Dragon docks with ISS

SpaceX's first Crew Dragon spaceship to carry astronauts slid into a dock at the International Space Station on Sunday (May 31), concluding a historic 19-hour voyage to for its veteran NASA crew. The arrival marked a major feat: the first docking of a crewed U.S. spacecraft at the station since NASA's shuttle fleet retired in 2011. It's also the first docking of a commercial spacecraft carrying humans, in this case astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. (Space.com 05/31/20)

Military’s EFMP survey

Exceptional Family Member Program survey seeks feedback from families. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158377111934938&set=a.10151573756199938 New EFMP web tool is called EFMP & Me.

Official AF song updated

ARLINGTON, Va. - All stanzas of the official Air Force song have been updated to better represent the heritage of the 73-year-old service while recognizing the diversity and contributions of today’s Total Force, regardless of gender. The announcement was made by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein, which completes a two-step process in which male-only references were revised to capture the distinguished service, the high standards, and central role that women play in every facet of the modern-day Air Force. (Source: Secretary of the Air Force 05/29/20) Lyrics included - https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2201395/final-changes-to-air-force-song-announced/

Chinese students may lose visas

WASHINGTON - The Trump administration plans to cancel the visas of thousands of Chinese graduate students and researchers in the United States who have direct ties to universities affiliated with the People’s Liberation Army, according to American officials with knowledge of the discussions. The plan would be the first designed to bar the access of a category of Chinese students, who, over all, form the single largest foreign student population in the United States. It portends possible further educational restrictions, and the Chinese government could retaliate by imposing its own visa or educational bans on Americans. (Source: NY Times 05/28/20) Mississippi Note: The International Institute at Mississippi State University hosts international exchange students from global partner universities to provide a rewarding academic experience and true cultural exchange. MSU offers academic programs in agriculture and life sciences; architecture, art, and design; arts and sciences, business, education, engineering, forest resources, and veterinary medicine. MSU students may also study abroad https://msstate.studioabroad.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.SearchResults&Program_Name=&Program_Type_ID=1&pi=%7F&pc=%7F&pr=%7F&pt=%7F&Partner_ID=ANY&p_10640=Exchange%7F&p_10640_t=SELCT&p_10659=%7F&p_10659_t=MULTI&p_10639=%7F&p_10639_t=SELCT&p_10983=%7F&p_10983_t=MULTI&p_10638=%7F&p_10638_t=MINIM&p_10984=%7F&p_10984_t=MULTI&p_10636=%7F&p_10636_t=MULTI&p_10661=%7F&p_10661_t=MINIM&p_10660=%7F&p_10660_t=MULTI&Sort=Program_Name&Order=asc&pp=10640%2C10659%2C10639%2C10983%2C10638%2C10984%2C10636%2C10661%2C10660. Among those study sites are Beijing Forestry University (MSU Exchange) and Beijing Institute of Technology (MSU Exchange). https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/28/us/politics/chinahong-kong-trump-student-visas.html

Airbus lands $275M space pact

BREMEN, Germany - Airbus-Europe has landed a potential $275.1M contract to build another Orion spacecraft module for the European Space Agency to support NASA's manned deep space exploration goals. The company said May 26 it will produce the third European Service Module (ESM) designed to fly with Lockheed Martin's spacecraft as part of the Artemis III Mission to bring astronauts to the moon in 2024. The cylindrical hardware is intended to function as Orion's main propulsion system, support orbital maneuvering, and position control procedures. ESM will also provide life support elements - oxygen, water, and thermal regulation for the crew. Artemis III will be the first mission to land astronauts on the Moon under the program, following the uncrewed Artemis I and the Artemis II lunar flyby. (Source: Airbus 05/26/20) https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2020/05/airbus-wins-esa-contract-to-construct-third-european-service-module-for-nasas-orion-spacecraft.html

Trump extends NG Title 32 orders

President Trump announced May 28 that he will extend the Title 32 orders of activated National Guard personnel that are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic through the middle of August, ensuring thousands of Guardsmen will have access to certain federal benefits. More than 40,400 Air and Army National Guard personnel are battling the coronavirus outbreak in a Title 32 capacity, the National Guard Bureau said. The administration previously planned to put a “hard stop” on Title 32 activations June 24, which would have capped many of the activations at 89 days – a day short of the 90 days required to qualify for early-retirement and post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits. (Source: AF Magazine 05/29/20) https://www.airforcemag.com/potus-to-extend-national-guard-title-32-orders-into-august/

Navy SE firefighters of year

MILTON, Fla. – Commander Navy Region Southeast (CNRSE) Rear Adm. Gary Mayes and Naval Air Station Whiting Field recently congratulated the winners of the 2019 Fire and Emergency Services award competition. Navy Region Southeast Military Fire Officer of the Year is Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (ABH) 1st Class Aviation Warfare/Surface Warfare (AW/SW) Brian Clark and Navy Region Southeast Military Firefighter of the Year is ABH 2nd Class (SW) Alex B. Torres, both stationed at NAS Whiting Field. “This year’s recipients exceeded the requirements and have set the bar for excellence and the highest standard of first-responder performance. These superstars epitomize our core values and demonstrate a sincere commitment in protecting those who defend America. Congratulations,” Mayes said in an email announcement in April. Clark, NRSE Military Fire Officer of the year hails from Hoover, Ala. and has been stationed at NAS Whiting Field for several years. (Source: NASWF media release 05/28/20) https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10158538333684954&set=pcb.10158538343059954

Stop movement order replacement

Secretary of Defense (Dr.) Mark Esper ordered replacing the military’s large-scale movement restrictions on May 26 with a regional conditions-based set of guidelines governing when and where service members, civilian employees and dependents can travel. In March, DoD issued a sweeping stop-movement order essentially freezing most of the three million active-duty, reservist and civilian employees from traveling. The order was an attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19. The extension was to have lasted until June 30. SECDE’s recent memo canceled that date. “While the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic still presents risk … improving conditions warrant a transition … to domestic and overseas personnel travel to a conditions-based, phased approach … While we make this transition, my priorities remain” to protecting service members, civilian employees, and families; while safeguarding national security, according to Esper’s memo. Military-related moves is now allowed if it meets the following three criteria: (1) Removal of shelter-in-place orders or other travel restrictions; (20 14-day downward trajectory of flu-like and COVID-19-like symptoms; and (3) 14-day downward trajectory of new COVID-19 cases or positive tests. Other senior DoD officials released additional guidance to further detail the conditions necessary to lift existing movement restrictions pushing decisions down to the chain of command level. DoD’s leadership is pushing down the chain of command the decision of whether to open office spaces and move personnel. A host of other conditions are also to be considered, said Matthew Donovan, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. Local commanders will also consider, Donovan said, “whether there are local travel restrictions, sufficient capacity at medical treatment facilities or local hospitals, testing capability and capacity, and the availability of essential services such as school and childcare.” (Source: USNI News 05/26/20) https://news.usni.org/2020/05/26/secdef-esper-lifts-dod-stop-movement-order-replaces-with-conditions-based-guidance

