolk’sCommandCareerCounselorsoffice.

“Iamshe whoiswillingtogowithhimto war,notamanbutasanequal, statedMoore fromthepoem.

ApanelwasthenheldwiththreeNAVSTA NorfolkSailors,allfromdifferentanddiverse backgrounds including rate and rank. The Sailors shared their about their experiences serving in the Navy The speakers were Lt Paula Menjivar from NAVSTA Norfolk’s Command Administration Office; Navy CareerCounselorChiefPettyOfficerBrittany Flowers,fromNAVSTANorfolk’sCommand

Career Counselors Office; and Legalmen

Chief Petty Officer Kareshia Ponder, from DefenseServiceOfficeSoutheast.

“As someone who started as a Seabee I joined a rate that was mainly male dominated and not very diverse at all but I came up through the ranks while forming family relationships with those coworkers,” said Ponder. “I get to sit beside with two amazing women today who instead of allowing an opposition to discourage them it caused them to want to fight harder and get to wheretheyarenow.”

The event concluded with a special cake cutting ceremony along with a special brunch meal prepared by the NAVSTA Norfolk galley crew in honor of Women’s EqualityDay.

Military Sealift Command hosts Women’s Equality Day special observance

ByBillMesta

USN Military Sealift Command

NOROLK, Va Service members and civilian teammates assigned to Military SealiftCommandgatheredonNavalStation Norfolk for a special observance held in honorofWomen’sEqualityDay,Aug.24

Women’s Equality Day, August 26, is a time to acknowledge the importance of the Women’sSuffrageMovementanditsimpact on the ratification of the 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution. It is also a time to raise awareness to challenges that may adversely affect the careers and advancementofwomen.

“OnWomen’sEqualityDay,wecommemorate the struggle of women to gain the right to vote,” Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christina Flores, the Mistress of Ceremonies for the event stated “The movement

for women’s rights was launched on a nationallevelin1848,atwhatisnowknown astheSenecaFallsConvention,whichwas originally advertised as a ‘Women’s Rights Convention’.”

“Voting rights advocates Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, also known as ‘Suffragists, along with Susan B. Anthony and other activists formed organizations thatraisedpublicawarenessandlobbiedthe governmenttograntvotingrightstowomen; makingtherighttovoteacenterpieceofthe women’srightsmovement,”Floresadded

At the turn of the century, suffragists fell intotwogroups:theclubmovementandthe settlementhousemovement.

“It would take 72 years after the Suffrage movementbeganforthesegroupstoemerge victorious with the ratification of the 19th amendmenttotheU.S.Constitution,onAug. 18, 1920, which prohibited any U.S. citizen

frombeingdeniedtherighttovotebasedon sex,”Floresstated.

Thethemeforthisyear’sWomen’sEqualityDaySpecialObservancewas‘Continuing toMakeHistory.’

The special observance featured a panel of women assigned to MSC made up of Shay Grant, MSC Fleet Communication Director, Angela Waller MSC Project Manager,Cmdr TerraGray,SeniorHuman Resources Military Advisor, Catrina Wright, MSC Assistant Counsel, Juanita Broennimann, of MSC Prepositioning and Seabasing, Andrea Orlowski, MSC Engineering Deputy Director and moderated by Lana Williams Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor who addressed the audience and fielded questions

The panel offered advice to the audience which included setting your goals high and ‘swinging for the fences’ to achieve

your goals, always believe in your professionalandpersonalself-worth,beexcellent at everything you do and instill a healthy personallife-workbalance

Whenasked‘whatadvicewouldyougive your younger self’ Broennimann offered, “Findwhatyoulikeanddo‘thething;’whatever that thing is Don’t let other people’s opinions about whether or not you are the bestcandidateforjob(swayyourresolve).

“Being open to the opportunities that cometoyouisgoingtoensureyousucceed,” sheconcluded.

“Todayaswecelebratethepassageofthe 19th Amendment, we are reminded we all have the opportunity and the responsibility to create a society that gives both men and women an equal voice,” according to the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute

(NAVSTANorfolk) Sailors from Naval Station NorfolkcelebrateWomen’s Equalityat the NAVSTANorfolkGalley,August

Sailors return to assist Norfolk Public Schools in “Servicing Our Schools Day”

StoryByBoatswainMatePettyOfficer

ThirdClassJessicaNunes

NORFOLK, Va Sailors stationed on Naval Station (NAVSTA) Norfolk volunteered to assist Norfolk Public Schools faculty and staff in preparing classroom and supplies as part of the “Servicing Our Schools Day” on August 17 2023 at Sewell’s PointElementary,oneofnineschoolsparticipating in the event. Sailors from Carrier AirborneEarlyWarningSquadron121(VAW 121) and the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN

77)tookpartinthevolunteerevent.

ServicingOurSchoolsDayeventreturned afterlastyear’ssuccess,andwasonceagain organizedandcoordinatedbytheNAVSTA NorfolkSchoolLiaison,Ms.LindsayAdams

“This event is for Sailors to volunteer withinthelocalschoolcommunity Norfolk Public Schools where 15% of students are militaryconnected,”saidAdams.“TheSailors volunteering help at the school with tasks based on the needs of the teachers and staff as they prepare for the return of students.”

The volunteers were divided into groups that moved from classroom to classroom, helping teachers organize furniture, move shelves and even scrape paint, so students canenterawelcomingenvironmentthisfall.

“It really has been amazing having the help especially in the beginning of the schoolyeartryingtoputyourfurnitureback where it belongs and remembering where you had it previously can be difficult,” said TiffanyHarvey,aSewellsPointElementary Pre-Kteacher

With the outstanding hard work from all

Sailorsandstaffthatparticipated,theevent wrappedupataround3p.m.

“If you volunteer with a group of friends, itseemslesslikeworkandmoreofanopportunity to hang out and help the community”saidRetailSpecialist2ndClassJoshua Stubbs fromtheUSSGeorgeH.W.Bush.

The Sailors that provided help during “Servicing Our Schools Day” event help to relieve stress for the school’s teachers and staff who continuously take their own time to prepare for the start of the new school yearthisupcomingfall

Finding remains of missing service members a diplomatic success story

The Defense POW/MIAAccountingAgency has been searching forremains ofU.S. militarymembers in 45 nations. PageB6

NSMRL hosts summer 2023 high school and college interns

ByEmilySwedlund

Naval Medical Research Command

GROTON, Conn. Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory (NSMRL) hostedlocalhighschoolandcollegestudents forasummerinternshipfromJun.05-Aug.

10

NSMRL has provided these annual internships,sponsoredbytheOfficeofNaval Research (ONR), for over a decade to offer hands-on research opportunities through the Science and Engineering Apprentice Program (SEAP) for high school students, and the Naval Research Enterprise Intern Program(NREIP)forcollegestudents.

Interns spent the summer working with senior NSMRL scientists to research and design their own projects to help advance the command’s mission set. They also refined their public speaking skills, preparingfinalpresentationsthatshowcasedtheir work and accomplishments to command staff Dr Jeffrey Bolkhovsky, a research physiologist with NSMRL and one of two NREIP alumni who provided mentorship to the summer interns spoke highly of their accomplishments over the past three months

“This year, our interns designed prototype software to mimic submarine operations, computer-aided design models of hardware for military exercises, and complex health monitoring protocols for tracking psychophysiological responses of servicemembers.”Bolkhovskysaid.“These unclassified projects presented interdisciplinary challenges that we have never given students before, and our interns met thesechallengeshead-onandexceededour expectations.”

Interns also had opportunities to challenge themselves and grow outside of the educationalrealm

“Weheldlunchdiscussionsonthephilosophy of science and how our cognitive biases impact our work and lives.” Bolkhovsky explained, “We also challenge our interns with logic exercises that incorporatehypothesistesting,bothasafunactivity and to help them develop STEM [science, technology,engineering,andmath]-related mindsetsbeyondtheirwork.”

Four rising seniors from Ledyard High School (Ledyard, CT), Waterford High School (Waterford, CT), and East Lyme High School (East Lyme, CT), participated in the SEAP internship This year’s NREIP intern was a recent college graduate from University of Rochester (Rochester, NY) whowillbepursuingaPhDatCornellstart-

GROTON,Conn.(Jul.27 2023) Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory(NSMRL) hosted five interns this summerthrough the Office of Naval Research (ONR): FourScience and EngineeringApprentice Program (SEAP) high school interns,and one Naval Research Enterprise Intern Program (NREIP) college intern.NSMRL,part ofthe Naval Medical Research & Development enterprise and based out ofGroton,Connecticut sustains the readiness and superiorityofunderseawarfighters through innovative health and performance research.(U.S.NAVYPHOTOBYEMILY SWEDLUND/RELEASED)

ingthisfall.

“The Navy is facing a shortage of STEM graduates,andtheSEAP/NREIPinternship introduces students to naval research and development, showing them the exciting opportunities that exist in this field.” Bolk-

hovsky added, “The interns who participate in these programs are the future of the Navy’sresearchanddevelopmentefforts.By providing them with opportunities to learn and grow, the Navy is investing in its own future.”

NSMRL, part of the Naval Medical Research & Development enterprise and based out of Groton, Connecticut sustains the readiness and superiority of undersea warfighters through innovative health and performanceresearch.

NSAW announces Sailors, Civilians of the Quarter

ByAndrewRevelos

Naval Support Activity Washington

Naval Support Activity Washington (NSAW)announceditsSailorsandcivilians ofthequarterduringanAug.22awardceremonyattheAdmiralGoodingCenter Capt. Mark Burns, commanding officer, praised recipientsfortheir workservingtheQuarterdeckoftheNavy,aswellasthecommand at-largeforitsrecentpassageofaRegional Security Assessment (RASS). Burns also encouraged members of the command to be prepared for emergencies as the region approaches what is historicallythe busiest time of the hurricane season, and to deal with stress healthily by using resources like the Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) and chaplain.

FirsttoberecognizedwasKennethBall, VisitingFlagQuartershousekeepingsupervisor, who received the Civilian Service AchievementMedalandwasselectedasthe CivilianoftheQuarter.Ball“demonstrated great poise skill and attention to detail in executinghisdutiesandmanaginghisstaff infourforeigncounterpartvisits,dailyflag andgeneralofficervisitsandhighvisibility events,”accordingtothecitation.“Mr.Ball expertly managed and led his team while ensuring continued fiscal responsibility, outstanding resource management, and unmatched customer care, resulting in 99 [percent] guest satisfaction.”

FloydFreeman physicalsecurityofficer receivedtheCivilianServiceAchievement MedalandwasselectedastheSeniorCivilian of the Quarter Freeman “performed his demanding duties in an exemplary and highly professional manner,” according to the citation. “He provided tenant commandswithin-depthsecurityanalysis, enforcing adherence to policies by leadingthreeantiterrorismandthreatworking groups improvingtheintegrityofNSAW’s infrastructure, personnel and assets.”

Engineman 1st Class Randi Serman, Port Operations leading petty officer, was selected as NSAW’s Sailor of the Quarter for her “superior performance of duty” supportingCeremonialBargeChesapeake.

“Petty Officer Serman designed a winter protectionplanforCeremonialBargeChesapeaketoincludemaintenance lay-up and recommission, saving the Navy $1,200 in contractorcosts,”accordingtothecitation.

Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Du’Shaun Joneswasselectedasthecommand’sJunior Sailor of the Quarter for his support of the

critical government purchase card holder program. “Petty Officer Jones managed a $32,000 budget and kept an accurate account for more than 1,500 items, ensuringthesmoothoperationoftheVisitingFlag Quarters,”accordingtothecitation.

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Airman Giacomo Vera was selected as NSAW’s BluejacketoftheQuarterforhis“outstanding performance” serving as a building manager “Airman Vera’s careful planning and attention to detail were vital in the

renovation of the Unaccompanied Housing Main Office overhauling more than 30 pieces of furniture and computer equipment. Congratulations to all the award recipients!

Expeditionary Medical Facility Juliet conducts first U.S. Navy orthopedic surgical partnership mission in Honduras

ByBobbieCamp

Naval Medical Forces Atlantic

Expeditionary Medical Facility (EMF) Juliet conducted its first orthopedic surgical partnership mission with Honduran healthcareprofessionalsatHospitalEscuela during a Global Health Engagement in the U.S. Southern Command area of operations, Aug.14-18.

Focusing on enhancing expeditionary core skills, the 10-person team completed 61 individual procedures at a Honduran level 1 traumacenterinaresourcelimitedenvironmentwithlogisticalsupportfromJointTask Force(JTF)Bravo.

“We worked very closely with the hospital and the local liaison on requirements to understand the needs of the local communityandsubspecialitycare,”saidCapt.Linda Smith, the commanding officer of EMF-Juliet “It’s a very multifaceted mission evolution.”

This was also the first time that the U.S. Navy led an orthopedic surgical mission in Honduras,whichprovidedtheopportunityto enhance professional knowledge exchanges andstrengthenNavyMedicinerelationships and capabilities within a partner nation hospital

“From the moment we arrived, one of the most valuable things from this mission was seeing how quickly we just started working

together in the same operating room,” articulated Lt Cmdr Matthew Haldeman, an EMF-JulietanesthesiologistfromAllentown, Pennsylvania.“Theytrustedusimmediately aspartners.”

WiththehelpofHonduranmedicalcounterparts cases were selected and prioritized bytheircomplexity,strengtheningopportunitiesforbothU.S.andHonduranparticipants Theteammembersworkedside-by-sidewith surgeons and residents at Hospital Escuela while alleviating the surgical backlog for manyHonduransinneed.

“Once we were in the operating room, I worked with the same three surgeons on separate days,” explained Lt Cmdr Vanna Rocchi, an EMF-Juliet pediatric orthopedic surgeon from Oroville, California “One of the most challenging cases was a severe tibia deformity on the lower leg We did a deformity correction and the patient ended up with a nearly straight leg, which was the samelengthastheotherside.”

Since 1993, SOUTHCOM and JTF-Bravo haveorganizedandconductedGlobalHealth Engagements throughout Central America andtheCaribbeantoincreasereadiness,validate medical expeditionary capabilities and strengthenpartnernationrelations

EMF-Juliet leadership is working to expand missions in the U.S. Southern Commandareaofoperationsandnextmonth they will support another JTF-Bravo-spon-

soredmissionthatwillfocusonurology.

“This mission has been a true partnership andexchangeofknowledgewiththeHonduran medical professionals that we can also bring back and teach to others,” concluded Smith. “With this opportunity we continue to be ready to deploy in austere environments with both our partner nations and jointforces.”

EMF-Juliet, established in September of 2022, provides health service support to full range military operations as expeditionary advancedbasefunctionalcomponentsduring ground-based,airandmaritimeoperations.

Naval Medical Forces Atlantic (NMFL), headquarteredinPortsmouth,Virginia,delivers operationally focused medical expertise and capabilities to meet Fleet, Marine and JointForcerequirementsbyprovidingequipment,sustainmentandmaintenanceofmedical forces during combat operations and public health crises. NMFL provides oversight for 21 NMRTCs, logistics, and public healthanddentalservicesthroughouttheU.S. EastCoast,U.S.GulfCoast,Cuba,Europe and theMiddleEast.

Navy Medicine represented by more than 44,000 highly-trained military and civilianhealthcareprofessionals provides enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below, and above the sea, andashore

Navy civilians recognized for exemplary service at NAVSUP Business Systems Center

ByThomasZimmerman

NAVSUP Business Systems Center

MECHANICSBURG,Pa NineteenNaval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Business Systems Center (BSC) employees were recognizedfortheirexemplaryperformance of duty and commitment to Navy civilian serviceduringanEmployeeRecognitionand AwardsCeremony,August17

During the event, Capt David Carnal commanding officer NAVSUP BSC, recognized the contributions of more than 600 civilian employees and presented the command’sannualawardsfor2023

“Today, we’re going to take time to reflect on the accomplishments of this year’s top performers,” said Carnal. “This is also a time to honor an amazing group of people, our NAVSUP BSC workforce Without your innovativeideas products andsolutionsthat increase fleet readiness and strengthen the Navy’ssupplychain,NAVSUPBSCwouldnot bewhatitistoday.

Austin Plantz, a supply system analyst for the NAVSUP Navy Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Business Office department, was recognized as Leader of the Year for his efforts in leading the NAVSUP Cash Management Forecasting (CMF) S/4 pilot team.Plantzledtheexecutionofthecontracting strategy onboarded staff supporting the team, established work requirements, and communicatedtheprogressoftheprojectto stakeholdersacrosstheNavyasasteptoward NavyERPmodernization.

“This award is special because it symbolizes all the hard work put in over the last year,” said Plantz. “I’ve been fortunate to work with and lead an incredible NAVSUP team throughout the S/4 CashManagement Forecastingproject.Withouttheirknowledge and expertise, none of this would have been possible.”

BrettHubbard,aninformationtechnology (IT) specialist for the Technology Services department, received the Senior Employee of the Year award for his performance as an information systems security officer (ISSO) for NAVSUP BSC, Commander U.S. Pacific Fleet Module Test Repair Application (MTRA), and Financial Audit Compliance Enhancement Tool programs. He was responsible for the completion of 73 sprint tasks in support of MTRA’s cybersecurity

posture,with12additionaltasksunderway

“This is an incredible honor Over the last two years, I had the unique experience of working with so many great individuals across the command that are equally deserving of recognition as we all strive to support each other, the overall mission of thecommand,andtheNavyasawhole,”said Hubbard.“I’mtrulygratefulfortheacknowledgment of my contributions as this recognition motivates me to continue striving to grow personally and continue to highlight a transparent,collaborative,andpositivecybersecurityprocessthroughoutthecommand.

Tanya Wang, an IT specialist for the Core Business Solutions department’s Foreign Military Sales team, received the Junior Employee of the Year award for her performancesupportingIntegratedTechnicalItem Management and Procurement modernizationandComputerized,Provisioning Allowance and Supply System Wang developed a newbusinessintelligencecoursecurriculum for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces’ advanced user group and produced key process maps neverpreviouslydocumented

“It’s always rewarding to see the time and effort you put in at work recognized, so receivingthisawardreallyhelpedhammerin theideathatIoftenliveby ‘yougetoutwhat you put in, said Wang There are so many people who’ve helped me along my journey this past year and have been there for my highs and lows I’m forever grateful for all the opportunities that the department, and NAVSUP BSC as a whole, have providedme, andIwillcontinuestrivingtowardsbeingthe voiceandconnectionforthosewithoutone.”

Scott Messner an IT specialist for the Logistics Solutions department, was named CommandSupportEmployeeoftheYearfor his performance as the One Touch Support (OTS) operations lead. During the past year, Messner ensured that OTS standard operatingprocedures,commandinformationassur-

ance, and security standards and guidelines weremet Heledateamthatprocessedmore than 25,600 system authorization access requests (SAAR) and addendums for OTS users and served as the OTS ISSO for 200 NAVAIRSAARs.

“Iamveryappreciativeofbeingnominated by my team and leadership,” said Messner “It feels good to have the hard work recognized. At the end of the day, what matters is the support we provide to the end users the warfighters.”

The Ordnance Information System (OIS) teamreceivedtheTeamoftheYearawardfor efforts in cloud migration and development, security, and operations initiatives while leveraging new technologies and re-investmentofcapitaltosupportthewarfighterand reducecyberrisk TheOISteamcreated8,732 work items during 2022 and closed 8,134 work items with a 93.2 percent throughput ofworkacrosstheteam.Thisresultedin183 deployments to production supporting the OISapplication.

NAVSUPBSCTeamof theYearrecipients included:RobFrey,GeorgePeslis,GaryBojo, Matthew Henry, Tim Kautzmann, Andrew Filer,TienaTran,VuNguyen,AnandSharma, Craig Saunders, Tom Knee, Steve Walking Blake Wolfgang Shay Rounsvile and AnthonyRichardson.

“Receiving this team award and recognition from leadership is a definite morale booster that validates all of the hard work and accomplishments of the OIS team over the last year,” said Frey, OIS project technical lead. “The team has truly embraced the ‘GetReal,GetBetter’philosophy Havinghard conversations findinginnovativesolutionsto continuedeliveringvaluetoourmissionpartners,andapplyingcontinuousimprovement principlesaspartoftheirlean,agilemindset Iamprivilegedtoworkwithsuchanamazing groupofpeople.”

NAVSUP BSC provides the Navy with information systems support through the design, development, and maintenance of systems in the functional areas of logistics, supply chain management, transportation finance and accounting and is one of 11commandsunderCommander,NAVSUP

For more information about NAVSUP BSC, visit https://www.navsup.navy.mil/ NAVSUP-Enterprise/NAVSUP-Business-Systems-Center/

Q: Whattypesoffamily housingareavailable?

A: There are three types of housing available to families:

Public/PrivateVenture(PPV)

Housing is also referred to as privatized housing in the Navy The Navy partnered with different private management companies to provide housing to Service Members. These companies are responsible forthe construction, renovation,maintenance and day-to-day management ofthe housing PPVhousing may be located on oroffgovernment property and in most cases will be formermilitary housing

GovernmentOwned (also known as Military Housing orNavy Managed Housing is what was formerly called on-base housing While only available in limited quantities CONUS,Government

Owned Housing is still widely available OCONUS.

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

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 you make the most of your military experience, and they’re all available to you at no cost.

FUNCTIONSAND/OR

SERVICESFFSCPROVIDES:

ClinicalCounseling – Individual, Couplesand ChildCounseling

Personal Financial Management

Information & Referral

Family EmploymentAssistance

TransitionAssistance

FamilyAdvocacy Program

Deployment and Mobilization Support

Ombudsman Support

RelocationAssistance

Parenting Programs

Stress andAngerManagement

Command Support

Crisis Support

Suicide Prevention

SAPR Support

(Aug 16,2023) ExpeditionaryMedical Facility(EMF)Juliet,alongwith Honduran surgeons and

future.

