MIAMI — The Coast Guard interdicted 14 Haitian migrants approximately 26 miles east of St. Lucie County, Florida, July 2, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a July 6 release. 

Coast Guard 7th District watchstanders received a report of a disabled 21-foot pleasure craft with 14 migrants aboard. Watchstanders launched a Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce 33-foot Special Purpose Craft—Law Enforcement crew, a Coast Guard Station Lake Worth Inlet 45-foot Response Boat—Medium crew and a Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew to search.  

The Air Station Miami airplane crew located the disabled vessel and vectored in Station Fort Pierce, Station Lake Worth Inlet and the Coast Guard Cutter Manatee (WPB-87363) crew. After determining there were no COVID-19 concerns, the cutter Manatee crew embarked the 10 Haitian men and four women. While aboard the cutter Manatee, two Haitian women fainted and were medevaced to a higher level of care. 

The cutter Manatee crew transferred 10 Haitian migrants to Bahamian authorities in Freeport, Bahamas, and two Haitian migrants to U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in Lake Worth Inlet, Florida. 

“The Coast Guard and our partner agencies’ first priority is safety of life at sea and these voyages, in many situations, aren’t safe,” said Cmdr. Rick DeTar, Sector Miami response department head. “The Coast Guard and our partner agencies maintain their focused and coordinated efforts to interdict and stop these unlawful migration attempts in to the United States.” 

Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper announced on July 6 that the president has made the following nominations: 

Navy Capt. Trent R. Demoss for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half). Demoss is serving as vice commander, Fleet Readiness Center, Patuxent River, Maryland. 

Marine Corps Col. David Nathanson for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Nathanson is serving as the assistant chief of staff, G-4, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.

KITTERY, MAINE — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Reliance crew was to depart on patrol from the Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on July 6 and return in August to its new homeport of Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, the Coast Guard’s 1st District said in a release. 

After 32 years homeported in New Hampshire, Reliance will continue service with two other 210-foot medium endurance cutters homeported at Naval Air Station Pensacola, allowing the Coast Guard to better leverage efficiencies gained by clustering vessels of the same class.  

The Reliance has shifted homeports several times since its commissioning in 1964. The cutter has been homeported in Corpus Christi, Texas, Yorktown, Virginia, and Port Canaveral, Florida. More recently, Reliance replaced the utter Vigilant in New Castle, New Hampshire in 1988, and in 1996, shifted berths to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.  

During the time in New Hampshire, Reliance has contributed to the Coast Guard’s missions of search and rescue, living marine resource protection, and safeguarding New England port and waterways. 

In 1989, Reliance acted as the on-scene commander for the Narragansett Bay oil spill. Reliance crews coordinated multiple assets and directed the cleanup of over 300,000 gallons of crude oil from the tanker ship, World Prodigy, that ran aground off the coast of Rhode Island. 

In 1991, a crew of the Reliance assumed tactical command for the intersection of the fishing vessel, Hunter, which was spotted 100 miles south of Long Island and caught smuggling more than 5 tons of cocaine.  

Additionally, a Reliance crew was involved with port security operations during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, responded to numerous search-and-rescue cases saving hundreds of lives at sea, and regulated New England’s fisheries to ensure sustainment of fishery stocks. 

The Reliance was originally designed with a stern exhaust system, a 3-inch gun deck capable of manning a 40 mm anti-submarine cannon, a helicopter pad capable of carrying the out of commission HH-52 rotary wing aircraft, and a power plant system that combined diesel and gas combustion. 

After undergoing a major maintenance availability in 1987, she was modified to include two pitch controlled main diesel engines capable of reaching a max speed of 18 knots, an exhaust stack that is presented amidships, an armament of one 25 mm. automatic machine gun and two .50-caliber machine guns, and a flight deck capable of carrying and deploying an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy plans to inactivate nine ships in fiscal 2021, the service said in a message to the fleet.

According to a June 30 message from the chief of naval operations, four littoral combat ships (LCS), three coastal patrol ships (PC) and one dock landing ship (LSD) are to be decommissioned. The Military Sealift Command will remove from service one fleet ocean tug (T-ATF).

As planned in the Navy’s 2021 budget proposal, the service plans to decommission the first two Freedom-class LCSs — USS Freedom and USS Fort Worth — and first two Independence-class LCSs — USS Independence and USS Coronado. Three of these ships have made major deployments to the western Pacific and all have been used as development platforms to mature the type’s concept of operations. The four LCSs, all based in San Diego, will be placed in reserve status.

The three Cyclone-class PCs to be decommissioned are all based in Mayport, Florida, and used to train crews for the 10 PCs based in the Persian Gulf with the U.S. 5th Fleet. The three PCs being decommissioned — USS Zephyr, USS Shamal and USS Tornado — will be scrapped.

