BAHRAIN — U.S. Naval Forces Central Command announced July 5 it will begin rewarding individuals for voluntarily providing information that leads to the detection of illegal maritime activity and seizure of illicit cargo in waters across the Middle East. 

NAVCENT is establishing a program for the first time to reward individuals who voluntary report information that meets specific criteria under the Department of Defense Rewards Program. 

“Launching this program represents another example of our commitment to this region and its security,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of NAVCENT, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces. “This also enhances our vigilance and supports counterterrorism efforts, which are essential to safeguarding the free flow of commerce.” 

NAVCENT could potentially reward a maximum $100,000 payout for information or nonlethal assistance that supports counterterrorism operations or leads U.S. naval forces to successfully seize illicit cargo such as illegal weapons or narcotics. Rewards can also be non-monetary and include items like boats, vehicles, food or equipment. 

U.S. citizens are not eligible for rewards under the program. 

Last year, illicit cargo seizures in the Middle East skyrocketed after U.S. and multinational forces increased patrols in the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea. 

U.S. 5th Fleet warships seized nearly 9,000 illicit weapons, three times the amount seized in 2020. Additionally, the U.S.-led Combined Maritime Forces seized illegal drugs worth $500 million in street value, a higher amount than the previous four years combined. 

The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The region is comprised of 21 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen. 

Tips can be reported by calling +973 3914-5845. The phone line is staffed by personnel with regional language expertise. Individuals with information can also report online by going to https://dodrewardsprogram.net. 

For additional information on how to report a tip or reward eligibility criteria, go to NAVCENT’s website at https://www.cusnc.navy.mil/DoD-RP/. 

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard Cutter Northland (WMEC 904) returned to homeport July 3 following a 76-day patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean in support of the 11th Coast Guard District, the Coast Guard 5^th District said July 5. 

Throughout the deployment, the ship patrolled the waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean in search of vessels suspected of smuggling illicit narcotics across international boundaries. In addition to the cutter’s permanently assigned crewmembers, Northland was augmented by an aviation detachment from Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron and a Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Detachment. A true force multiplier, Northland’s HITRON detachment operated an MH-65E Dolphin helicopter, capable of conducting overhead reconnaissance and employing aerial use of force by precision marksmen upon narcotics smuggling vessels. As law enforcement and interdiction specialists, the TACLET personnel augmented the ship’s pursuit teams, and provided specialized training to crewmembers to better prepare the cutter for interdiction and boarding operations.  

While on patrol, Northland interdicted a low-profile vessel and one go-fast panga-style vessel suspected of trafficking illicit narcotics. The interdictions resulted in 6,223 pounds of suspected cocaine seized and 761 pounds of suspected marijuana seized with an estimated street value of nearly $83 million and the detention of six individuals suspected of the illegal transport of narcotics. On June 30, the cutter offloaded the seized narcotics at Coast Guard Base Miami.  

In addition to maintaining a sentinel presence in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the Northland conducted an Exercise Contingent to Operations with Ecuadorian Naval and Coast Guard personnel in San Cristobal, Galapagos, Ecuador. Northland arrived in the Galapagos for the first time in the cutter’s 38-year history on May 10, and became only the second Coast Guard ship to anchor in the pristine waters of the Galapagos Islands in over a decade. The exercise served as a critical step toward strengthening United States-Ecuador strategic relations in the region and was attended by the U.S. consul general to Ecuador and the president of the Governing Council of the Galapagos Province. Joint training operations between Northland and Ecuadorian Naval and Coast Guard personnel included a joint patrol with the LAE Isla San Cristobal (LG-30); small boat tactics and training; tours of Northland and the Isla San Cristobal; a joint leadership luncheon; and a discussion on tactics and procedures for combatting illegal narcotics smuggling and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the Galapagos region. Following the exercise’s official events, Northland crewmembers had the opportunity to explore the island of San Cristobal and enjoy Ecuador’s sights, snorkeling and cuisine.  

Following Northland’s northbound transit through the Panama Canal, the ship rescued six stranded Cuban nationals from a deserted island in Cay Sal Bank, Bahamas. The rescue was carried out while Northland conducted migrant interdiction operations in support of the Seventh Coast Guard District.  