AF seeks partner for DLP system

The Air Force is looking for a contractor to develop and demonstrate a proof of concept (POC) for an enterprise data loss prevention (DLP) system at a military installation. A solicitation notice posted Wednesday stated that the AF wants a potential vendor to test the POC with at least 100 users and its ability to protect data on-premises or in cloud computing environments. They envision the platform supporting encryption of data traffic and centralized management of sensor consoles as well as detection, classification and assessment of content. The system should also process alerts across multiple classifications and networks through a cross-domain method, according to the request for quotes. The AF also noted that it aims to train information technology airmen and data owners on how to use DLP tools through the program. Interested vendors have until June 16 to submit responses to the RFQ. Click link within the above story. (Source via GovConWire.com 05/26/20)

Legal assisstant job @ NAS/JRB

There is a position open in the Legal Assistance Office of Naval Air Station/Joint Reserve Base New Orleans in Belle Chasse. The announcement will go out on the USA Jobs site May 29 May; and closes June 2. This position is open to the public, please forward to anyone that maybe interested in applying. (Source: NAS/JRB New Orleans/USA Jobs Link: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/569259100

Keesler to remain temp BMT site

KEESLER AFB, Miss. - Air Force officials announced that beginning June 2, the service will continue to hold a secondary Basic Military Training (BMT) site at Keesler AFB, Miss., until the end of COVID-19 surge. The decision to stand up BMT's the secondary site in April at Keesler AFB under Detachment 5 of the 37th Training Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, comes after a successful proof-of-concept trial run at the Biloxi base. “This capability was a deliberately-developed option to disperse the delivery of BMT during contingencies to provide surge capacity and introduce agility in the training pipeline construct,” said Maj. Gen. Andrea Tullos, 2nd Air Force commander. “This move also helps ensure the health and safety of our trainees and instructors by allowing proper safety controls, like physical distancing and deep cleaning.” One of the reasons Keesler was chosen for BMT was that members of the 81st Training Wing and its detachments already conduct more than 160 career field specialty training courses. Keesler BMT is a contingency option and is not designed to be implemented longer than 180 days, but designed to be sustainable for longer periods if required, Tullos said. She also said there are no current plans to continue BMT at multiple locations following the COVID-19 pandemic. (Source: Air Education and Training Command 05/26/20) Lackland will also continue BMT training.

MS teens gaining cyber experience

ABERDEEN, Miss. - Two Aberdeen High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) students are taking classes this summer as part of a Cyber Academy pilot program to develop the next generation of cyber experts. Rising junior Makayla D. Davis and rising senior Joy Adair, both cadets in the JROTC unit, are gaining experience and earning college credit this summer through a partnership between the school, the AFJROTC and computer science company CSforAll that operates the academy. “CSforAll looked at a pool of half a million students across the nation,” said AFROTC instructor Allen Williams. “There’s diversity in that number. They have the schools like Aberdeen that are Title I and in an underserved population and thought if they could make a difference at that level, it would reverberate,” he said. The students are to begin taking online courses in June and July through Mississippi State University, ahead of AHS’s introduction of AP computer science in the fall. There are two potential industry certifications included. Aberdeen’s one of 30 JROTC programs nationally that is part of the program. It’s a two-year pilot program beginning at the freshman level. (Source: Monroe Journal 05/25/20) https://www.djournal.com/monroe/news/aberdeen-jrotc-students-chosen-for-cyber-academy-program/article_cf22b757-3005-5101-b1a0-6ca769cd238b.html

Update: Blues resume Aug. 5

The Navy's Blue Angels flight demonstration team returned to its show-season home at NAS Pensacola, Fla., to resume practicing for future 2020 appearances. The team has been on a nationwide tour with the Air Force's Thunderbirds to salute first responders and medical personnel involved with the coronavirus pandemic. (Source: News Journal 05/26/20) https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2020/05/26/blue-angels-pensacola-practice-returns-today-and-wednesday/5258382002/ UPDATE: Gulf Islands National Seashore released a statement on Facebook that practices for the Blue Angels was officially starting May 26. However, the Blues' Public Affairs Officer, Navy Lt. j.g. Chelsea Dietlin, said that's not the case. The Blue Angels are expected to return officially on Aug. 5. Dietlin advised fans of the Blue Angels to refer to the team's website and social media pages for official scheduling updates. (Source: News Journal 05/26/20) The team was in the air over West Pensacola on Tuesday, and were heard overhead again May 27.

Vertex Aero credit rating gets boost

MADISON, Miss. - S&P Global, a market intelligence firm, has upgraded Vertex Aerospace's corporate credit rating to B+ with a stable outlook. This update comes less than two years after the Mississippi-based aerospace company was acquired by New York-based private equity firm American Industrial Partners (AIP) for $540M. In support of the upgrade, S&P cited the company's strong liquidity position, growing profitability, and continuous improvement in its credit metrics. The upgrade is a signal to the market that S&P expects favorable trends to continue. "Vertex's continued success is directly attributed to the lean business practices we have implemented since our divestiture from L3 in 2018," said Bob Sill, Vertex Aerospace Senior VP of Finance/CFO. "It's particularly gratifying and noteworthy to receive an S&P upgrade during such challenging economic times. We are all extremely proud of this recognition." Vertex Aerospace, formerly named L3 Vertex Aerospace, was purchased by AIP in June 2018, along with its subsidiaries, Crestview Aerospace in Crestview, Fla., and TCS in Warner Robins, Ga. The acquisition established the company as a one-stop shop solution offering full aftermarket aerospace services worldwide. The Mississippi firm operates in more than 100 locations worldwide and has a 50 percent workforce of military veterans. Information about Vertex can be found at vtxaero.com. (Source: Vertex Aerospace 05/21/20)

WW2 museum to reopen, cuts jobs

NEW ORLEANS – The National WWII Museum announced May 22 that it has released 82 employees based on financial challenges brought on by fewer visitors because of the coronavirus. The job cuts account for nearly 33 percent of the museum’s staff, which number more than 300. The museum will also eliminate 40 vacant positions, and many of the remaining staff members will take temporary pay cuts between 5 and 25 percent. “As a private non-profit that largely relies on visitation, The National WWII Museum has faced significant financial challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and its campus closure,” museum President/CEO Stephen Watson said in a statement. In the first two months of the shutdown, the museum lost millions of dollars in revenue from admission sales, private events, fund-raisers, and overseas educational travel programs that were cancelled. Despite being able to reopen on Memorial Day, the museum expects a tough year ahead given the impacts on tourism. Visitation for FY 2021, which begins in July, is predicted to be less than half of previously expected. On June 6, the museum will be 20 years old. (Source: WWL/WGNO 05/22/20)

Miss. #37 in 2020 Census

The country has reached another important milestone in the 2020 Census: 60 percent of all households in the country have responded – 88.7M. The Gulf Coast states’ response rates and where they stand among all other states: Alabama 58.2% (#30); Florida 57.5% (#32); Mississippi 55.4% (#37); and Louisiana 54.4% (#43). In the category of Mississippi counties, DeSoto has the top response spot at 66.8%; Lowndes 59.8% (#9); and Lauderdale 54.4% (#27). (Source: US Census 05/22/20) https://public.tableau.com/profile/us.census.bureau?utm_campaign=20200523msc20s1ccallnl&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery#!/vizhome/2020CensusSelf-ResponseRankings/RankingsDashboard

MSU credits to roll on 'Grant'

