Navy

BRISBANE, Australia – Captain Manny Pardo relieved Capt. Shockey Snyder as commanding officer of the forward-deployed amphibious assault carrier, USS America (LHA 6), in a ceremony aboard the ship, while moored in Brisbane, Australia, July 14.

The ceremony, held on the ship’s flight deck, featured Capt. Kelly Fletcher, commodore, Amphibious Squadron 11, presiding.

“This tour has been the highlight of my career, and it’s thanks to the crew,” said Snyder. You did the hard work to make this ship so successful. I am extremely grateful, and know you’re in great hands with Capt. Pardo.”

Snyder’s tour included major operations for America and embarked units during the ship’s 23.1 and 23.2 patrol including; Exercise Iron Fist, Amphibious Integrated Training/Certification Exercise (AIT/CERTEX), inaugural port visits to Osaka, Japan and Manila, as well as numerous unit level exercises and certifications.

Pardo served as the ship’s executive officer since April 2022 prior to assuming command.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be here today. If you told a younger me that I would be taking command of a warship; I am not sure I would believe you, said Pardo. “Thank you to the crew who continue to put in the work every day, and to Capt. Snyder, thank you for your mentorship. The ship’s success is a reflection of your leadership, and congratulations on a successful tour. ”

Pardo, America’s eighth commanding officer graduated from the United States Naval Academy and received his commission in 2000. A naval aviator, flying the SH-60B and MH-60R helicopter, Pardo commanded Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 46. Other sea duty tours include Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 42, HSM-70, and HSM-74.

Snyder’s follow on assignment will be serving as Commander, Naval Surface Group Western Pacific, in Yokosuka, Japan.

America, lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group is underway conducting routine integrated operations in U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with Allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Joint Task Force – Red Hill (JTF-RH) completed a comprehensive inter-agency response exercise focused on containing and remediating a “worst-case” scenario fuel spill July 13, 2023.

“This was a collaborative drill where military, federal, state, and local agency partners worked as one team to simulate disaster response in order to protect the health of the community and mitigate harm to the environment,” said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Michelle Link, Deputy Commander, JTF-RH. “The spill drill exercise provided us with real-world training to the response plans we developed through the interagency process.”

This exercise is the final spill scenario simulating a fuel release within the Red Hill facility. This latest drill involved a series of coordinated exercises where participants simulated various aspects of a fuel spill response, such as containment, cleanup, environmental monitoring, and public communication.  Lessons learned from this exercise will be used to refine response protocols, update training programs, and enhance interagency coordination.   

“Much time was spent developing the spill response plans, and I appreciate the agencies who worked together to ensure all bases were covered. I’m confident that our collective team is prepared for defueling the Red Hill facility,” said Captain Michael O’Beirne, JTF-RH’s response directorate lead.

The collaborative effort involved a wide range of stakeholders, including personnel from the Department of the Navy, United States Coast Guard, spill response organizations, government agencies, and local emergency responders. Through a series of coordinated exercises, participants simulated various aspects of a fuel spill response, such as containment, cleanup, environmental monitoring, and public communication. Lessons learned from this exercise are used to refine response protocols, update training programs, and enhance interagency coordination.

For more information about JTF-RH, visit https://www.pacom.mil/jtf-red-hill/ or access the App by searching for “JTF–Red Hill” in the Apple iOS App store or Google Play store. For more information about Red Hill visit https://cnrh.cnic.navy.mil/Operations-and-Management/Red-Hill/. For more detailed information on the Navy’s Red Hill environmental efforts, please visit www.jbphh-safewaters.org.

Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) and its tenant locations recently saw the selection of seven individuals for the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Next Generation of Leadership (NEXTGEN) Program, which offers participants the chance to learn about leadership throughout several different initiatives for the next year.

This enterprise-wide initiative takes civilian employees at a GS 7-11 level through a self-paced blended course approach through classroom and online studies to build up their skills through assessment, experimental learning, and individual development opportunities. At the completion of the program, the participants will have the skills to prepare them for future management roles throughout NAVSEA.

Congratulations to Inventory Management Specialist Colt Brinkman, Contract Specialist Brittany Tavassoli, Nuclear Engineering Technician Venita Scott, Quality Assurance Specialist David Leon II, Reactor Services Supervisory Operations Project Zone Manager LaShonda Dunston, Naval Architect Technician Stacia Spath from NNSY, and Radioactive Material Controller Doug Mandell from Nuclear Regional Maintenance Department (NRMD) Kings Bay. For the next few months, we will be highlighting these individuals in a NEXTGEN series, celebrating their achievements as they work through the program.

Interested in becoming a future participant of the NEXTGEN program? Applications will be accepted until June 26 at 12 p.m. for all interested civilian employees (GS 7-11). For more information and to download an application, visit https://flankspeed.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/NAVSEA_10D5.

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Shipbuilding Quality Assurance Specialist David Leon II first heard about the NEXTGEN in 2020 after reading an article in Service to the Fleet highlighting selectees participating in the program. Inspired to take that next step in his career, he went to the Command University tab on WebCentral to learn more and apply.

“The idea of doing something new, something different and something outside of my daily job interested me in applying for NEXTGEN,” said Leon. “I liked the idea of traveling to a different command and working with fellow NAVSEA employees who may not work at a shipyard. I also wanted to challenge myself and start building my foundation of leadership skills.”

When asked about what he hopes to accomplish within the program, Leon noted that he didn’t have an exact end goal in mind. Instead, he wanted to diversify his portfolio and gain whatever experience he could from the program. “I hope to accomplish learning more about the inner workings of NAVSEA, build personal relationships, and add to my professional network,” he said. “I hope to bring back a positive experience to share and possibly influence the next person to apply for NEXTGEN. And as I continue my journey, I would like to pursue other leadership programs and continue diversifying my professional portfolio. See where it leads me.”

