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MSC Reservists Support Operation Deep Freeze 2024 Loadout 

From Sarah Cannon, Military Sealift Command Pacific 

UNITED STATES — Navy reservists from Military Sealift Command Pacific’s Expeditionary Port Unit (EPU) 114 are conducting cargo operations in Port Hueneme, Calif., overseeing the loadout of supplies and equipment are being loaded onto the Military Sealift Command charter ship MV Ocean Gladiator in preparation for delivery to the remote Antarctica outpost of McMurdo Station, in support of the annual resupply mission; Operation Deep Freeze 2024. 

Serving as liaisons between the Navy and the crew of the ship and the stevedores on the pier, the EPU 114 reservists are coordinating the loadout of 407 pieces of cargo, consisting of containers filled with mechanical parts, vehicles, construction materials, office supplies and electronics equipment, and mobile office unites; supplies needed for the year’s survival at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. 
 
According to Cmdr. Timothy Cushanick, EPU 114’s commanding officer, the moral among the six-member reserve team is high, something he attributes to the mission itself, and to the fact that this year’s mission will be completed before Christmas, unlike past years when it was conducted during the holiday. 
 
“Everybody is excited to support the mission, because it is so different than anything we normally do, but also because we will be home for the holidays!” he explained. “You can feel the excitement talking to the ship’s master and crew. They really want to be on this mission and to go to Antarctica. ODF is truly one a one of a kind thing for all of us, and we all feel privileged to be a part of it.” 
 
Loading cargo into the 545-foot Ocean Gladiator requires advanced planning. Weight differences in cargo, as well as the types of cargo loaded and the storage issues require a specific load order, which is followed to the letter to ensure an on time departure. Because of this, the reservists have worked with members of the MSCPAC Operations team as well as Ocean Gladiator’s crew, port workers, stevedores and members of the National Science Foundation and Ports of America. 
 
“This mission is supporting real-world operations, and not a table-top scenario type exercise like we as reservists normally do,” said Cushanick. “This is a fantastic opportunity for all of us, because we are working as a new team, with organizations we don’t normally work with. This mission is special, because of the length of it. Because it is nearly two weeks long, we are able to really get to know all the players, especially the ship’s crew, their capabilities and their needs. These are things we can take with us into other missions.” 
 
Navy reservists are used to working in new environments with a team they have not met before, but that does not mean it is easy. Working as a new team can have its own set of challenges. To make the transition into the ODF mission easier, the EPU-114 team began communication through electronic means weeks ago, getting to know each other, and identifying strength of each member. While they had not worked as a team before reaching Port Hueneme, they did have a familiarization with each other. 
 
“Working electronically before the mission set the stage for working together,” said Cushanick. “We might not know each other physically, but we did know each other’s names and a little bit of their personalities, which definitely makes the first couple of days easier.” 
Ocean Gladiator will depart Port Hueneme later in the week. Following a stop in Christchurch, New Zealand, where the ship will load additional cargo, it will travel to the ice-pier at McMurdo Station, where members of Navy Cargo Handling Battalion ONE will conduct the offload. Before departing McMurdo station, Ocean Gladiator will be loaded with ice core samples that will be stored on the ship in sub-zero freezer containers. The ice core samples will be delivered to the United States for scientific study. In addition, retrograde cargo will be loaded onto the ship for transportation off the continent. These include trash and recyclable materials for disposal and equipment no longer required on the station. 
 
Operation Deep Freeze is a joint service, on-going Defense Support to Civilian Authorities activity in support of the National Science Foundation (NSF), lead agency for the United States Antarctic Program. Mission support consists of active duty, Guard and Reserve personnel from the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Army, and Coast Guard as well as Department of Defense civilians and attached non-DOD civilians. ODF operates from two primary locations situated at Christchurch, New Zealand and McMurdo Station, Antarctica. An MSC-chartered cargo ship and tanker have made the challenging voyage to Antarctica every year since the station and its resupply mission were established in 1955. 

