Ashore pilot directs ROV in Fla.

During a March expedition on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s ship Okeanos Explorer, an onshore engineer more than a thousand miles away, piloted a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to explore the depths of the Florida Straits. A first for NOAA Ocean Exploration and the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration, this test opens possibilities for deep-ocean exploration. “Telepresence technology has been a game changer for deep-ocean exploration,” NOAA officials said. It changed who, when, how, and from where it could be done. NOAA Ocean Exploration is the only federal program dedicated to exploring the deep ocean. (Source: Work Boat 05/05/22) Piloting remotely operated vehicle from shore opens up deep-sea exploration | WorkBoat

'Hunters': Already hurricane season

BILOXI, Miss. - The calendar may say the start of Hurricane Season is June 1, but for the "Hurricane Hunters" of the reserve 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadro at Keesler AFB, it’s already here. “We have seen some abnormalities during the past five or six seasons, pilot Lt. Col Sean Cross told WLOX. There were storms arriving in early May, "so we’re ready for that,” he stated. Being ready is making sure the fleet’s 10 C-130J’s are set up correctly and speaking the same language. Inside the aircraft, a storm's critical data is collected in real time - whether a weak tropical depression or a "Cat-5" hurricane. The data goes to the National Hurricane Center in Miami and within minutes they’re able to put out forecast models. If this summer’s anything like the past seasons, it’s going to be quite busy, he continued. “It’s fine with me if we don’t fly any hurricanes this season. We will still be at the ready.” (WLOX 05/05.22)

DoL: NOLA agency owes workers

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found United Cerebral Palsy of Greater New Orleans Inc. failed to pay overtime to direct service workers, wrongly claimed that its workforce qualified for the FLSA’s companionship exemption, and that its payment structure included overtime premiums, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The investigation determined the employer owed the non-exempt employees an additional one-half their regular hourly rate of pay for overtime hours. Back wages recovered: $143,404 in owed overtime to 90 workers. “Home healthcare workers work long hours … and they deserve every dollar they earn,” said Wage and Hour District Director Troy Mouton in New Orleans. The investigation found the employer “could have avoided this investigation with one phone call to the Wage and Hour Division.” (Source: Dept of Labor 05/04/22)

NOLA firm to compete for $130M

Ilsi-Arcadis JV, New Orleans, La. (W912EP-22-D-0002); CDM Federal Programs, Jacksonville, Fla. (W912EP-22-D-0004); SAI-WGI KV LLC, Orlando, Fla. (W912EP-22-D-0005); Kimley-Hanson-Bergmann JV, West Palm Beach, Fla. (W912EP-22-D-0006); AECOM-B&V Civil Works JV, Roanoke, Va. (W912EP-22-D-0007); Stanley Consultants-Stantec JV, Minneapolis, Minn. (W912EP-22-D-0008); and Genterra-Freese and Nichols Small Business Mentor-Protege JV, Irvine, Calif. (W912EP-22-D-0009), will compete for each order of the $130,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for engineering and design services for civil works projects. Bids were solicited via the internet with 26 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 4, 2027. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/04/22)

History: First manned space flight

On this day - May 5, 1961 - in Navy and Marine Corps History: Cmdr. Alan Shepard Jr. makes the first U.S. manned space flight. USS Lake Champlain (CVS-39) recovers the capsule after the 15-minute flight.

Petal 'safest' city in Mississippi

PETAL, Miss. - The City of Petal has been ranked as the safest city in Mississippi, according to SafeWise, an independent online review site that rates cities in each state based on crime statistics and police reports. In its 2022 states survey, Petal ranked ahead of Brandon, Hernando, Clinton, Long Beach, Ocean Springs, Bay St. Louis, Oxford, Richland and Horn Lake. SafeWise terms of “dangerous” and “safest” refer explicitly to crime rates as calculated from FBI crime data and no other characterization of any community is implied or intended. (Source: WDAM 05/02/22) Petal ranked ‘safest city in Mississippi’ (wdam.com)

Mod pact in support of Keesler

Vectrus Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colo., has been awarded an $18,046,899 firm-fixed-price modification (A00122) to previously awarded contract FA3002-17-C-0001 for base operations support services at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. Work is expected to be completed by May 31, 2023. Fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $16,705,668 are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $125,270,284. The 81st Contracting Squadron, Keesler AFB, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/02/22)