STARKVILLE, Miss. - When the credits roll after the May 25 premiere of History Channel’s “Grant” miniseries, two members of the Mississippi State University Libraries staff will be among the names who made the TV drama possible. Eddie Rangel and Ryan Semmes in MSU’s Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library provided support for the 3-episode program, which airs at 8 p.m., and based on Ron Chernow’s best seller “Grant” that depicts the life of the nation’s 18th president and Civil War general. Rangel works for the Ulysses S. Grant Association, housed at MSU, as an archival assistant. Semmes is a coordinator for the university’s Congressional and Political Research Center. Chernow spent time researching his book at the Grant Presidential Library at MSU. Chernow is an executive producer on the TV drama along with Leonardo DiCaprio. MSU is one of six American universities to house a presidential library. The Grant Presidential Library is available at www.usgrantlibrary.org. (Source: MSU 05/22/20)

The art of forged blades

COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. - At more than 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, the orange glowing steel is removed from the forge, and is placed on an anvil where it undergoes the striking. What once was a small rectangular bar of steel, repeatedly hit with a hammer slowly shifts shape with each swing. The art of the forging metal has been around for thousands of years, but as society has modernized, there is a member of Columbus Air Force Base who belongs to a small community of people who still take raw variations of steel and metal to make resourceful tools from it. Mitch Cargile, a 14th Communications Squadron network technician, helps maintain the phone and fiber cables on CAFB. During his free time, he works on mastering the craft of forging knives. “The most enjoyable aspect is creating something that can be used for a lifetime,” Cargile said. With seven years’ experience, Cargile has become a proficient knife-smith and was featured on the History’s Channel “Forged in Fire” series that aired in January. Although he created a quality sword, Cargile finished in second place. “It was an amazing experience,” Cargile said. He’s come a long way since 2013 when he got the idea of making knives from attending a banquet for Golden Triangle Outdoors, a local non-profit that provides outdoor recreational events for people with special needs. (Source: CAFB 5/22/20) https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2191288/art-of-forged-blades/

859th home from year deployment

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - It was celebration Thursday (May 21), when soldiers from the Mississippi Army National Guard’s 859th Vertical Engineer Company arrived back home to Pascagoula. Community members lined the streets to wave at the buses filled with soldiers, family members waited outside the fence line of the Guard’s Armory. It was an emotional moment as they anxiously awaited. Butterflies swirled in the stomach of military spouse Amanda Whatley as she waited with her children for her husband to arrive. “Just a ball of nerves. I’ve been with him for 14 years and it feels like I’m just meeting him for the first time almost," said Whatley. Well-wishers held signs. Many cheered loudly, including Brenda Kelley, who was there to welcome home her son. For the soldiers who are finally back home after being deployed, it was the little things they looked forward to most once home. “The creek, my dog, food for sure." said soldier Gabriel Kelley. "Good home cooked food. I could go on forever about that.” The group of carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and mechanics have been gone for nearly a year, training and serving in the Middle East, where they were tasked with completing construction projects that benefit U.S. soldiers serving as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. (Source: WLOX 05/21/20) https://www.wlbt.com/2020/05/22/families-welcome-home-soldiers-mississippi-army-national-guard/

Westendorff new CNATRA

The Secretary of the Navy and Chief of Naval Operations announced that Rear Adm. (lower half) Robert D. Westendorff will be assigned as Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) at Corpus Christi, Texas. Westendorff previously served as chief of staff of Naval Air Forces with the U.S. Pacific Fleet in San Diego. Westendorff is a 1992 graduate of Kansas State University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in Business Finance. He was commissioned in December 1992 after completing Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Fla. He was designated a Naval Aviator in April 1995 in Meridian, Miss., after flying T-34, T-2 and TA-4 training aircraft. (Source: DoD 05/222/20)

Reserve postponement extended

NORFOLK, Va. - In a new message to all Navy Reservists, Commander Navy Reserve Force (CNRF) is extending the current postponement of on-site Reserve drill weekends until June 30, and providing additional guidance resulting from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. ALNAVRESFOR 012/20, released today, provides guidance for the following topics: drill weekends, teleworking, Annual Training (AT) waivers, Navy Operational Support Centers (NOSC) re-opening, selection boards, the Direct Commissioning Program, High Year Tenure (HYT), and civilian personnel. Here are some of the highlights (the full message can be read at https://www.public.navy.mil/nrh/Pages/library_messages.aspx).

Mil.med elective procedures a go

U.S. military medical facilities across the globe can resume elective procedures as long as their communities meet criteria outlined in new guidance to the services, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs’ Tom McCaffrey wrote in a May 19 memorandum. As the curve of infection flattens, officials are lifting restrictions put in place in March as the COVID-19 outbreak threatened to overwhelm the military health system. Procedures can resume as long as they can be safely performed, needed to maintain deployability and readiness of service members, or delaying could increase risk to the patient. Base commanders now are able to lower their installation’s health protection condition if they see a sustained drop in cases. Mil.med commanders can resume outpatient elective procedures while at health protection condition “Charlie” and inpatient procedures at HPCON “Bravo.” The decision to increase the number of elective procedures must be based on the staffing levels at the facilities, availability of personal protective equipment, testing for staff, and the overall capacity of the healthcare system, including TRICARE, according to a DoD statement. The adjustments are reversible if local conditions change, and facilities should continue to use virtual care when appropriate, according to the memo. (Source: AF Magazine 05/21/20)

AF drops aviator height regs

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas – As part of the Air Force’s on-going effort to encourage a more diverse pool of applicants to pursue careers in aviation, the minimum height requirement for officer applicants who wish to fly has been removed as of May 13. While still preserving safety of flight, the policy adjustment prevents initial applicants who are below 64 inches or above 77 inches in height from requiring an accessions waiver. “We’re really focused on identifying and eliminating barriers to serve in the Air Force,” said Gwendolyn DeFilippi, assistant deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services. DeFilippi, who chairs the Department of the Air Force Barrier Analysis Working Group, explained, “This is a huge win, especially for women and minorities of smaller stature who previously may have assumed they weren’t qualified to join our team.” With the removal of the blanket height standard, the medical and operations communities will apply an anthropometric screening process to individual applicants for placement in an aircraft they can safely fly as they pursue a rated track. (Source: Air Force 05/21/20) https://www.aetc.af.mil/News/Article/2194833/air-force-removes-initial-height-requirement-for-officer-aviators/

Update: No 2nd POI at NASCC

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The dead suspect in a May 21 shooting aboard Naval Air Station Corpus Christi was 20-year-old Adam Alsahli of Corpus Christi, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation. Alsahli drove to an entrance at the naval station and shot a security forces member in the chest, hitting the guard in her bulletproof vest and inflicting non-life-threatening injuries. Alsahli then accelerated towards the gate entrance and crashed into a barrier. After exiting the vehicle, he began shooting, and was shot and killed by naval security forces. A preliminary investigation into the shooter identified him as a U.S. resident who was born in Syria, and likely a supporter of Salafi-jihadist ideology, according to one source. Online postings by these accounts expressed support for ISIS and Al Qaeda. FBI officials said earlier the shooting was terror-related. (Sources: multiple, including CNN, NBCNews, 05/21/20) Previous UPDATE: The FBI is investigating the base shooting as an act of terrorism and searching for a second “person of interest” (POI) related to the incident, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Leah Greeves said in a brief statement on May 21. “We may have a second related person of interest at large in the community but we would encourage the public to remain calm,” she stated. A U.S. official confirmed to USNI News that authorities believed a Navy security team killed an “Arab male” in a gun battle gate at the base.An official did not have any additional details on the identity of the shooter beyond apparent ethnicity. An FBI spokesperson did not provide additional details when contacted by USNI News. (Source: USNI News 05/21/20) UPDATE2: Following AN “intense investigation,” the FBI says concerns that a second person may have assisted the gunman in the thwarted attack May 21 on Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, have been allayed. (Source: Seapower 05/28/20)