Release from Leidos 

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Leidos demonstrated the Marine Expeditionary Long-Range Persistent Surveillance (MELPS) prototype at last year’s Project Convergence 2022 in the San Diego area. Photo: Leidos 

Huntsville, Ala. (Nov. 27, 2023) – Leidos, a Fortune 500 science and technology company, announced it was recently awarded a new $32 million contract by the Marine Corps System Command (MARCORSYSCOM) through the Consortium Management Group (CMG). The defense radar systems development contract calls for four Medium Range Air Defense Radar (MRADR) prototype systems within a two-year span. The company’s Dynetics team will be leading the development of the required sensors. 

“This win represents a significant transition for the Leidos team,” said Larry Barisciano, the weapons technology operations manager for Leidos’ Dynetics Group. “Our successful R&D process has created a path for this opportunity to become a true program of record. We’re excited to begin developing, producing and deploying these sensors for our nation’s Marines.” 

Leidos’ Dynetics Group previously developed the Marine Expeditionary Long Range Persistent Sensor (MELPS) assets through the Office of Naval Research Multi-domain Radar in Contested Environments (MuDRaCE) program, which was managed by Leidos’ Innovation Center (LInC). Those sensors provide a 360-degree field of view that combines digitized antennas and receivers with sophisticated signal processing techniques to provide a persistent, high-quality air picture with no detectable electromagnetic footprint. 

Work on the new systems will be based off expertise from previous sensor development programs as well as feedback from live demonstrations. 

Work will primarily be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with some labor conducted in Arlington, Virginia. The current delivery date is scheduled for 2025. 

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The U.S. Senate has confirmed the Department of the Navy’s acquisition boss. 

Nickolas H. Guertin, the Defense Department’s director of Operational Trest and Evaluation, has cleared the hurdles to become the new assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASNDRA). 

Guertin, confirmed on Dec. 13, will take over from Jay Stefany, who has been performing the ASNRDA duties since November 2021.  

Below is Guertin’s official biography: 

The Honorable Nickolas H. Guertin was sworn in as Director, Operational Test and Evaluation on December 20, 2021. A Presidential appointee confirmed by the United States Senate, he serves as the senior advisor to the Secretary of Defense on operational and live fire test and evaluation of Department of Defense weapon systems. 

Mr. Guertin has an extensive four-decade combined military and civilian career in submarine operations, ship construction and maintenance, development and testing of weapons, sensors, combat management products including the improvement of systems engineering, and defense acquisition. Most recently, he has performed applied research for government and academia in software-reliant and cyber-physical systems at Carnegie Mellon University’s Software Engineering Institute. 

Over his career, he has been in leadership of organizational transformation, improving competition, application of modular open system approaches, as well as prototyping and experimentation. He has also researched and published extensively on software-reliant system design, testing and acquisition. He received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington and an MBA from Bryant University. He is a retired Navy Reserve Engineering Duty Officer, was Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certified in Program Management and Engineering and is also a registered Professional Engineer (Mechanical). 

Mr. Guertin is involved with his community as an Assistant Scoutmaster and Merit Badge Counselor for two local Scouts BSA troops as well as being an avid amateur musician. He is a native of Connecticut and now resides in Virginia with his wife and twin children. 

