NOAA

This year was just as busy as the last, with 403rd Wing Reserve Citizen Airmen participating in numerous deployments, hurricane support and training exercises.

“From multiple deployments to humanitarian aid to community service, the 403rd Wing’s list of accomplishments is truly astonishing,” said Col. Jeffrey A. Van Dootingh, 403rd Wing commander. “I, along with all American citizens, appreciate everything that our unit members and their families have done and continue to do.”

In addition to increasing readiness and safely accomplishing tasked missions, this year also marked some historical anniversaries. June celebrated the wing’s 70th year of operation as well as the 75th year of hurricane hunting for the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron.

Here is a recap of some of the top stories of 2019.

More deployments

In 2018, the wing deployed 300 Reserve Citizen Airmen and several C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to Southwest Asia in support of Operations Freedom’s Sentinel and Inherent Resolve. That support continued through 2019, with the wing deploying another 100 Airmen from units such as the Aerial Port, Force Support, Security Forces and Logistics Readiness Squadrons and 5th and 12 Operational Weather Flights to Southwest Asia and other locations.

Unit members who did not deploy continued to focus on training and readiness throughout the year.

Exercise, Exercise, Exercise

The 815th Airlift Squadron along with other wing members participated in three exercises: Swift Response and Silver Arrow in the European area of responsibility, and Arctic Anvil out of the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center. The 403rd Aeromedical Staging Squadron and 36th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron also took part in a Medical Readiness Training Exercise in Honduras.

Swift Response

In June, 72 members and three C-130J aircraft from the 403rd Wing took part in the exercise Swift Response 19, which is one of the premier military crisis response training events featuring high readiness airborne forces. Activities include intermediate staging base operations, multiple airborne operations, and several air assault operations.

The exercise included approximately 5,600 participants from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States and took place at locations in Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania, with additional staging bases in Germany, Italy, Slovenia and the U.K. The 815th flew 78 hours and more than 68 sorties airdropping 1,965 paratroopers and 311 short tons of cargo.

Silver Arrow

The wing also supported the exercise Silver Arrow based out of Ramstein, Germany throughout the summer. The wing deployed 51 reservists and two C-130Js to augment U.S. combatant command requirements, support readiness events under the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff exercise program and enable other unique mission and training requirements. The 815th flew 147.4 hours and more than 28 sorties airlifting 177 passengers and 83.4 tons of cargo. Additionally, members airdropped 301 paratroopers and 18 heavy equipment and container delivery system loads.

Arctic Anvil

Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 815th Airlift Squadron here along with the 327th AS out of Little Rock, Ark., provided airlift and airdrop support for the U.S. Army’s Joint Forces Exercise Arctic Anvil Oct. 1-6.

Arctic Anvil is a joint, multi-national, force-on-force culminating training exercise at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, Mississippi, throughout October.

The units airdropped 400 paratroopers and equipment Oct. 2 and then delivered another 20 bundles of supply Oct. 6. More than 3,000 ‘Arctic Soldiers’ of the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, based out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, participated in the exercise.

MEDRETE

Twenty-one Air Force Reserve medics took part in the 403rd MEDRETE 2019 Honduras Dec. 4-18. Airmen from the 403rd ASTS and 36th AES here as well as reservists from around the country, worked with a team of doctors from the Joint Task Force-Bravo Surgeon’s Cell out of Soto Cano Air Base, to provide free medical care to the citizens of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

The 28-member Air Force Reserve medical care team consisted of family medicine, emergency medicine, dental services, hospital administrators, clinical nurses, air evacuation nurses and medical technicians. During the two-week annual tour, the team worked out of Hospital Escuela and provided care to more than 790 patients, according to Lt. Col Sabrina Hawkins, 403rd ASTS deputy commander.

Hurricane Support

The 2019 hurricane season kept the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron busy, especially in September. The season wrapped up Nov. 30, with the Hurricane Hunters flying more than 684 hours and 80 missions into nine storms over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

The first major hurricane and most devastating of the season was Hurricane Dorian. At its peak, Dorian was a Category 5 hurricane that devastated the Bahamas. It then weakened to a Category 1 by the time it made landfall in North Carolina. The Hurricane Hunters conducted reconnaissance into the storm around the clock from Aug. 25 to Sept. 6 and flew 25 missions from three different locations–Curacao, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, and Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. The data they provided to the National Hurricane Center was vital to forecasts, ensuring public safety.

In the wake of Dorian, the 815th AS answered the call, assisting with humanitarian support transporting a Contingency Response Group to establish a mobile tower to restore air traffic control capability to the Bahamas. They also brought supplies such as water and food. The squadron’s aircrew staged out of Homestead and made two trips to the Bahamas.