$230M Austal USA mod contract

Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama, is awarded a $230,545,382 fixed–priced incentive (firm target) contract modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-2227 to exercise the option for the detail design and construction of Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) 16. Work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama (63%); Fairfax, Virginia (10%); Novi, Michigan (10%); Houston, Texas (3%); Slidell, Louisiana (2%); Franklin, Massachusetts (2%); Rhinelander, Wisconsin (2%); and Chesapeake, Virginia (1%); with other efforts performed at various locations throughout the U.S. (4%), and various locations outside the U.S. (3%). Work is expected to complete by October 2025. Fiscal 2022 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $230,545,382 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 05/03/22)

HII declares quarterly dividend

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced May 3 that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.18 per share, payable on June 10 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 27. HII is an all-domain defense and technologies partner, recognized as America’s largest shipbuilder. With a 135-year history of trusted partnerships in advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities ranging from the most powerful and survivable naval ships ever built, to unmanned systems, ISR and AI/ML analytics. For more information visit: https://www.hii.com/

1st CG MH-60 helo arrives in NOLA

NEW ORLEANS - Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans received its first of three MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters on May 2. The arrival included an overflight of downtown by Cmdr. Keith Blair, Air Station New Orleans commanding officer. The other two MH-60s are scheduled to arrive by the end of July. The station's current fleet of MH-65s will be transferred to other units throughout the CG. The MH-60 is part of a CG rotary-wing service life extension program and initiative to expand the capabilities of the CG's Eighth District for a more robust response to routine operations as well as catastrophic incident response operations. The MH-60 brings more capability with respect to payload, endurance and range. It can fly up to a 250-mile operational radius. It will be used for search and rescue, law enforcement, military readiness and marine environmental protection missions. (Source: Coast Guard 05/02/22) Photo: DVIDS - Images - Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans receives first MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter [Image 1 of 4] (dvidshub.net)

MSU grads are staying home

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State University’s Career Center is reporting 97% of 2020-21 university graduates report being employed or working on advanced degrees within the first six months of graduation. Across all eight MSU colleges, 94% of the 4,152 respondents to the annual First Destination Survey stated that, along with being employed or continuing their education, they also seeing career success in the military or service-oriented programs. Responders included graduates from summer/fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters at undergraduate, graduate and professional degree levels. More than half of graduates who reported their employment location said they have remained in Mississippi to work. A 64% majority of respondents choosing to further their education are attending in-state colleges and universities. (Source: MSU 05/02/22) Survey reveals 97% of MSU graduates quickly employed, continuing education close to home | Mississippi State University (msstate.edu)

DoD regional contract May 2

Resolution Consultants, an AECOM-EnSafe Inc. JV, Los Angeles, California, is awarded a $400,000,000 cost-plus-award-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineering contract for comprehensive long-term environmental action services in the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic area of operations. The work to be performed provides program management and technical environmental services in support of the Department of the Navy’s Environmental Restoration Program, Munitions Response Program, and other similar programs, at any Navy and Marine Corps activity in the NAVFAC Atlantic AO. Work will be performed in, but not limited to, Florida (15%); Maine (14%); New Jersey (10%); Indiana (9%); Massachusetts (9%); New York (8%); Texas (8%); Pennsylvania (5%); Rhode Island (5%); South Carolina (4%); Illinois (3%); Mississippi (3%); Alabama (2%); Connecticut (2%); Georgia (1%); Louisiana (1%); and Tennessee (1%), and is expected to be completed by May 2027. The initial task order is being awarded at $200,000 for architect engineering services at the Program Management Office in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by March 2023. Fiscal 2022 environmental restoration (Navy) funds in the amount of $200,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by environmental restoration (Navy) funds. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.sam.gov contract opportunities website with five proposals received.  NAVFAC Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 05/02/22)

Tuition up at 7 of 8 MS colleges

Seven of the eight Mississippi public universities will raise tuition rates for the upcoming school year. Jackson State is the lone exception. It continues a trend that puts the cost of college out of reach for the average state family. For the coming year, average in-state tuition will increase $177 to $8,396 a year. Average out-of-state tuition will rise to $12,197. Mississippi Valley State students will see the largest increase ($340) to $7,274, but tuition will remain the lowest of all of the eight universities. Mississippi State will continue the highest in-state tuition rate at $9,248 a year. (Source: Mississippi Today 05/01/22) Mississippi's Institution of Higher Learning board approved tuition plan (clarionledger.com)

CG medevacs crewman from tanker

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard medevaced a 36-year-old man, suffering from heart-attack-like symptoms, from the tanker vessel Yuru Crown off the coast of Pascagoula, Miss., on April 20. CG Station Pascagoula launched a 45-foot Response boat crew. The boat crew transferred the patient to awaiting emergency medical services who transported him to a Pascagoula hospital. The patient was last reported to be in fair condition. (Source: Coast Guard 05/01/22)