The Whidbey Island-class LSD being decommissioned is USS Fort McHenry, which will be placed in reserve. The move will leave seven ships of the class still in service.

The Powhatan-class T-ATF being removed from service is USS Sioux, which will be scrapped. Its removal will leave two T-ATFs in service. The class is being replaced by the Navajo-class towing, salvage and rescue ships.

All eight commissioned ships listed above are to be decommissioned by March 31, 2021. The Sioux is to be removed from service by Sept. 30, 2021.

PACIFIC OCEAN — The USS McCampbell departed Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, on July 2 following 13 years of service forward-deployed to U.S. 7th Fleet. 

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer is en route to Portland, Oregon, where it will undergo midlife modernization. Following routine maintenance and system upgrades, McCampbell will proceed to Naval Station Everett, Washington, where it will be homeported. 

McCampbell operated in the Indo-Pacific while assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed DESRON and the 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.  

“It has been an honor and privilege for the McCampbell crew to serve alongside the advanced warfighters in the most challenging operational environment. We also cherish the relationship we have developed with the forward-deployed Naval Forces-Japan community and our JMSDF neighbors,” said Cmdr. Patrick Sullivan, the McCampbell’s commanding officer. “We are very appreciative for all of the support for McCampbell and our families during the last 13 years.” 

McCampbell arrived in Yokosuka, Japan, in July 2007 while under the command of Cmdr. William M. Triplett to take the place of USS Gary and operated alongside the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk as part of the Kitty Hawk Strike Group. 

“The Yokosuka community was very welcoming when we arrived in July of 2007,” said retired Capt. William Triplett. “We had 50% of the crew coming over from Gary that had only done independent operations. So, our task was to quickly integrate this new blended crew and make them ready for strike group operations along with getting the rest of the crew settled in their new home. That first year was memorable and the crew came together quickly and made a great first impression on our new community, DESRON 15, and Task Force 70.” 

McCampbell conducted a multitude of humanitarian operations, strengthening the bonds with allied nations. In 2008, the ship supported disaster relief efforts off the coast of Indonesia following a series of earthquakes that caused significant damage to the region. In 2011, the ship was part of Operation Tomodachi to provide relief to Japanese citizens affected by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. In 2012, the ship rescued five Filipino fishermen off the Philippines after their vessel capsized. 

“In her 12 years with DESRON 15, McCampbell made lasting positive impacts to our allies, regional partners and to the security of the Indo-Pacific region,” said Capt. Steven DeMoss, commander of Destroyer Squadron 15. “McCampbell has been a workhorse for the theater commanders ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific.” 

McCampbell routinely participated in several multinational exercises such as cooperation afloat readiness and training with regional navies in Southeast Asia. The ship also conducted ship anti-submarine warfare readiness and evaluation measurement as well as multiple cooperative deployments with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. McCampbell was also a regular participant in exercises Talisman Sabre and Malabar, hosted by Australia and India, respectively. 

SAN DIEGO — The guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald arrived back at its homeport in San Diego on July 2 following more than two years of restoration and modernization after the warship was damaged in a collision in 2017. 

“Returning Fitzgerald to the fleet has truly been a team effort,” said Cmdr. Scott Wilbur, the Fitzgerald’s commanding officer. “I’m incredibly proud of what this crew has done over the last few years, bringing our ship back to the fleet. We’re happy to be home in San Diego to continue our training. I’m excited for what lies ahead.” 

In the early morning hours of June 17, 2017, the Fitzgerald was involved in a collision with the containership MV ACX Crystal, seriously damaging the destroyer. Seven of the Fitzgerald’s crew were killed. Several others were injured, including the ship’s commanding officer at the time, Cmdr. Bryce Benson. 

The Fitzgerald’s crew completed multiple training and certification events, such as navigation assessment and light off assessment (LOA), to ensure the crew was at peak readiness to operate the ship. The crew also completed 140 simulator hours. The Fitzgerald already completed three of the 23 certifications — search and rescue, medical and anti-terrorism — required for all surface ships prior to operational tasking. 

While in San Diego, the crew will continue to conduct simulator and at-sea training. The ship will complete extensive training and certification through basic, advanced and integrated phases. 

To restore the impacted spaces to full operations and functionality, various hull, mechanical and electrical (HM&E), combat system and command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C5I) repairs were completed. These repairs ranged from partial to complete refurbishment of impacted spaces, to replacement of equipment such as the radar and electronic warfare suite; the ship also received HM&E, combat system and C5I modernization upgrades. 

Due to the extent and complexity of the restoration, both repair and construction procedures were used to accomplish the restoration and modernization efforts. 