Atmospheric rivers, research support

In addition to the primary mission supporting the National Hurricane Center, the Hurricane Hunters partnered with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and NOAA in February and March for another project. They performed weather reconnaissance flights on atmospheric rivers over the Pacific Ocean to refine precipitation forecast models for the West Coast.

Leadership changes

The wing also had several leadership changes due to personnel moves and retirements.

Col. Jeffrey A. Van Dootingh assumed command of the 403rd Wing June 9. Van Dootingh, a navigator with more than 7,500 flight hours, previously served in the wing as the 403rd Operations Group commander from February 2012 to June 2013 before serving as the director of staff at 22nd Air Force, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga.

Col. Deborah S. Deja assumed command of the 36th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron Jan. 13.

Lt. Col. Stuart M. Rubio assumed command of the 403rd Operations Group Dec. 7. Rubio previously served as the 403rd Operations Group deputy commander and 815th AS commander.

Lt. Col. Matthew Sikkink assumed command of the 815th Airlift Squadron June 6. Sikkink, a C-130 pilot with more than 2,400 flight hours, came to Keesler from the 374th Airlift Wing, Yokato Air Base, Japan.

Lt. Col Dwayne A. Russell took command of the 53rd WRS April 6.

Lt. Col. Jeff L. Frye took command of the 41st APS Nov. 2.

These were just a few of the accomplishments of 403rd Wing members.

“From training to readiness exercises to tasked missions, the men and women of this wing have proven you are willing and able to get the job done,” the commander said recently to the wing members. “Your commitment to our Nation is evident in all you do. I hope the holiday season will be a joyous one and a time to recharge for the New Year’s challenges. So, get ready for 2020 for more flying, fighting and winning!”

For the large number of naval bases located on an ocean’s coast, the prospect of sea level rise (SLR) poses a real potential threat, especially since a rising sea doesn’t necessarily impact everywhere the same way. There are many variables to consider, such as the local coastal geology and geography, as well as tide fluctuations and meteorological events.

While the Naval Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) global SLR maps do well at projecting generally the fate of the coastline after a certain amount of warming, there is a need for more detail, both in space and time, to aid in planning adaptive measures.

Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) student U.S. Navy Lt. Monica Killoran is focusing her thesis around predicting what high tide will look like for Naval Base San Diego (NBSD) under different SLR scenarios.

“We want to try to capture what could happen if it gets to a specific level,” Killoran explains.

“It’s particularly interesting to try to mix the two things because connecting the dots is what helps us to understand how things are.”

Killoran is earning her master’s degree in meteorology and physical oceanography, and is also pursuing the NPS Space Systems Certificate. Guided by Oceanography Assistant Professor Mara Orescanin and Meteorology Assistant Professor Scott Powell, the combination of topics are suited well to measuring a topic like SLR where the land and sea meet.

In a way, she mixed four of her own interests with the project … meteorology, oceanography, climate change, and the Navy. She was inspired by an NOAA presentation she watched at the 2020 ESRI Ocean, Weather, and Climate Geographic Information System (GIS) forum, where a graduate student presented work similar to her project.

Killoran is trying to create a code that can calculate SLR variability for a certain area once the user plugs in standardized SLR projection data from NOAA and NASA and local tide measurements. Both agencies get their data from altimeters, which are instruments that can measure the height of sea surface from space.

Killoran’s research is funded in part by the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific, and there is a significant amount of pre-existing data available for her to use. Although still in the early phases of her work, Killoran hopes to develop a tool and methodology that other bases can easily duplicate.

“I think of the research like an hourglass,” Orescanin says. “We’re kind of in the information-gathering stage, trying to figure out how much of this has been done already in academia and industry, like how many cities and ports and harbors are planning for things like sea level rise and what steps they are pursuing to make those decisions.”

Killoran chose San Diego to be her first location because the base is closer to Monterey than other candidate installations, and the base has been collecting years worth of tide measurements. As she dives into her research question, Killoran says she is excited to be working on something that will both challenge her, and matches with her own interests.

“[Faculty] allow us to go for it if it’s what we want to do,” Killoran says. “Everybody has been so helpful, and I didn’t know there was so much information and resources available.”

Killoran already has other Naval installations in mind that would be good places to explore sea level rise in detail, including Norfolk, Pearl Harbor and Yokosuka.

“There is, in my opinion, probably a lot of room for students to run [with this topic] down the line,” Powell says.