Development

Maria Diaz-Masterson,head,Sensors and Arrays Division ofthe Naval UnderseaWarfare CenterDivision Newport’s Sensors and Sonar Systems Department won recentlywon a Women ofColorMagazine’sTechnologyAllStarAward,which honorswomenwho have demonstrated excellence in theworkplace and in theircommunity.(PHOTOBYRICHARD ALLEN,NAVALUNDERSEAWARFARECENTER DIVISIONNEWPORT)

BancySeale,an administrative and technical specialist in the Business Operations Branch ofthe Naval UnderseaWarfare Center Division Newport’s Ranges Engineering and Analysis Department recentlywon aWomen ofColorMagazine’sTopWoman in Finance Award,which honorswomenwho are leaders in theirfieldwhile promoting diversityand serving as a role model.(PHOTOBYRICHARD ALLEN,NAVALUNDERSEAWARFARECENTER DIVISIONNEWPORT)

Four NUWC Division Newport employees win Women of Color Magazine awards

ByPublicAffairsOffice

Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport NEWPORT, R.I. Four Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport employeesrecentlywonWomenofColorMagazine awards Dr IrineChenwi,principalinvestigatorintheAppliedSciencesandStructural MechanicsBranchoftheUnderseaWarfare Platforms and Payload Integration Department,andKarinKaplan,branchhead,Automation Algorithm Development Branch of the Sensors and Sonar Systems Department, each won the Technology Rising Star Award. Maria Diaz-Masterson, head, Sensors and Arrays Division of the Sensors andSonarSystemsDepartment wonaTechnology All-Star Award, and Bancy Seale an administrativeandtechnicalspecialistinthe Business Operations Branch of the Ranges, EngineeringandAnalysisDepartment,won aTopWomaninFinanceAward.

Rising Stars are women with 21 years or less in the workforce who are helping shape technology for the future. Technology All-Stars are accomplished women of color from mid-level to advanced stages of theircareerswith22ormoreyearsofexperience that have demonstrated excellence in the workplace and in their community Winners in the finance category are superstarsinthefinancialsector,whoareleaders in their field while promoting diversity and servingasarolemodel

“In the short time that Dr IrineChenwi has worked at Division Newport, she has been instrumental in shaping and developingtheNavy’sadvancementsinscienceand technology(S&T),”theawardstates.

While earning her doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of

Rhode Island (URI) in May 2021, she was fundedbytheNavalEngineeringandEducationConsortiumthroughheradvisoratURI to conduct research of key importance to theNavy Dr Chenwi,aresidentofHopkinton,RhodeIsland,beganhercareeratDivisionNewportasaninternin2020andlater joinedasafull-timeemployeeinJune2021. Oneofherfirstprojectsinvolvedevaluating theeffectsofsaltwateronthepeelstrength ofMonel/polymerinterfacesfortheSensors and Sonar Systems Department. Currently, Dr Chenwiisworkingastheprincipalinvestigator on the project improvement of the fire, smoke and toxicity properties of additivemanufacturingpolymers

“Over the past 21 years at Division Newport,KarinKaplanhasearnedareputationasatalentedleader,”theawardstates

Kaplan, a resident of Bristol, Rhode Island, currently serves as the branch head for the Automation Algorithm Development Branch within the Sensors and Sonar Systems Department that includes approximately 30 civilians. Kaplan is the technical programmanagerforartificialintelligence/ machinelearningscienceandtechnologyin theScienceandTechnologyDivisionandis part of the larger community of practice at DivisionNewport “Overthepastfewyears,Kaplanhasbeen instrumentalinidentifyingandhiringtalent intheScienceandTechnologyDivision,”the awardstates.

ShehasparticipatedinanumberofDivisionNewporthiringevents aswellashiring eventsatvariousuniversities Withheryears of experience Kaplan also makes time to mentor several of the new branch heads in thedepartmentandinthedivision.

As the Sensors and Arrays Division head,

MariaDiaz-Masterson,aresidentofWakefield,RhodeIsland,providesleadershipand guidancetoachievethemissionoftheDivision using the full breadth of her expertise inwet-endsensorssystemdevelopment She currentlymanagesover150civilianpersonnelinherdivision,whoexecuteamultitude of tasking for the fleet. As a leader in her department with over 22 years’ experience at Division Newport, Diaz-Masterson has worked to ensure common test rigor and systems engineering processes across our department.

“Achampionforworkforcedevelopment, she has identified opportunities for new engineers to shadow test directors while underwayonsubmarines,”theawardstates

In support of diversity and equity, Diaz-Masterson served as the Hispanic Special Emphasis Program Manager and remainscommittedinrecruitingandmentoring,takingthetimetomentornewprofessionalsbyofferingadviceandguidanceoncareer developmentandstrategiesforsuccess

Bancy Seale is an administrative and technicalspecialistatDivisionNewport,and in this position, she manages various business and financial tasks within the Ranges EngineeringandAnalysisDepartment.

“Seale successfully accomplishes all of thisbyleveragingherfinancialacumenand employing strong leadership skills,” the awardstates.

One of Seale’s roles is as a program analyst/contractmodificationslead.Assuch, she provides program support in contract analysis trend analysis risk assessment, and in the development of strategic planning,forecasting,andcontractmodification for decision making regarding the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center

(AUTEC) program. Seale also serves as a contracting officer’s representative, where sheprovidesoversightofcontractorperformance and contract execution to ensure financialandtechnicalcompliancewiththe contracttermsandconditions.

“Overthepast18years herworkhaspositivelyimpactedthesuccessofthewarfighter andtheU.S.Navy,”theawardstates.

ThewinnerswillbehonoredattheTechnology Recognition Event during the 2023 WomenofColorScience,Technology,Engineering, Math Digital Twin Experience ConferenceonOct.13,2023

NUWC Newport is the oldest warfare center in the country, tracing its heritage to the Naval Torpedo Station established on Goat Island in Newport Harbor in 1869 Commanded by Capt Chad Hennings NUWC Newport maintains major detachments in West Palm Beach, Florida, and AndrosIslandintheBahamas,aswellastest facilitiesatSenecaLakeandFisher’sIsland, New York, Leesburg, Florida, and Dodge Pond,Connecticut

Joinourteam!NUWCDivisionNewport, one of the 20 largest employers in Rhode Island employs a diverse highly trained, educated, and skilled workforce We are continuously looking for engineers, scientists,andotherSTEMprofessionals,aswell as talented business, finance, logistics and othersupportexpertswhowishtobeatthe forefront of undersea research and development Please connect with NUWC DivisionNewportRecruitingatthissite-https:// www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NUWC-Newport/Career-Opportunities/ and follow us on LinkedIn @ NUWC-Newport and on Facebook @ NUWCNewport.

Revolutionizing the DOD systems infrared countermeasures landscape: Mr. Kenneth A. Sarkady receives Roger L. Easton Award for Engineering Excellence

ByNicholasPasquini

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

WASHINGTON Mr Kenneth A. Sarkady, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) head of the Counter Measure Systems SectionreceivedtheRogerL.EastonAward for Engineering Excellence for outstanding engineering insight and visionary leadership in the development of a nationally recognizedcapabilityinmissilewarningand infraredcountermeasures(IRCM)technology,July24,2023

His contributions to the field have transitioned to a Department of Navy (DoN) programofrecordaswellasotherAirForce andArmyaircraftself-protectionprograms

“I am honored to have been able to work with a team of highly talented scientists, engineers and program managers who worked together to make these achievements possible,” said Sarkady “This award istrulyagreathonortomebuttherecognition should really be shared with the many peopleIhaveworkedwithovertheyearsto developthesetechnologiesandsystems.”

ThroughhisextensiveandintimateexperiencewiththeAAR-47andALQ-24threat warning and countermeasures systems, Sarkady’s fundamental and enduring contributions to the field of electro-optic and infrared (EOIR) threat detection and countermeasures, led him to recognize the Department of Defense’s (DOD) need for a higher-performance,lowweightandaffordablemissilewarningandIRCMsystem

“ThecontinuedsupportofONR,NAVAIR, HQUSMCAviation,N98andOSDwascriticaltooursuccesses,”Sarkadysaid.“Without their programmatic guidance and insights, none of these achievements would have beenpossible.”

Sarkady currently serves as the senior government advisor for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Joint Aircraft SurvivabilityProgramOffice(JASPO).SarkadyisalsoamemberofotherDODprograms working to detect and counter advanced threatstoDODaircraft.Hisknowledgeand experience are in high demand by many tri-serviceandDODprogramoffices.

“A system was required capable of combining longer detection ranges, lower false alarm rates and the capability to jam and defeat incoming missiles in a small,

RogerL.EastonAwards

lightweight,

cost-effective package suitableforU.S.NavyandMarineCorpsrotary wingaircraft,”saidDr CragHoffman,NRL Optical Sciences Division superintendent. “He developed a system concept to detect hostile fire and jam IR-guided missiles suitableforsmallandmediumrotarywing aircraft and successfully proposed this concept to the Office of Naval Research in September 2006.”

Sarkady led the research and development of this system, which was based on the IR rather than ultra-violet signature of the threat, through several successive ONR-sponsored Future Naval Capabilities programs Heisprincipalarchitectandlead programmanagerfortheDistributedApertureInfraredCountermeasure(DAIRCM) System now being deployed in the fleet as

to Mr KennethASarkadyfrom optical Science Division.(PHOTOBYJONATHANSTEFFEN)

the AAQ-45 TheAAQ-45incorporatesmultipletechnologies developed by Sarkady’s IRCM Systems Section in collaboration with the Applied Optics Branch of the Optical Sciences Division: including two-color IR Focal Plane Arrays for the threat sensor, missile,andhostilefiredetectionalgorithms, jamming techniques, quantum cascade lasers, and IR fiber optic cables capable of transmittinghighopticalpower.

”Hopefully the technology contributions wehavemadewillresultinsavinglivesand allowourservicepersonneltoreturnsafely home, Sarkadysaid.

Sarkady’s efforts ensure NRL research remains on the cutting-edge of the rapidly changing countermeasures field and the DoN and DOD programs are able to seam-

lesslyexpandthetechnicaladvancesmade bytheIRCMSystemsSectionandminimize redundancy in DOD programs

About the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory: NRL is a scientific and engineering commanddedicatedtoresearchthatdrives innovative advances for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. 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,KeyWest,Florida,andMonterey,California andemploysapproximately 3,000 civilian scientists engineers and support personnel.

For more information, contact NRL Corporate Communications at (202) 480-3746 or nrlpao@nrl.navy.mil.

Ceremonypresented

U.S. will train Ukrainian F-16 pilots, ground crews

ByJosephClark

DOD News

The Defense Department will begin training Ukrainians to fly and maintain F-16fighterjetsinthecomingmonths,said Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig Gen. Pat Ryder

ThetrainingisexpectedtobegininOctober at the Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, Arizona, and will be facilitated by the Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing

The U.S.-led training is “in support of the international effort to develop and strengthen Ukraine’s long-term defenses,” Ryder said.

The Netherlands and Denmark have announced their intentions to make F-16 aircraft from their fleets available to Ukraine Secretary of State Antony Blinken signaled the United States’ willingness to approve the third-party transfer of the U.S.-madeF-16stoUkraineinalettertohis European counterparts last week.

“The training provided by the United States will complement the F-16 pilot and maintenancetrainingthat’salreadyunderway in Europe and further deepens our support of the F-16 training coalition led by Denmark and the Netherlands,” Ryder said. “Moving forward we will remain in close consultation with the Danes the Dutch and other allies to ensure U.S. training complements the broader coalition training efforts.”

Ryder added that by announcing the training, the U.S. is preempting any training capacity constraints in Denmark and theNetherlands’trainingpipelinetoensure theaircraftarefieldedtoUkraineasquickly as possible

He said Ukraine will ultimately determinethenumberofpilotsthatwillrequire the training

During a briefing last week, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said U.S. approval for the transfer would come after consultation with Congress and after completionoftrainingforUkrainianpilots on the aircraft.