Nat'l Memorial Day live stream

Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper will host a wreath ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on Memorial Day, May 25, at 8 a.m. CDT to honor the men and women in uniform who have died while serving the nation. SECDEF will be joined by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley, and other senior government and defense officials. The event will be live-streamed on Defense.gov. Later in the day, SECDEF Esper and CJCS Milley will join President Trump and other members of the administration for a Memorial Day ceremony at Fort McHenry, Md. (Source: DoD 05/21/20) Mississippi Notes: There will be a Memorial Day service at 10 a.m. on May 25 on the lawn of the Lauderdale County Courthouse in Meridian. The name of each fallen soldier from Lauderdale County will be read. In a separate event, the 248 Honor Circle will host a Memorial Day event at 10 a.m. in the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Newton. Guest speaker will be Henry Gruno, director of the memorial cemetery. Columbus' traditional Memorial Day celebration in Frankfort Square was scrapped a week ago, but taking up the mantle is American Legion Hartman Post 84.  They are planning a small recognition event at 10:30 a.m. at the Bell Tower in Pawnee Park. In Tupelo, there will be a 9 a.m. outdoors ceremony at Veteran’s Park. The event will be streamed live online from the city's Facebook page.

Chao selects 30 for WIABB

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao selected 30 industry and academic leaders to serve as members of the newly formed Women in Aviation Advisory Board (WIAAB). Congress called for the creation of the board in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 to develop strategies and recommendations to bring more women and girls into aviation. The board will look at education, training, mentorship, outreach, and recruitment efforts. Former U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson was selected as chair of WIAAB. An instrument-rated private pilot and aircraft owner, Wilson currently is president of The University of Texas at El Paso and had served as the 24th secretary of the Air Force, as well as a U.S. Congress member representing New Mexico. (Source: AIN 05/20/20) https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-05-19/dot-sets-membership-women-aviation-advisory-board

After 2 crashes, Eglin ‘safety pause’

The commander of Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., announced May 20 that the base will take a “safety pause” on Thursday, May 21, after the crash of two fifth-generation fighter jets within days of one another. An F-22 crashed on Eglin’s test and training range last Friday. Four days later, on May 19, an F-35 crashed on landing at the airfield. Both pilots safely ejected without significant injuries. Back-to-back crashes have alarmed Brig. Gen. Scott Cain, commander of the 96th Test Wing, said in a Facebook post Wednesday that while the health of the two pilots is a relief, the base needs to turn its attention to improving safety. “The events over the past few days remind us that the defense of our country can be a dangerous business,” Cain said. “It is very important to me that we now take a safety pause." (Source: AF Times 05/21/20) https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2020/05/20/after-two-crashes-within-days-eglin-announces-safety-pause/

CAFB equistrian top female athlete

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas - The Air Force has  named its male and female 2019 athletes of the year. They are a world-class handball player and a top equestrian. The Air Force’s Female Athlete of the Year is Maj. Andrea D. Matesick of Columbus AFB, Miss. She is the chief of safety and a T-38C instructor weapons system officer, and one of the nation’s top equestrian show-jumping competitors. Her sport has deep roots in military heritage, she added, “and to be a small part of it is amazing.” She ended the season with a win at the USEF National Equestrian Events Tyron Fall IV 1.10m Jumper in North Carolina against a field of 28. Matesick said her passion for the sport and a genuine love for horses pushes her to excel. When not competing, Matesick serves as a children’s riding instructor and donates several hours a week at a local therapeutic riding center. The Air Force’s Male Athlete of the Year is Capt. Andrew L. Donlin. He is an acquisition program manager and one of the nation’s top-ranked USA Team Handball players and a member of the 26-member USA Men’s National Team premier player pool, and in training for the Summer Olympics in 2021. (Source: Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center 05/19/20)

Moving ease w/ MyPCS Mobile

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves are an unavoidable part of Navy life. As part of the Navy’s ongoing pay and personnel transformation efforts, making it easier for sailors to execute a PCS move is a high priority. MyPCS Mobile was created. With the onset of COVID-19. the Department of Defense issued a stop movement directive. Consequently, a majority of sailors with PCS orders found themselves experiencing additional stress of more expenses as orders have been cancelled, postponed, or modified. MyPCS Mobile can help ease the stress. A new COVID-19 Guidance Link has been added to the MyPCS Mobile Checklist on the Shipping Household Goods page. (Source: Navy Personnel Command 05/19/20) https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=113005

Navy PPV housing improvement

WASHINGTON - Navy Public Private Venture (PPV) housing residents at Navy/Marine Corps bases have expressed a marked improvement in housing satisfaction, according to survey results from the annual Resident Satisfaction Survey (RSS) conducted in Fall 2019. Even with the upward trend, Commander Navy Installations Command (CNIC) continues to focus on improving the PPV housing program. “We remain committed to providing each PPV housing resident what they need, even during the uncertainty caused by COVID-19,” said Vice Adm. Mary M. Jackson, CNIC commander. “While an increase in average overall scores indicates that our corrective actions have contributed towards addressing our deficiencies, it is each and every family’s experience that matters most. We welcome candid feedback from our warfighters and their families as we seek to improve our culture of excellence and accountability.” (Source: CNIC 05/19/20) Gulf Coast Note: Balfour Beatty PPV manages housing at NAS Meridian and NCBC Gulfport, Miss.; and Patrician Military Housing is located on Naval Air Station/Joint Reserve Base New Orleans in Belle Chasse, La. https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=113001

2nd crash at Eglin in 5 days

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Less than a week after an F-22 Raptor crashed onto the Eglin AFB reservation May 15, an F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 58th Fighter Squadron (FS) crashed upon landing at the base around 9:30 p.m. on May 19. The pilot successfully ejected and was transported to the base hospital for evaluation and monitoring. The pilot is in stable condition. At the time of the accident, the pilot was participating in a routine night training sortie. First responders from the 96th Test Wing were on scene and the site was secured. The accident is under investigation. There was no loss of life or damage to civilian property. The name of the pilot is not being released this time. (Source: Eglin AFB 05/20/20) Both aircraft are among fifth-generation jets. The 58th FS handles joint flying and maintenance training for all three F-35 variants. F-22 Raptors were temporarily removed from Tyndall AFB to Eglin after an October 2018 hurricane.