KODIAK, Alaska – In early March, instructors at the Coast Guard North Pacific Regional Fisheries Training Center (NPRFTC) prepared crewmembers of the Coast Guard Cutter Stratton to safeguard Alaska’s living marine resources.

Commissioned in 1995 in Kodiak, the personnel at the NPRFTC provide instruction to surface and aviation law enforcement crews, command personnel and supporting staff to promote maritime safety, protect valuable resources, and maintain a level playing field for the fisheries throughout Alaska, which are considered to be the most abundant and economically significant waters in the U.S.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in 2018, the Alaskan fishing fleet provided 58% of the stock to the U.S. fisheries and seafood industry.

Protecting living marine resources (LMR) ensures fishermen’s livelihoods and the long-term sustainability of the U.S. fisheries, which are threatened by Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Stratton attended training at the NPRFTC in order to uphold the IUU fishing commitment in the Bering Sea.

“Maintaining safe and sustainable Alaskan fisheries is critical to the national seafood supply chain and the livelihood of Alaskans,” said Chief Petty Officer Neil Bacewicz, the training chief at NPRFTC. “The Alaskan seafood industry generates over $13 billion for the national economy and employs nearly 60,000 people. Ensuring our crews know how to apply the various laws correctly and consistently ensures the fisheries remain viable and sustainable for future generations, promotes fair industry practices, and institute a rules-based order in Alaskan waters.”

Prior to a Bering Sea deployment that began in the spring, the Stratton crew attended the NPRFTC for training in order to be considered fully operational in Coast Guard 17th District area of responsibility.

“Major cutters participate in a two-part certification system prior to being designated as fully operational,” says Bacewicz. “Prior to a patrol, boarding officers of a cutter will attend the Alaska LMR Resident Boarding Officer course to build a foundational understanding of Alaskan fisheries. Immediately prior to a patrol, the cutter’s law enforcement team will attend the Alaska LMR Cutter Training System, which is a four-day team training that integrates boarding officers, boarding team members, and the operations/combat information center personnel into a cohesive law enforcement team.”

The instructors at the school educate crews on multiple laws including the at-sea enforcement of the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; the Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Safety Act; the Marine Mammal Protection Act; and the Endangered Species Act.

The course consists of multiple knowledge lessons, including:

∙ Introduction to LMR policy.

∙ On-scene fishing activity.

∙ Required gear, permits and programs.

∙ Logs and reports.

∙ Marine protected areas.

∙ Patrol resources.

∙ Species identification.

∙ Commercial fishing vessel safety.

∙ Compliance monitoring.

∙ Documentation.

“The boarding team members are getting the most fun and hands-on training,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Peter Lovold, a boatswain’s mate on the Stratton. “We’re being trained on identifying different types of fish native to the Bering Sea and surrounding waters, identifying different types of fishing vessels involved in the commercial fishing trade in the area, and utilizing the Coast Guard 17th District fisheries boarding officer job aid kit and applying that in a boarding scenario.”

In environments where weather conditions can be extreme and dangerous, these courses allowed the newest boarding team members to confidently and successfully conduct fifteen fisheries boardings during their patrol of the Bering Sea, under the watch of experienced boarding officers.

“NPRFTC teaches you the basics, but there are a lot of other things where the only way to learn them is by doing the LMR boardings,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Jan Padilla, a boarding officer. “We definitely are more confident in our training and have a better understanding of the LMR mission.”

Carrying out that mission can be challenging, especially during a global pandemic. Capt. Bob Little, commanding officer of the Stratton, praises his crew for their professionalism and resiliency despite the difficulties the COVID-19 virus introduced.

“We’re on our third deployment during the COVID-19 pandemic and this crew is motivated and has endured some significant hardships to conduct the missions of the Coast Guard,” said Little. “I’m proud of the crew’s devotion to duty to operate so well under such difficult conditions.”

The Coast Guard operates five regional fisheries training centers across the country.

FORT LEE, Va. – Of all the safety hazards Team Lee members will likely face this summer, extreme weather ranks No. 1 for unpredictability and harmful results ranging from property loss to life-threatening injury.

As witnessed over the past few days, heavy rainfall events that cause flash flooding and intense thunderstorms with deadly lightning are common. Virginians have experienced them every summer for as long as most can remember. Tornadoes and hurricanes are less frequent but are still familiar to anyone who has lived here for more than a few years.

Hurricane season began June 1, and it continues through Nov. 30. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is once again predicting an “above normal” season with 13-20 named storms. As many as 10 of those are projected to reach hurricane strength (winds of 74 mph or greater) and at least a third of those are expected to reach or exceed category 3, meaning wind speeds of 111 mph or higher.

