Gulfport sailors earn USFF honors

NORFOLK, Va. - U.S. Fleet Forces Command announced its 2018 USFF Fleet Sea and Shore Sailors of the Year (SSoY) during a breakfast here March 7. Builder 1st Class Luke G. Johnson of the Gulfport, Miss.-based Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 was named Sea Sailor of the Year. Electrician’s Mate 1st Class Steffi M. Gutierrezlara of Naval Surface Squadron 14 was Shore Sailor of the Year. “What an honorable experience this has been,” said Johnson. “To my fellow finalists, we have forged such amazing relationships, and to my sailors - I want to say thank you - as you are the reason for my success. They are amazing and their success makes me so proud.” During the ceremony, all 12 SOY finalists were recognized for their work and awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. Among Gulf Coast-based finalists for Sea SoY was BU1 Luke G. Johnson of NMCB 1 in Gulfport. Shore SSoY finalist included Aerographer’s Mate 1st Class Leigh A. Windham of the Gulfport-based Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Professional Development Center. (Source: US Fleet Forces Command 03/07/19)

Sen.: Mil-housing contractor 'fraud’

In a congressional hearing centered on contractor-run military family housing and families’ living conditions, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) suggested "there are clear indications of fraud” in the program, according to an ABC News report. Blumenthal described the situation as criminal May 7 during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing where military leaders testified about substandard housing. He has asked military leadership to bypass their internal audits and go straight to the Department of Justice about why contractors were allegedly not maintaining government housing while receiving funds for maintenance and rent. “They are landlords. They may be slumlords. They’ve counted on this … risk-free cash cow.” Military leaders agreed. “I think we should pursue any fraud and hold people accountable,” said Army Secretary Mark Esper. Navy Secretary Richard Spencer told the committee “once Navy audit has the data then DOJ would be involved." All four military services are preparing a joint Tenant Bill of Rights. (Source: ABC News 03/07/19)

Boeing advances aviation training

WASHINGTON – The Boeing Company awarded a $3M grant to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on March 7 to accelerate pilot training and aviation maintenance programs. Boeing's investment will create a permanent endowment to fund annual scholarships for flight training, maintenance training, and certification costs related to the pilot training and aviation maintenance programs. Scholarship dollars will be made available to all students – with a focus on increasing numbers for women, military veterans, and minority students enrolled in both programs. According to Boeing's 2018 Pilot & Technician Outlook, the industry will need 790,000 new civilian pilots and 754,000 new maintenance technicians to fly and maintain the world fleet over the next two decades. The forecast is inclusive of the commercial aviation, business aviation and civil helicopter industries. The investment builds on Boeing's support of STEM programs, women, military veterans, and minorities. In 2018 alone, Boeing contributed $284M to build better communities worldwide. Embry-Riddle is the world's largest and most comprehensive aviation and aerospace university. It has residential campuses at Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz. Embry-Riddle engages in extensive research and consulting that address the unique needs of aviation, aerospace, and related industries. Embry-Riddle also provides instruction through both online and face-to-face methods via a network of education facilities designed to support student advancement. All academic programs are approved for veterans' educational benefits and are accompanied by personalized academic advisement. (Source: Boeing 03/07/19) Gulf Coast Note: There are Embry-Riddle education facilities across the Gulf Coast at NAS/JRB Belle Chasse, La.; Keesler AFB, Miss.; Coast Guard ATC Mobile and Fort Rucker in Alabama; NAS Pensacola, Eglin AFB, Tyndall AFB, and Duke and Hurlburt Fields.

