Smaller GC ports angling for biz

America’s busiest port complex in southern California has more demand than it can handle - and that’s left smaller hubs along the nation’s coastline – including Florida and Texas - angling for the business. After dealing with supply-chain issues of its own over the summer, California’s Port of Oakland is now ready “to be put to use to help shore up” the crisis, its Maritime Director Bryan Brandes said in October. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis has pitched the state’s 15 seaports – including Pensacola on the Gulf Coast - as the relief needed, saying local harbors “are used to operating around the clock.” In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott launched an “Escape California” campaign aimed at attracting carriers to the Gulf Coast. (Source: Bloomberg 11/05/21) Smaller U.S. Ports Pitch for Cargo as California’s Logjams Swell - Bloomberg 

Underutilized Mississippi River: ST. LOUIS - FOX 2 has learned a solution to the supply chain shortage may lie, in part, on the Mississippi River. There’s a new plan to send shipping containers from the Panama Canal, through the Gulf of Mexico, and into a port in Missouri. It’s a plan that suddenly has become more than wishful thinking. “We live in a shipping container world. They crisscross the Midwest by train and truck but that’s not working out well. In getting a container to Missouri “you’ve got to bring it in through (Los Angeles),” said Derrick Good, president of the Jefferson County (Mo.) Port Authority. But the Mississippi River is an underutilized shipping highway. It’s time to rethink the business model. The Mississippi is “quickly becoming more important than it’s been in 100 years,” said U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.). The Panama Canal has expanded; and can bring larger ships through. “The Port at Plaquemines (La.) is on its way,” Good said. That port is near the mouth of the Mississippi River 20 miles south of the Port of New Orleans. The port provides water access to 33 states. Container ships would head to the Louisiana port from the Panama Canal. A Florida company has designed new river vessels. A larger version would have a capacity to ferry 2,375 20-foot shipping containers (about 1,200 40-foot containers). A smaller version could carry 1,700 20-foot containers (about 850 40-foot containers). It could also change the region’s landscape far beyond the Missouri port with infrastructure improvements for trucks, railyards, ports, locks, and container storage facilities. There’s money for all of that in the recently passed trillion-dollar infrastructure bill, Blunt said. Solution to America’s supply chain woes could lie with the Mississippi River | FOX 2 (fox2now.com)  

La. port building transportation network

Plaquemines (La.) Port Harbor and Terminal District is continuing its goal of establishing relationships with sister ports along the Mississippi River, recently executing an MOU with the Jefferson County Port Authority, located just south of St. Louis, Mo. The signing of the memorandum took place at a luncheon hosted by the World Trade Center in New Orleans with Plaquemines Port Chairman Charlie Burt and APH principles Joe Gehagen and Sal Latrico on hand for the signing. Plaquemines Port Executive Director Sandy Sanders said the "relationships we are building ... are the first steps in creating a transportation network between Plaquemines Port and upper ports along the Mississippi River. The Louisian port plans to move thousands of containers as far north as Chicago utilizing the American Patriot Holdings’ (APH) unique container transport vessels. The APH vessels will carry up to 3,000 containers ... making rounds trips possible to Memphis in seven days and St. Louis is 11 days. “The Plaquemines to St. Louis route will be a bedrock service APH intends to implement throughout the Mississippi River Basin. The APH vessels recently completed model testing in Germany and final engineering and design is underway. (Source: PPHTD 11/20/21)

Why no logjam at Port NOLA? 

As ships by the hundreds await berths at major American/world ports and consumers endure delayed deliveries, New Orleans residents may ponder why there’s no logjams at the Port of New Orleans; and how it may represent an opportunity.  (Source: NOLA.com 11/04/21) Amid a global supply chain crisis, how New Orleans’ port has avoided major shipping delays | News | nola.com