“If there are any skeptics on the team, they should take a moment to go online and read the recap of the 2020 hurricane season, noting that last year’s projected storm totals by NOAA were far exceeded and the 11 storms that made landfall in the continental U.S. broke a record that was set in 1916,” observed Thomas Loden, installation emergency manager with the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security.

“The storms last year were devastating as well,” Loden continued. “Laura, the category 4 hurricane that slammed into Louisiana in August, caused more than $19 billion in damage and resulted in 77 deaths. Our region also has had its share of costly and deadly storms – Matthew, Irene, Hermine and Sandy – over the past decade. The bottom line is that we can’t afford unpreparedness. The potential cost is too great.”

The one thing extreme weather events have in common is the ability to cause massive property damage and human injury, Loden reiterated. That commonality applies equally to hurricanes, tornadoes and nor’easters, an upper-Atlantic-East-Coast phenomenon.

“Furthermore, they all test how well you’ve planned and prepared,” he said. “Those who do nothing stand the greatest risk of experiencing harm. Proactive individuals who take the time to educate and equip themselves stand a better chance of survival.

“Building a defense starts with basic questions like what is the threat and how would I (or my family) survive?” Loden continued. “Consider home or office preparations to prevent damage, emergency notification, shelter or evacuation, food and medical needs, and so on. Remember to plan for the worst-case scenario because that type of thinking has saved the lives of many individuals, particularly in a situation like a hurricane where the duration, intensity and aftermath of the storm typically extends over several days or weeks. An equally important consideration is how COVID-19 will factor into your plans. It’s likely emergency shelters will still require the wearing of masks and social distancing, for example.”

Loden encourages community members to regularly monitor radio and television broadcasts for emergency weather updates. Every installation employee, military or civilian, also should be registered in the “Alert!” emergency warning and mass notification system. It is mandatory for permanent party service members and DOD Civilians. Contactors can do so as well.

Enrollment requires a Common Access Card. The registration site is alert.csd.disa.mil/AlertSplashPage. Individuals are highly encouraged to authorize personal cell or home phone notices so they’re receiving updates when they’re off-duty. If any difficulties with registration are encountered, seek assistance from your organization’s computer technician or the personnel manager assigned to most units.

The following are additional emergency preparedness steps offered by DPTMS:

• Assemble or update emergency supplies for the home, car and workplace.

• Learn about local hazards and create an emergency plan. Don’t forget your pets.

• Ensure critical documents are up-to-date and stored in a weather and/or fireproof container.

• Create proof of valuable property ownership (i.e. take photos, make an inventory list) and obtain appropriate insurance for relevant hazards.

• Make property improvements to reduce potential injury or damage.

• Know the difference between watches and warnings, and how to properly respond to both.

Community members are encouraged to read future articles produced by the Garrison Public Affairs Office and attend relevant briefings to ensure they have the latest information and awareness tips. The Emergency Management Branch can be contacted at 804-765-2680.

There are several resources available to assist with emergency planning and preparation, including:

• Virginia Emergency Preparedness Website: – www.vaemergency.gov.

• Federal Emergency Management Agency Mobile App – www.fema.gov/mobile-app.

• Children and youth preparedness toolkit – www.ready.gov/youth-toolkit.

• Fort Lee Hazardous Weather Guide – home.army.mil/lee/index.php/hazweather.

By Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Clark

A 30-foot, 14,000-pound apex predator doesn’t roar. It sprays a rainbow-ridden waterspout. Try to look away as an orca’s 6-foot, black dorsal fin bursts through the surface and entraps your gaze as you peer over the emerald waters of the Salish Sea. The orca audibly takes in another breath, filling its lungs once more before the black fin slips down to the depths and away from sight. Soon, more rise to the surface in a display of geysers, and you realize you would not have known their number had they not revealed themselves. You might not have known they were there at all.

To the First Nations and indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest, the orca is a totem of cultural significance. From love and fortune to strength and guardianship, these magnificent marine mammals have embodied the deeper meanings of life for millennia.

Known also as killer whales in recognition of their predatory cunning and intelligence, most orca pods primarily feed on other marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and even other whales. One particular pod of orcas, though, has adapted to hunt fish – more specifically the Chinook salmon native to the waters of the Salish Sea region. This unique prowess has come to define them. Their predation along with sustained residence in the interior waters of Washington and British Columbia, rarely venturing beyond the western shores of Vancouver Island, has led to these orcas becoming known as, Southern Resident Killer Whales.