When asked what advice he could provide his fellow shipyarders, he said, “I would advise my fellow shipyarders to take advantage of every opportunity the shipyard offers. The shipyard is going to utilize you to complete their mission, so utilize the shipyard to develop yourself to complete the mission, whatever internal mission you have. Even if you have no interest in being a supervisor, the development programs offered by tNNSY have helped me with my daily interactions, whether it be my personal relationships, professional relationships, or communicating better with my teenage son.”

Leon closed with a familiar quote from Theodore Roosevelt, encapsulating his journey and his efforts to expand his knowledge. “The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything.”

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Contract Specialist Brittany Tavassoli first learned about the NEXTGEN program in an all hands to the workforce, which shared details on leadership opportunities offered by NAVSEA.

“While the subject line sparked my interests, I researched the program a bit further and attended the informational sessions,” said Tavassoli. “I discovered that the NEXTGEN program aligns directly with the NAVSEA mission I support in my day-to-day operations at NNSY. Instilling the morals and ethics of the NAVSEA organization is important while empowering employees to support the mission. This program captured my attention through its initiative to retain entry-level employees through leadership development to include mentoring, training, and influencing individuals across the organization.”

Since orientation in October 2022, Tavassoli noted she has already gained an extended network of like-minded people across the enterprise, each individual empowering one another in their personal and professional journeys. “I look forward to suggesting and implementing additional avenues to support developing employees as subject matter experts in their current and future roles,” she said. “Once the program is complete, I look forward to mentoring my peers and empowering them to step forward and lead from their current position while striving to impact change and reach their goals.”

Tavassoli hopes that others are inspired to join this and other leadership programs as she was. “My advice is to step out of your comfort zone and apply! This is a wonderful opportunity to advocate for your personal development and future,” Tavassoli said. “If you’re on the fence about applying for these programs, interested individuals are welcome to contact me and I can share my experiences with them. We’re part of ONE TEAM and I’m happy to help others wherever I can, just as others have done for me and my career.”

Redstone Arsenal, Ala. – When Army astronaut Col. Andrew “Drew” Morgan returned from the International Space Station on April 17, 2020, he wondered – What’s the next career move for a Soldier after a tour that included human spaceflight?

Most of Morgan’s predecessors retired from military service following their time at the Army’s NASA detachment so they could stay with NASA in a variety of capacities or to pursue other occupations, but Morgan sought an alternative path.

On June 28, 2023, along with his family, distinguished U.S. and Marshallese visitors, and about 200 community members, Morgan received the U.S. Army Garrison, Kwajalein Atoll’s guidon from outgoing commander Col. Tom Pugsley, placing Morgan in command of a remote Army garrison in the Marshall Islands that supports one of the United States’ most vital national assets, the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site.

The three-year transformation for Morgan was far from simply exchanging a space suit for an Army uniform. The idea of returning to the “regular Army” started to take shape as he orbited the Earth as part of NASA Expeditions 60, 61, and 62. Morgan credits several of his military mentors with both influencing his decision and ensuring the path before him included the necessary education and experience.

“Mentors like Gen. James Dickinson, commander, U.S. Space Command, and Lt. Gen. Daniel Karbler, commanding general, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, planted the idea in my mind before I even flew in space, but it wasn’t until I returned that I gave it serious consideration,” Morgan said. “After my spaceflight I felt a calling to lead, and those great mentors were willing to help me pave a path to be competitive for command.”

Few Soldiers know that the Kwajalein Atoll exists, and fewer still understand its vital support to its senior mission operated by USASMDC, the RTS. Morgan, having served with the command for 10 years with seven of those as the NASA Detachment commander, has a unique understanding of Army space operations and the command.

Living in a South Pacific tropical paradise that is nearly 2,300 miles southwest of Hawaii and more than a five-hour flight from a significant landmass provides challenges, but ones Morgan and his fellow astronauts are all too familiar with.

“Living on the International Space Station and on Kwajalein Atoll have a few relatable parallels: both are remote, isolated, resource-constrained and perform important missions for our nation,” Morgan said. “I have already found myself thinking about our island outpost in the same way we thought about resources – like power, water, and food supply – while I was on the ISS. These basic functions keep our people safe, healthy and able to perform our space domain awareness and missile test missions.”

A new assignment and change of duty station has a significant impact on Soldiers and their family members, particularly overseas moves. After 10 years in Houston at the Johnson Space Center, Morgan’s family’s opinion was crucial to his decision to uproot himself and his family.

“I would never have pursued the option to command without the full buy-in of my family,” Morgan said. “We were moving the oldest of our three daughters immediately before her senior year, so there were some significant considerations. But everyone was up for this adventure, 110% supportive of this mission. We are all in!”

As to his own ability to adapt to chance, during a 2021 episode of USASMDC’s podcast, The High Ground, he eluded to something his fellow U.S. Navy astronaut and close friend, Capt. Victor Glover, mentioned about resiliency – that it’s important to become “comfortable being uncomfortable.” Morgan credits his military experience and his time with NASA for helping to develop his ability to adapt to career and life changes, and his continuing desire to remain in the Army.

“I’m a Soldier, physician and an astronaut . . . so stepping away from NASA to command in the Army feels like coming home. For the next two years, that home will be right here at USAG Kwajalein Atoll, embracing the challenge of leadership and continuing our service to the country, albeit in a new, equally unique place,” Morgan said. “In the Army you can do almost anything, from flying in space on an orbiting outpost, to leading a mission on a remote Pacific outpost. This is why I wanted to be a Soldier.”