WASHINGTON – Vice Adm. Linda L. Fagan has been nominated by the White House to be the next vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, the service’s headquarters announced in an April 19 release. 

She currently serves as the commander of the Coast Guard Pacific Area, overseeing all Coast Guard missions from the Rocky Mountains to the waters off the East Coast of Africa. Fagan concurrently serves as commander, Defense Force West and provides Coast Guard mission support to the Department of Defense and Combatant Commanders. Fagan is a 1985 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy and is the Coast Guard’s first-ever Gold Ancient Trident, the officer with the longest service record in the Marine Safety field. 

“Vice Adm. Fagan is an outstanding leader with 36 years of Coast Guard operations, policy-making, joint service, and interagency experience,” said Adm. Karl L. Schultz, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. “Throughout her distinguished career, she has been a top performer and a trailblazer. As the Coast Guard’s first female four-star admiral, and President Biden’s nominee to serve as the Coast Guard’s 32nd vice commandant, Adm. Fagan will be instrumental in moving the Service forward at a critical juncture in our history.” 

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas released a statement on Fagan’s nomination.

“I am pleased that President Biden has nominated Vice Admiral Linda Fagan to be the vice commandant of the United States Coast Guard,” it says. “She is a superb leader who, as the 32nd vice commandant, will guide the Coast Guard at a time when its mission of securing our maritime borders, ports, and waterways has never been more important. If confirmed, Vice Admiral Fagan would serve as the first woman to be promoted to a 4-star rank in the Coast Guard.  We are grateful to Vice Admiral Fagan for continuing her service to country, for the trail she has blazed, and for inspiring us all.”

Pending confirmation, Fagan is expected to relieve current Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard Adm. Charles W. Ray on June 18. 

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Huntington Ingalls Industries announced on April 19 the commercial release of its REMUS 300 unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). This new, open architecture, small-class UUV can dive to depths of 305 meters (1,000 feet) and has endurance options up to 30 hours.  

“The REMUS 300 is the most advanced small-class UUV on the market,” said Duane Fotheringham, president of the Unmanned Systems business group in HII’s Technical Solutions division. “It combines everything we’ve learned from more than 20 years of development on our REMUS 100 systems with enhancements like advanced modularity and a more robust structure and sensors. We’re excited to offer this solution to customers who are looking to dive deeper and go longer with a flexible, man-portable system.”  

Built on the REMUS Technology Platform, the REMUS 300 has compact and efficient core electronics, advanced autonomy and a common operating system that allows for interoperability with the entire REMUS family of systems. Its open architecture design and modularity enable integration of the latest hardware and software, with an optional hardware development kit and software development kit to enable third-party integration.  

The REMUS 300 design incorporates feedback from hundreds of REMUS 100 users and provides the ability to exchange payloads, allowing application flexibility. Common applications include mine countermeasures, hydrographic survey, rapid environmental assessment, search and recovery, and marine research. Modular energy sections allow for field replacement of 1.5, 3.0 or 4.5 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion batteries enabling up to 10, 20 or 30 hours of endurance.  

More than 500 REMUS UUVs have been sold to 25 countries worldwide. Standard configurations of the REMUS 300 can now be acquired internationally and commercially, with orders being accepted now for delivery in 2022.  

Learn more about the new REMUS 300 UUV at: https://tsd.huntingtoningalls.com/capabilities/unmanned-systems/unmanned-underwater-vehicles/remus300m/.  

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding division reached a major milestone on the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of USS George Washington (CVN 73), the company said in an April 16 release. 

Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Sailors ate the first meal prepared in the galley in the nearly three years since the ship arrived at Newport News. The opening of the crew galley is one of the last significant steps before the first 1,100 Sailors are expected to move aboard in June. 

“George Washington has gone through a transformation since it arrived at Newport News for the mid-life refueling overhaul and maintenance availability,” said Todd West, Newport News’ vice president, in-service aircraft carrier programs. “The crew beginning their move aboard and the reopening of berthing spaces and galleys, all supporting our nearing completion of the RCOH, is a sign that the ship is being brought back to life. We look forward to continuing our work with our Navy partners to redeliver the ship to the fleet.” 