Dem presses Prez on Keystone XL

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) pressed President Joe Biden in a statement Nov. 23 to reinstate the Keystone XL oil pipeline amid gas shortages and soaring prices. Manchin, the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, made the statement after Biden announced his decision to tap into U.S. oil reserves located along the Gulf Coast. Biden has firmly supported an anti-fossil fuel position, promising to do away with pipelines and drilling projects. (Source: Washington Examiner 11/23/21) Gulf Coast Note: In March, Louisiana’s Attorney General joined a 21-state coalition petitioning the Southern District of Texas to invalidate President Biden’s executive order to cancel the 1,700-mile pipeline that was planned to carry roughly 800,000 barrels of oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast. Manchin urges Biden to reinstate Keystone XL pipeline: 'Hard-working Americans should not depend on foreign actors' | Washington Examiner

MS schools breaking ties w/ NSBA

JACKSON, Miss. - The Mississippi School Boards Association is joining eight other states in breaking ties with the National School Board Association (NSBA) after the non-profit sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking for federal support investigating harassment and threats of violence against school board members. Mississippi School Boards’ leadership wrote the letter explaining their decision that the National School Boards Association's “inflammatory language and request for federal agencies to intervene in our communities, was just one in a series of lapses in governance." The Mississippi board will end its relationship with the national non-profit, representing U.S. school boards, on June 30, 2022. Mississippi will then work with school boards associations in other states to form a new organization. School board associations in Ohio, Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Illinois have similarly voted to distance themselves from the national organization. (Source: 11/22/21) Mississippi School Boards Association Leaving National Group | Jackson Free Press | Jackson, MS

Vertex hiring 100+ positions

Vertex Aerospace, HQ'd in Madison, Miss., is listing 100+ job opportunities. Vertex Aerospace (jsfirm.com)

Duo appointed to board of health

 JACKSON, Miss. - James Patrick "Pat" Chaney, MD, of Amory, and Lee Ann Griffin, PharmD, of Jackson, were recently sworn in as new members of the Mississippi State Board of Health after being appointed by Gov. Tate Reeves. Dr. Chaney, a graduate of Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has been a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) since 1986. He is a current diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, and is an active staff physician at Baptist Memorial Golden Triangle Hospital in Columbus, and at Gilmore Memorial Regional Medical Center in Amory. Griffin received her undergraduate degree and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Mississippi. She is currently employed by Pfizer, where she has worked in a variety of capacities, including a Medical Outcomes Specialist and the Medical Outcomes Specialist team leader of the Gulf Coast/Plains regions. (Source: WCBI 11/24/21)

Vertex $69M T-1A contract

Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi, has been awarded a $69,384,000 firm-fixed-price contract for contractor operated and maintained base supply of the Air Education and Training Command fleet of 178 T-1A trainer aircraft. Work will be performed at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas; Laughlin AFB, Texas; Vance AFB, Oklahoma; Columbus AFB, Mississippi; and Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2022. This award for option four is the result of a competitive acquisition and three offers were received. Fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $9,900,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Nov. 22, 2021)

'Who Owns (a piece of) the Wind'

David McDermott Hughes, an anthropologist at Rutgers University, has a working grasp of the energy economy. He proposes a new framework for divvying up profits from one of America’s fastest-growing sources of energy – The Wind. In his new book, "Who Owns the Wind?" Climate Crisis and the Hope of Renewable Energy," he argues that wind – that invisible force useful in the past only to sailors and poets - is fast becoming a finite resource with a clear set of economic winners and losers. After years studying land reform in Africa, he turned his attention to "Energy without Conscience," a book about the oil industry. "If we decarbonize in 30 years, “a single generation of firms and individuals will profit handsomely.” But he sees an alternative. Governments and institutions striking an energy deal where the “sky remains open to all." If government fails, he argues, the energy transition may fail too. "Who Owns the Wind?" summarizes work he did in Spain. It became one of the first countries to buy into the wind industry. He spent months in a poor community near the Straits of Gibraltar surrounded by turbines. The people viewed them with a passionate resentment. By 2013, windmills were pumping 55 gigawatt-hours of electricity onto Spain’s grid. Its momentum didn’t last. A big reason was the “not-in-my-backyard" opposition. The U.S. wind industry is also poised to take off. Democrats are proposing tax credits and future incentives for utilities to build more. More turbines, in more places. More neighbors interrupted and angry. Jobs may not create a good-will counterbalance. He thinks persuading communities to enter the wind bargain is to give everyone a piece of the action. But, that’s not the way the wind is blowing today. (Source: Energy Wire 11/24/21) Who owns the wind? An anthropologist has ideas - E&E News (eenews.net)