“This deployment was a success thanks to the efforts of our crew and our HITRON and TACLET detachments, who we were thrilled to have aboard with us. Between crossing the Equator, visiting the Galapagos Islands and deterring the illicit activity of transnational criminal organizations, our crew is returning home with both once-in-a-lifetime sea stories and a validated sense of accomplishment,” said Cmdr. Patricia M. Bennett, Northland’s commanding officer. “As my last patrol in command of this ship, I am extremely proud of the adaptability, ingenuity and determination demonstrated by this remarkable crew on a daily basis.”  

The Northland is a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth, Virginia, and routinely deploys in support of counter-drug, alien migrant interdiction, fisheries, search and rescue, and homeland security missions.  

JUNEAU, Alaska — A North Pacific Guard illegal, unreported and unregulated fisheries patrol in 2021 by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf recently resulted in The Fisheries Agency of Taiwan issuing penalties against five Chinese Taipei-flagged vessels, the Coast Guard 17^th District said July 5. 

The Fisheries Agency of Taiwan announced May 24 that a fine of approximately $203,190 was imposed against the operator of a fishing vessel, and the operator’s license was suspended for one month. The agency imposed a fine of approximately $40,600 against the captain of that vessel, revoked their fishing vessel crew identification, and suspended their certificate of fishing vessel officer for one month. The vessel was listed as a high-risk fishing vessel and is subject to special management measures. 

The agency imposed fines of approximately $1,693 against the vessel operators and $338 against the captains of three other fishing vessels, who were fined for illegal retention of salmon. The agency fined a fifth vessel for improper vessel identification markings. 

The Bertholf crew conducted its North Pacific Guard patrol in late 2021 to support the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and North Pacific Fisheries Commission. Also aboard and participating were two officers from Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans and one officer from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement. 

During the patrol, the crew boarded 15 fishing vessels and identified 32 potential violations of conservation and management measures under the WCPFC and NPFC. These potential violations were then investigated by Fisheries Agency of Taiwan in accordance with their own domestic laws and regulations. More information about the Bertholf’s patrol is available here.  

“The success of Bertholf’s patrol highlights the value of our ongoing international partnerships in protecting food and economic security of coastal states across the globe,” said Vice Adm. Michael F. McAllister, Coast Guard Pacific Area commander. “The penalties imposed by the Fisheries Agency of Taiwan exemplify the collaborative approach and role of law enforcement in protecting the global food chain.” 

Operation North Pacific Guard is an annual multi-mission effort between the Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, five Pacific Rim countries and three regional fisheries management organizations to include the WCPFC, NPFC, and the North Pacific Anadromous Fishing Commission. The goal is for each nation to work collaboratively to detect and intercept illicit fishing activity. 

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The Navy’s Unmanned Carrier Aviation program office (PMA-268) conducted its first lab integration event June 28-30 at Patuxent River to demonstrate how the MQ-25’s ground control station will command the unmanned aircraft in the carrier environment, Naval Air Systems Command said June 30.  

The government team and its two prime industry partners led the effort at the program’s System Test and Integration Lab, where Lockheed Martin’s GCS controlled Boeing’s hardware-in-the-loop air vehicle for the first time. The Hardware-in-the-loop uses aircraft hardware and software to provide a realistic surrogate for the air vehicle. 

“This achievement is the result of weeks of preparation and dedication by highly skilled teams,” said T.J. Maday, MQ-25 labs and integration manager. “Bringing multiple systems together is never easy, but the joint government-industry team, coming together, understanding problems and finding solutions made this event successful. We learned how the system works as a whole and that early learning and discovery is key to keep the program moving forward.” 

Maday said the team set a goal to send a basic command between the ground control station and the hardware-in-the-loop system. To meet that objective, Boeing and Lockheed Martin needed to deliver functional software for the government to exercise the GCS, the hardware system and the network components allowing connectivity between the systems.  

“The team met the initial goal ahead of schedule and used the remaining time to exercise more functionality, like sending taxi commands,” Maday said. “They also simulated a lost link that verified the proper GCS display indicators, which is a critical function to ensure network connectivity between development environments.” 