MBRACE water, oyster research

Mississippi Based RESTORE Act Center of Excellence (MBRACE) is awarding $2.75M for research on water quality and oyster reef sustainability within the state. Four different projects will receive funding through 2022, with the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) being the lead institution on two of those projects. MBRACE is one of six Centers of Excellence Research Grants Programs (CERGP) established in the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and is designated as the Center of Excellence for Mississippi. MBRACE is a consortium of Mississippi’s four research universities (Jackson State, Mississippi State, University of Mississippi, and USM. The funded projects include “Impacts of water quality on oyster development to inform oyster reef restoration and sustainability on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.” University of Mississippi/Dr. Deborah Gochfeld - Award Amount: $442,942; “The distribution of submarine groundwater discharge and its effect on coastal water quality in Mississippi.” Mississippi State University/Dr. Adam Skarke - Award Amount: $450,052; “Optical observation for oyster larvae.” University of Southern Mississippi/Dr. Xiaodong Zhang - Award Amount: $449,907; and “MRACE 2 - Core Research Program.” University of Southern Mississippi/Dr. Jerry Wiggert - Award Amount: $1,383,658. The projects were selected following a rigorous review process coordinated by the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium. (Source: USM 05/18/20) https://www.usm.edu/news/2020/release/mbrace-funding-for-research.php

AFSOC: AC-130 laser weapon test

For five years, the Hurlburt Field, Fla.-based Air Force Special Operations Command has been working on placing a high-energy laser weapon on its newest AC-130J gunship. The AF now plans to test-fire a 60-kw laser in 2022, according to a program executive officer affiliated with fixed-wing programs. "If it is successful - and we are planning for success - then it will feed into our new requirements and potentially a new program down the road," AF Col. Melissa Johnson, PEO at AFSOC, said according to National Defense Magazine. She spoke at last week's Virtual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference. "If this goes forward past the demo ... we'll have an additional (RDT&E) program going forward." Previous tests have been ground based and with Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, Va. The next, scheduled for FY 2022, will be onboard an AC-130 aircraft, she said. The J-model aircraft achieved initial operational capability in September 2017. The 4th Special Operations Squadron, part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, received its first J-model with the Block 30 software upgrade in March 2019. The fourth-generation AC-130 is slated to replace the AC-130H/U/W models with delivery anticipated in 2021. AFSOC had hoped to incorporate the laser onto the aircraft in 2020. Gaps in funding, not technological maturity, were behind the delay, Johnson said. "After several years of seeking stable funding, we are there." (Source: Military.com 05/18/20) https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/05/18/air-force-finally-has-plans-test-laser-weapon-its-ac-130j-gunship.html

'Hurricane Hunters' get early jump

The “Hurricane Hunters” of the Keesler AFB, Miss.-based Reserve 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron got off to an early start to the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season by flying into Tropical Storm Arthur in the Bahamas on May 16. Arthur approached the Carolinas on May 18, making the sixth consecutive year there has been a named storm in May, before the hurricane season officially starts June 1. The 53rd WRS flew its WC-130J into the storm as it approached the Bahamas at an altitude between 500 to 1,500 feet to determine if the storm had a closed circulation, and provided data to the National Hurricane Center. “Mother Nature doesn’t operate on a calendar, so this is a reminder to always be prepared,” said 403rd Wing Commander Col. Jeffrey Van Dootingh. The storm was reported to have had a sustained surface wind speeds of more than 39 mph as it approached the Carolinas’ Outer Banks. (403rd Wing 05/16/20) https://www.dvidshub.net/news/370143/hurricane-hunters-fly-first-mission-2020-atlantic-season

Feds: NASP shooter update

PENSACOLA, Fla. - FBI investigators opened the NAS Pensacola, Fla., shooter's iPhones without help from Apple, revealing he had been planning the terrorist attack with al-Qaida for several years, Attorney General William Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray announced in a press conference May 18. Evidence on the Saudi military officer in training's phones show he was tied to al-Qaida operatives as far back as 2015. (Source: WEAR 05/18/20) The foreign military trainee shot and killed three sailors and wounded eight others in early December 2019. https://weartv.com/news/local/watch-live-attorney-general-to-give-update-on-nas-pensacola-shooting-investigation (Source: DoD 05/18/20) https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2190048/naval-air-station-pensacola-investigation-update/

Search begins for T-45 replacement

As part of its new Undergraduate Jet Training System program, the U.S. Navy wants a non-developmental, land-based jet trainer aircraft capable of field carrier landing practice and nuclear aircraft carrier touch-and-go landings by at least 2028, according to a Request For Information posted by Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), for a jet aircraft to perform some aspects of land- and ship-based carrier training, online on May 14. The Navy wants a two-pilot aircraft with ejection seats; and able to be flown from either cockpit. The Navy wants an aircraft that can integrate advanced technologies; and an automatic ground collision avoidance system. The aircraft is to have a flight life of at least 14,400 hours and be able to sustain 43,200 carrier (or simulated) landings. The service does not plan to conduct arrested landings or catapult launches using the jet trainer. That differs from the T-45, which conducts carrier landings and launches. Likely competitors for the trainer would likely be Boeing-Saab's T-7A; Lockheed Martin’s T-50A; and Leonardo’s T-100. The T-45 is a variant of the 1970s British Aerospace Hawk, developed jointly for the Navy by McDonnell Douglas and British Aerospace. Boeing acquired the program in 1997 when it merged with McDonnell Douglas. (Source: Flight Global 05/15/20) Gulf Coast Note: Goshawks are flown by Training Squadron (VT) 7 and VT-9 within Training Air Wing (TW) One based at Naval Air Station Meridian, Miss.; and TW-6's VT-4, VT-10, and VT-86 squadrons based at NAS Pensacola, Fla. VT-86 teaches Navy / Marine Corps student Naval Flight Officer (NFO) Advanced Strike Aircraft Training. https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing/us-navy-begins-search-for-next-jet-trainer-to-replace-t-45-goshawk/138400.article

Navy mechanics solving T-38 issue

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. - Northrop Grumman’s T-38 Talon, the world’s first supersonic jet trainer, has been a mainstay in pilot training since the 1960s. The United States Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) is the Navy’s principal operator of the twin-engine aircraft. USNTPS’ 10 Talons fly an average of 1,100 hours a year, providing students with valuable experience evaluating transonic and supersonic flight characteristics. Over the past two decades the T-38 fleet developed a chronic problem with inconsistent exhaust gas temperatures (EGT). Grounding T-38s to track down the source of high, low, erratic, and fluctuating EGT costs the Navy tens of millions of dollars annually. But what caused it? After much effort, two members of the USNTPS maintenance department, Mearland “Zeke” Rusaw and Lenny Epps, finally identified the culprit: A malfunctioning engine temperature controller called the T5 amp. Rusaw estimated half of the replacement T5 amps were not faulty. They needed to be “re-nulled" (recalibrated). After consulting with two more experienced T-38 mechanics, Rusaw designed and built equipment that could test and re-null the T5 amps while still installed. He wrote up procedures so other T-38 operators could use the same technique. That solution paid major dividends saving the school $203,000 and almost 450 man-hours of labor annually. Rusaw was able to collect enough data to convince the engineers that he was really on to the right solution. (Source: Naval Air Warfare Center Patuxent River 05/17/20) Gulf Coast Note: The Air Force and NASA also fly T-38 Talons. The AF has T-38s at Air Education and Training Commands at Columbus AFB, Miss. (14th Flying Training Wing/squadrons); and Tyndall-Eglin AFBs (325th Fighter Wing) in Florida. https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=112870

Rounsaville interim MDA boss

JACKSON, Miss. - John Rounsaville, who currently serves as state director for USDA Rural Development, has been named Mississippi Development Authority (MDAA) interim director by Gov. Tate Reeves. He has served in various capacities for state and national leaders, including Rep. Charles W. "Chip" Pickering, former Gov. Haley Barbour and Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump. Rounsaville holds various distinctions and awards for military service. He currently serves as a JAG officer and major with the Mississippi Air National Guard’s 186th Air Refueling Wing at Key Field at Meridian. He is a bachelor’s and master’s degree graduate of Mississippi State University, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi. (Source: Daily Journal 05/15/20) https://www.djournal.com/news/local/rounsaville-named-interim-director-of-mississippi-development-authority/article_94644f51-f467-585b-9c90-8021ef35cfbc.html.