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ARLINGTON, Va. — The secretary of the Navy and chief of naval operations announced on Dec. 18, 2023, the following assignments: 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Amy N. Bauernschmidt is assigned as deputy commander, Seventh Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Walter D. Brafford is assigned as commander, Naval Medical Forces Support Command, with additional duties as Chief of the Dental Corps, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Thomas J. Dickinson is assigned as commander, Naval Surface Warfare Center/Commander, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Washington, D.C. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Thomas A. Donovan is assigned as deputy director, Global Operations, J39, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Frederic C. Goldhammer is assigned as deputy director for Political-Military Affairs (Asia), J5, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Robert J. Hawkins is assigned as deputy assistant director, Operations, Strategy, and Education and Training, Defense Health Agency, with additional duties as Chief of the Navy Nurse Corps, Falls Church, Virginia. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Joshua Himes is assigned as vice director for Intelligence, J-2, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Ian L. Johnson is assigned as commander, Navy Region Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Neil A. Koprowski is assigned as commander, Navy Region Korea; commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea; and commander, Naval Component, U.S. Forces Korea, United Nations Command, Korea, Pusan, Korea. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Paul J. Lanzilotta is assigned as director, Fleet Integrated Readiness and Analysis, N02R, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Joshua Lasky is assigned as deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command; and deputy commander Fifth Fleet, Manama, Bahrain. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Donald W. Marks is assigned as commander, Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center, San Diego, California. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Craig T. Mattingly is assigned as commander, Naval Service Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Andrew T. Miller is assigned as commander, Undersea Warfighting Development Center, Groton, Connecticut. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Kurtis A. Mole is assigned as deputy commander, Tenth Fleet, Fort Meade, Maryland. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Lincoln M. Reifsteck is assigned as program manager, AUKUS, Integration and Acquisition, Washington, D.C. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Frank G. Schlereth III is assigned as senior defense official/Defense Attaché – Israel, Tel Aviv, Israel. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Thomas E. Shultz is assigned as deputy director, Policy, Plans, Strategy, Capabilities and Resources (J-5/8), U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Kevin R. Smith is assigned as program executive officer, Unmanned and Small Combatants, Washington, D.C. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Michael T. Spencer is assigned as commander, Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center, Fallon, Nevada. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Julie M. Treanor is assigned as deputy chief of staff for Fleet Ordnance and Supply/Fleet Supply Officer, N41, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Todd S. Weeks is assigned as program executive officer, Undersea Warfare Systems, Washington, D.C. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Todd E. Whalen is assigned as president, Board of Inspection and Survey, Virginia Beach, Virginia. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Dianna Wolfson is assigned as fleet maintenance officer, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Forrest O. Young is assigned as director, Operations and Plans, N3, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) John E. Byington is assigned as deputy commander, Navy Space Command, Fort Meade, Maryland. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Jeffrey A. Jurgemeyer is assigned as reserve vice commander, U.S. Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command, Fifth Fleet, Manama, Bahrain. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Richard S. Lofgren is assigned as reserve vice commander, U.S. Fourth Fleet, Mayport, Florida. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) David E. Ludwa is assigned as reserve deputy for Fleet Readiness and Logistics, N4R, U.S. Naval Forces Europe/U.S. Naval Forces Africa, Naples, Italy. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Michael S. Mattis is assigned as commander, Task Force 66 (TF 66); and director, Strategic Effects, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe/U.S. Naval Forces, Africa Naples, Italy. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Richard W. Meyer is assigned as deputy commander, Third Fleet, San Diego, California. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Peter K. Muschinske is assigned as deputy chief of chaplains for Total Force; and deputy director of Religious Ministries, N097C, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.  

Rear Adm. (lower half) John A. Robinson III is assigned as vice chief of information, Washington, D.C.  

Rear Adm. (lower half) Bryon T. Smith is assigned as reserve vice commander, Second Fleet, Norfolk, Virginia. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Michael R. Vanpoots is assigned as deputy/reserve deputy commander, Submarine Force Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Marc F. Williams is assigned as deputy commander, Navy Closure Task Force – Red Hill, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 

Release from Bollinger Shipyards 

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PASCAGOULA, Miss., — (December 18, 2023) – Last week, Bollinger Shipyards (“Bollinger”) delivered the first Bollinger-built Auxiliary Personnel Lighter–Small (APL(S)) Class berthing and messing barge (APL 71) to the U.S. Navy. APL 71 is the 5th vessel of its class to be delivered to the Navy and the 3rd to be homeported in Norfolk, Virginia.  

“We are honored to be entrusted to build the APL berthing and messing barge for the U.S. Navy,” said Ben Bordelon, President and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards. “I’m proud of the hard work and dedication of our team at Bollinger and our continued commitment to delivering high-quality, reliable vessels that meet the Navy’s rigorous standards and improve the quality of life for our sailors. We look forward to continuing to grow our partnership with the Navy and delivering this critical asset to support our national defense.” 

The previous four APLs were built and delivered by VT Halter Marine, which Bollinger acquired in late 2022. Halter received the initial contract in 2018. APLs are used by the Navy to house crewmembers when ships are in port for availabilities and Inter-Deployment Training Cycles. The barges are mobile and can be towed to new bases or shipyards to support changing fleet requirements and also offer potential use for humanitarian missions and other temporary assignments. 