Rydersaidthecompletetrainingpipeline

would likely take several months dependinguponthepilots’proficiencycominginto the course “Part of this training will be assessing the individual pilots’ skill level, which will determinehelptodeterminehowlongthat trainingwilllast,”hesaid “Yourbasic,new F-16 pilot with not a lot of training on the U.S. side that training typically lasts about eight months.”

Thattrainingincludesaseriesofcourses rangingfrombasicflighttrainingtoinstruction on fighter fundamentals weapons employment combat maneuvering and tactical intercepts among other concepts

He said training for more experienced pilots could be completed in about five months

Beyond flight training, Ryder said the F-16s require significant logistics and maintenance training for ground support personnelthatensurestheaircraftsremain combat capable

Prior to flight training the pilots will receive language training at Lackland Air ForceBaseinSanAntonio,Texasbeginning in September

Thelanguagetrainingwillensurethatall pilots have sufficient language skills to be abletofullycomprehendthe“complexities and specialized English required to fly the aircraft,” Ryder said.

Theannouncementfurtherunderscores theUnitedStates’long-termsolidaritywith Ukraine as it defends itself from Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III highlightedthatcommitmentearliertoday in a statement marking Ukraine’s 32nd anniversary of its independence

“The Ukrainian people have inspired the world with their courage and resolve to defend their right to live in a sovereign, democratic and free country, he said

“Today, as Ukraine commemorates another year of independence, the United States remains steadfast in our commitment to ensure that it can celebrate many more,” he said. “We will support Ukraine foraslongasittakesinitsfightforitssecurity and freedom.”

(U.S.AIRNATIONALGUARDPHOTOBYTECH.SGT.HAMPTONE.STRAMLER)

Pentagon Press SecretaryU.S.AirForce Brig Gen.Pat Ryderconducts a press briefing at the Pentagon,Washington,D.C.,Aug.24,2023.(DODPHOTOBYU.S.AIRFORCESENIORAIRMAN CESARJ.NAVARRO)

Pentagon tackling nuclear modernization with proactive, integrated approach

ByJosephClark DOD News

The Defense Department is instituting a forward-leaning, whole-of-department approach in accomplishing its top priority ofmaintainingtheworld’sforemostnuclear deterrencecapability atopPentagonofficial saidtoday.

Deborah G. Rosenblum, assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical and biological defense programs and executive secretary of the Nuclear Weapons Council said her top priority is ensuring the entire DOD is aligned and proactive as it executes itsnuclearmodernizationefforts

“Thisworkissoimportantandsovitaland is really a no-fail mission for us we need to make sure that the senior-most leadership of the department remains focused on it, is activelyworkingonit [and]issolvingproblemsandchallenges,”shesaid.

The 2022 Nuclear Posture Review identified the modernization of the U.S. nuclear arsenal as a top priority in maintaining a strongnucleardeterrence

That modernization effort, which is beingcarriedoutoverthenexttwodecades, includes initiatives to modernize all three legsofthenucleartriad

Under the effort, the U.S. will field the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile system to replace the Minuteman III, the Columbia class ballistic missile submarine toreplacetheOhioclassSSBNscurrentlyin service, and the B-21 Raider to replace the B-2ASpiritbomberamongotherinitiatives

The modernization program also calls forthemodernizationofnuclearwarheads, which are managed by the Department of Energy and the overarching nuclear command, control and communication capabilities

The Nuclear Weapons Council which haslongservedasthestatutorybodystaffed by both DOD and Department of Energy personnel to oversee the nation’s nuclear programs, has become the focal point for the wide-ranging nuclear modernization program.

In a memorandum earlier this month, William A. LaPlante, undersecretary of

defense for acquisition and sustainment, and the executive chair of the Nuclear Weapons Council, identified the council as the “primary mechanism to integrate, streamline, and ensure unity of purpose anddirectionfornucleardeterrence-related activities […] related to the nuclear deterrencemission.”

Rosenblum said identifying the council as the focal point for carrying out the complex modernization efforts is a critical step in ensuring senior leaders throughout thedepartmenthavecollectivevisibilityand are empowered to proactively manage risk throughoutthemodernizationeffort.

“His direction is […], given the challenge, giventhefar-rangingriskswehave thatwe needtousethisbodyproactively,”shesaid.

Rosenblum said having collective visibility across the DOD, ensures senior leaders can identify cross-cutting risks, ranging fromsupplychainandcybersecurityrisksto industrialbaseandworkforceconstraints,as earlyaspossible SeniorDODofficialshaveremainedclear that there is no room for error as the U.S.

embarksonitsnuclearmodernizationeffort. InhismemorandumplottingtheNuclear Weapons Council’s course in the modernization efforts, LaPlante said nuclear deterrence remains the DOD’s “highest priority mission.”

Rosenblum said the 2022 National Defense Strategy makes clear that national security landscape is becoming increasingly challenging as evidenced by Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the increased competition with China, which senior leadershave identified as the United States’pacingchallenge.

Inapproachingthosechallenges,nuclear deterrenceremains“ournumberonepriority,”shesaid

“Our nuclear arsenal is the foundation and the bedrock of our defense, not only of ourselves but also our allies,” Rosenblum said.“Andwehavetohaveadeterrentthat’s credible so that no adversary thinks at any momentthatit’sintheirinteresttocontemplate,letaloneuseanuclearweaponagainst theU.S.oroneofourallies.”

Deborah Rosenblum,assistant secretaryofdefense fornuclear chemical and biological defense programs,and members ofherteam participate in discussions at NorthAmericanAerospace

Defense Command and U.S.Northern Command headquarters Peterson Space Force Base,Colo Apr 20 2023.(PHOTOBYAIRFORCEMASTERSGT.BENJAMINWISEMAN)

The Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Maine departs from Naval Base Guam,April 18, 2023.(PHOTOBYNAVYSEAMANDAREKLEARY)

The B-21 Raideris photographed during an unveiling ceremonyin Palmdale,Calif.,Dec.2,2022. (U.S.AIRFORCEPHOTO)

Finding remains of missing service members a diplomatic success story

ByDavidVergun

DOD News

TheDefensePOW/MIAAccountingAgencyhasbeensearchingforremainsofU.S.militarymembersin45nations

Besides bringing closure to their loved ones this effort has strengthened America’s diplomatic ties with those nations said the agency’s director, Kelly McKeague, who spoke virtuallytodaywiththeCenterforaNewAmericanSecurity TheDefenseDepartmentpartnerswiththeStateDepartmentin thiseffort,aswellasthelocalpopulationofeachcountry,hesaid

When the agency sends investigative or recovery teams to those nations, local residents are usually employed to assist, McKeaguesaid

“Villagers from far and wide descend upon the site and help the team with the labor that’s associated with that particular excavation, he said. “We are projecting American values in a positiveway.Andmoreimportantly,formanyofthesecultures andmanyofthesecitizens,it’sanopportunitytogiveback.

McKeagueprovidedthreeexamples

In the South Pacific islands of Papua New Guinea,Palau and theSolomons,theyrevereancestorswhohavepassedaway “Whentheyhearofourteamscomingintotheirvillagetolook for what they call ‘our grandfathers,’ it’s an amazing dynamic.

Someofourteamleaderswhoarecaptainsandmastersergeants aremadetribalchiefs whichIthinkisanincredibledynamicin thatpeople-to-peoplecontact. It’salsoameansofprojecting softpowerintermsofAmericanvaluesatthelocalandregional level,”hesaid

In 1985, just 10 years after the last U.S. servicemember left South Vietnam, the government of Vietnam approached the United States and said that they wanted to cooperate with the

United States, because they knew that finding missing Americansisimportanttous,McKeaguesaid.

That conversation took place amid economic sanctions and tradeembargoeswithVietnam,andpredatednormalizationof relations10yearslater,henoted.

Today, Vietnam is a prosperous stable country due in part because they manifested their trustin the U.S. byunconditionallycooperatingintherecoveryofMIAremains

Vietnam’s expertise in recovering remains is outstanding, McKeaguesaid.DuringtheCOVID-19pandemic,whenagency personnel could not travel, Vietnam’s teams unilaterally excavatedremainsofU.S.servicemembers

One of those remains identified was Navy Cdr Paul Charvet, an A-1H Skyraider pilot shot down over North Vietnam on March21,1967.

Abouttwoyearsago theagencyreceivedthoseremainsfrom Vietnamandidentifiedhim Hismother then101yearsold,was onhandtoreceivethenewsthathersonhadbeenfound,hesaid.

“Whatanincrediblemomentthatwas,madepossiblebecause theAmerican-trainedVietnameserecoveredthoseremainsthat wethenidentified,”hesaid.

South Korea, another big success story, approached the United States about 20 years ago and said that they still had about 300,000 people missing from the Korean War, and they askedforhelpfromtheU.S. McKeaguesaid.

TheagencyhelpedSouthKoreasetupasimilaragency “Their laboratory rivals ours in terms of expertise We have had joint scientificexchanges.We’vehadjointoperations, hesaid

McKeague said his greatest wish is that North Korea will resumerepatriationofremainsofU.S.servicemembers

“North Korea presents a great opportunity that might one dayleadtobetterrelations,”hesaid.

DOD, Coast Guard continue support to Maui

ByDavidVergun

News

DOD

The military continues working closely with the Federal Emergency Management AgencyandthestateofHawaiifollowingthe Maui wildfires, said Pentagon Press SecretaryAirForceBrig.Gen.PatRydertoday.

Nearly700DefenseDepartmentpersonnel and 157 Coast Guardsmen are currently engaged with the U.S. Army Pacific CommandandJointTaskForce5-0mission, which they’ve received from FEMA he said. The assignments include operating a defense coordinating element office and providinginter-islandairandseatransportation,aerialfiresuppression,fueldistribution andmortuaryaffairssupport

In the past 24 hours, search and recoveryoperationshavecontinuedwithHawaii National Guard teams, the FBI and anthropologists from the Defense POW/MIA AccountingAgency Rydersaid.

TheArmy’s25thInfantryDivisionyesterday began using heavy expanded mobility tactical truck fuelers for fuel distribution operations They’re providing about 1,500 gallonsoffueleachdayinsupportof18Army CorpsofEngineergeneratorsthatareoper-

ating along the west coast of Maui, Ryder said. The U.S. Pacific fleet has deployed a three-person mobile diving salvage unit, which is scheduled to arrive later today.

In addition, the Coast Guard is working to minimizemaritimeenvironmentalimpacts andrecentlypartneredwithdiveteamsfrom theMauifiredepartmentinLahainaHarbor, hesaid.

Ryder also said that the U.S., Japan and South Korea have committed to several important agreements that will strengthen peaceandsecurityintheIndoPacificregion and the world President Joe Biden met withJapaneseandSouthKoreanleaderson Friday.

The leaders of the three nations are committed to a multiyear framework that includesannualmultidomainexercises This follows recent, successful ballistic missile defense and antisubmarine warfare exercisesamongthethreemilitaries hesaid.