Navy-funded small biz research

CORONA, Calif. - In the next round of Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) funding, the Navy will be accepting proposals from innovative startups and small businesses beginning June 3. The 20.2 Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) details millions of dollars available for businesses that can provide innovative solutions responsive to any of 55 Navy-specific topics while meeting unmet market demands. Pre-release for 20.2 opened May 6 and is ongoing until proposal acceptance begins. The latest announcement introduces new opportunities beyond those offered in the previous 20.4 announcement, which closes May 28. (Source NSWC Corona 05/15/20) https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=112968

New CAFB boss to arrive in July

The 14th Flying Training Wing at Columbus AFB, Miss., will live stream its virtual change of command at 11:14 a.m. on Monday, May 18, via the base’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ColumbusAFB/?ref=page_internal. Colonel Samantha Weeks has been the wing’s commander since August 2018. The 14th FTW conducts Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training for U.S. Air Force and allied officers, as well as tactical training for Afghan and Lebanese pilots and aircraft maintainers in the A-29 Super Tucano at Moody AFB, Ga. The wing is composed of 244 aircraft and trains more than 400 pilots and combat system operators annually. UPDATE: The 14th FTW change of command took place May 18. Colonel Seth Graham became the commanding officer. He comes to CAFB from duty as vice commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Missouri. Col. Graham received his commission from Oregon State University ROTC in 1998. Following graduation, he attended Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin AFB, Texas, and served multiple flying assignments in the B-1. Col. Graham is a command pilot with more than 2,600 flying hours. Following the change of command ceremony, Weeks retired after 23 years of service to the Air Force. UPDATE2: Graham won't actually assume his duties until July. The wing will be under the command of Vice Wing Commander Col. Dave Fazenbaker until Graham's arrival.

Space Command looking for an HQ

WASHINGTON – U.S. Space Command is looking for a permanent home. The Air Force, in coordination with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, is announcing a revised approach for determining the permanent location of the command’s headquarters. This revised approach considers the newly established organizational structure and analyzes its effects on the limited number of highly specialized personnel and infrastructure required to support both the Space Force and Space Command. Additionally, the approach expands the number of locations eligible for consideration to host the permanent Space Command HQ, and provides a comprehensive and transparent analysis before selecting a final location. The AF released screening and evaluation criteria, which will increase the number of locations eligible for consideration. The AF is providing communities that meet the criteria an opportunity to nominate themselves as potential candidate-locations by following the process outlined in a letter from the AF to the nation’s governors, which includes a nomination form and screening and evaluation criteria. Colorado Springs, Colo., remains the provisional HQ. (Source: Secretary of the Air Force 05/15/20) https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2188428/department-of-the-air-force-expands-potential-basing-locations-for-us-space-com.

GC squad earns ‘Grampaw’ award

NORFOLK, Va. - Training Squadron (VT) 10 of NAS Pensacola, Fla., was chosen as the organization winner and Lt. Katherine Smisson of Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 121 the individual winner of the 2019 Grampaw Pettibone Award. The award recognizes individuals and organizations that contribute the most toward aviation safety through publications and media resources. VT-10 had innovative communications within the student Naval Flight Officers (NFO) it trains. Through required reading, crew resource management (CRM) training and its internal newsletter, the “Scratching Post,” show that is filled with lessons learned from activities on the ground and air. “It’s a kind of a ‘there I was, I was wrong and how I got it right’ later,” said VT-10 Safety Officer Lt. John Montana. “It’s how we overcome them and learn from them that’s important.” The squadron wants student-NFOs to understand the importance of safety. “We want them taking the lead in safety, so we bring them into safety decisions early on instead of holding their hands.” VT-10’s aviation safety officer said that communicating openly with student NFOs encourages them to speak up when they see something wrong. Smisson received the individual award for her article, “Pressurized into an Early Recovery,” describing a May 2019 over-pressurization event aboard an E-2D Hawkeye. Her narrative recounted a rare event during a flight in which a crew experienced over-pressurization, and how teamwork brought the five-person crew safely back aboard ship. The outcome of the article was a new Naval Aviation Training and Operating Procedures Standardization Manual (NATOPS) procedure to more quickly identify and respond to over-pressurization. The article will appear in the spring 2020 issue of Approach magazine. (Source: Naval Safety Center 05/15/20) https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=112973

Keesler graduates first BMT det

KEESLER AFB, Miss. - For the first time since 1968, a flight of Airmen have graduated from Air Force basic military training (BMT) outside of Lackland AFB, Texas. Nearly 60 Airmen from the 37th Training Wing Detachment 5 marched across the Levitow Training Support Facility drill pad at Keesler AFB on May 15 signifying their completion of an historic training evolution. Due to safety concerns stemming from COVID-19, the AF sent new recruits to Keesler to demonstrate a proof of concept to generate the force at multiple locations during contingencies. “We are deliberately developing options to disperse the delivery of BMT during contingencies to provide surge capacity and introduce agility into the training pipeline construct,” said Maj. Gen. Andrea Tullos, 2nd Air Force commander, when explaining the purpose of the changes back in March. “This will also help provide relief to the military training instructor staff and ease the strain on our BMT infrastructure.” (Source: Keesler AFB 05/15/20)

Armed Forces Day, May 16

The White House has issued a proclamation honoring current and former members of the military for Armed Forces Day on Saturday, May 16. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-armed-forces-day-2020/

Keesler base ops contract

Vectrus Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colo., has been awarded a $17,382,577 firm-fixed-price modification (A00072) to contract FA3002-17-C-0001 for base operations support services at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. Work will be performed at Keesler AFB and is expected to be completed May 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $17,365,577 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $78,311,850. The 81st Contracting Squadron, Keesler AFB, Miss., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 05/15/20)

Regional roofing firms land AF pact

Chatmon-VJR JV LLC, LaPlace, Louisiana, FA8003-20-D-0017); RYCARS Construction LLC,* Kenner, Louisiana (FA8003-20-D-0039); Inland Construction and Engineering,* Panama City, Florida (FA8003-20-D-0067); and Yerkes South-Advanced Roofing Inc., Crestview, Florida (FA8003-20-D-0060) and several dozen other companies have been awarded a not-to-exceed $325,000,000 (all-inclusive/program wide) firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to 43 contract holders with 66 contracts for roofing repair, replacement and maintenance. Work will be performed at various Air Force contiguous U.S. installations and installations in Alaska, with work expected to be completed by May 14, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 69 offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $66,000 ($1,000 to each contract) are being obligated at the time of award. The 771st Enterprise Sourcing Squadron at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Ohio, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 05/15/20) https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2188998/