This fall the team plans to simulate a complete flight using the hardware-in-the-loop air vehicle and will also demonstrate switching connections “links” to the aircraft as well as adding other aircraft hardware and software into the mix. 

“It’s great to see the combined team working side-by-side, learning and ultimately demonstrating success,” said Capt. Sam Messer, PMA-268 program manager. “This is how we get to IOC [initial operational capability] — we integrate, test, and learn early and at pace.” 

The MD-5 GCS is part of the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System, the system-of-systems required for MQ-25A command and control. UMCS also includes carrier and shore site infrastructure modifications, Navy produced ancillary equipment, and integration with command, control, communications, computers and intelligence systems. 

MQ-25 will be the world’s first operational carrier-based unmanned aircraft to provide an aerial refueling capability to the fleet. 

Sometimes the difference between a good idea and a great one is somebody to listen to it.

And that’s what the Navy Reserve has done to help generate great ideas to help the fleet, reserve force and Sailors everywhere.

Chief of Navy Reserve and Commander, Navy Reserve Force, Vice Adm. John B. Mustin, introduced i3 Waypoints as a way to fast-track transformative ideas from across the Navy directly to the highest levels of the Navy Reserve, without filters or bureaucratic barriers.

“Sailors and civilians on the front lines of challenges and roadblocks in their daily lives are invaluable sources of ideas for change,” Mustin said. “i3 Waypoints is an approach to inventing: innovate something entirely new; improve on something already established; or integrate several ideas, products or processes rendering the former completely obsolete.”

According to Capt. Colette Murphy, the CNR public affairs officer, “Waypoints challenged the entire U.S. Navy — from Selected Reserve, Training and Administration of the Reserve, Individual Ready Reserve, Active Duty and civilians, in all ranks, rates and grades — to propose new or better ways for the Navy Reserve to operate.”

Murphy said 107 i3 Waypoints ideas were submitted in just over five weeks. These submissions were then reviewed by a team led by Rear Adm. John A. Schommer, commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command. Five finalists were selected and presented their ideas on June 28 before a panel hosted by Vice Adm. Mustin, along with retired Vice Adm. “Woody” Lewis, Bruce Mosler, chairman of Global Brokerage & the Veterans Initiative Program at Cushman & Wakefield, the 2021 Reserve Sailor of the Year Chief Yeoman (select) Jasmyn Phinizy, and Navy Reserve Force Master Chief Tracy L. Hunt. 

Murphy said there were five finalist entries who appeared before the panel. One winner was selected, but more than one idea may be implemented. 

The winners will be announced July 11, along with a special video presentation on military media platforms.

WASHINGTON — The Coast Guard awarded a fixed-price incentive contract to Austal USA of Mobile, Alabama, to produce up to 11 offshore patrol cutters, Coast Guard Headquarters said June 30.

The initial award is valued at $208.26 million and supports detail design and long lead-time material for the fifth OPC, with options for production of up to 11 OPCs in total. The contract has a potential value of up to $3.33 billion if all options are exercised. 

In 2019, the Coast Guard revised the OPC acquisition strategy to mitigate emergent cost and schedule risk by establishing a new, full and open competition for OPCs five and through 15, designated as Stage 2 of the overall program. Informed by industry feedback, the Coast Guard released a request for proposals Jan. 29, 2021, for OPC Stage 2 detail design and production.

The Coast Guard’s requirements for OPC Stage 2 detail design and production were developed to maintain commonality with earlier OPCs in critical areas such as the hull and propulsion systems, but provide flexibility to propose and implement new design elements that benefit lifecycle cost, production and operational efficiency and performance. 

“The offshore patrol cutter is absolutely vital to Coast Guard mission excellence as we recapitalize our legacy medium endurance cutters, some of which are more than 50 years old,” said Adm. Linda Fagan, commandant of the Coast Guard. “The OPCs are the ships our crews need to protect our national security, maritime safety and economic prosperity. I look forward to the new cutters joining our fleet.” 