On ballistic missile defense the three countrieswillactivatebytheendofthisyear adata-sharingmechanismtoexchangerealtimemissilewarningdataaimedatimproving detection and assessment of North Korea’smissilelaunches,Rydersaid

Hawaii National Guardsmen arrive at KalaeloaAirport in Hawaii aftersupporting the town ofLahaina,whichwas devastated bythewildfires on

On iberty

FromBuschGardens.com

Busch Gardens® Howl-O-Scream® returnsgivingvictimssomethingtoscream aboutwithall-newscaresandscreamstothe extreme, on select dates from September 8 through October 31 Your fate awaits with fivenewly-reimaginedhauntedhouses leaving no tale of terror left unturned. There’s no escaping the frights with five terror-tories™ and four sinister shows throughout the park. Beyond the haunts, fuel your fear withsixBOOzebarsandtakehorrortonew heights on world-class coasters, including theall-newDarKoaster™.There’snowhere tohideatBuschGardens’Howl-O-Scream, Virginia’spremierHalloweenevent.

5 Haunted Houses

There’snoturningbackasyoubravedark passageways and round dimly lit corners inside five ALL-NEW and reimagined hauntedhousesfilledwiththemostsinister ofsurprises

„ ALL-NEW! LostMines:TheDescent

Deep in the depths of an underground gem mine, once-human inhabitants shield their riches after being trapped below the earth for generations. This mutated community now bears supernatural skin, daggerlike claws and disturbing sores doubling as a disguise As you journey deeper, the shimmer of precious stones reflects in their vile eyes,revealingadarkhungerforbothwealth and the flesh of the intruders who dare to treadtheirforsakenrealm.

„ REVAMPED! DeathWaterBayou:Full

Moon

As devilish devotees are beckoned deeper into the bayou by an unseen force, this swamp walks the line between our world andthenext.Withtheflameofdeathlooming from above, the Voodoo Queen reaches indesperationforhernextsinistersacrifice,

and the water’s dismal surface shivers with restless spirits yearning for the souls of the living

„ REVAMPED! Nevermore:Chapter3

The pages are turning for another chapter of the Nevermore saga. Tales of torment and terror take frightening form as Poe’s poignant prose returns with a bloody twist and an even darker reality The walls whisper with verses of madness, and every step unravelsanewstanzaofdreadinthisnightmarish literary labyrinth Will you make it outofthishorrifyingepiloguealive?

„ REVAMPED! Witch of the Woods™: Scorched

After decades of destruction and damage from the devious Witch of the Woods, the villagers united to scorch her forbidden forest. Their cold-blooded plan failed, and the menacing ringleader is back with vigor and vengeance Her cackles echo through the charred trees, a chilling reminder that even fire couldn’t put an end to her malevolentpower.

„ REVAMPED! KILLarney DIEner:

Infested

Order’s up! Patrons at this demented diner will soon learn that their bistro has been overtakenbybloodcurdlingbugsandghastly creatures. Amidst the crawling horrors, the jukeboxeerilyspringstolife,playingtwisted tunes that seem to mock the impending doom.Withexterminatorsenroute,tonight’s blue-platespecialmaybeyourlast.

5 Terror-Tories

Thescaresareeverywhereasterrorlurks across five scare zones around the park, including one ALL-NEW ghastly experience „ NEW! Fest-Evil

Sinistersecretsfromthebayouspillintothe streets by the sounds of merriment. Watch out, this Mardi Party has been corrupted

by an evil energy within the spirits of the swamp

„ RETURNING FAVORITE! Gorgon Gardens Don’tlooktooclosely—staringstraightinto the soul-less eyes of these serpent sisters leads to venomous consequences and a stone-cold eternity There’s no escaping thesesinistersirensonceyou’vebeenadded totheirsucculentgardenofsouls.

„ RETURNING FAVORITE! Scary Tale Road

Once upon a time, these fairy tale fantasies lured you to sleep with picturesque places and harmonious heroes Survival is slim as these childhood icons have been ripped from the pages and are now haunting your dreams.

„ RETURNINGFAVORITE!MeatMarket

Fresh meat! The denizens of this devious dwelling are serving up delectable delicatessenandgorgingonhumanhorsd’oeuvres.

„ RETURNING FAVORITE! RipperRow Don’t wander the streets of Whitechapel afterdark youneverknowwhoyoumight run in to Murder, mayhem, and mistaken identities abound in the back alleys of this Englishtown.

4 Sinister Shows

Don’t miss our spirited productions that aresaidtobe“worthdyingfor”.

„ Skeletones: These lively musicians and singers leave nothing but bones on San MarcostageinItaly

„ Phantoms of the Festhaus: This isn’t your typical singing contest Join the living audience as your favorite ghouls take on spookyhits,andthewinnerisputtovote

„ Jack is Back: The popular disco dance celebration returns to Ireland village with pumpkins, scarecrows and Howl-OScream’sleadingcharacter,Jack.

„ Monster Stomp on Ripper Row: This

modern rock and rhythm spectacular features Jack the Ripper like you’ve never seenhimbefore.

Coasters at Night

See Busch Gardens’ iconic coaster loops anddropsinawholenewlightafterdarkand takearideoneightrecord-breakingcoasters including the all-new DarKoaster™ North America’sfirstall-indoorstraddlecoaster

BOOze Bars & Bites

StopbyoneofthesixthemedBOOzebars locatedthroughouttheparkforliquidcourageandasinistersnacktotackleyourgreatestfears–includingtheNEWOktoberTaps in Oktoberfest

No Bag Policy

Effective September 8, no bags will be permitted after 4pm. Wristlets and fanny packsmeasuringlessthan8”x5”arepermittedandsubjecttosecurityinspection Please review our FAQs to learn more about our updatedbagpolicyandmoredetailsaround medicalneedsandotherpersonalcareitems

2024 Fun Card

Buy A 2024 Fun Card, Get Now through Howl-O-Scream FREE! Plus, eight months ofunlimitedvisitsJanuary8-September2, 2024 HurrybeforepricesgoupAugust28! For more information and to purchase tickets visit https://buschgardens.com/ williamsburg/events/howl-o-scream/

*****

WARNING:Parentaldiscretionisadvised after6:00PM,asthisyear’seventcontains amplified scares that are not recommended for children.

Of Mardi Gras

Of Suffolk Peanut Fest

PressRelease

SUFFOLK, Va Suffolk Festivals, Inc.is pleased to announce that the 45th Annual Suffolk Peanut Fest is slated for October 5-8, 2023, at the Suffolk Executive Airport. TinyAndrews,the2023FestivalChairman, has announced this year’s theme: “Laissez les bons temps rouler” which translates into ‘Let the Good Times Roll,” introducingthespiritof“FatTuesday”intoSuffolk’s premierefestival.

Festival goers will enjoy musical acts on the Main Stage including The Deloreans; Buckwheat Zydeco Jr & The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band; American Idol’s Dan Marshall; ZZ KC: The World’s Most Authentic ZZ Top Tribute; Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas; Celeste Kellogg; and NuthinFancy:TheUltimateLynyrdSkynyrd Tribute Band. The Peanut Stage will showcaseperformancesbyBand-it,SuffolkPublic Schools’ youth musicians; Snackbar Jones; Griffin Lane; Allonge Dance Academy, The Luke Willette Band; Bobby Blackhat; and The SamFloydBand. Suffolk PeanutFestis proudtohostanencorevisitbytheTunnelto TowersFoundation’s9/11NEVERFORGET

Mobile Exhibit, an 83-foot tractor-trailer that transforms into an 1,100 square-foot exhibitfeaturingWorldTradeCenterSteel, aluminum facade from the buildings, radio transmissions from first responders, and items found in the rubble after the Twin Towers collapsed. This unique mobile exhibit serves to honor and preserve the legaciesofthefirstresponderswholosttheir livesonSeptember11 2001. Traditional festival fun continues with the annual Demolition Derby, Swamp Roar MotorcycleRally,PeanutCupRace,Monster

Truck Rides, plus a full carnival complete with amusement rides, games and food. Special features include the World’s Only Peanut Butter Sculpting Competition, Suffolk Ruritan Club Shrimp Feast, fireworks, an Imagination Station by ArtVentures CloggingJamboree aTouch-A-Truck interactive exhibit, straw maze chalk art contest, petting zoo and pony rides plus a cornhole tournament, two Princess Meet & Greet Sing-Alongs, etc The Kent Family Circuswilldazzlefamilieswiththeircircus artsandmagic,whileJBRattleswilldelight festivalgoerswithawidevarietyofreptiles and insects Senior Bingo returns to Suffolk Peanut Fest through partnership with Suffolk Parks and Recreation Merchants vendors, crafters and exhibitors will offer theirwaresandconcessions includingbeer andwine,throughouttheeventsite

TicketInformation:

„ Tickets for the 45th Annual Suffolk Peanut Fest are now available for purchase online at SuffolkPeanutFest.com. General admission is $10 per person; Children 10 & underarefree

„ Carload Night is Thursday, October 5, admission is FREE. Purchase up to eight all-you-can-ride wristbands for $50 total (CarloadNightonly)

„ Kiddie Day is scheduled for Friday, October 6, with complimentary admission from10a.m.untilnoonandofferingavariety offreepre-schoolageactivities

„ Military Appreciation Day is Sunday, October 8 (half price admission for active, retired military and active first responders) „ $30 per person all-you-can-ride wristbandsareavailableonSunday,October8.

„ Parkingisfree

2023Pre-FestivalEventDatestoNote:

„ August25|8a.m &1p.m.

SuffolkPeanutFestGolfTournamentto BenefitTunneltoTowersFoundationat SleepyHoleGolfCourse.Registration required.

„ September28|6p.m.

SuffolkPeanutFestQueen’sBanquetat theHiltonGardenInnSuffolkRiverfront (TicketsonsaleatCecelia’sBoutique& GiftsandtheSuffolkVisitorCenter)

„ September30|10a.m.

SuffolkPeanutFestParadethrough

DowntownSuffolk

„ October6|9:00a.m

PatrioticProcessionEscortingthe9/11

neverForgetMobileExhibitthrough DowntownSuffolktotheSuffolk

ExecutiveAirport

FestivalHours: Thursday,October5:4-10p.m.

Friday,October6:10a.m 10p.m.

Saturday,October7:10a.m 10p.m.

Sunday,October8:10a.m. 7p.m.

Formoreinformation:

Visit our website at SuffolkPeanutFest. comorcallSuffolk Festivalsat757539.6751. Or find us on Facebook and Instagram at /SuffolkPeanutFest

SuffolkFestivals,Inc.producesSuffolkPeanut Fest with the support from volunteers, sponsors and various non-profit organizations Sponsorship vendor and exhibitor opportunities available

“Tradition, fun and a pinch

Celebrating 45 years

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS, NEWS AND PHOTOS

The Flagship welcomes submissions from ourreaders online.