Despite sometimes symbolizing longevity and familial fortitude, these beautiful creatures are dwindling in number. Although known to represent resilience and good fortune, it seems they now need our stewardship to survive. In 2003, the Southern Resident Killer Whales were federally designated as an endangered species. The latest reports, made in February 2021, count as few as 75 remaining.

As the nation’s primary federal at-sea enforcement agency, the United States Coast Guard serves with a statutory mission of protecting living marine resources. This is meant to, “safeguard U.S. living marine resources and their environment, to include protected species, protected areas, and critical habitats, from unlawful acts and environmental degradation.”

Although the mission of protecting at-risk and endangered species is a national, even global endeavor, the frontline effort to protect these orcas falls to the crew of Coast Guard Station Bellingham and its partners.

“We are proud to protect these animals which are so special and unique to the Salish Sea,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Maxwell Keas, a boatswain’s mate and boarding officer at Station Bellingham. “It is our job to enforce the safety zones that allow these orcas to transit safely and remain happy and healthy.”

As a boarding officer, Keas and others among the crew directly engage with the public to ensure mariners steer clear of the Southern Resident Killer Whales. Beyond the work to enforce safety zones, it is a constant effort to inform and educate the public about these endangered animals and perpetuate a culture of respect and responsible stewardship on the water.

This effort is continuous, but as increasing numbers of boaters saturate the Salish Sea and surrounding areas, Operation Be Whale Wise directs an even greater focus by the crew and its partners to engage in enforcement and public education. Through this program and by working with local, state and federal agencies, as well as Canadian counterparts to the north, the Coast Guard strives to optimize efforts that serve the Southern Resident Killer Whales during seasonal times of heightened marine traffic and human presence in the orcas’ environment. Specifically, ensuring law enforcement entities are on scene where and whenever possible to provide space and separation for the orcas’ safety, including provide information to the public.

Regulations in place require vessels to remain at least 300 yards from the flanks of the orcas, and 400 yards from behind or ahead of them. It is also required that any vessel known to be within one half-mile of the orcas to reduce speed to a maximum of 7 knots.

As the Coast Guard works to protect the Southern Resident Killer Whales and the marine environment at large, further initiatives and programs are taking place. The Quiet Sound initiative is being incorporated as a joint effort by a multitude of agencies and organizations, as well as the greater community, to reduce disruptive noise on and around the Salish Sea region. As orcas communicate acoustically and hunt by echolocation, efforts to reduce such disruption helps to ensure their survival.

“Quiet Sound is a voluntary and collaborative effort that endeavors to reduce noise impacts to the Southern Resident Killer Whales from vessels,” said Cmdr. Nathan Menefee, chief of prevention, Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound. “The Coast Guard shares the common goal of protecting these orcas while also ensuring safe navigation for vessels. We view these two goals as mutually beneficial.”

“The Quiet Sound program’s collaborative approach aims to adopt best practices from the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) program, which has successfully implemented several voluntary and non-regulatory measures to reduce the impacts of vessel traffic on the Southern Resident Killer Whale population,” said Menefee. “A non-regulatory approach provides a unique ability to allow flexibility and adaptation as we learn more about the effects of ship traffic and determine which measures yield the greatest benefits for these animals.”

The Coast Guard and many of its partners rely largely on law enforcement and jurisdictional capabilities to protect these endangered orcas; however, ideally, the goal is to incorporate the holistic efforts of the community to promote a culture of awareness and stewardship. Efforts should not only be compelled through law enforcement, but led by an organic awareness and desire to help. To this point, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration serves to provide a greater understanding of the environment and enable public knowledge.

“The Coast Guard is an essential partner in our cooperative efforts to protect and recover the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales,” said Lynne Barre, Southern Resident Killer Whale recovery coordinator for NOAA. “It is important to educate the public and ensure that the whales have the space they need to hunt the salmon they rely on.”

As the Coast Guard, partners and local maritime communities endeavor to protect the Southern Resident Killer Whales, the survival of these endangered animals relies heavily on public awareness and a willingness to contribute.

As the summer months bring sunshine and an age-old call to venture out onto the Salish Sea, please remember that we all have an impact on the pristine waters of the Pacific Northwest and its bounty of marine species.

Promote awareness in your community and help to ensure the survival of these orcas so that they may prosper as emblems of natural beauty. Our ancestors, and we, have been fortunate to witness them. We can continue to work hard to ensure this is the case for future generations to come.

Educate yourself and others by visiting BeWhaleWise.org, and report whale sightings using the WhaleReport App at https://wildwhales.org/2021/03/31/the-whalereport-web-app-introducing-a-new-way-to-report-whale-sightings/

NEWPORT, R.I. – A new agreement is in the works for a direct partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport, which would increase and improve knowledge sharing and allow for more real-time collaboration between the two entities.