The 25-ship OPC program of record complements the capabilities of the service’s national security cutters, fast response cutters and polar security cutters as an essential element of the Department of Homeland Security’s layered maritime security strategy. The OPC will meet the service’s long-term need for cutters capable of deploying independently or as part of task groups and is essential to stopping smugglers at sea, interdicting undocumented non-citizens, rescuing mariners, enforcing fisheries laws, responding to disasters and protecting ports. 

PENSACOLA, Fla. — The crew of USCGC Reliance (WMEC 615) returned to homeport in Pensacola June 30, after a 71-day Caribbean Sea patrol, the Coast Guard 8th District said in a release.  

The Reliance crew supported the U.S. Coast Guard 7th District and Joint Interagency Task Force-South throughout their patrol, aiding in missions to interdict the flow of illegal drugs and prevent migrant trafficking throughout the maritime approaches to the United States and Caribbean partners. 

Reliance interdicted multiple unseaworthy vessels trafficking migrants off the coast of Haiti, and ultimately provided safe and humanitarian care for 170 people.  

Additionally, the cutter’s crew worked with, and provided technical assistance to, the Haitian Coast Guard during their seizure of a suspected migrant vessel in the Canal de la Tortue.  

Reliance’s crew further assisted Haitian partners by towing a seized vessel safely to port after it experienced propulsion issues.  

In a separate case, Reliance worked with international and domestic partners while attached to Joint Interagency Task Force-South to interdict a “go-fast” smuggling vessel that was transporting approximately 631 kilograms of suspected illicit drugs with an estimated street value of $26 million.  

The 71-day patrol was also critical in the crew’s efforts to conduct shipboard training, qualifications, and operational readiness.  

Reliance is a 210-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Pensacola with a crew of 77. The cutter’s primary missions are counter-drug operations, migrant interdiction, enforcing federal fishery laws, and search and rescue in support of U.S. Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of the Navy hosted a first-of-its-kind Climate Tabletop Exercise at Marine Barracks Washington to examine the impacts that climate change has on mission, readiness and warfighting capacity, the service said in a release. 

The DoN convened role players from the Department of Defense, federal agencies, Congress, think tanks, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to test how critical elements of the recently released DoN strategy Climate Action 2030 comes into practice.   

“As the secretary of the Navy, the commandant of the Marine Corps and the chief of naval operations have said, we are looking at the impacts of climate change because it makes us better warfighters,” said Meredith Berger, assistant secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment. “The Navy and Marine Corps must address climate change in our readiness and operations in order to maintain every advantage to fight and win.”  

Climate Action 2030 focuses the Department of the Navy on building a climate-ready force by building climate resilience and reducing the climate threat. These factors drove the design and execution of the scenario, which was created and facilitated by war game experts at the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab. 

Set in October 2030, the scenario focused on a Navy Amphibious Ready Group and an embarked Marine Expeditionary Group preparing for an amphibious exercise with a partner nation in the Western Indo-Pacific area of responsibility. A typhoon impacts the exercise, and quickly creates cascading effects on operations. The storm came on the heels of other destructive storms which made the land and local population less resilient and more susceptible to stronger damage from ensuing mudslides, electric grid, and other key infrastructure disruptions.   

Facilitators briefed players, assigned duties and challenged them to work through some of the tough questions that the Navy and Marine Corps are facing every day. Players were broken into three interrelated groups: operational forces, installations and facilities, and higher headquarters. Each table featured a Navy flag officer and Marine Corps general officer as senior mentors.  

Key takeaways from the exercise were the importance of incorporating climate predictions and considerations into planning and resourcing. The group talked about the importance of logistics, both as a warfighting enabler, resilience vulnerability, and an area where the department can make strides to become more energy efficient and therefore a more capable fighting force. Additionally, the group discussed identifying single points of failure which may be undermined climate impacts and the need for redundancy as well as efficiency. The importance of collaborative planning in order to develop resilient partnerships in the face of a dynamic and evolving climate environment were also discussed. 

“In order to strengthen and maintain our maritime dominance, we need to strengthen and maintain our maritime partnerships,” Berger said. “Partnership is a key driver of success and diversity of perspective is the enabler. Today we had the chance to work with a variety of partners to gain their perspectives and share ours so that we can better tackle the climate crisis together.” 