APLs are 269 feet long, 69 feet wide and have a draft of 7 feet. Each vessel is equipped with offices, classrooms, washrooms, laundry facilities, medical treatment areas, a barber shop and fitness center. With mess seating for 224 enlisted personnel and 28 officers, each meal is served via five 20-minute shifts to allow food service for 1,130 personnel (three meals per day). The vessels are fitted with mixed gender berthing spaces for 74 officers and 537 enlisted personnel, for a total of 611 people. 

Release from Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet 

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By Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet 

14 December 2023 

SAN DIEGO — Naval Surface Forces established Naval Surface Readiness Group (SURFGRU) Southwest at Naval Base San Diego Dec. 14. 
 
The ceremony marked the formal establishment of SURFGRU Southwest, which joins Surface Readiness Groups previously established in Japan, Hawaii, Norfolk and Mayport. SURFGRUs will ultimately operate from each fleet concentration area with a mission focus on force generation and preparing more, ready ships for on-time maintenance execution. 
 
“The establishment of Surface Readiness Groups is ultimately about the readiness of our force and achieving our North Star objective of 75 mission capable ships,” said Rear Admiral Yvette Davids, Acting Commander, Naval Surface Forces. “These commands will help prepare the Surface Force for the high-end fight.” 
 
The North Star goal is an objective set by the Naval Surface Force to have 75 mission-capable ships available on any given day. 
 
The establishment of SURFGRU Southwest, and each of the SURFGRUs in fleet concentration areas, provides a single accountable commander with a team of readiness and training experts that focus on force generation in support of operational commanders. 
 
“This investment is for our ships to become more ready and more lethal,” said Capt. Gil Clark, inaugural commander of Naval Surface Group Southwest. “That lethality comes from the readiness we will generate―readiness allowing our ships to answer any call our nation and our leaders require.” 
 
SURFGRUs will play an integral role in achieving North Star 75 goal by spearheading maintenance for ships on the waterfront during their workups. This force generation focus by SURFGRUs will enable destroyer and amphibious squadrons to focus more on operations and tactics. This delineation of responsibility will ultimately provide more effective workup phases for ships, resulting in better prepared Sailors and units for future deployments. 
 
The mission of CNSP is to man, train, and equip the Surface Force to provide fleet commanders with credible naval power to control the sea and project power ashore. 
 
For more news from Naval Surface Forces, visit Www.Surfpac.Navy.Mil/ and Www.Dvidshub.Net/Unit/COMNAVSURFPAC. 

Release from U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs 

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By U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs | December 15, 2023 

MANAMA, Bahrain — A U.S. Coast Guard ship seized illegal drugs worth over $6 million from a fishing vessel in the Gulf of Oman, Dec. 12. 

Crewmembers from the Sentinel-class fast response cutter USCGC Glen Harris (WPC 1144) observed individuals on a fishing vessel throw seven bales of material over the side. The material was discovered to be 174 kilograms of heroin. 

Glen Harris arrived in the Middle East region last year and operates from Naval Support Activity Bahrain. 

The fast response cutter is part of a contingent of U.S. Coast Guard ships forward-deployed to the region under Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA). PATFORSWA deploys Coast Guard personnel and ships alongside U.S. and regional naval forces throughout the Middle East. 

Release from Naval Sea Systems Command 

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Dec. 15, 2023 

By Team Ships Public Affairs 

The keel for the future USS George M. Neal (DDG 131), a Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, was ceremonially laid at HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division, December 15. 

The ship is named for the late Aviation Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class George M. Neal, who was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic actions during the Korean War. As a volunteer crewman on a helicopter mission, Neal flew deep into the North Korean mountains to attempt the rescue of a Marine aviator. After his rescue helicopter was disabled and crashed, he assisted his helicopter’s pilot and rescued Marine aviator in evading enemy forces for nine days before being captured and held as a prisoner of war. 

The contemporary keel laying ceremony represents the joining together of a ship’s major modular components at the land level and is a significant milestone in the production of a ship. The keel is authenticated with the ship sponsors’ initials etched into a ceremonial keel plate that is later incorporated into the ship. Kelley Grey, the daughter of Aviation Machinist’s Mate Third Class Neal, participated in the ceremony. 