Pleasesubmiteventshere: www.militarynews.com/users/admin/calendar/event/

Pleasesubmitnewsandphotoshere: www.militarynews.com/norfolk-navy-flagship/submit_news/

“Bee” Amazed by the new changing exhibit at the Virginia Aquarium – Step into a playable maze with Amazing Pollinators,

opening September 24

PressRelease

VIRGINIABEACH,Va DebutingSeptem-

ber 24, the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center invites guests to discover the vital role of pollinators at the new seasonal exhibit,AmazingPollinators CreatedbyMinotaur Mazes, Amazing Pollinators is a role-play adventure immersing guests into the world of pollinatorandplantrelationships,suchasbats with fruit crops bees with brightly colored flowers, and beetles with large, bowl-shaped flowers

Designed as a maze, guests must think like a pollinator and navigate the many challenges pollinators face each day to find their way through the exhibit. There are 48 pollinator survival missions from birds, butterflies, moths fliesandmore.Flutterthroughtheinteractive exhibits as a hibiscus bee soldier beetle or ruby-throated hummingbird to accomplish the mission and earn the reward of learning how pollinators support our ecosystems and theirimportancetoourfoodsupply

The exhibit also engages guests with ways to help pollinators at home and within the community as well as a chance to build their own powerful pollinator. There will be a game parlor within the exhibit space to play classic games with a twist, like mason bee mancala invasivespeciesshuffleboard,mutualismdominoesandmore

For people of all ages, this clever, bilingual (EnglishandSpanish)exhibitsparksinterestin thenaturalworld,spursat-homeobservationof plantsandpollinators,andprovidesanastoundingmagnitudeofscienceandnatureeducation

Amazing Pollinators is included in Aquarium admission and will be open daily from 9 a.m.to5p.m.,beginningSeptember24through December 31. Purchase tickets on the Virginia Aquarium’swebsitetojointhebuzz.Guestsare encouragedtodressintheirfavoritepollinator costume!

The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the AllianceofMarineMammalParksandAquariums TheAquariumisalsoamemberofWorldAssociation of Zoos and Aquariums. The Virginia Aquarium’smissionistoconnectpeopletothe marineenvironment,inspiringamoresustainable future. It is located at 717 General Booth Boulevard,justsouthofRudeeInletinVirginia Beach.

The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science CenterFoundation a501(c)(3)nonprofitorganization, supports the work of the Virginia Aquarium. The Foundation procures and maintains the Aquarium’s exhibits, including the animals and habitats It is also responsible for annual and capital fundraising, administration and funding for the Virginia Aquarium StrandingResponseProgram,conservationand scientific research efforts, and the Aquarium’s mission-related education programs You can be a part of our mission by making a tax-deductibledonationtosupportourprogramming.

Former

basketball coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels

and Kansas Jayhawks Roy Williams to appear at The Norfolk Forum on September 12th

PressRelease

NORFOLK,Va

TheNorfolkForumwillwelcome the first speaker of its 2023-24 season legendary basketball coach Roy Williams on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 (7:30pm) at downtown Norfolk’s ChryslerHall

In addition to Mr Williams, The Norfolk Forum’s 91st consecutive season will also feature two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead, exoneree and bestselling author Amanda Knox, and U.S.RepresentativeforWyoming’sAt-LargeCongressionalDistrict(2017-2023)LizCheney Thespeakers will address topics to include the keys to long-term successfulleadership,thepowerofliteratureandart, thepervasiveissuesaroundwrongfulconvictionand publicshaming,andtheneedforapowerfulAmerica intoday’sshiftingglobalaffairslandscape Alllectures willbeheldatChryslerHall

One of the most charismatic and successful head coachesincollegebasketball,RoyWilliamsretiredon April 1, 2021, with the third-most wins by a Division Iheadcoachandthe6thhighestwinningpercentage in college basketball history (.784) Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007, Williams was a college head coach for 33 seasons at two of the three winningest programs in the sport’s history He led UNC to NCAA championships in 2005, 2009, and 2017 and was an assistant when the Tar Heels won the title in 1982 A native of Asheville, NC,Williamsistheonlyheadcoachtowinthreenationalchampionshipsathisalmamater

Over his last 20 years, Williams’ teams won 54 NCAA Tournament games, more than any othercoachinthenation

Founded in 1933, The Norfolk Forum is the oldest publicly-subscribed speakers’ forum inthecountry Eachseason,TheForumpresentsthought-provokingpublicfigureswho in differentways helpshapeAmericanthoughtandopinion Aftereachpresentation,speakersengagetheaudienceinaquestion-and-answersession.

FormoreinformationonTheNorfolkForum,pleasevisitourwebsite,www.thenorfolkforum.org Aseriesticketmaybepurchasedonlineatwww.thenorfolkforum.org/ticket-info/. Limited single tickets for Roy Williams’ appearance are on sale now and are being offered viawww.ticketmaster.com.Seatingisgeneraladmission

Scholarship programs offered by Veterans of Foreign Wars & Auxiliary

„ VOICE OF DEMOCRACY: Grades 9-12 A typewritten essay that is also dictatedonaCDorUSBdrivelasting3-5minutes(+or 5seconds).Themeis: What are the Greatest Attributes of Our Democracy? Deadline for submission to VFW Post 392 is October 31, 2023

„ YOUNGAMERICANPATRIOTICARTCONTEST:Grades9-12 Thetypesof artaccepted:2-Dimensionaland3-Dimensional.Therearetwoseparatesetsof rulesforeach.ContestantsneedtorequestEntryFormandRulesandEligibility Deadline is March 31, 2024 and delivered to VFW Post 392

„ PATRIOT’SPENESSAYCONTEST:orSGrades6-8.Atypewrittenessayon thetheme:HowareyouInspiredbyAmerica?Essaymustbe300-400words(+k or 5words.)EssaymustbetypedinEnglishwithnocolorgraphicsorpoetry and submitted to VFW Post 392

„ SCOUTOFTHEYEAR:OpentoBoyScouts,GirlScouts,VenturingCrewor SeaScoutShipwhohavereceivedEagleScout,GirlScoutGoldAward,Venture Summit Award or Sea Quartermaster Award. Applicants must follow all the eligibility criteria. Maximum age is 18 years old and if the applicant reaches 18 thbirthdayduringthenominationyeartheyremaineligibleaslongastheyare stillinhighschoolatthetimeofsubmissiondeadline.DeadlineisMarch1,2024 and entries are sent to VFW Post 392

„ SMART/MAHER VFW NATIONAL CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION TEACHERAWARDCITATIONSFORELEMENTARY,MIDDLEANDHIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS: Nomination for Teachers from three levels of school are invited to submit their entry Nominations can come from fellow teachers, supervisors, even students, family members and even self-nominations Deadline is October 31, 2023 to VFW Post 392

„ RED WHITE AND BLUE: VFW Auxiliary National Singing Contest for Grades K-12 Entry

RoyWilliams (PHOTOCOURTESYOF NORFOLKFORUM)

Monday Night Raw is coming to the Norfolk Scope Monday, September 11th, WWE Superstars Damian Priest and Drew McIntyre talk wrestling

InterviewByYiorgo

It will be a very emotional night when WWE’s Monday NightRawreturnstotheNorfolkScopeonthehistoricday of Monday September 11th. The show will air live all over the world Some of your favorite RAW superstars that are scheduled to appear are: the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes, 2023 Men’s Money in the Bank Winner Damian Priest Drew McIntyre, World Heavy Weight Champion Seth “Freakin” Rollins WWE Women’s World Champion RheaRipley WWEUndisputedTagTeamChampionsKevin Owens&SamiZayn,IntercontinentalChampion“TheRing General”Gunther,BeckyLynchandmanymore!

And there are also the incredible Ringsider experience packages that include: Premium ringside seat in the first 5 rows across from cameras, exclusive souvenir chair, a WWE Championship mini replica title, a framed WWE Superstar autograph, and exclusive Ringsider merchandise items including a framed official WWE ring canvas print. So make sure to be a part of the action LIVE and purchase now. For more infoandtopurchaseticketsstartingat$20goto https://www.sevenvenues.com/events/detail/ wwe-monday-night-raw-2

(EditorsNote: Here are highlights from two of our previous interviews with WWE superstars Damian Priest and Drew McIntyre.)

Yiorgo: Damian, you have such an inspirational story From poverty and hardship to prosperityandsuperstardom,youarelivingthe AmericanDream.Let’sstartwith,whyshould people come to a live WWE show? How is it different from watching it at home? What will they see and experience at a live WWE TV show?

Damian Priest: If you are a fan, you obviously love it and you know but even if you are not,showinguptoMondaynightRawisaspectaclethatgivesyoueveryemotion.excitement, pageantry,inowe,ontheedgeofyourseat,fireworks, you can view it all in one night. Live, thereisnoothershowontheentireplanetthat candeliverwhatWWEdoeseverysingletime Beingthereliveisanexperiencethatyouwillbe talkingabouteverysinglenight It’salwayscan’t miss.Youknow energyiscontagious Ifeellike every week there is history being made at the liveshows Andwhenyouaretherelive,youare inthemomentandyoucansay,Iwastherefor this.It’sjustnotthesameaswatchingithome. Socomeondownandexperiencewrestlingthe wayitwasmeanttobe,live!!

Y: You have had some incredible, pinch me moments already, let’s talk about a couple of them. What was it like working withEdge?Howdidthathappen,whose ideawas it,etc.?

DP:It’sfunny,sincemytimeinNXT,EdgeandIhavehad conversations about getting together and doing some business together We have a lot of similarities and I have been veryopenabouthowmanypeopleandidolsIlookuptoand Edgeisclearlyoneofthem Everythinghastodowithtiming I kept pushing through. Every time we speak I would say, hey by the way, if you ever want to do stuff I text him all the time for advice or call him and he is very cool for me to throwideasathimandgivemehisopinion Finallywecame toaspotwhereIdidnotknowwhatdirectionIwasgoingto goandhewasopentonewideas HesaidmaybeI’llreform anothergrouporteamupwithsomebodyandhesaidtome, what do you think, do you want to pair up? HE asked ME. That’showitwentdown.Hecameuptomeandsaidwould you be interested in this?’’ I said, absolutely, why are you askingme,thisistotallywhatwearedoing

Y:WhatwasitlikeworkingwithBadBunny?

DP: Part of the dream of being a professional wrestler is havingaWrestleManiamoment.SobeingapartofWrestleMania is everything Just as a fan, we know how important thatis Howmanypeopleintheworldaretryingtobecome wrestlers? There is only one company that has WrestleMania So knowing it was finally going to happen and that I get to do it alongside a celebrity who loves wrestling and putinthetimeandworkbecausehewantedaperformance that he would be proud of and the fans to be proud of We also became friends throughout that whole process It was arollercoasterofpositiveemotions.Wewerebothnervous andwefedoffeachother.

TheexperiencewaseverythingIwantedittobeespecially coming out of the pandemic with no crowds, to now being part of the main roster and in front of such a huge crowd, teaming with Bad Bunny in a high profile match, against former world tag-team champs, I mean you couldn’t write this For me, it was perfect. And there were so many other things that went into it to make it so special. I know how luckyIamtohavethatexperienceasmyfirstWrestleMania.

Y: And you follow up with going to SummerSlam and becoming the United States Champion. Talk about that specialdayinyourlife

DP:IwentfromWrestleManiaintoSummerSlaminfront oflike50,000peopleandwonmyfirstchampionship What madeitevenmorespecialwasthatitwastheUnitedStates Championship that so many of my idols and heroes have held, including someone like Scott Hall who everybody knows I idolize. He was there that week. There is so much thatgoesintosomethinglikethatandthatmadethatchampionship even more special. I look back at it now, looking at a video or pictures from that day and man, that felt like a dream.AnditwassofastthatIwaslikedidthisjusthappen?

It was one of the greatest nights of my career And working with Shamus made it even better. He is awesome, a future HallofFamer,andtobeatShamusforthetitle,onlyahandful ofusgetthatprivilege Soit’sverymeaningfultome

Y:Whatareacoupleofmorepinchmemomentsforyou?