Rear Adm. Nancy Hann, acting director for NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO), took the stage at NUWC Division Newport on June 21 to share her group’s mission and explain the important role NOAA plays in data collection.

“We touch pretty much everyone’s life, every day,” Hann said and cited the wide range of services that NOAA provides.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans and coasts; to share that knowledge and information with others; and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources, Hann said.

Hann is responsible for the leadership and management of OMAO’s operational assets, including a fleet of 16 research and survey vessels and nine aircraft. She also visited Division Newport in May to discuss mutual capabilities and interests and to begin a more formal partnership between NOAA and the Division.

NOAA’s current presence in Newport includes two ships homeported at Naval Station Newport’s Pier 2 on Narragansett Bay — the NOAAS Henry B. Bigelow (R 255), supporting the science and research missions of NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center, and the NOAAS Okeanos Explorer (R 337), known as “America’s ship for ocean exploration,” which conducts operations around the globe, mapping the seafloor and characterizing largely unknown areas of the ocean.

Hann reported plans for an expanded NOAA presence in Newport, pending budget appropriations, which would include two additional ships and a shore-side facility. This, in addition to a pending formal agreement between NOAA and Division Newport that would foster a closer, more robust relationship by ensuring greater awareness of data being collected and access to subject matter experts.

“Any data we have, you’re welcome to it,” Hann said during the presentation.

“This agreement will allow NOAA and NUWC Division Newport to leverage each other’s technical expertise and infrastructure to enable innovation and advance our missions,” said Sarah Blackstock, an oceanographer in Division Newport’s Chief Technology Office. “NOAA’s expanded presence in Narragansett Bay presents a valuable opportunity to work more seamlessly with our new neighbors, and communicate in real time about our technical objectives and needs. These two visits from Rear Admiral Hann demonstrate that there are abundant areas in which NOAA and NUWC efforts can be aligned to provide maximum benefit to both parties.”

The agency, which sits under the U.S. Department of Commerce, a fact that Hann admitted may seem odd, supports “economic vitality and affects more than one-third of America’s gross domestic product,” according to the NOAA website.

“All of the things we do drive commerce,” Hann said.

Uncrewed systems (UxS) is NOAA’s first key science and technology focus area out of six total, with other areas aligning to the Division’s capabilities such as artificial intelligence (AI), data, and “citizen science,” or open collaboration between individuals and organizations participating in the scientific process.

A segment of Hann’s visit highlighted collaborative partnerships with industry and academia. Paula Bontempi, dean of the University of Rhode Island (URI) Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO), and Andrew Greene, senior technologist for Division Newport’s Undersea Warfare (USW) Tactical Oceanographic Sciences Branch, discussed efforts between Division Newport and URI GSO’s tactical oceanography program.

“Oceanography is a well-established discipline internal and external to the Navy,” Greene said about the collaboration efforts. “Tactical oceanography is a field in its infancy and requires integration of oceanography with sub fields of expertise in acoustics, weapons, signal processing and electromagnetics.”

Division Newport is working to establish tactical oceanographic rigor throughout its technical departments to support their technical domains. The current workforce development approach is to recruit oceanographers from nationally recognized oceanography programs and build the additional skill sets through mentoring. The purpose of the GSO/NUWC collaboration is for the university to take on the role of preparing oceanography graduates with the aforementioned skills sets. In the future, this will create and establish pipeline of tactical oceanographers for Navy and the Department of Defense.

Division Newport’s Chief Technology Officer Dr. Jason Gomez also provided an overview of the command, and Dr. Elizabeth Magliula, director of Division Newport’s Naval Engineering Education Consortium and SMART program, spoke about the National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology (NIUVT)

, a collaboration between Division Newport, URI, the University of Connecticut, and Electric Boat, and the Marine and Undersea Technologies (MUST) partnership with University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth.

The visitors also toured the Marine Mammal Laboratory, the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Laboratory and other facilities at NUWC.

During her presentation, Hann also discussed the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps, which is separate from military branches like the Navy or the Coast Guard, there are 330 uniformed officers within NOAA, including Hann, who are trained in engineering, earth sciences, oceanography, meteorology and fisheries science. Onboard ships, they operate alongside wage mariners who perform the deck, engineering, steward and survey tech functions, and when assigned, ships can also host scientific parties of up to 28 additional people and associated equipment for data collection.

The presentation, aimed at new professionals at the Division, was attended by about 125 employees.