VA's Donnelly social worker of year

Heather Donnelly, an acute care/intensive care unit social worker at the Biloxi (Miss.) VA Medical Center, has been named the Gulf Coast VA’s Social Worker of the Year. Medical center director Bryan C. Matthews acknowledged her contributions to the organization and the 82,000-plus veterans serves along the Mississippi, Alabama and Florida Gulf Coast. Donnelly is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi. Her job at the Biloxi VA is centered on providing safe and appropriate discharge plans for veterans in the organization’s acute care. She also serves on the Biloxi VA Medical Center’s Preventative Ethics Committee and is an integral part of the team aspect the medical center Social Work Service employs. (Source: Biloxi VA 05/01/22) Gulf Coast VA honors social worker for going above and beyond - VAntage Point 

Shipbuilding plan 'nobody likes'

WASHINGTON - CNO Adm. Mike Gilday mused about a day when the Navy might be able to buy a dozen or more ships per year. The Navy would be given needed funding levels. The surface ship industrial base would have grown capacity on the way to support building three destroyers, two or three frigates, and amphibs every year; and transport dock ships every other year. But in remarks last week, he noted that day is not yet here. The Navy continues to limit its spending requests. Its long-term fleet development plans are being based on expected funding levels, current shipyard capacity, leading to a fleet size "nobody likes.” Its FY 2023 requests are for nine new ships and sets the fleet on a path to decline from 298 ships today to 280 in 2027. The shipbuilding plan released April 20 lays out three paths. The route, based on current funding levels, only gets the Navy to about 320 ships by 2045. Ongoing decommissions are contributing to the decline, including all Freedom-variant LCS built by Marinette (Wis.) Marine. "There will be a debate (over all those decommionings) and it ought to be a debate on the Hill," CNO said.  According to the long-range plan, the Navy could afford to build a fleet of 318-322 ships in 2045 based on two scenarios of today’s funding levels. If Navy can secure an additional $75B beyond the current five-year budget window, it could increase fleet size to 363 manned ships by 2045. Any of the scenarios include hundreds of unmanned surface or sub-surface platforms. But, even the more aggressive spending plan doesn’t get the Navy where it wants to be. (Source: Defense News 04/29/22) US Navy envisions larger fleet despite long-range plans reflecting budget crunch (defensenews.com)

History: SEALs hit bin Laden

On this date in Navy and Marine Corps History in 2011 - President Barack Obama announces Navy SEALs raided Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and killed America's most wanted terrorist during Operation Neptune Spear. The Operation That Took Out Osama Bin Laden | Military.com

EMCO partners on NASA pact

Baton Rouge, La.-based EMCO Technologies has joined Leidos as a strategic small-business subcontractor on a 10-year, $2.5B information technology and telecommunications services contract supporting NASA. EMCO will provide tech services to multiple NASA Space Flight Centers throughout the U.S. (Source: NOLA.com 05/01/22)

Guice Offshore adds 3 ships

Guice Offshore, the Madisonville, La.- based operation which operates mini-supply and medium-sized multipurpose vessels throughout the region, has added three ships to its fleet: GO Crusader and GO Adventurer are 205-fool long platform supply vessels and GO Explorer is a 170-foot multipurpose vessel. All three vessels are fitted to address clients in the growing U.S. offshore wind energy industry, along with those in aerospace, renewable energy, oil and gas, government and military, environmental, disaster response and recovery, inspection, maintenance and repair, science research, salvage, geotechnical surveying and documentary and film markets. Guice Offshore has 10 vessels in its fleet. Gulf Coast locations: Port Fourchon, Lafayette and St. Tammany Parish; and Gulfport, Miss. (Source: Guice Offshore 04/26/22) Guice Offshore Expands Offshore Supply Vessel Fleet

CG medevacs injured crewman

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard medevaced an injured crewmember from a dive boat in the evening of April 29 about 17 miles south of Pecan Island, La. CG Sector New Orleans were notified at 8:15p.m. that a male crewman in his 30s, aboard the dive support vessel Ms. Kerci, reportedly sustained severe injuries to a leg. The CG launched a CG Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew. The aircrew arrived and hoisted the man aboard and transferred him to awaiting emergency medical services personnel at the Lafayette Regional Airport. The crewman was last reported to be in stable condition. (Source: Coast Guard 04/30/22) VIDEO DVIDS - Video - Coast Guard medevacs crewmember from dive boat near Pecan Island, Louisiana (dvidshub.net)