DP: There are so many but like I always think about the little things the private things like when Hunter will send meatext,orpullmeasidebackstageandstarttalkingtome or Shawn Michaels will call and just talk to me I am like, I can’t believe these guys have my phone number. These are my heroes, like is this real? Undertaker gave me advice at SummerSlamwhereheliterallysatdownatthetableIwas eating and said, hey man do you mind if I give you some advice? I was like, what, I can’t believe you just asked me that.Yes,pleasegivemeallofit.That’soneofthosemoments where I am like, is there anybody else watching this? He is talkingtome Ifthisisadream Idon’twanttowakeup Inthering,everymomentisapinchmemoment.Theidea that I have theme music going to the ring, that right there, it’sthoselittlethingsthatIamlike,Ican’tbelievethisismy life Iamverygrateful,veryblessed

Y: Another blessing was spending time with your idol, ScottHall.Whatwasthatlike?

DP: For me to show emotions in public, that is a big deal formeandScottgotmetodothat.Heisoneofthosethatyou idolize and look up to and then you find out, wow you are thatcool Hegavemeadvice,hewascoolandjokingaround withmefromthemomentwemet,andhehadnoreasonto be It’sjustwhoheisandthetimeIgottospendwithhimI will cherish forever I was at the PC for instance where we got to watch some of my matches back and critique them

And him gifting me because I asked him hey do you mind if I use some of your stuff He was like h*** yeah man, you want to be reminding people about me man, that’s cool. So heisroastingmewhilesayingyes.That’swhohewasinthe kindestways Wewouldalwayslaughandit’sjustsooddthat inthatsmallamountof timethatIactuallyspenttimewith himandwegottoknoweachotherwassoinvaluable.Itwas special and crazy how much I gained and the little stories thatIcantellbyourfewinteractions Whataspecialhuman being and I’m just happy that I was privileged enough to knowhim,pickhisbrain,havehimguidemealittlebit who getsthatfromtheirheroes Iwastheluckyone.

Y: Let’s talk about you. Where were you born, where did you grow up and what made you fall in love with pro wrestling?

DP:IwasborninNewYorkCityandraisedinPuertoRico Youknowontheisland,stilltothisday,everyoneisobsessed withwrestling sportsentertainment.WhenImovedthere, asachildgrowingup,everybodywatchedwrestling Allthe kidshadactionfigures Sonaturally,Ihadtowatchittoo,just tobeabletohangoutwithmyfriends AndthenIjustgotso investedinwhatIwaswatching theemotionIfeltwatching this.Withoutknowingitasakid,thisiswhatIwantedtodo withmylife WhenIgotolderIsaid,thoseemotionsIfelt,I wanttomakeothersfeelthat.

Iamabigsuperherofanandcomicfansothisisliveaction superheroesandsupervillains.Iwanttodothis,Ihavetodo this with my life. That’s how that love started It was these over the top characters watching them and being mesmerizedbythem.

Y: You went through a lot in order to be where you are today. Talk about the reality of what it takes to become a professionalwrestler.

DP: This is not a hobby business The sacrifices we hear about are real. There is no money to be made unless you make it to the big promotions I was making little to no money at it. I had a job at the time but doing the job meant you were sacrificing the dream because you are working and can’t take the time off I quit my job to do my wrestling but now I have no money to pay for food or rent And then there’s the issue of how do I get to the show? When I get there they are giving me $5 or $10 and it’s 5-6 hours away andnowIhavenomeanstogetbackhome Thatwasmylife andarealthingthatalotofuswhofollowourdreamsdealt with There were days back then when I would say, I gotto figure out something else to do with my life There were a lotoftimesthatIwasreadytoquitjustbecauseyouarenot living,youarebarelysurviving,you’renothappy,thingsare not working It’s sad and it will get to you. Then I would watchwrestlingandIwouldsayno Ihavetodothat.Tothis dayI’mshockedlikeIamdoingthisinterviewwithyouand it’scrazytome Thisisnutsthatpeoplewanttotalktome

(Editor’s note: You can read the interview in it’s entirety at https://www.militarynews.com/norfolk-navy-flagship/wwe-superstar-damien-priest-discusses-the-spectacle-of-monday-night-raw-coming-to-norfolk-scope/ article_83ff36b6-cc7a-11ec-9840-fbe5c0dedab2.html)

**********

Y: And now our interview with former WWE World Champion Drew McIntyre. Why should people come to a live WWE show? What should they expect to see and do there?

DrewMcIntyre:IamveryexcitedtogetbacktoNorfolk, andIknowthefansareveryexcitedforustoreturnbecause Norfolkhassuchpassionate,passionateWWEfans Thefansattendingcanexpectthattheyaregoingtohave an evening they will never forget. Those that know I don’t have to tell you how exciting and interactive it is live. For thosethatarenewfansorlapsedfans,thisistheshowtoget you back into things With WWE we have something for everybody From the youngest kids to the oldest adults, for the young at heart We are not just for males Forty percent of our audience are females Our female wrestlers are so talented and well represented on our roster Our show is such a spectacle and interactive product. You are truly a part of the show. There is such a back and forth between the superstars and the fans Plus you may get yourself on television.

Y:Tellusaboutyourbook“AChosenDestiny:Mystory.”

Why did you decide to write it and what are you hoping thosewhoreaditgetoutofit?

DM:Itwasnotacaseofmedecidingtowriteabook Iam notsoegotisticalthatIthoughttheworldneedsthat35year old Scottish wrestler’s story A third party reached out to WWEandaskedthemsinceDrewisveryopenwithhisstory with his ups and downs with not just his career but his life we really think he could help people with his story. Would hebewillingforustoputabooktogether?WWEbroughtit tome,mywifeandIsatdownandwetalkedaboutitandwe said absolutely let’s do this I’m not going to hold back, I’m goingtobecompletelyopenwiththeobjectbeing:wrestling is what I do, that’s the foundation of the book, but it’s more about the lessons I’ve learned and showing everybody, hey youmayhavecomethroughsomedifficulttimes thingsare goingtogetdarkbutthereisalightattheendofthetunnel. I’m trying to tell everybody whatever your dreams are, the craziertheyare,trustmeyoucantrulyachievethem.

Y: What is a story that is in the book that you are most proudof?

DM:AstoryIamproudofistellingmymother’sstory.My

momAngelawasmyhero.IstartedappreciatingherwhenI gotabitolder Shewasafflictedwithararegeneticdisorder thatkickedinherearly20’s.Sheessentiallylostthebalance portionofherbrain Itceasedtoexist.It’scalledcerebellum metaxium and she was told basically, you will never have a normal life, you will never have kids Your brain is going to deteriorate to the point that you will be non-functioning as a human being anymore. She saw the best doctors, neurologists all across the UK and got it somewhat stabilized Shewastoldshewouldnothaveanykids Shemetmy dad,gotpregnantwithme wasadvisednottohaveme she saidIdon’tcare,Iwouldratherdie Shehadmethenhadmy brother Growingupshedideverythingeveryothermother woulddoeventhoughshecouldnotbalanceherselfandwas in a wheelchair a lot of the time She did absolutely everything: made our dinner, cleaned the house,did the laundry, nothing held her back, all the way to the point that she had cancer shenevercomplainedandshealwayssaidthatsomebody else had it worse off then she did I truly hadasuperheroforamother Sototellherstory inbookform,it’sgoingtoimmortalizeherand that’sthecoolestthing

Y: Tell us the story behind the Claymore sword,sinceit’snamedAngelaafteryourmom

DM: It was not my idea to be honest. They wanted to name the sword and I assumed I wouldhavetonameitsomethingstereotypical like Bloody Bonnie It was Mr McMahon that said, “What’s your mother’s name?” He knew her story I said Angela, and he said, “That’s exactly the sword’s name.” As soon as he said it, I said that is exactly the sword’s name It’s reallycoolbecauseeverytimeIhearDrewand Angela heading to the ring, or I hit a spot kick, Angelawillstartgettingrevengeoneverybody andtohearmymom’snameonWWEprogrammingisreallycool.

Y: It’s also very obvious in all of your interviewsthatyouloveyourwifeKaitlynverymuch and you give her a lot of credit for supporting you.

DM:ThesedaysIdon’treallyplayacharacter on TV, I play me, and we link it to my real story, real ups and downs that the fans have watched my entire career including getting fired, hitting rock bottom The reason I was abletocomebackwasn’tjustmyknowledgeof wrestling itwasalsothefactthatKaitlynstood bymyside Iachievedsomuchmoreasaperson and together we got me back on track to reach mypotential.

Y: What was it like growing up in Ayr and Prestwick, who were the American wrestlers thatyouenjoyedwatchingandwhatmadeyou decideatsuchayoungagetobecomeaprowrestler?

DM: I was a big fan of Bret “The Hit Man” Hart when I wasakidandmydadlikestotellthestorythatIwasabout6 yearsoldwhenIgotthefamilytogetherforafamilymeeting and I announced to my mom and dad and my brother who isoneyearyoungerthanme,thatoneday,Iamgoingtobea WWEwrestler.Theywerelikeoksure.Kidssaythedarndest things LikeonedayIamgoingtoplayprofessionalfootball (Europeansoccer)orbeanastronautorbeawrestler ObviouslyyougetolderandgetmoreseriousbutIneverdeviated from the plan I used to go over to my cousin’s house, they were10yearsolderandmybrotherandIusedtohidebehind the sofa when they were watching wrestling. It was almost forbiddenforustowatch Itwasalwayssocaptivating these larger than life characters, I just knew from the moment I laideyesonit,somethingtoldme,that’swhatyougottodo Ispentmychildhoodtryingtofigureouthowtopossiblydo it. I sent away to America for all the inside secrets to wrestling books when I was 9-10 years old, I would read about the backstage workings Finally when I was 15 my mother let me go to the one wrestling school in the UK that was a 24 hour round trip I lived in Scotland and it was 12 hours theretodomytrainingthen12hoursback Ididitasoftenas IcouldaffordandIwascompletelyobsessedwithmakingit happen.At16yearsoldIstartedtheScottishwrestlingscene and we started putting on shows We had an adult help us out because there is only so much a 16 year old could do I would train the guys with what I was learning in England then put on shows Eventually, I am 21 years old. I am very fortunatethatIgotmydegreefromtheuniversityincriminologyandwassignedbytheWWEthesameyear Iamthe firstScotchmansignedbyWWE.

Y:CanyoupickacoupleofWrestleManiamemories,such aswinningtheWorldTitleforthefirsttimeandcompeting inyourfirstWrestleManiaandsharethemwithus?

DM: Winning my first World Title at WrestleMania was obviouslyaveryuniquesituation Itwasattheheightofthe pandemic, no fans were there, and beating Brock Lesnerin fiveminutes CompetinginmyfirstWrestleMania,Iremember walking out in front of the fans, at 24 years old as the Intercontinental champion, the same title Bret Hart used tohavewhenIwasakid,lookingaroundandseeing80,000 people in the stadium I’m the Intercontinental Champion at24andabouttowrestlethere.Icanstillclosemyeyesand seethatmoment

Y:Whoaresomeofyourfavoriteopponentstoworkwith thatyouknowyouwilltearthehousedown?

DM:Ohh(exhaling),Igotafewthere.SethRollinsisone, Roman Reigns is one, but if I was going to pick somebody thatIknowIcantearthehousedownwith,takethematch andshowaneworlapsedfan,wouldbemyselfandSheamus becausewhenwegetintheretogether wedonotholdback whatsoever.Whateveryouthinkyouknowaboutwrestling, if you start to question it, we have known each other for 20 years, we are not afraid to lay it in. We have that chemistry becauseofthathistoryandourrelationship

Y:CanyoushareafunstoryaboutSheamus?