“The Huntington Ingalls team in coordination with Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Naval Sea Systems Command has ensured USS Fitzgerald is a repaired, modernized and capable warship,” said Capt. Jay Clark, commander of Destroyer Squadron 1, where Fitzgerald is assigned. “The Fighting Fitz crew is resilient, competent and ready to succeed in the extensive system validations, training, and certifications needed for follow on high-end operations.” 

Prior to departing Pascagoula for San Diego, Fitzgerald’s crew began a pre-movement sequester on May 23 in accordance with Navy pre-deployment rules — compliance with Navy and CDC guidance minimizes the spread of COVID-19. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy is expanding its program to prepare more minority students for the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps, a senior Navy admiral said, to increase officer accessions of more black officers.

Speaking at a July 2 media roundtable about the Navy’s new Task Force One Navy, which was established on June 30 “to address the issues of racism, sexism and other destructive biases and their impact on naval readiness,” Vice Adm. John B. Nowell Jr., chief of naval personnel, said the Navy is increasing its efforts to increase the percentages of racial minorities in the officer corps.

Nowell said the Navy has made efforts for years to make the officer ranks more representative of the racial make-up of the U.S. population but has still fallen short.

He said that officers of African-American origin fill 8% to 9% of the officer corps, somewhat less than the 13% of the U.S. population. In the enlisted ranks, the Navy has been much more successful, with African-Americans making up 19% to 20% of the force.

“We want to look like the nation,” Nowell said. “If we don’t bring enough African-American officers in the front door, then I don’t have any hope of the person sitting here talking to you as CNP being African-American. … How do we mentor them prior to coming in?”

He said the Navy’s past studies of underserved communities that “they just don’t compete as well in getting in the officer corps, for some of the tests that [they] then have to do, for a community like aviation or like the SEALs,” he said.

At the U.S. Naval Academy, the Navy has long had the Naval Academy Preparatory  School, “designed for folks who need just a little bit more of a leg up from the academic side, typically based upon the kind of education they received prior to [entering] and then compete for and then do well at the Naval Academy,” he said.

“We didn’t have something like that for ROTC,” Nowell said. “So, three years ago, we started a pilot called our NROTC Prep Program.”

Under the program, universities were asked to provide one year of education, room and board to a student and, if the student succeeds, the Navy would guarantee a four-year NROTC scholarship at the participating university.

“We went from four [students] the first year, to 67 last year, and we’ll have probably between 100 and 150 this coming year,” he said. “The goal is about 200 per year.”

Howell said that “while that certainly will help any underserved community,  whether you’re white or African-American, the diversity we see there is one of the ways we’ll try to get more African-American officers into ROTC.”

He also said that sometimes a lack of awareness of opportunities hampers efforts to recruit minorities. “So, we are partnering with the National Naval Officers Association, an African-American affinity group of officers, to help us in those local communities to get that word out,” he said.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The U.S. Coast Guard repatriated 86 of 87 migrants to the Dominican Republic navy between June 30 and July 1 following the interdiction of three illegal migrant voyages in the Mona Passage off the west coast of Puerto Rico, the Coast Guard’s 7th District reported. 

The 87 interdicted migrants were Dominican nationals. One remains hospitalized in Puerto Rico after he was medically evacuated due to an existing medical condition. 

The interdictions are the result of ongoing efforts in support of Operation Caribbean Guard and the Caribbean Border Interagency Group CBIG. 

“The strong collaboration between the Coast Guard and our Caribbean Border Interagency Group partner agencies involved in this case, as well as, with our allies in the Dominican Republic navy, led to the interdiction of three migrant vessels and ensured the quick and safe return of 86 migrants,” said Capt. Gregory Magee, commander of Coast Guard Sector San Juan. 

“This same effort allowed for one of the migrants in need of urgent medical care to be transported to a local hospital in Puerto Rico. We are committed to safeguarding our nation’s southernmost maritime border against existing threats and call for anyone thinking of taking part in an illegal voyage to not take to the sea, you are placing your life at great risk as well as the life of everyone else taking part in the voyage.” 

The first illegal voyage was detected June 29 by the crew of a patrolling Air Station Borinquen MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, about 40 nautical miles off Aguadilla. The Coast Guard Cutters Richard Dixon and Heriberto Hernandez diverted to the scene. Richard Dixon arrived on-scene and stopped the 30-foot migrant vessel that was transporting 39 men and six women. The Richard Dixon escorted the migrant vessel back to Dominican territorial waters, where they met with the Dominican navy vessel Bellatrix and completed the repatriation. 

The second illegal voyage was detected the evening of June 29 by the crew of a Customs and Border Protection Marine Enforcement Aircraft, about 22 nautical miles off the southwest coast of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. The Heriberto Hernandez diverted to the scene, while a marine unit from Customs and Border Protection Caribbean Air and Marine also responded to interdict. 

