Navy Community Service Environmental Stewardship Flagship Award Winners Announced — The Navy announced the winners and honorable mentions in the 2014 Navy Community Service Environmental Stewardship Flagship Awards, Nov. 18. Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics (N4) Vice Adm. Philip H. Cullom released a naval message listing the awardees. The awards recognize Navy commands that engage in exemplary voluntary community service activities that promote good stewardship of environmental resources.
Custom-Fit "Chem Gear" Protects Forward-Deployed Sailors — Specialists with Griffin Technologies fit 7th Fleet Sailors with chemical, biological and radiological masks and protective garments during a week-long customized fit session to ensure combat readiness and CBR threat protection for the forward deployed staff. The Sailors embarked on the forward deployed command and control ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) are required to be deployment ready at all times. The fit tests provide an assessment by analyzing each individual's face size, breathing style and body size.
Chaplain Corps Celebrates 239 Years of Service — The U.S. Navy's Chaplain Corps celebrated their 239th birthday in Alumni Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) in Annapolis, Maryland, Nov. 19. The theme of the evening reflected the spirit of the work and ministry within the sea service and recognized the impact chaplains make every day. The U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps was established Nov. 28, 1775, when the second article of Navy Regulations was adopted.
Naval War College, Harvard Aim to Improve Civilian-Military Humanitarian Response — The U.S. Naval War College (NWC) College of Operational & Strategic Leadership (COSL) and the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) kicked off the inaugural meeting of the Joint Humanitarian Civilian-Military Working Group, Nov. 6, at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative in Cambridge. The gathering initiated a strategic partnership established on May 5, 2014, through a research and education memorandum of understanding (MOU) that aims to improve the coordination and integration of U.S. military, nongovernmental organization (NGO) and intergovernmental organization (IGO) responses during humanitarian disasters.
LCS Crew 111 Commissioned For Duty — Littoral combat ship (LCS) Crew 111 was formally commissioned during a ceremony at Tidelands Park in Coronado, California, Nov. 20. Prior to the ceremony, LCS Crew 111 Sailors were qualified through various trainings and schools throughout the U.S. in order to prepare for their duties as a rotational LCS crew. The crew will report aboard USS Freedom (LCS 1) in December to conduct operational training, maintenance and combat systems certifications at sea to validate that the ship and crew are ready for follow-on missions.
Interoperability, Combat Readiness Achieved as Keen Sword 15 Concludes — U.S. and Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) wrapped up Exercise Keen Sword 15 with a display of naval and air power of 19 ships and seven aircraft operating in formation a few hundred miles off the coast of Southern Japan, Nov. 19. Keen Sword 15, kicking off Nov.11 with the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, is a large and complex joint/bilateral field training exercise involving four branches of the U.S. military working with JSDF and is designed to increase combat readiness and interoperability of the two countries.
New Navy Standardized FPO Mail Address Format — Navy Fleet Post Office (FPO) addresses for ships, mobile units and ashore FPOs are being converted to an address format compatible with the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) address system, according to a Nov. 18 NAVADMIN message. The new address format is effective immediately for mobile units and ashore FPOs.
CNO, Titanic Explorer, Nobel Laureate to Headline Naval S&T Expo — The leader of the expedition that discovered the Titanic wreck and a Nobel Prize-winning physicist are among a growing lineup of speakers slated for the Naval Future Force Science and Technology (S&T) Expo Feb. 4-5 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the event will give attendees the opportunity to interact with Department of Defense (DoD) leaders, who will discuss the status of key programs and new research opportunities. The Expo also will feature as many as 100 exhibits from industry, academia and government. Additionally, a revised Naval S&T Strategy detailing ONR's investments in scientific research will be unveiled at the event.
VAQ-138 Yellow Jackets Participate in Exercise Max Thunder in Korea — The Yellow Jackets of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 138 participated in Max Thunder, a bilateral aerial training exercise for U.S. and Republic of Korea (ROK) military aircrews and maintainers, Nov. 14-21 at Kunsan Air Base, Korea. The purpose of exercise Max Thunder is to enhance combat readiness of the U.S. and ROK air forces and supporting forces through combined and joint training.
F-35C Completes Initial Sea Trials aboard Aircraft Carrier — The F-35C Lightning II carrier variant Joint Strike Fighter completed its first phase of developmental test (DT) aboard an aircraft carrier Nov. 14, three days ahead of schedule aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68). During the DT-I event, F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) the F-35 Lightning II Integrated Test Force (ITF) from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX-23) located at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River in Patuxent River, Maryland, tested the carrier suitability of the aircraft and its integration with carrier air and deck operations in the at-sea environment, achieving 100 percent of the threshold test points.
These stories originally published by Navy News Service during Nov. 17-21, 2014. For more Navy news, go to: www.navy.mil/.