DM: Ha ha, there are so many of them. If you ask him this question, he would take this opportunity to say horrible things about me That’s the kind of friend he is. He has always been like a big brother to me through my entire life. Always looked outforme my entire life.I always like tosay thatwemetwhenIwas19andhewas43yearsold,butseriouslyheisalittlebitolderthanme Agoodmemoryforhim and I, without throwing him under the bus like he would do to me, is the night I won the Intercontinental title, he beat John Cena to become WWE champion and we both satinthehotelroomafterwards,takingitallin Afterdoing the Independents together, coming up together, in Florida Championship Wrestling developmental together we are bothsittinginthehotelroomtogether lookingateachother withtheICtitleandtheWorldtitlesaying,what’sgoingon, we were just wrestling each other in Europe and suddenly we are Intercontinental Champion and World Champion Thisisabsolutelyinsane.That’sreallyagoodmemory (Editor’s Note: You can read the interview with Drew in it’s entirety at https://www.militarynews.com/ norfolk-navy-flagship/first-time-ever-friday-nightsmackdown-live-comes-to-norfolk-scope-november-12th/ article_26a0236e-3d72-11ec-a946-2fa20bfc6c72.html)

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

Breaking Better-for-You Bread Quick and easy keto-friendly meal ideas

ByFamilyFeatures

Formanylookingtomakehealthydietarychanges weightlossis aprimaryconcern.BecausetheDietaryGuidelinesforAmericans recommend45-65%ofdailycaloriescomefromcarbohydrates,an eatingplanliketheketogenicdiet(orketo,forshort),whichinvolves consumingalowamountofcarbsandreplacingthemwithhealthy fats,canbeapopularchoiceforachievingweightlossgoals. Replacing carb intake with fat can put your body in a metabolic statecalledketosis,whichmakesyoumoreefficientatburningfat forenergy Theketodietcanalsohelpreducebloodsugarandinsulinlevelsandlowerriskforcertaindiseases

Thosefollowingtheketoeatingplantypicallysignificantlyreduce or avoid consuming bread pasta, rice and baked goods which are alltraditionallyhighincarbohydrates.However,ToufayanBakeries introduced a line of keto-friendly wraps, pitas and flatbreads that are high in fiber and protein while containing no sugar and being lowerincarbsthantraditionalbread

“We take great pride in baking our family’s favorite breads for familiesacrosstheU.S.,”saidKarenToufayan,VPofmarketingfor Toufayan.“Acrossthecountry,peoplefollowingtheketodiethave beenmissingtheirfavoritebreadproducts WearethrilledtointroduceToufayan’sfirstlineofketo-friendlybreadsandhopetheylove themasmuchaswedo.”

TryservingthesesatisfyinglylightsolutionsasthebaseingredientsinthesedeliciousrecipesforaKetoEggandSausageFlatbread orKetoEnchiladaQuesadillafromchefGeorgeDuran.Findmore recipestosupportaketogeniceatingplanatToufayan.com.

Keto Enchilada Quesadilla

Recipe courtesy of chef George Duran

Yield: 1 quesadilla

„ Rotisseriechicken,pulledandchopped

„ enchiladaSauce

„ oliveoil

„ ToufayanBakeriesKetoWraps

„ Tex-Mexcheese,grated

„ jarredorfreshjalapenos,thinlysliced

„ cilantro,chopped

„ salsa forserving

Inbowl,mixpulledchickenandenchiladasauceuntil fullycovered.Setaside

Spray or brush olive on both sides of keto wrap and placeonnonstickpanorskilletovermediumheat.Once wrap is heated on one side, flip and heavily top entire wrap with grated cheese Allow cheese to melt then dispersechickenmixture,slicedjalapenosandchopped cilantroonhalfofwrap Foldwrapoveringredientsand cookuntilquesadillaisgoldenbrownonbothsides Cutintothreetrianglesandservewithsalsa

Keto Egg and Sausage Flatbread

Yield: 1 flatbread

„ 1ToufayanKetoFlatbread

„ ¼cupshreddedmozzarellacheese

„ 2cookedsausagelinks(approximately2ounces each),cutintopieces „ ¼cupthinlyslicedredbellpepper

„ 1largeegg

„ 1tablespoonfreshchives

„ salt,totaste „ pepper,totaste

Preheatoventobroil

Onfoil-linedbakingsheet,placeflatbreadandtop withmozzarellacheese;addsausagepiecesandbell

pepper Crack egg in center of flatbread and broil 5-8 minutes,oruntileggiscookedtodesiredfirmness. Removefromovenandtopwithchives. Seasonwithsaltandpepper,totaste,andserve.

Stay on top of TRICARE prescriptions with Express Scripts App

ByTRICARECommunications

FALLS CHURCH, Va Do you need helpmanagingyourprescriptions?Express Scripts, the TRICARE pharmacy contractor,hasafree,easy-to-useappthatcanhelp The Express Scripts Pharmacy mobile app is a secure way to stay on top of taking your medication.

“Themobileappisagreattoolforlearning about your medication and managing your TRICAREprescriptionbenefits,”saidMarcy Opstal, a senior program analyst with the Defense Health Agency’s Pharmacy Operations Division. “And if you use TRICARE Pharmacy HomeDelivery the appmakes it easytoorderandtrackyourprescriptions.”

Theappisfullofusefulfeatures likedose reminders and the ability to approve refills. Here’s a look at some of the ways the app canhelpyou.

„ 1. See your prescriptions and order them

Goto“Prescriptions”tofindalistofallyour prescriptions Fromhere youseehowmuch moneyyoucansaveifyoufillyourprescription through TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery (online at https://www.tricare. mil/homedelivery) Youcanalsoorderyour prescriptionfromthismenu.

„ 2.Approveyourrefills

If you need to refill your prescription, you must approve it before Express Scripts will mail it to you. The Express Scripts mobile appmakesiteasytoapproverefills

„ 3.Checkyourorderstatus

Want to keep track of when you’ll get your home delivery prescription? Go to “Recent Orders” to see when your order is placed, processed,shipped,anddelivered.

„ 4.Managedeliveryaddress

Needtochangeyourshippingaddress?You can do this in the app You can even set up shipments to a temporary address during deployment,relocation,orvacation. TRICAREPharmacyHomeDeliverywill shiptoanyaddressintheU.S.andU.S.territories and APO/FPO/DPO addresses Keep in mind that there are some limits to using homedeliveryoverseas.GotoHomeDeliverytolearnmore.

„ 5.Makepayments

Goto“PayaBill”ifyouneedtopayforyour prescription or set up automatic payments foryourhomedeliveryorders

Don’t forget that active duty service members pay no copayments for covered drugsfilledthroughhomedelivery,military pharmacies and retail network pharmacies AllothereligibleTRICAREbeneficiariespaycopaymentsforprescriptionsfilled through home delivery and retail network pharmacies, as outlined in the TRICARE CostsandFeesFactSheet(onlineathttps:// www.tricare.mil/Publications/Costs/ costs_fees).

Note: Youmayalsobeabletogetprescrip-

tions from a non-network retail pharmacy

At non-network pharmacies, you’ll pay full price for your prescription. Then you can file a claim for reimbursement Reimbursements are subject to cost-shares, copayments deductibles,andothercosts

„ 6.Setdosereminders Need help remembering to take your prescription?Goto“DoseReminder toset upautomatedreminderalerts Alertscanbe daily,weekly,ormonthly

You can download the Express Scripts Pharmacy mobile app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. The app is

free,andyoucansigninwithyourTRICARE

Express Scripts username and password If you don’t have an Express Scripts account, youcancreateone. Tolearnmore,gototricare.mil/pharmacy andtheTRICAREExpressScriptswebsite

If you have pharmacy questions or need help,callExpressScriptsat877-363-1303 Would you like the latest TRICARE news sent to you by email? Visit TRICARE Subscriptions, and create your personalized profile to get benefit updates, news, andmore

Back-to-school sun protection tips from the Skin Cancer Foundation How to keep students sun-safe at school

PressRelease

NEW YORK With summer ending and the busy back-to-school season in full gear, sun protection may slip down the list ofhealthandwellnesspriorities Butharmful ultraviolet (UV) rays are present yearround, and one study notes that children sustain a significant amount of sun exposure at school. About 23 percent of lifetime UVexposureoccursbeforetheageof18,and thisexposurecanhavefar-reachingeffects.

“Sun damage is cumulative, so sun exposure during childhood can contribute to skin cancer risk later in life,” says Deborah S.Sarnoff,MD,presidentofTheSkinCancer Foundation. “The best way to mitigate that riskistoeducateyoungchildrenoneffective sunprotection,instillinghealthyhabitsthat will last a lifetime Children should understand that summer vacation is not the only timethey’reexposedtothesun’srays.”

The Skin Cancer Foundation offers the following recommendations for keeping childrensun-safeduringtheschoolyear UV rays are most intense from 10 AM to 4 PM, and this is when students are usually outside for recess physical education class and after-school sports Check with the school to see if there are adequate places for students to seek shade during outdoor activities Shadecanbeprovidedbygazebos androofstructures,awnings,shadesails,and naturalshade,suchasthicklyleavedtrees

Clothingisthesinglemosteffectiveform of sun protection for the body, so send kids to school in densely woven and bright- or dark-colored fabrics, which offer the best

defense Themoreskinyoucover,thebetter, sochooselongsleevesandlongpantswheneverpossible.

Send children to school with a widebrimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses, to protect their face neck and eyes If they won’t wear a wide-brimmed hat a baseball

capisbetterthannothing

Make sunscreen part of the morning routine:Atleast30minutesbeforechildren go outside, parents should apply a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF30orhighertotheirskin.Olderchildren shouldlearntoapplysunscreenthemselves

andmakeitaroutinehabit.Toremaineffective, sunscreen should be reapplied every twohoursorimmediatelyafterswimmingor sweating Ataminimum,remindchildrento reapplysunscreenbeforeafterschoolsports andoutdooractivities

One ounce of sunscreen (about the size ofagolfball)shouldbeappliedtotheentire body.Remindchildrentocoverthoseeasyto missspots suchasthebackofearsandneck, aswellasthetopsofthefeetandhands

There’sachanceyourchild’sschooldoes notallowstudentstousesunscreenorwear ahatoutdoorsduringtheschooldaywithout writtenpermissionfromaphysician Ifthat isthecase,TheSkinCancerFoundationhas created a sun protection permission form that parents and doctors can sign, allowing studentstobringtheseitemstoschool,apply and use as needed The form is available at www.skincancer.org/schoolnote.

About The Skin Cancer Foundation:The SkinCancerFoundationsavesandimproves livesbyempoweringpeopletotakeaproactive approach to daily sun protection and the early detection and treatment of skin cancer The mission of the Foundation is to decrease the incidence of skin cancer throughpublicandprofessionaleducation and research. Since its inception in 1979, the Foundation has recommended followingacompletesunprotectionregimenthat includes seeking shade and covering up with clothing, including a wide-brimmed hatandUV-blockingsunglasses,inaddition to daily sunscreen use For more information visit SkinCancer.org

(SHUTTERSTOCKIMAGE/SHAROMKA)