“These types of events open my eyes to the partnerships we have, help my understanding that our work is part of a bigger picture, and are opportunities to learn about different possibilities to tailor my career path to work on projects that I would be passionate about,” said Vince Legaspi, a new professional and program analyst in the USW Electromagnetic Systems Department.

NUWC Division Newport is a shore command of the U.S. Navy within the Naval Sea Systems Command, which engineers, builds and supports America’s fleet of ships and combat systems. NUWC Newport provides research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, undersea offensive and defensive weapons systems, and countermeasures associated with undersea warfare.

NUWC Newport is the oldest warfare center in the country, tracing its heritage to the Naval Torpedo Station established on Goat Island in Newport Harbor in 1869. Commanded by Capt. Chad Hennings, NUWC Newport maintains major detachments in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Andros Island in the Bahamas, as well as test facilities at Seneca Lake and Fisher’s Island, New York, Leesburg, Florida, and Dodge Pond, Connecticut.

FORT LEE, Va. – An emergency doesn’t wait on a plan, but you can plan for an emergency.

During September, National Preparedness Month focuses on everything you need to know before an emergency occurs. For military commissary customers, they can use a benefit that gives them an annual average of nearly 25 percent savings to purchase the items needed for their survival kits.

“We’ve already heard that this year’s hurricane season is going to be worse than projected earlier,” said Marine Sgt. Maj. Michael R. Saucedo, senior enlisted advisor to the DeCA director. “So, visit your commissary to get your emergency items now and save money in the process.”

The theme for this year’s National Preparedness Month is “Prepare to protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.” The month is separated into four activities: Sept. 1-4 – make a plan; Sept. 5-11 – build a kit; Sept. 12-18 – prepare for disasters; and Sept. 19-24 – teach youth about preparedness.

From April through Oct. 31, DeCA’s severe weather promotional package helps customers prepare their survival kits with discounts on the following items: beef jerky and other assorted meat snacks, soup and chili mixes, canned goods, powdered milk, cereals, batteries, airtight bags, weather-ready flashlights, tape (all-weather, heavy-duty shipping and duct), first aid kits, lighters, matches, lanterns, candles, hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes. Specific items may vary from store to store.

How do you prepare for the next crisis? Planning is the first step and emergency preparedness officials recommend a disaster supply kit that includes the following items:

• COVID-19 protection – reusable or disposable face coverings, disposable gloves, hand sanitizers, disinfecting wipes, hand soap

• Water – at least one gallon daily, per person (three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home)

• Nonperishable foods – canned meats, fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, raisins, cereal, crackers, cookies, energy bars, granola, peanut butter, and foods for infants and the elderly (three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home)

• Paper goods – writing paper, paper plates, paper towels and toilet paper

• Writing utensils – pens, pencils (manual pencil sharpeners), markers

• Cooking items – pots, pans, baking sheets, cooking utensils, charcoal, a grill and a manual can opener

• First-aid kit – including bandages, medicines and prescription medications

• Cleaning materials – bleach, sanitizing spray, and hand and laundry soap

• Toiletries – personal hygiene items and moist wipes

• Pet care items – food, water, muzzle, leash, carrier, medications, medical records, and identification and immunization tags

• Lighting accessories – flashlights, batteries, candles and matches

• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)

• Duct tape, scissors

• Multipurpose tool

• Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates and insurance policies)

• Cell phone with chargers

• Family and emergency contact information

• Extra cash

• Emergency blanket

• Maps of the area

• Blankets or sleeping bags

For more information about disaster preparedness, go to the DeCA website for lists of resources. For more resources to prepare for emergencies, go to Ready.gov and the Department of Homeland Security’s National Preparedness Goal webpage.

-DeCA-

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.

Normally summertime means barbecues, festivals, sporting events, boating, hitting the beach, camping, and other recreational activities. In short, summertime normally means a lot more people are spending time in the great outdoors.

Summer is also the peak season for one of the nation’s deadliest weather phenomena — lightning. Lightning typically receives less attention than other storm-related killers because it does not result in mass destruction or casualties like tornadoes, floods, or hurricanes often do. However, consider these lightning statistics:

• About 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes occur in the United States each year.

• Over the last 30 years, the U.S. has averaged 51 lightning fatalities per year.

• Only about 10 percent of people struck by lightning are actually killed. The other 90percent must cope with varying degrees of discomfort and disability, sometimes for the rest of their lives.

Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s (NNSY) Emergency Management Officer Steve Murley said, “Lightning safety education can raise awareness about the hazards of lightning in order to lower the number of deaths and injuries caused by lightning strikes. Remember, lightning makes every single thunderstorm a potential killer, whether the storm produces one single bolt or ten thousand bolts.”