Cadets get upclose look at aviation

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – About 200 Navy ROTC cadets from Texas A&M University got a firsthand look at Navy aircraft March 5 during a static display event here at Easterwood Airport. Navy aircraft from Florida, Texas, and Washington states flew in for the event, which gave students a chance to talk to pilots about career opportunities. Executive Officer of the NROTC unit, Cmdr. Robert McGill a native of Natchitoches, La., said the event was a great way to showcase naval aviation and help solidify students’ career decisions. Students interacted with pilots from various aircraft platforms from T-45 Goshawks and T-6B Texas IIs to EA-18G Growlers. Throughout the day, each student had the opportunity to see every stage every stage of becoming a naval aviator, from student-instructor pilots all the way through pilots assigned to active fleet squadrons. Aircraft came from Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, NAS Jacksonville, Fla., and NAS Whidbey Island, Wash. (Source: CNATRA 03/08/19)

AHI: P&W engine for Navy helo

ATLANTA - Airbus Helicopters Inc. of Columbus, Miss., announced March 6 that it has selected the Pratt & Whitney PW206B3 engine to power its H135 IFR-certified helicopter that AHI is proposing for the Navy helicopter trainer replacement. AHI officials made the announcement at the 2019 Heli-Expo industry trade show in Atlanta. (Source: Aviation Pros 03/06/19)

Tulane NROTC plan Mardi Gras drill

NEW ORLEANS - Future military officers – making up 26 teams from 19 universities across the country - came here to Tulane University on March 1 to participate in the 46th annual Mardi Gras Drill Meet. It is one of the largest Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) unit-hosted meets in the U.S. Tulane’s NROTC unit hosted the meet that spanned units from all branches of the military services. The No. 1 focus of the drill for Tulane was to “provide leadership development training to our midshipmen,” said unit Commanding Officer Capt. Daniel Senesky. For six months, Tulane midshipmen “planned and organized everything from security to facilities, with minimal input from the overseeing leadership of the unit,” he said. Leadership evaluated events are exclusive to the Tulane’s NROTC unit and intended as additional training to aspiring Naval and Marine Corps officers. For those participating in the competition segment, Texas A&M University finished first overall followed by Norwich University, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. (Source: Naval Service Training Command 03/01/19) Mississippi Note: ROTC units in the state of Mississippi include Mississippi College (Air Force/Army), Mississippi State University (Air Force/Army), University of Mississippi (Air Force/Army/Navy), and William Carey College (Air Force/Army).

La. recruit collapses, dies at GL

A 20-year-old Navy recruit from Monroe, La., collapsed and later died one week before she was scheduled to graduate from boot camp at Great Lakes, Ill. Seaman Recruit Kierra Evans, a 2017 graduate from Neville High School in north Louisiana, was taking part in the Navy's Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) at the Recruit Training Command on Feb. 22 when she collapsed. Evans, who was on course to graduate March 1, died several hours later at the Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital. Her death has only now been disclosed by officials, reports Military.com. The Navy and RTC are investigating. The cause of the 20-year-old’s death is unclear. A spokesperson from the Lake County Coroner’s Office told Navy Times that autopsy results won’t be available for as long as three months. According to her obituary, Evans had graduated from Neville High in May 18, 2017, and was an a member of the school’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps for four years before joining the Navy on Jan. 2, 2019. Evans is the second person to die at Great Lakes since October 2018, according to Military.com. (Source: Newsweek 03/05/19)

DoD rethinking aviation mishaps

The Defense Department (DoD) is considering revisions to the dollar and damage levels that qualify an aircraft accident as a major mishap. Major aviation accidents are currently classified as Class A, B and C. Class A: More than $2M in damage, aircraft destroyed, or whether a pilot or crewman killed or totally disabled. Class B: Damage ranging from $500K to $2M, a crew member facing permanent partial disability, or three or more persons sent to the hospital. Class C: Damage is between $50K and $500K or an injury results in loss of time from duty. One of the main drivers of the proposed changes appear to be the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and similar future aircraft. When all F-35s are delivered, DoD will have nearly 2,500. The current cost of each F-35 ranges from about $90M to $115M (Marines’ F-35B). The F-35’s advanced coatings and sensors make small incidents, like towing accidents, rise to a Class A quickly. In April, Military Times reported that across the services, aviation mishaps had spiked by about 40 percent since FY 2013. Dan Grazier, a military fellow with the Project on Government Oversight, said any new classification system would need to ensure that older aircraft don’t get lost in the shuffle. “There are obviously issues with those mishaps that go beyond just the financial,” he told Military Times, and misidentifying small symptoms that could potentially turn into systemic problems. DoD confirmed in a memo in July 2018 that it’s looking at revising those categories as part of a larger effort to address military readiness and safety. The services were tasked with standing up four task forces: Leading Indicator, Lessons Learned, Mishap Classification, and Safety Data Reform to better reflect the expense of repairing advanced jets. But such changes could lead to less visibility into the actual state of aviation safety, government watchdogs cautioned. (Source: Military Times 03/03/19)