GAO rejects Airbus helo protest

WASHINGTON - Leonardo has restarted work on the U.S. Navy’s new training helicopter after its competitor’s protest of the contract was rejected May 12 by the Government Accountability Office. Airbus, which lost the competition in January, protested the award. The Navy chose Leonardo’s TH-119, a military derivative of the civilian AW-119, for its next training helicopter – the TH-73A - in an open competition called Advanced Helicopter Training System. The Navy ordered 32 helicopters with the total procurement expected to reach 130. The next pilot-training helo is scheduled to replace the TH-57 Sea Ranger fleet, which is primarily used for pilot training at NAS Whiting Field, Fla. After GAO rejected the protest, Leonardo - HQ’d in Italy but produces helicopters out of Philadelphia - Leonardo released a statement: “As a result, Leonardo has immediately resumed work on AHTS in Philadelphia, readying the next generation of U.S. Naval Aviators.” The contract, which is going through Leonardo’s Philadelphia-based AugustaWestland facility, is valued at about $648M. The initial part of the contract was for $176.5M for 32 helos. (Source: Defense News 05/14/20) https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2020/05/14/government-watchdog-rejects-airbus-protest-over-us-navy-training-helicopter-contract/

CAFB grad pilot's nom to NGB

Secretary of Defense (Dr.) Mark T. Esper announced May 15 that the president has nominated Air Force Lt. Gen. Marc H. Sasseville for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as vice chief of the National Guard Bureau at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Lt. Gen. Sasseville is currently serving as the commander, Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region; and commander, First Air Force (Northern) at Tyndall AFB, Fla. Lt. Gen. Sasseville has been commander of 1st AF (Northern) since June 2019. At the beginning of his aviation career, he completed Student Undergraduate Pilot Training at the 14th Flying Wing at Columbus AFB, Miss., in June 1986. (Source: DoD 05/15/20)

Update: F-22 jet not part of flyover

EGLIN AFB, Fla. - An F-22 Raptor, assigned to the 43rd Fighter Squadron and part of the 325th Fighter Wing currently based at Eglin AFB, crashed at around 9:15 a.m. Friday (May15) some 12 miles northeast of the main base within its test and training range. The pilot ejected safely was transported to the 96th Medical Group hospital on base for evaluation and observation. He is reportedly in stable condition. The pilot’s name has not been released at this time. There were no other individuals on the aircraft. There also was no loss of life or civilian property damage. First responders from the 96th Test Wing were on scene. The F-22's mission was a routine training flight with the 33rd Fighter Wing. A board of officers will investigate the accident. (Source: Eglin AFB 05/15/20) The Lockheed Martin-built Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather fifth-generation stealth tactical fighter. UPDATE: The crash happened shortly before a flyover of military aircraft to salute first responders and healthcare workers concluded. The flyover had passed Panama City Beach, Panama City and Lynn Haven. It was supposed to include Mexico Beach and Gulf County. but Tyndall AFB officials said on Facebook that portion of the flyover was canceled. UPDATE2: Follow-up information indicated that the F-22 was NOT part of the flyover salutes, according to WMBB.

Miss., La. food economy assistance

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service, announced assistance May 15 to 16 communities in order to boost economic opportunities for local farmers, while promoting clean air, safe water, open space, and healthy food choices. Among the recipients are the Southwest Louisiana Center for Health Services in North Lake Charles and the Opelousas General Health System Foundation both in Louisiana; and Shape Up Mississippi in Vicksburg. The Southwest Louisiana Center is launching a community food policy work-group to build a vision for the local food system to include community gardens, outreach to schools, pocket gardens, and education on the value of planting fruit trees, especially in unused blighted neighborhoods. The Opelousas foundation will build upon a recent brownfields assessment of downtown to explore how a cultural tourism hub can bridge gaps between revitalization and healthier cultural eating alternatives. Shape Up Mississippi wants to create an educational and economical food hub combining a farmers’ market, community garden, demonstration kitchen, educational center, and the Catfish Row Museum that explains the local culture and its relationship to the Mississippi River. Nearly all communities selected include Opportunity Zones. The selected communities will get access to a team of federal, state, and regional agricultural, environmental, public health, architectural and economic development experts to help develop plans, goals, and identify local assets to support the local food economy and contribute to downtown and neighborhood revitalization. For more information on LFLP 2020 communities: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/local-foods-local-places#2020 (Source: EPA 05/15/20)

Tricare expands cancer screenings

Starting May 29, Tricare will cover Digital Breast Tomosynthesis - 3D mammography or DBT - under its provisional coverage program, according to U.S. Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.). “This is a major victory for our female service members and veterans covered under Tricare,” McSally, a former A-10 pilot, said in a statement May 12. “I’m glad the Defense Department heard our repeated calls for change and implemented this commonsense policy.” All women over 40 are eligible for coverage. Annual coverage will also be available to women 30 and older, who are deemed a high risk for developing breast cancer. That means women who have a history of breast cancer have at least a 15 percent lifetime risk of developing breast cancer based on risk assessment tools, or have extremely dense breasts, among several other identified risk factors. Although other national payers including the Department of Veterans Affairs and Medicare already cover 3D mammograms, Tricare has historically only covered the procedure following the detection of a lump during two-dimensional imaging. (Source: Military Times 05/12/20) https://www.militarytimes.com/pay-benefits/military-benefits/2020/05/12/3d-mammograms-will-be-covered-by-tricare-starting-this-month/

Eglin cuts COVID-19 testing to 70m

EGLIN AFB, Fla. - The 96th Medical Group has obtained the ability to test for COVID-19 in house at its laboratory at Eglin in early April. Lab tech brought the novel coronavirus test kits on-line April 10 to begin in-house testing for area Defense Department beneficiaries. With this newly acquired capability, the laboratory has cut two-day processing time results to about 70 minutes. Prior to early April, COVID-19 tests were sent to Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio, and it took 48 to 72 hours to get results. The Eglin lab only tests COVID-19 samples of patients being admitted to the local base hospital. All other coronavirus tests for symptomatic patients are still sent to the Wright Patterson. To date, lab techs have tested about 2 percent of the area’s military population to include dependents and retirees. Testing is vital to contact tracing, isolation and quarantine to protect the community. (Source: Eglin AFB 05/11/20) https://www.eglin.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2180410/eglin-lab-begins-covid-19-testing/

RFPs for NASP area paving projects

The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast has been tasked to develop, solicit, and award a and Design-Bid-Build (DBB) Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) Paving Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Single Award Construction Contract for paving projects primarily in the Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola Area of Responsibility (AOR). A sources sought notice for this requirement was posted under solicitation N6945020RPAVE on March 9, 2020, requesting responses from interested prime contractors capable of performing general asphalt/concrete paving projects including airfield, roadway, and parking area pavement resurfacing, isolated repair and full-depth reconstruction projects, including U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) certified 8(a), HUBZone Small Business, Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, Women Owned Small Business and/or Small Business sources with current relevant qualifications, experience, personnel, security approvals, equipment and bonding capacity to perform. Based on the responses from the notice, it was determined that the requirement should be issued unrestricted inviting full and open competition. The Request for Proposal (RFP) will be issued on an unrestricted basis, inviting full and open competition. This solicitation will result in a single award with a total aggregate value not-to-exceed (NTE) $20M over a 5-year period. Task orders will be firm-fixed-priced with a minimum value of $15,000 and a maximum value of $1M per order. However, task orders under or over these amounts may be considered if deemed to be in the government’s best interest. The contractor may be asked to respond to multiple RFPs in a short timeframe. (Source: Government Tribe 05/11/20) https://govtribe.com/opportunity/federal-contract-opportunity/design-bid-build-paving-indefinite-deliveryindefinite-quantity-firm-fixed-price-single-award-construction-contract-for-the-nas-pensacola-area-of-responsibility-n6945020r0078.