Shark delivers 'Singing River Island'

JEANERETTE, La. - The Metal Shark boat building company delivered a 55-foot welded aluminum pilot boat to the Pascagoula (Miss.) Bar Pilots Association. The new ‘Singing River Island’ was the second Metal Shark pilot boat to join the Pascagoula fleet. It represents the latest evolution in the Louisiana-based builder’s growing Defiant-class pilot boat lineup. It was designed in-house and built at the firm’s Franklin, La., shipyard. “Metal Shark has succeeded in combining quality and comfort,” said Pascagoula Bar Pilots Association Captain Walter Gautier. “This vessel is proving daily to be a safe and pilot-friendly platform for transfers at sea.” Metal Shark’s military-proven Defiant-class monohull pilothouse vessels are popular across multiple markets worldwide. The new vessel is the latest result of Metal Shark’s ongoing expansion into the pilot boat market, following two 45-foot Defiant pilot boats delivered to Belle Chasse (La.) Marine Transportation in 2019, and 45-foot and 64-foot Defiant pilot boats in 2018. (Source: Metal Shark 11/23/21) November 23rd, 2021: Metal Shark Delivers 55-Foot Pilot Boat to Pascagoula Pilots | Metal Shark (metalsharkboats.com)

NTSB faults firm for La. accident

A Malta-based tanker operating company’s decision to change masters without a handover period led to a $72.9M marine accident near Pilottown, La., in October 2020, according to a National Transportation Safety Board Marine Accident Brief issued Nov. 23. Marine Accident Brief 21/24 details the NTSB’s investigation of the striking of an oil and gas production platform (SP-57B) by the tanker Atina. The tanker is owned by Atina Maritime. The Atina was attempting to anchor in the Southwest Pass Fairway Anchorage in the Gulf of Mexico when it struck the platform. SP-57B's four crewmen and a technician evacuated to a nearby platform after activating an emergency shutdown. No pollution or injuries were reported. Estimated damages to the platform ($72.3M) and ship ($598,400) totaled $72.9M. NTSB’s report indicated that the accident master boarded the underway vessel outbound to anchorage, only seeing the departing master on deck. The company’s SMS required a minimum of a one-day turnover. The accident master told investigators he was tired having traveled from Turkey to join the vessel, and had no sleep for over 50 hours. Investigators determined the probable cause was Atina not ensuring sufficient time for the master’s turnover, which resulted in the master’s acute fatigue and poor situational awareness during an attempted nighttime anchoring evolution. (Source: Work Boat 11/23/21) Tanker master's fatigue led to $72.9 million marine accident, NTSB says | WorkBoat

AHI earns kudos from Pa. life flight

Geisinger Medical Center was launched more than a century ago with the vision of providing health care to rural Pennsylvania. Today, Geisinger Life Flight plays an integral role in that mission. In 2021, Life Flight is celebrating 40 years of providing lifesaving care to critically ill and injured people in the state. As a longtime customer of Airbus Helicopters Inc. (AHI), Life Flight has transported more than 75,000 patients over the past four decades. Geisinger Life Flight lifted off for its first patient transport in July 1981. Since then, it has become the second-largest air ambulance program in Pennsylvania. Geisinger now operates nine twin-engine Airbus helicopters: A BK117-C1 and eight EC145 helicopters. This year, it acquired a refurbished EC145, equipped with the Garmin GTN 650/750 Xi series, certified for Single Pilot Instrument Flight Rules allowing pilots to visualize the flight plan, including holds and approaches, on a high-resolution touchscreen. The EC145 is the predecessor to the H145, the top twin-engine choice for EMS operators globally, thanks to payload, range, and spacious cabin for medical teams and special equipment. “Airbus Helicopters has a proven record of safety and performance,” said Jerry Splitt, GLF program director. “Our aircraft are not simply helicopters. They are mobile intensive care units, and they are critical to fulfilling our mission.” Life Flight averages 3,600 transports annually with six of its nine aircraft flying 24/7 from bases in central and northeastern Pennsylvania. (Source: AHI 11/19/21) Geisinger Life Flight celebrates 40 years of service | Airbus U.S.