MSU-MNG sign new tuition program

The Mississippi National Guard and Mississippi State University (MSU) have announced a new program to ensure free tuition for Mississippi National Guard service members enrolled full-time at MSU. College President Mark E. Keenum and Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, adjutant general of Mississippi, signed an agreement establishing the ‘Bulldog Free Tuition’ program. The program builds on current NG education benefits at state-wide colleges, but to create a unique opportunity for eligible Mississippi Army and Air National Guard members. The “innovative tuition program” launched March 4 “continues MSU’s “pro-soldier legacy and directly invests in those brave, bright men and women who serve and protect our great nation,” said Keenum. There are more than 12,000 service members are in the Mississippi Army and Air National Guard’s ranks. The college’s added support through this program makes MSU the only state university where MNG soldiers can attend college with no out-of-pocket cost for tuition. Some 650 veterans and service members attend MSU. The school is nationally recognized for its support of veterans, service members, and dependents. In 2015, MSU was designated as a “Purple Heart University” by the Military Order of the Purple Heart for its support of the military community. (Source: Citizen Soldier 03/04/19)

EPA Region 4 & 6 Superfund report

ATLANTA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing Superfund’s annual report covering major accomplishments and environmental progress throughout FY 2018. The Superfund program is a top priority for EPA and is making strides to accelerate sites through remediation and back to productive use. In the report, communities across the country are benefitting from these efforts. “We are proud to report that in Fiscal Year 2018 EPA deleted all or part of 22 sites from the National Priorities List (NPL), the largest number of deletions in one year since 2005,” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a media release, and revitalizing communities across the country. EPA is “proud of the progress we have made in cleaning up Superfund sites across the Southeast” in Regions 4 and 6, said EPA Acting Region 4 Administrator Mary S. Walker. Region 4 includes the Gulf Coast states of Alabama, Florida and Mississippi. Region 6 includes Louisiana. Region 4 is stepping up efforts to return sites to productive use and deleting sites from the NPL: Davis Timber Co. of Hattiesburg, Miss. In Region 6, the Bayou Bonfouca site in Slidell, La., formerly contaminated with waste from a wood-treating plant, is now a hub for civic activity with municipal services departments, Heritage Park, a public boat launch, and a state-of-the-art marina. Region 4 milestones include identifying sites for expedited cleanup: Mississippi Phosphates Corp. of Pascagoula, Miss. New FY-18 NPL sites: American Creosote (DeRidder, La.) and Rockwell International Wheel & Trim (Grenada, Miss.). (Source: EPA 03/04/19)

AHI-Columbus job fair March 5

Airbus Helicopters Inc. of Columbus, Miss., will be looking to employ some 40 workers over the next several months. On March 5, the company will be hosting an on-site job application fair from 3-6 p.m. in Cafeteria C of the Airbus plant at 1782 Airport Road. Airbus is an international company with about 25,000 employees worldwide, including four locations in the U.S. The Columbus plant opened in 2006 and has about 200 employees who manufacture two to three UH-72A Lakota helicopters a month for the Army. AHI-Columbus also manufactures about 80 H125 helicopters annually. The company is largely looking for experienced candidates to fill those positions, which include aircraft technicians with at least two years experience, inspectors with at least four years experience, and engineers with six-to-9 years’ experience. Applicants need to bring an electronic resume for the event. (Source: Event Brite 03/02/19)