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is in the final stages of testing, which is designed to exercise all aspects of the propulsion plant systems and will certify the systems and components for future operations over the next 25 years of service. The RCOH is more than 85% complete, and the ship is on track to be re-delivered to the Navy in 2022. 

ARLINGTON — The Navy’s newest Freedom-variant littoral combat ship, the future USS Oakland (LCS 24), will be commissioned at 10:00 a.m. PST on Saturday, April 17, 2021 in Oakland, California, the Defense Department said in an April 16 release. 

Due to public health and safety concerns related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the commissioning will be a private event. The ceremony will be live-streamed for those unable to attend. The following link will become active approximately five minutes prior to the event (9:55 a.m. PST): https://allhands.navy.mil/Live-Stream.   

Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas W. Harker, will deliver the commissioning ceremony’s principal address. Ms. Kate Brandt, Google sustainability officer, is the ship’s sponsor. The ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when Ms. Brandt gives the order to “man our ship and bring her to life!” 

Cmdr. Francisco X. Garza, a native of Phoenix, Arizona, is the ship’s commanding officer and leads a crew of 70 officers and enlisted personnel. The 3,200-ton Oakland was built by General Dynamics/Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. The ship is 421 feet in length, has a beam of 103 feet, and a navigational draft of 15 feet. The ship is powered by two gas turbine engines, two main propulsion diesel engines, and four waterjets to reach speeds up to 40-plus knots. 

“The USS Oakland crew is excited and ready to bring our ship to life and join the fleet,” said Garza. “We are privileged to be a part of this ship and embody the spirit of the people of Oakland. As plank owners and future crew members build a positive legacy for this ship, the city of Oakland will experience those successes with us.” 

Oakland is the third ship to bear the name. She is the 12th Independence-variant LCS and the 297th ship to join our battle force. The littoral combat ship is a fast, agile, focused-mission platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, while capable of open-ocean tasking and winning against 21st-century coastal threats such as submarines, mines, and swarming small craft. The LCS is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence. 

USS Oakland will be homeported at Naval Base San Diego, California. 

ARLINGTON, Va. – Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced April 16 that the president has made the following nominations: 

Marine Corps Lt. Gen. David G. Bellon for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general, and assignment as commander, Marine Forces Reserve; and commander, Marine Forces South. Bellon is currently serving as commander, U.S. Marine Forces Reserve, New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Marine Corps Lt. Gen. George W. Smith Jr. for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general, and assignment as commanding general, I Marine Expeditionary Force. Smith is currently serving as the deputy commandant for plans, policies, and operations, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. 

Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Edward D. Banta for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, and assignment as deputy commandant for installations and logistics, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. Banta is currently serving as commander, Marine Corps Installations Command; and assistant deputy commandant for installations and logistics (facilities), Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. 

Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Kevin M. Iiams for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, and assignment as commanding general, Training and Education Command. Iiams is currently serving as the assistant deputy commandant for combat development and integration; and deputy commanding general, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. 

Marine Corps Maj. Gen. William M. Jurney for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, and assignment as commanding general, II Marine Expeditionary Force. Jurney is currently serving as commanding general, Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command; and commanding general, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III announced a number of Navy flag officer nominations by the president on April 15, including six for vice admiral, three of which would assume command of the U.S. 3rd, 5th and 7th Fleets.   

Austin said the president has made the following nominations: 

Navy Rear Adm. Kelly A. Aeschbach for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, and assignment as commander, Naval Information Forces, Suffolk, Virginia. Aeschbach is currently serving as director, National Maritime Intelligence Integration Office; and commander, Office of Naval Intelligence, Washington, D.C. 

Navy Vice Adm. Scott D. Conn for reappointment to the grade of vice admiral, and assignment as deputy chief of naval operations for warfighting requirements and capabilities, N-9, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Conn is currently serving as commander, Third Fleet, San Diego, California. 

Navy Rear Adm. Charles B. Cooper II for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, and assignment as commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Central Command; commander, Fifth Fleet; and commander, Combined Maritime Forces, Manama, Bahrain. Cooper most recently served as commander, Naval Surface Force, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia. 

Navy Rear Adm. John V. Fuller for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, and assignment as inspector general, Department of the Navy, Washington, D.C. Fuller is currently serving as deputy director for force protection, J-8, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. 