Supply woes: No DoD firm immune

WASHINGTON – After more than 18 months since the COVID pandemic began to unsettle supply chains globally, the defense industry is still wrestling with fallout, and figuring out how to move forward. Major deliveries of steel/aluminum needed to build the military ships, aircraft landing gear brakes, and small semiconductors, supply chain delays have upended defense contractor plans. The defense industry is making clear of those challenges. DoD is taking notice, and what it means for their logistics. Supply chain woes were a theme of recent contractors’ quarterly earnings calls. These issues have dealt a blow to the aerospace/defense industry. According to the Aerospace Industries Association, in2020, the industry lost more than 87,000 jobs. Shipbuilders have been strained to keep the supplies flowing. Thomas Shiehl, CFO of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), said in a Nov. 5 earnings call that copper cabling was one example of a material putting pressure on suppliers. “We’re a little light on material” at its Mississippi shipyard in Pascagoula, he said. “When we’re talking about shipbuilding, the material lag-behind [cost is] roughly about $40M in the quarter. “No company is immune,” said Chris Kubasik, CEO of L3 Harris Technologies, "to global supply chain pressures.” He expects supply chain issues to continue well into 2022 with recovery beginning in the latter half of the year. (Source: Defense News 11/23/21) ‘No company is immune’: Supply chain woes weigh on defense firms (defensenews.com) 

ROTC cadets' Egg Bowl hand off

Army ROTC cadets at Mississippi State University teamed with those from the University of Mississippi on Nov. 22 to participate in the annual Egg Bowl Run, and to bring the ceremonial game ball from Oxford to Starkville. The game-ball hand off occurred in the city of Calhoun's town square where MSU cadets continued their leg to the MSU campus, site of Thanksgiving Day’s Egg Bowl that is to be televised on ESPN at 6:30 p.m. (Source: MSU 11/22/21) Mission Complete | Mississippi State University (msstate.edu)

LPN returns to EMCC-Scooba

East Mississippi Community College’s Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program is returning to the Scooba campus after a 19-year absence. “Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, there is a nursing shortage in that area,” said EMCC Division of Nursing/Allied Health Director and Dean of Health Sciences Dr. Tonsha Emerson. LPN classes - open to 15 students - start Jan. 10. The deadline to apply is Dec. 3. Students who successfully complete the one-year course will graduate in December. For information about the LPN program on the Scooba campus, including how to apply, call Division of Nursing and Allied Health Office Manager Kim Calvert at 662.243.1910. Information about the program, including an admission packet, is also available online here: http://bit.ly/2Ddv75U.

Short-term winter classes: EMCC will be offering short-term classes during the 2022 Winter Term for students who want to pick up additional credits. Enrollment for the online winter-break classes is open to current EMCC students, students from other colleges and universities, dual enrollment students, high school graduates and working professionals. Eleven traditional online classes will be available through the eLearning Department beginning Dec. 20 through Jan. 7. (Source: EMCC 11/19/21) EMCC OFFERING SHORT-TERM WINTER CLASSES (eastms.edu)

Austal: $72.5M WestPac gig

Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama, is awarded a $72,514,406 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for emergent repair and continuous maintenance for littoral combat ships deployed to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and the countries and ports therein. The contract will include a one 24-month base period beginning in January with three additional 12-month option periods, which if exercised, will bring the total value to $215,881,424. Work will begin January 2022 and is expected to be completed by December 2023; if all options are exercised, work will be completed by December 2026. Work will be primarily performed in Singapore with a percentage that cannot be determined at this time in countries and ports within the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. FY 2022 Navy operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $9,185,652 will be obligated to fund the contract’s minimum amount and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Individual task orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted on the beta.sam.gov website, with two offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka, Site Singapore, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 11/23/21)