The DoN released the Climate Action 2030 strategy on May 24, building on a decades-long foundation of climate action and setting the department on a course to meet national and global targets to reduce the threat of climate change. The department’s Climate Action 2030 strategy document is available for download here. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has awarded two contracts totaling $600 million for long-lead materials for three ships to be built by General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego. The materials will be used to build two fleet replenishment oilers and one expeditionary sea base ship.

The Naval Sea Systems Command awarded General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. a $500 million contract modification for long-lead-time material in support of the seventh and eighth John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oilers T-AO 211 and 212, according to a June 28 Defense Department contract announcement. The company also was awarded a $100 million contract modification for long-lead-time material in support of Lewis B. Buller-class expeditionary sea base (ESB) 8, the sixth ship of the class.

The Lewis B. Puller class ESB is a development of the Montford Point-class mobile landing platform ship. The 784-foot-long ESB is equipped with a 52,000 square-foot flight deck that can handle H-1, H-53 and H-53 helicopters and V-22 tilt-rotor aircraft. The ship is a capable platform to support mine-countermeasures missions, special operations forces, patrol boat support and unmanned systems.

Three ESBs are serving in the fleet — USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3), USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) and the USS Miguel Keith (ESB 5) — and two more, the future USNS John L. Canley and USNS Robert E. Simanek (ESB 7), are under construction.

NASSCO is scheduled to deliver later this year the lead ship of the new 742-foot-long, 49,850-ton fleet oiler class, the John Lewis (T-AO 205). Three more are under construction — the future USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206), the future USNS Earl Warren (T-AO 207), and the future USNS Robert F. Kennedy (T-AO 208) — and two more are under contract. The oilers each will have a fuel capacity of 157,000 barrels of oil as well as other dry stores to replenish ships at sea.

“NASSCO shipbuilders are honored to build T-AO 211, T-AO 212 and ESB 8,” Dave Carver, president of General Dynamics NASSCO, said in a release. “The NASSCO team is excited to work with our Navy partners to ensure the success of both historic programs which are critical in supporting the Navy’s forward presence.”

NASSCO said the construction of the three ships is planned for third quarter of 2023 and continue into 2027. The company sees the contracts as helpful in sustaining and growing its workforce.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Marine Corps mourns the passing of Hershel “Woody” Williams, the Corps said in a June 29 release.

Woody exemplified the warfighting spirit of all Marines — a combat-proven leader whose lifelong dedication to all service members and Gold Star families began with his heroic actions at the Battle of Iwo Jima. His legacy as a warrior and an advocate for veterans will live on among all Marines, and he will be deeply missed, the Corps said. 

Marine Corps retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Hershel Woodrow “Woody” Williams, the last living World War II Medal of Honor recipient, passed away early on June 29. Williams was surrounded by his family at the VA Medical Center in Huntington, West Virginia.  

Born on Oct. 2, 1923, in Quiet Dell, West Virginia, Williams enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve May 26, 1943, and advanced to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4 before his retirement in 1969 after 17 years of service. During WWII, Woody served in New Caledonia, Guadalcanal and Guam before landing in Iwo Jima where his actions earned him the Medal of Honor. 

From Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David H. Berger and Sgt. Maj. Troy E. Black: 

“On behalf of all Marines, Sgt. Maj. Black and I are heartbroken to learn of Woody’s passing. From his actions on Iwo Jima to his lifelong service to our Gold Star Families, Woody has left an indelible mark on the legacy of our Corps. As the last of America’s “greatest generation” to receive the Medal of Honor, we will forever carry with us the memory of his selfless dedication to those who made the ultimate sacrifice to our great nation. The Marine Corps is fortunate to have many heroes, but there is only one Woody Williams. Semper Fidelis, Marine.” 

Williams is remembered through the naming of several locations throughout his native West Virginia. Most recently, on March 7, 2020, the Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary mobile base USS Hershel Woody Williams (ESB 4) was commissioned in Norfolk, Virginia, commemorating Williams’ legacy. 

Williams’ Medal of Honor citation can be found here: https://www.usmcu.edu/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Information-for-Units/Medal-of-Honor-Recipients-By-Unit/Cpl-Hershel-Woodrow-Williams/