Gov. IDs 7 hotspot Miss. counties

JACKSON, Miss. - Gov. Tate Reeves announced additional social distancing measures for seven counties identified as hotspots to limit transmission around the communities and protect the health of all Mississippians against the coronavirus. Consulting with state health officials, seven counties were identified as localized regions at a higher risk for transmission: Attala, Leake, Scott, Jasper, Neshoba, Newton, and Lauderdale counties. Gov. Reeves signed a new executive order May 12 establishing additional restrictions for those counties to slow the spread of COVID-19. (Source: WTOK 95/12/20) Naval Air Station Meridian is located in Lauderdale County. https://www.wtok.com/content/news/Restrictions-announced-for-Lauderdale-Newton-and-Neshoba-counties-570410941.html?fbclid=IwAR0VIeS7UPNvXCEpiq_jzJj_y5rR9oJGX53ZDB39zABPyUeY7OsKW8_lOyg

South La., Miss. COVID-19 maps

Mississippi counties' interactive COVID-19

https://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/2020/04/05/coronavirus-mississippi-latest-map-and-case-count-county-covid-19-outbreak/2950467001/ 

Plaquemines Parish, La., interactive COVID-19 map includes NAS/JRB Belle Chasse. https://www.facebook.com/plaqueminesgovernment/?__tn__=kCH-R&eid=ARCY4zWLRLdVAjjCiNOfIZBRrj6PfSa3cnEVC9__WUVBpP7gFuMoIhUHB_EZcz899Txr31OQpXOzk_pz&hc_ref=ARRl0shHz7VNOE-U6yWz2DYxlcunZxQ1cnApVFXaVGpsESLpKKlHd-huiYvajg-xWAs&__xts__[0]=68.ARDDvat86lPc5QKuzFjJI8j7bWDhzDbQykxXjN2yFc9ddnLFqFV5Vqfp7y1wXBcYXHN4JGxaqNlSAE90Ut50fFTGI7DirlwlBt_f7JCTcaAol7I8nn6mmPjqybp6woq9EUsmBovjXlDGRUp31QhOm6wcRUKV-h3RpdORFUtTt7TOxQ06hHld228qDR67hY12cG1852SrfuzkJyD8Tmbuv0hMOfyDoY8hAjAowzEkqxcHGpRpPJ8k9omh0ctRYMwyG_AtT4tQNkDFPiEw8hESfYhzArgJLs41TPCTOGaffMgJELvzCBEtMsLvs0hIk9l-F7XrLFaJYRefpK0Z82jflWjE7Si4m_HRyi6csMrT5aI9u3BXbe96b1ATnfMnrRwdU-R9a8WjLGzDQD7wCrfQtnVhP1btYb0qZ-HlqDIYU_Rlh1pOFHCoEikjTWImg-keAijkAQbFzYybjj_ZRk0KruoiSUHwxtNXdQfiP0dVAUqU-7Q

Monroe nurses on NYC's frontline

Three Monroe County, Miss., health care workers have been on the frontline in the epicenter of the world’s COVID-19 pandemic, New York City. Brooke Reeves and Lauren Sloan, both licensed nurse practitioners from Amory and Hatley respectively, were assigned to Metropolitan Hospital Center in Manhattan. Brianna Sloan of Amory, an intensive care unit nurse at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, was assigned to Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, NY. Reeves and Sloan were between jobs at the time the pandemic hit. “We applied and (in) less than two days, we were on a plane to New York,” Sloan said. “I thought my husband was going to freak … but this was a chance to be a part of something bigger than us.” Reeves and Sloan spent their first three weeks in the post-anesthesia care unit, which was turned into a unit for COVID-19 patients. Since then, they have been moved to the ICU working nights. One of the more difficult parts for front line workers dealing with COVID-19 patients is that family members are unable to be with them, even during their final days. Face-Timing with patients’ family members has become a norm, even in their final moments of life. “They die a lonely death, and that is something we have never encountered before,” Sloan lamented. Brianna Sloan also kept in close contact with patients’ families, and hopes it was a comfort to many that caregivers were with their loved ones when they passed. None of three had ever been to NYC before. They were shocked how empty the city was, compared to global images. “It’s like a ghost town,” Brianna Sloan said. The city has embraced frontline workers with signs in Times Square, salutes by police officers, and cheers and prayers from those quarantined at home. At 7 p.m. nightly, “they all get on their balconies and cheer for the frontline medical workers,” Brianna said. “It really does keep you going.” Reeves and Sloan have signed up for eight more weeks in NYC. “We can leave early, but I can’t imagine it,” Lauren said. "It’s been hard, and I have matured. Your perspective changes, and you realize that some things are not as important as others.” Brianna, who is home, plans on going back once her quarantine period has passed. (Source: Monroe Journal/Amory, Miss. 05/13/20) https://www.djournal.com/monroe/news/go-time-monroe-county-nurses-respond-to-new-york-city-s-covid-19-crisis/article_9a04fb40-beb2-547c-8d94-3ba4e19685bc.html

MSU scientists aiding health dept.

STARKVILLE, Miss.- Five research scientists from the Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Department of Basic Sciences are assisting the Mississippi State Department of Health with efforts to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Working at the MSDH Public Health Laboratory in Jackson on weekends in May to conduct COVID-19 human diagnostic testing, the scientists include CVM research associates Michelle Banes and Allen Shack; Dr. Wei Tan, director of the CVM flow cytometry facility; graduate student Liyuan Liu; and post-doctoral researcher Dr. Nogi Park, all of whom are skilled in molecular biology and currently work in areas conducting infectious disease research at CVM. The five scientists join Dr. Lifang Yan, a CVM faculty member at the Mississippi Veterinary Research and Diagnostic Laboratory in Pearl, who was already assisting MSDH. When MSDH indicated they could use additional help, “we were glad to step in and assist,” said MSU CVM Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies Dr. Steve Pruett. The research scientists are familiar with and have the skills to perform this type of testing. The MSU-MSDH partnership also serves to develop a group of trained workers, who stand ready to provide this vital service in the event there is a sudden need to do large numbers of tests in the state in the future, Pruett added. (Source: MSU 05/12/20) https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2020/05/scientists-msus-college-veterinary-medicine-assist-msdh-covid-19

eVTOL confidence booster

For a defense program with relatively little funding behind it ($25M), the Air Force’s Agility Prime comes with major expectations to assist in building a domestic electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) industrial base. It offers a lifeline for a market where private monies have dried up due to the coronavirus. For the AF, if it proves successful, Agility Prime could be a model of how defense procurement can work with commercial markets to compete with China’s national drive for technology supremacy. “For me, it’s a template for how to take the military market... and bring it to bear on an emerging commercial market … that accelerates it for all of us,” says AF Acquisition Chief Will Roper. Agility Prime aims to tap into existing commercial investment in eVTOL development and, through in-kind support … (to) help U.S. manufacturers along the way to FAA certification. At the same time, the program will seek out opportunities within government agencies for early purchases of eVTOLs to help ramp up production. The program has been conceived to avoid what happened in the small drone market, where the Pentagon failed to engage the emerging U.S. industry and the supply chain migrated overseas. (Source: Aviation Week 05/08/20) https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/urban-unmanned-aviation/usaf-agility-prime-aims-boost-investor-confidence-evtol-market?utm_rid=CPEN1000002255725&utm_campaign=24043&utm_medium=email&elq2=5de3801b2cce4528a52725f8a6bcc3d8