“The late George M. Neal inspired his fellow servicemen, and we are honored to have his daughter with us as we marked this important milestone in the life of the ship, ” said Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51-class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “The future USS George M. Neal will provide our Sailors with the latest air and missile defense capability.” 

The DDG 51 Flight III upgrade centers on the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar and incorporates upgrades to the electrical power and cooling capacity plus additional associated changes to provide greatly enhanced warfighting capability to the fleet. Flight III is the latest Flight upgrade in the more than 30-year history of the class, building on the proud legacy of Flight I, II and IIA ships before it. 

Ingalls Shipbuilding division is also in production on future destroyers USS Ted Stevens (DDG 128), USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), USS Sam Nunn (DDG 133), and USS Thad Cochran (DDG 135). 

 As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, sealift ships, support ships, boats and craft. 

Release from U.S. Naval Forces Europe/U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs 

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Dec. 15, 2023 

By U.S. Naval Forces Europe/U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs 

NAPLES, Italy  –  The Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System (AAMDS) located in Redzikowo, Poland, will be accepted by the U.S. Navy on Dec. 15, 2023, where AAMDS will enter a planned maintenance period to upgrade the network and computer systems. Once finalized, AAMDS Poland will be a fully integrated and tested element of the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System, and made ready to operate under NATO command and control. The official transfer to NATO is scheduled to occur spring to summer of 2024. 

The acceptance of the Aegis Ashore site in Poland, like its sister site in Romania, is an important step in our efforts to get AAMDS ready to protect against the growing threat posed by ballistic missiles launched from Iran. The addition of this site in Poland will help provide enhanced coverage and expand protection for all NATO European populations, territories and forces against potential threats to the Euro-Atlantic area. 

The Aegis Ashore is defensive in nature and designed to shoot down threats posed to U.S. forward deployed forces, or the security of our European allies. The defensive focus of Aegis Ashore is confirmed in the U.S. commitments to NATO and standing NATO policy. 

Aegis Ashore in NSF Redzikowo is a critical part of the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA). EPAA protects European Allies and partners against ballistic missile threats emanating from outside the Euro-Atlantic area. EPAA integrates the missile defense systems of forward deployed U.S. Navy destroyers in Rota, Spain with the Aegis capabilities at NSF Deveselu, Romania and, once fully operational, AAMDS Poland at NSF Redzikowo to provide comprehensive ballistic missile defense across Europe. 

NSF Redzikowo is a tangible demonstration of the U.S. commitment to collective security in Europe. Poland is a vital ally, partner, and friend of the United States. Our alliance is based on shared values, including democratic governance, free markets, and individual liberty. Security is a fundamental pillar of the U.S.-Poland bilateral relationship. 

For over 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has forged strategic relationships with our Allies and Partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability. 

Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and USAFRICOM areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations. 

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ARLINGTON, Va. — Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced Dec. 15, 2023, that the president has made the following nominations: 

Marine Corps Reserve Brig. Gen. Douglas K. Clark for appointment to the grade of major general.  Clark is currently serving as commanding general, 4th Marine Division, U.S. Marine Forces Reserve, New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Marine Corps Reserve Brig. Gen. Sean N. Day for appointment to the grade of major general.  Day is currently serving as mobilization assistant to the deputy commander, U.S. Space Command, Colorado Springs, Colorado. 

Marine Corps Reserve Col. Thomas M. Armas for appointment to the grade of brigadier general.  Armas is currently serving as deputy director, Reserve Affairs, Reserve Affairs Division, Manpower & Reserve Affairs, Headquarters Marine Corps, Quantico, Virginia. 

Marine Corps Reserve Col Daniel B. Taylor for appointment to the grade of brigadier general.  Taylor is currently serving as liaison officer to the commander, Third Fleet, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. 

Marine Corps Reserve Col. Patrick F. Tiernan for appointment to the grade of brigadier general.  Tiernan is currently serving as assistant wing commander, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, U.S. Marine Forces Reserve, New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Marine Corps Col. William T. Wilburn Jr. for appointment to the grade of brigadier general.  Wilburn is currently serving as director of Plans and Strategy, Joint Task Force – ARES, Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command, Fort Meade, Maryland.