Lightning is one of the most erratic and unpredictable characteristics of a thunderstorm. To protect oneself, knowing and following proven lightning safety guidelines can greatly reduce the risk of injury or death.

Most lightning victims are not struck during the worst of a thunderstorm but rather before or after the storm reaches its greatest intensity. This is because many people are unaware that lightning can strike as far as 25 miles away from its parent thunderstorm, much farther out from the area of rainfall within the storm!

Therefore, if you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance. Seek safe shelter immediately. Remember this lightning safety rule: WHEN THUNDER ROARS, GO INDOORS…and stay there until 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder. Do not wait for the rain to start before you decide to seek shelter, and do not leave shelter just because the rain has ended.

“The best way to protect yourself and your family from the dangers of thunderstorms is to be prepared,” said Murley. “If you have outdoor plans, be sure to familiarize yourself with the latest weather forecast before heading out. Consider taking a portable National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio or AM/FM radio with you. Upon arriving on-site, determine where you will seek shelter in the event of a thunderstorm and how long it would take to reach that shelter. A sturdy, enclosed structure with plumbing and electrical wiring is safest, but if one is not available most enclosed metal vehicles are safe alternatives.”

During your outdoor activities, keep an eye to the sky for developing thunderstorms. If thunder is heard, if lightning is seen, or even if thunderclouds are developing, seek shelter immediately!

As we continue to recover from COVID-19, please keep in mind, you may need to adjust any preparedness actions based on the latest health and safety guidelines from the CDC and your local officials.

For tips and resources related to lightning safety, please visit https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning.

In June 2021, the Hawaiian monk seal pup Lōliʻi was transferred to Marine Corps Base Hawaii for protection from crowds on Waikiki beach. Although a baby seal may sound like a great tourist attraction, the conservation and protection of marine wildlife is important, and that includes minimizing the chances of young, curious monk seals becoming habituated to people. The natural wildlife and landscape is a precious resource to both MCBH and the people of Hawaii, and the installation takes seriously their stewardship role of protecting these resources.

“What happens after about six weeks of nursing is the mother seal abruptly leaves,” said Angela Amlin, a Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “Then you have a young monk seal pup on a beach by itself, and it’s in this phase where it’s learning a lot.”

In a heavily populated environment, such as the crowds in Waikiki, a seal learns to be social with not only other seals, but humans as well. Young, recently weaned pups, like Lōliʻi, can be particularly curious. 

“They can become conditioned, and can even attempt to play and engage in other seal social behavior with people,” said Amlin. “This is really concerning because once they get bigger, conditioned seals can end up injuring people seriously.”

A seal’s ability to survive in the wild can be negatively impacted by its social engagement with humans.

“We were really concerned about keeping both Lōliʻi safe in the wild and keeping the public safe,” said Amlin. “We know from past experiences that if we move seals at this young age, they do just as well as seals that remain on their natal (birth) beach.”

Relocating a monk seal is serious business. NOAA extensively assesses risks to the seal when evaluating relocation and potential relocation sites. Some of these risks include the probability of human interaction, fishing hooks and nets, and off-leash pets.

“In May we got a call from NOAA,” said Lance Bookless, the senior natural resources manager for MCBH Environmental Compliance and Protection Division. “They asked us if we would be willing to release the pup here, based on their risk assessment.”

On June 10, 2021, Lōliʻi was transported to MCBH, and released on a wildlife protected beach.

“[NOAA] collected blood and tissue samples; they attached a GPS transmitter to the seal; and they put identifying tags on its two flippers,” said Bookless.

The importance of tracking these seals is to ensure that they remain safe, despite the dangers around them.

“They are an extremely endangered marine mammal. There’s only about fourteen-hundred of them left in the wild,” said Bookless. “They estimate roughly three hundred of them inhabit the main Hawaiian Islands.”

With efforts like this relocation, there is hope for a brighter future for the Hawaiian monk seal.

“The whole purpose of trying to protect them is so they can rebuild the population, and someday they may be able to be taken off the endangered list,” said Bookless.

Partnering with organizations like NOAA is important to MCBH’s mission of protecting and preserving the wildlife of Hawaii.

As a reminder, please view Hawaii wildlife responsibly. NOAA recommends and MCBH requires staying at least 50 feet away from monk seals—both on land and in water. Please report sightings of Hawaiian monk seals or injured marine mammals and sea turtles to the NOAA Marine Wildlife hotline: 888-256-9840.