Prez: Release 50M bbls reserve oil

Oil prices jumped more than 2 percent on Nov. 23 following plans by the White House to tap emergency oil reserves to lower gas prices. President Biden's decision comes as U.S. consumers are paying multi-year high gas prices. U.S. oil prices surged following the announcement to release 50M barrels of oil from the country's four strategic oil reserve stockpile sites to combat high gas prices. The sites are deep underground storage caverns created in salt domes along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. West Texas Intermediate crude prices climbed as much as 2.6 percent to $78.75 a barrel. Brent oil's international benchmark picked up 2.8 percent to $81.94. The President authorized the Energy Department to release the 50M barrels from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve. “The move wasn't the game-changer that it could have been," wrote Craig Erlam senior market analyst at Oanda. "Instead, it appeared to serve more as a warning to OPEC+ to not ignore consuming countries." Energy prices have contributed to the fastest spike in inflation since 1990. In October, gasoline prices climbed 6.1 percent. China, India, Japan, South Korea, and the UK were also planning to release oil from their reserves, the White House said. (Source: Business Insider 11/23/21) Oil surges after US announces plans to tap emergency reserves to tackle rising gas prices (businessinsider.com)

UM's Surbeck: Engineer of year

OXFORD, Miss. - Cristiane Surbeck, chair and professor of civil engineering at the University of Mississippi, has been named Engineer of the Year by the Mississippi section of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Surbeck, a published author, is and part of the team completing research on green stormwater infrastructure funded by the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium. She was president of the ASCE’s Environmental and Water Resources Institute and featured earlier this year as the Mississippi Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Surveyors August 2021 Engineer Spotlight. Surbeck was nominated by Matthew Hosey, a former student and Ole Miss graduate. Hosey is project manager for the Jackson County Board of Supervisors. “It’s an honor and humbling that a former student who graduated 10 years ago thought about me and my work and went through the effort to nominate me for the award,” Surbeck said. Source: University of Mississippi 11/22/21) Civil Engineering Professor Named Mississippi Engineer of the Year - Ole Miss News

Navy helps relieve port congestion

Port Hueneme, Calif., is lending a helping hand to the Oxnard Harbor District (OHD) by providing resources on base in direct support of efforts to decrease port congestion in Los Angeles County and reducing the national supply-chain shortage. Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) is comprised of three distinct operational facilities: Point Mugu, Port Hueneme, and San Nicolas Island. It’s Ventura County’s largest employer. The helping hand comes in the form a standing Joint Use Agreement (JUA) between the two, since 2002, that allows the Navy to support commercial supply chain logistics, when activated. NBVC welcomed a large cargo vessel Nov. 22, according to Daniel J. Herrera, assistant program director for port operations. Ports of America already off-loaded a large number of 40-foot containers into lot 22 at Port Hueneme, which is merchandise expected to have direct impact with helping to support holiday supply demands. The JUA authorizes commercial use of Wharf 3, including some 21 acres of contiguous land, buildings 546 and 548, and if available, up to an additional 10 acres of industrial land located outside of the wharf area. “The Navy recognizes the importance of being good neighbors … and makes every effort to provide support when current operational requirements allow,” said Capt. Robert ‘Barr” Kimnach III, commanding officer at NBVC. (Source: Naval Base Ventura County 11/22/21)

Proposed Pearl turtle protection

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is proposing endangered species protections for the Pearl River map turtle found only in Louisiana and Mississippi. FWS announced Nov. 22 that the freshwater turtle should be listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. The proposal follows more than a decade of pressure from environmental groups. Habitat loss, hunting, flooding, drought and sea level rises have cut the turtle’s population to an estimated 21,000, according to FWS. The science that FWS has gathered indicates it could become endangered in the near future. The Pearl River turtle may also be threatened by a proposal to build a new dam north of Jackson, Miss., called the One Lake Project. About 10 miles of turtle habitat is in an area the project intends to dredge, dam and turn into a 1,500-acre lake. Supporters say the project is vital to protecting homes/businesses from flooding. Detractors fear it may harm the lower reaches of the river in St. Tammany and Washington parishes and imperil other threatened species, including the sturgeon and mussels. The Pearl River map turtle is only found in creeks and rivers within the Pearl River drainage in Mississippi and Louisiana. The Pascagoula has a smaller range in its namesake river system. FWS has declined to give the Pascagoula turtle the act's full protection. Instead, will prohibit hunting and removal of them and Alabama, Escambia and Barbour turtles. FWS is accepting comments on the proposed protections at regulations.gov. In the site's search box, enter the Pearl River turtle's docket number, FWS–R4–ES–2021–0097. Comments must be received by Jan. 24. (Source: NOLA.com 11/22/21) Feds propose endangered species protections for turtle found only in Louisiana and Mississippi | Environment | nola.com