CG foundation tribute March 15

The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit group designed to the education and welfare of all Coast Guard members and families, will hold its 26th annual ‘Tribute to the Eighth Coast Guard District’ on March 15 at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. The foundation will recognize CG Station Panama City for its regional response to Hurricane Michael. CGS Panama City is a unit operating under the Eighth Coast Guard District’s headquarters in New Orleans. The event will feature an address by the Coast Guard’s Vice Commandant, Adm. Charles Ray. In the aftermath of Michael, the foundation assisted 90 Coast Guard families in the Panama City area with $245,500 of support to help them recover and to rebuild their own homes and personal spaces. (Source: Work Boat 02/28/19)

AETC awards for Keesler airmen

Three Airmen from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., were recognized during the Air Education and Training Command’s 2018 Outstanding Airmen of the Year ceremony in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 26. Senior Airman Gary G. Jeffrey III of the 81st Medical Support Squadron was named Airman of the Year. Winning in the Civilian Supervisory Category I was Jason G. Medenwaldt of the 81st Logistics Readiness Squadron; and in the Non-Supervisory Civilian Category I, Brian Louis of the 81st Comptroller Squadron was the winner. (Source: Air Education and Training Command 02/27/19)

Airmen trek GC for fallen comrades

BILOXI, Miss. - Airmen from a special tactics unit in San Antonio, Texas, are making an 830-mile trek across the Gulf Coast (GC) to Hurlburt Field in West Florida to pay tribute to the late Staff Sgt. Dylan Elchin – one of 20 special tactics personnel killed in action since 9/11. The group crossed the halfway mark March 1 in Biloxi, Miss. The special march has happened five times. The late Staff Sgt. Elchin was a combat controller deployed to Afghanistan. The march means “a whole lot to us both personally and as an enterprise,” Chief Master Sgt. Jeff Guilmain told WLOX-TV. Elchin was killed in November 2018 when the vehicle he was in hit an improvised explosive device. The march is full of symbolism. The airmen carry wooden totems with the names of special tactics airmen killed in action. In a way, those who were lost are also making the trek. Another symbolic tie can be found in the journey’s start and end points. Special tactics training begins at Lacklin AFB, Texas, and ultimately graduates from the special tactics training squadron in Hurlburt Field. Two of the 20 special tactics members, from Gulf Coast states, to die in action since 9/11 include Senior Airman Mark Forester of Tuscaloosa, Ala., a Special Tactics Combat Controller, died Sept. 29, 2010; and Staff Sgt. Forrest Sibley of Pensacola, Fla., a Special Tactics Combat Controller died Aug. 26, 2015. (Source: WLOX Biloxi 03/01/19)

Bill to close airport biz exemptions

The Mississippi Legislature, which has passed a bill that would close tax exemptions loopholes for industries located at state-based airports, is heading to Gov. Phil Bryant's desk after passing both chambers. Senate Bill 2802, which passed unanimously in the Senate - and 113-4 in the House - amends a law that the Mississippi Supreme Court said last fall allows for exemptions for any businesses located on airport property. The bill is due to arrive on the governor’s desk March 6. The measure is particularly important for Lowndes County, where several major industries are located on the Golden Triangle Regional Airport's property. The exemption has cost the Lowndes about $160,000 in tax revenue this fiscal year, according to County Tax Assessor Greg Andrews, and the county school district $800,000. (Source: Columbus Dispatch 03/01/19)

First new helo simulators in 40 years

The Navy's Commander Training Air Wing Five (CTW-5) at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla., has accepted its first new TH-57 flight simulator in about 40 years. The simulator, the first of 10 to be delivered over the next year, is already being used for helicopter training operations. The similar is a significant technology advancement and upgrade to naval aviator training, according to Cmdr. Aaron Beattie, CTW-5 rotary simulator integration lead officer. “It improves our ability to train student aviators in night-vision environments and the simulator displays are a vast improvement over the 1980s technology our current simulators afford,” he said. CTW-5 has trained all Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard helicopter pilots at NASWF for the past 30 years, using the instrument-rated TH-57 Sea Rangers since 1981. CTW-5 are to receive three Level 6 and seven Level 7 simulators. This first simulator was a Level 6 trainer. Two additional simulators are scheduled for delivery in March. Level 7 devices will be delivered between May 2019 and February 2020. (Source: Rotor Wing International 02/28/19) As the Navy takes delivery of these new simulators, which is a part of a bigger goal of modernizing the entire helicopter ground training system, the Navy is simultaneously working to retire its fleet of TH-57s by 2023, according to a final Request For Proposal announcement. Proposals are likely to come from three companies that are publicly competing for the work: Airbus Helicopters Inc. of Columbus, Miss., with its H135 light twin; Leonardo with its TH119 single-engine trainer, and Bell Helicopters’ 407GXi. Bell manufactured the TH-57.