The CBP marine unit stopped the 35-foot vessel that was transporting 31 men and eight women, while the Heriberto Hernandez arrived on scene shortly thereafter and embarked the migrants. 

One of the migrants in this case was medically evacuated to a local hospital in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, while the remaining migrants were transported by the Heriberto Hernandez to Dominican territorial waters, where they met and completed the at-sea repatriation to a Dominican Navy vessel just off Santo Domingo. 

The third illegal voyage was detected the morning of July 1 by the crew of a Customs and Border Protection Dash-8 maritime patrol aircraft, about 12 nautical miles west of Aguadilla. The crew of a responding Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action marine unit interdicted the 21-foot makeshift vessel that was transporting three men. 

Shortly thereafter, the Heriberto Hernandez arrived on scene, embarked the migrants and transported them to waters just of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, where the repatriation was completed to a Dominican navy vessel that afternoon. 

Once aboard a cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and basic medical attention. Throughout the interdiction Coast Guard crew members were equipped with personal protective equipment to minimize potential exposure to any possible case of COVID-19. No migrants were reported to have any COVID-19 related symptoms. 

Heriberto Hernandez and Richard Dixon are 154-foot fast-response cutters homeported in San Juan. 

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy stood up a special task force on June 30 to address the issues of racism, sexism and other destructive biases and their impact on naval readiness, the chief of naval personnel public affairs office said in a release. 

“Task Force (TF) One Navy” will be led by Rear Adm. Alvin Holsey, who will report his findings to Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday via the Navy’s chief of personnel, Vice Adm. John B. Nowell Jr.   

“As a Navy — uniform and civilian, active and reserve — we cannot tolerate discrimination or racism of any kind. We must work to identify and eliminate individual and systemic racism within our force,” Gilday said. “That is why we are standing up Task Force One Navy, which will work to identify and remove racial barriers and improve inclusion within our Navy.” 

Holsey will be supported by fleet commanders and leadership from a number of organizations such as the Judge Advocate General of the Navy, Chief of Chaplains, Surgeon General of the Navy, Chief of Legislative Affairs, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Russell Smith and many others. 

The task force will seek to promptly address the full spectrum of systemic racism, advocate for the needs of underserved communities, work to dismantle barriers and equalize professional development frameworks and opportunities within the Navy. 

“We are at a critical inflection point for our Nation and our Navy and I want to ensure that we are fully responding to this moment as we work to facilitate enduring change,” Nowell said. “We must use the momentum created by these events as a catalyst for positive change. We need to have a deeper inclusion and diversity conversation in our Navy and amongst our own teams.” 

TF One Navy will focus their efforts in recommending reforms in several key areas. These areas include: 

• Recruiting/barriers to service entry 
• Pre-accession mentorship frameworks/scholarship opportunities 
• Diversity of talent by community/talent management 
• Training/education along the service member career continuum 
• Detailing/milestone job opportunities 
• Fitness reporting/evaluation systems 
• Promotion/advancement processes 
• Military justice analysis of racial disparity 
• Health care and health disparities 

TF One Navy leadership and membership will represent the diversity of thought, experience, and perspectives within the Navy and will include membership reflecting the diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, age, and ranks from across the sea service. 

“We must demand of each other that we treat everyone with dignity and respect. If you won’t do that, then our Navy is not the best place for you,” Gilday said. “We are one team, and we are one Navy.” 

HOUSTON — KBR has been awarded a $42.5 million task order to support technical training product development for the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), the company said in a June 30 release. 

KBR was awarded this recompete task order under the Defense Department Information Analysis Center’s (DoD IAC) multiple-award contract by the USAF Installation Contracting Center. 

As part of this cost-plus-fixed-fee task order, KBR will provide research and analysis to upgrade, modernize and develop state-of-the-art training products associated with aircraft and other systems. 

KBR will work with NAVAIR, the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division and the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Training and Simulator Division to support training needs in response to updated requirements and systems. 

This work is expected to be performed over 60 months and will include additional technical training and product development support for other government agencies and Foreign Military Sales. KBR will perform the work for this contract primarily in Orange Park and Orlando, Florida and Lexington Park, Maryland. 

“I am proud of our KBR team for its hard work and unwavering dedication to meet emergent training requirements that help sustain fleet readiness and ensure the safety of maintainers and operators in the U.S. military,” said Byron Bright, president, Government Solutions U.S. 

“We look forward to developing training solutions with NAVAIR as we continue to solidify our position as a trusted source of innovative engineering and technical expertise for the Department of Defense,” Bright continued.   

KBR has provided technical training product development for NAVAIR for almost a decade and has supported the mission of the DoD research and development community through various predecessor DoD IAC contracts since 2005. 

KBR is one of DoD IAC’s leading prime contractors, having successfully provided over $3 billion in solutions to a variety of DoD customers.