T-6B crash report leads to changes

FOLEY, Ala. - A year after an Oct. 23, 2020, Navy T-6B trainer aircraft crash into a Magnolia Springs, Ala., neighborhood, the Navy’s Command Investigative report, obtained by WPMI-TV, provides some insight and recommended changes to the training syllabus for naval aviators at Training Air Wing FIVE at NAS Whiting Field, Fla. Lt. Rhiannon Ross was the instructor pilot on the Training Squadron (VT) two flight that left NASWF. Lt. Ross had more than 1,100 flight hours in the T-6B. The student naval aviator was Coast Guard Ens. Morgan Garrett, a Coast Guard Academy graduate, who had just begun flight training in August 2020 and had 7.1 flight hours in the T-6B. She had celebrated her 24th birthday on Oct. 22. The flight was headed towards Barin Outlying Field (OLF)) in Foley for touch-and-go landing practice. Barin is also used for emergency landing procedures. Forty minutes into the flight the duo began maneuvers 4-miles east of Barin OLF. The plane began a high angle of bank turn to the left at 3,800 feet, stalled, and 22 seconds later crashed, bursting into flames and setting one home on fire. No civilians were hurt. The report concludes neither pilot tried to eject. Through “black box” data the crew experienced 4.8g’s of force while inverted 16 seconds before impact and in a spin. “I am singularly dismayed that the aircrew moved the control stick to the full aft position, precipitating the stall,” according to the Wing Commander’s report. Relaxing control stick deflection to neutral “could have crucially provided both aerodynamic and situational awareness improvements to recover from the [out of control flight].” The report could not determine a definitive cause, but concluded it was likely pilot error. The report recommends changes in three key areas of Naval Aviator training, 1) stall recognition and reaction, 2) ejection procedures and 3) adapting the Digital Video Recorder For continuous recording. Changes to ejection guidance and training have been implemented and a crash-survivable voice recorder for the T-6 is under development. (Source: WPMI-TV 11/22/21) Mississippi Note: Training Air Wing ONE at NAS Meridian, Miss., receives Student Naval Aviators upon completion of Primary Flight Training in the T-6B Texan II.  REPORT: US Navy implements changes following fatal air crash near Foley | WPMI (mynbc15.com)

HII not enforcing vaccine mandate

WASHINGTON - Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) is not enforcing its employees into quitting over refusing the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates. HII’s decision is pushing the DoD contractor to the forefront of a battle that raises questions for other major Pentagon vendors grappling with compliance and keeping its non-compliant workforce together. Nearly 20 percent of workers resisted the vaccine at HII, which builds destroyers and amphibious ships in Pascagoula, Miss., and Virginia-class nuclear subs at Newport News, Va. In a Nov. 10 message to its i4,000 workers, CEO Mike Petters said its business segments are exempt because it was not a condition of its shipbuilding contracts. An exemption only applies in part to its Technical Solutions division. Workers who opted to retire/resign because of the mandate can request a reversal, he says. OSHA has extended the vaccine mandate from Dec. 8 to Jan. 18. HII’s apparent exemption raises questions about other defense contractors that may have similar arrangements. It may only last until a new contract or an amended contract with a clause added for the vaccine mandate, according to Dan Kelly, a government contracts lawyer with the National Defense Industrial Association. (Source: Defense News 11/21/21) Huntington Ingalls CEO: We’re not enforcing vaccine mandate (defensenews.com)