NSWCPC joins innovation lab journey

PANAMA CITY, Fla. - Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City (NSWCPC) has begun a journey to establish a Center For Innovation to foster a culture of creativity that will give staff an outlet to learn techniques and understand war-fighters’ needs in a designed solution safe zone, according to Unmanned and Surface Combatants Science and Technology Mine Warfare director Holly Gardner. CFI will be a collection of spaces and capabilities to foster innovation at all levels, and give employees an outlet where they can brainstorm, network and work through problems before putting that innovation into practice at the fleet level, according to Sheila Schnoering, NSWCPC engineer for mine warfare prototyping. Reaping beneficial knowledge, even through failures, stimulates alternative routes to success and a “plethora of creative ideas” that lead to light bulb moments, says Technical Product Manager Rick Hurst. Two buildings are being configured to support the innovation lab concept. Throughout FY 2019, efforts will be dedicated to defining its business model, continued input from users, conveyance of capabilities with respective training arenas, and the completion of spaces. NSWCPC conducts research, development, test and evaluation, and in-service support in Mine Warfare, Naval Special Warfare, Diving and Life Support, and Amphibious and Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare Systems and other missions in the Littoral Battlespace. (Source: NSWCPC 02/28/19) Columbus AFB, Miss., was among the first in the Air Force to begin creative hubs. CAFB began its ‘Spark Cell’ creative hub last November to find solutions from 3D printing to flying patters for its T-6 Texan II. Today, CAFB has shared information on set-ups and collaborated with officials at Keesler AFB, Miss., and Tinker AFB, Okla.

YN1 earns NASM memorial CoY

Yeoman 1st Class Jennifer Purcell was selected for the AC2 Whitney Powell Memorial Military Citizen of the Year (CoY) award at Naval Air Station, Meridian, Miss. The award is given to an enlisted member at NASM annually for volunteer service within the community. Purcell volunteers at Till Newell’s Animal Hospital, Coyote Equine Hills Rescue, and Habitat for Humanity. “For this community to be successful and for (NASM) to be successful, we have to rely on each other,” said base commander Capt. Brian Horstman. It has given YN1 Purcell a sense of being a part of something bigger than herself. The award is named for Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Whitney Powell who died in a car accident in 2013. She was active in the Meridian community such as Lauderdale County Emergency Management Agency and Wesley House Women’s Shelter, and Calvary Chapel. (Source: WGBC-TV 02/28/19)

La. firm earns $25M AFA pact

Rowe Contracting Service of Mandeville, La., has been awarded a $25,000,000 ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for academic and athletic custodial services. This contract provides for custodial services for the academic and athletic facilities at the U.S. Air Force Academy (AFA). Work will be performed at the Academy in Colorado, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 29, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 27 offers received. FY 2019 AF operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,667,389 are being obligated at the time of award. The 10th Contracting Squadron of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 03/01/19) Mandeville is about 20 miles WNW of Slidell, La.

Keesler AFB electrical contract

City Light & Power (CLP) of Greenwood Village, Colo., has been awarded an estimated $126,616,791 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for the ownership, operation and maintenance of the electric distribution system at Keesler AFB, Miss. This was a competitive acquisition with four responses received. This is a 50-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Biloxi, Miss., with an Aug. 31, 2069, performance completion date. The type of appropriation is FY 2019 through FY 2069 Air Force operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy of Fort Belvoir, Va. (Source: DoD 03/01/19)