Navy Rear Adm. Stephen T. Koehler for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, and assignment as commander, Third Fleet, San Diego, California. Koehler is currently serving as deputy commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 

Navy Rear Adm. Karl O. Thomas for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, and assignment as commander, Seventh Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan. Thomas is currently serving as assistant deputy chief of naval operations, plans and strategy, N3/N5B, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. 

Navy Rear Adm. (lower half) Robert T. Clark has been nominated for appointment to the grade of rear admiral. Clark is currently serving as deputy commander, Seventh Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan. 

Navy Rear Adm. (lower half) Nancy S. Lacore has been nominated for appointment to the grade of rear admiral. Lacore is currently serving as chief of staff, U.S. Naval Forces Europe/U.S. Naval Forces Africa/Sixth Fleet, Naples, Italy. 

Navy Rear Adm. (lower half) Eileen H. Laubacher has been nominated for appointment to the grade of rear admiral. Laubacher is currently serving as senior defense official/defense attaché – India, New Delhi, India.  

Navy Rear Adm. (lower half) Theodore P. LeClair has been nominated for appointment to the grade of rear admiral. LeClair is currently serving as mobilization assistant to the director for operations, J3, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii. 

CAPE MAY, N.J. – The Coast Guard decommissioned the cutter Shearwater during a ceremony at Coast Guard Training Center Cape May that was presided over by Capt. Jonathan Theel, the commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, April 15, 2021, the Coast Guard 5th District said in a release. 

Shearwater was one of the Coast Guard’s 70 remaining 87-foot Marine Protector-class patrol boats. Training Center Cape May is now the homeport to three Coast Guard Fast Response Cutters.  

Commissioned in 2002, the Shearwater was the 49th of 73 coastal patrol boats built for search and rescue, ports, waterways, and coastal security, living marine resource enforcement, marine safety, and marine environmental protection.  

“Shearwater is a special ship that has served District 5 throughout the course of her history,” said Master Chief Petty Officer Tony Martinez, commanding officer of the Shearwater. “With a who’s who of prominent Coast Guard members, including high profile command master chiefs and command cadres with multiple tours, Shearwater boasted some of the finest crews throughout her tenure. She has been a fixture in both of her homeports, remaining durable and dependable throughout her history. I personally want to thank all of the crews for their dedication and service to our great nation as they were instrumental to Shearwater’s mission of takin’ care of business.” 

Shearwater’s keel was laid on April 30, 2002 at Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, Louisiana. Shearwater was launched on Aug. 6, 2002, and commissioned on Oct. 5, 2002.  

Over the past 19 years of service, Shearwater’s crews conducted a wide range of operations. Living up to the Shearwater’s motto “Takin’ Care of Business,” coined by the commissioning crew, crews completed 1,664 activities ranging from law enforcement boardings to search and rescue responses throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. From 2002 to 2018, the ship was homeported at Coast Guard Base Portsmouth, Virginia. Upon relocating to Cape May in 2018, the ship was dubbed “the Queen of the Cape” by a Coast Guard Auxiliarist.  

During the cutter’s last year of service, the sunset crew of 12 enlisted crew members continued this legacy, conducting high profile operations including the disentanglement of a leatherback turtle off of Cape May in August of 2020, and an 18-hour tow of a disabled fishing vessel 70 nautical miles east of Cape Charles, Virginia. 

“With a strong personal connection to the first officer in charge of this ship, I felt an immense honor being the final OIC aboard Shearwater,” said Martinez. “As I pause and reflect, remembering the first time I saw the ship from an 87 on the other end of the pier, the pride I feel commanding this ship is indescribable. To lead this sunset crew and watch them grow over the past two years has been humbling and rewarding. I am grateful for their dedication and service and look forward to staying in touch and following their careers. While our business here is done, we will proudly carry on Shearwater’s legacy of hard work and reliability.” 

SAN DIEGO — The U.S. Navy held a decommissioning ceremony for amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) at Naval Base San Diego April 14, the Naval Surface Force Public Affairs said in a release. 

