Navy Celebrates 2016 African American/Black History Month — Throughout the month of February, the Navy joins our nation in celebrating the history and culture of African-American and Black Sailors during African-American/Black History Month. Established in 1926, President Gerald R. Ford expanded the celebration in 1976 to include the entire month of February. This year, Navy commands are encouraged to celebrate and reflect on the theme "Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American Memories."
President Obama to Award the Medal of Honor — On February 29, 2016, President Barack Obama will present the Medal of Honor to Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward Byers. Byers will receive the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions while serving as part of a team that rescued an American civilian being held hostage in Afghanistan on December 8-9, 2012.
CNO Attends Kickoff of Indian International Fleet Review — Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson, along with senior representatives from more than 50 navies around the world, joined Adm. RK Dhowan, Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy, in opening the International Fleet Review Feb. 5 in Visakhapatnam, India. The event is the Indian Navy's premier international engagement for 2016, allowing the host nation an occasion to display its maritime capabilities and the "bridges of friendship" it has built with other maritime nations.
U.S. Navy Assists in Local Effort to Reopen Thimble Shoals Channel — The Thimble Shoals Channel reopened Feb. 5 after a combined effort from the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Navy, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Virginia Beach Police Department, and the Virginia Pilots Association. The Coast Guard placed restrictions on the main shipping channel entering the Chesapeake Bay near Virginia Beach after a ship under tow collided with a lighted buoy channel marker (Bouy 11).
Two-Part Discussion of Design in Latest CNO Podcast — Two new episodes of 'Soundings' were released this week, in which Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson expands on key points in his strategic guidance, 'A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority.' The Design released last month identifies significant changes in the strategic environment and outlines four Lines of Effort that must be undertaken to ensure the Navy continues to meet mission and stay ahead of potential competitors.
USNA Water Conservation Project Will Save $1.5M Per Year — Naval Support Activity (NSA) Annapolis held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house Feb. 3 celebrating recent upgrades to the U.S. Naval Academy Water Treatment Plant. The event marked the completion of the Utility Energy Service Contract (UESC) water conservation project with Baltimore Gas & Electric at NSA Annapolis. The $7.7 million project will save money by reducing disposal costs, chemicals, electricity and groundwater.
SM-6 Testing Displays Missile's Range, Versatility — The Navy successfully executed four flight tests of the surface-to-air Standard Missile-6 Block I (SM-6 Blk I) off the Hawaiian coast between Jan. 11 and 22. These tests, designated Alpha, Bravo, Delta, and Golf, are part of the SM-6 Blk I Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation (FOT&E) events planned to assess missile performance.
Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield 2016 Exercise Sharpens First Responders' Skills — Solid Curtain is designed to test the emergency management skills and abilities of the NSASP first responders and ensure they are prepared for any situation. A Navywide annual event, the Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield exercise is designed to not only "test the mettle" of the emergency responders, but also to refine the installations' crisis management practices and enhance the security measures in place.
American Heart Month: Are You at Risk? — February is American Heart Month, a time to raise awareness about heart disease and learn strategies to prevent it. Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure, is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. It is responsible for one in four deaths each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it also costs the U.S. over $320 billion each year in health care, medication, and lost productivity.
Navy Installations Begin Enforcement of REAL ID Act — Navy installations worldwide will no longer authorize base access for individuals who do not have an approved U.S. government-issued credential or state driver's license that is compliant with the REAL ID Act of 2005. Driver's licenses from Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Washington, and American Samoa are not compliant with the congressionally-mandated REAL ID Act of 2005 and therefore personnel seeking base access from these states will require a secondary form of identification. Washington and Minnesota enhanced driver's licenses, however, which do meet the REAL ID Act requirements, will be accepted.
These stories originally published by Navy News Service during Feb. 1-5, 2016. For more Navy news, go to: www.navy.mil/.