The Bonhomme Richard had been severely damaged in a fire that began on July 12 while in port going through an extensive maintenance availability. The Navy determined the funds required to repair the 22-year-old ship or convert it to an alternate use would be better spent on other priorities.  
 
The ceremony highlighted the history of the ship, its crew, and their legacy. Bonhomme Richard was the third ship to bear the name. It was named in honor of John Paul Jones’ famous frigate, named the French equivalent for “Good man Richard.” This was in honor of Benjamin Franklin, the U.S. Ambassador to France at the time. The name Bonhomme Richard is derived from Franklin’s pen name. 
 
“[The original Bonhomme Richard] Sailors gave their all to prevail against seemingly impossible odds, and they won.” said Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 3. “They taught us that you don’t always save the ship, but you never stop fighting. The reputation of that fighting spirit began to proceed our Navy wherever we sailed and that same spirit persists today.” 
 
Like the previous five Wasp-class ships, Bonhomme Richard was designed to embark, deploy, and land elements of a Marine landing force in amphibious assault operations by helicopter, landing craft, or amphibious vehicles. 
 
Throughout its history, Bonhomme Richard projected power and maintained presence by serving as the cornerstone of Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG) or Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESG). It transported and landed elements of the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) or Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) with a combination of aircraft and landing craft. 
 
Not long after commissioning, the ship was called to action for Operation Stabilize in February 2000, providing peacekeeping and humanitarian operations of the coast of East Timor. This made Bonhomme Richard the first U.S. Navy ship to make a Western Pacific deployment in the 2000s. 
 
Bonhomme Richard’s following deployment put it in the spotlight of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The ship offloaded
more than a thousand Marines and their equipment from the 3^rd Battalion, 1^st Marines into Kuwait. After delivering attack and transport helicopters, as well as troops and vehicles, Bonhomme Richard took position just miles off the coast of Kuwait to launch AV-8B Harrier aircraft into Iraq. From the deck of Bonhomme Richard, Marine Attack Squadrons (VMA) 211 and 311 flew missions into Iraq and expended more than 175,000 pounds of ordnance and provided close air support to Marines on the ground. In total, the ship launched more than 800 sorties in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. More than 500 of those were combat launches. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Gilday conducted a video teleconference with Japan Chief of Staff Adm. Hiroshi Yamamura April 13, Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs said in a release. 

The two leaders discussed recent operations across the globe and ways to strengthen the two navies’ interoperability.  

“The alliance between the U.S. and Japan is a cornerstone of security and stability in a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Gilday. “Adm. Yamamura and I remain committed to strengthening the bonds of our navies’ cooperation and friendship, and we stand ready, together.” 

Gilday also thanked Yamamura for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF) continued support of U.S. Navy forces in the region. 

“The discussion today with Adm. Gilday to promote naval cooperation and enhance alliance capabilities for deterrence and effective response is of great significance,” said Yamamura. “The JMSDF and the U.S. Navy will continue to closely work together for a free and open Indo-Pacific.” 

Japanese and U.S. Navy forces frequently operate together. The most recent was a joint participation in French-led exercise La Perouse in the Bay of Bengal. Other recent events include operations between JMSDF JS Kongo (DDG 173) and USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), and the addition of a Japanese liaison officer at Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73, working directly with the staff’s replenishment officer to help enhance interchangeability and combined logistics operations.  

MIAMI — Coast Guard Cutter Raymond Evans’ crew repatriated 14 Cuban migrants to Cuba April 13, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a release.  

A good Samaritan reported the rustic vessel with 14 people aboard to Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders Saturday approximately 35 miles northwest of Key West.  

Station Key West rescue crews arrived on scene to find the people showing signs of dehydration and being sunburnt. They were taken off their vessel due to safety of life at sea concerns.  

“The Florida Straits are unpredictable,” said Coast Guard Liaison Officer Lt. Cmdr. Mario Gil, U.S. Embassy Havana. “It is not safe to take to the seas in makeshift vessels that aren’t seaworthy.” 

Since Oct. 1, 2020, Coast Guard crews have interdicted 166 Cubans compared to fiscal year 2019, Oct. 1, 2018 – Sept. 30, 2019, where crews interdicted 314 Cubans. 

Once aboard a Coast Guard 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. There were no migrants in these cases reported to have any COVID-19 related symptoms.