Attend this event online

The Honolulu Council of the Navy League is once again hosting the Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Exchange (IMSE), a conference that brings voices from the Indo-Pacific together to discuss maritime security issues in the region. The event will take place August 3^rd and 4^th as an online symposium. 

“Our agenda is designed to stimulate a conversation,” said Larry Osborn, a retired Navy captain and president of the Navy League’s Pacific Region.   

In a basic sense, IMSE looks at maritime security in its four key elements: freedom of navigation, unrestricted flow of commerce, the protection of ocean resources, and the exclusive rights of sovereign nations in their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs); an overarching theme is building partnerships for security, stability, and prosperity. IMSE will feature senior maritime leaders and subject matter experts from the region as speakers and panelists examining a broad range of topics to include the strengthening of multi-national maritime military capability, capacity building efforts that include security assistance and cooperation, law-enforcement on the high seas, and diplomatic efforts. 

According to the IMSE website, nearly all of the thirty-six countries that comprise the Indo-Pacific region are maritime nations. The region contains nine of the ten busiest seaports in the world and more than half of global maritime trade transits the region. The national sovereignty and economic well-being of nations in the region are dependent on the maintenance of the rule of law and international norms on the high seas as described in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Today this rule of law is being challenged by expansionist territorial claims in the South China Sea, harassment of foreign vessels in international waters, and IUU fishing. Countering these threats to maritime security in the region requires the collaborative efforts of like-minded nations in the military, diplomatic, law-enforcement, and commercial arenas.  

Osborn said the IMSE team strives to have half of the speakers be representatives from the various countries in the region. “Specifically, we want to give a voice to all the nations large and small to include Pacific Islanders, as well as some of the more some of the larger nations, like Japan, or the Republic of Korea. Collectively, our peace, security and prosperity are dependent on the seas.” 

The 2023 conference content will be divided into three segments. “The first segment is going to look at illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and its nexus with transnational crime. The second segment will examine the various treaties, alliances and affiliations in the region and how they interplay. In our third segment, we will focus on emerging maritime capabilities, starting with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and the Chinese Maritime Militia.  We’ll also look at some of the navies in the region to include Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, and others. And I think each of them has a story to tell about their navies and their emerging capabilities and capacity,” said Osborn.  

As examples, Osborn points to India’s indigenous aircraft carrier; acquisition of MH 60 Romeo helicopters and P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, which will give them enhanced anti-submarine warfare capability, as well as a future buy of “Multi-Role Carrier-Borne Fighters.” 

“India occupies a very strategic position on the sea lanes between Asia and the Middle East and Europe.  And they are expanding their ability to keep those sea lanes open and secure,” he said.  “Japan has announced that they’re going to develop counter strike capability and they’re also enhancing their destroyer fleet with anti-ballistic missile capabilities. The Republic of Korea is building large amphibious ships to respond anywhere in the region to a crisis or humanitarian disaster. Taiwan has an indigenous frigate construction program underway to replace their mostly-hand-me-down surface combatants and is building eight submarines of its own design. There are other examples, too, in the region.”   

Another facet of emerging capabilities is in the arena of maritime domain awareness. “We’ll be looking at the technologies involved in delivering maritime domain awareness, from aggregators and processors to collectors and sensors,” Osborn said. 

 In the final series of panels, senior maritime leaders will examine the increased transparency of the oceans and how to make sense of it or act upon it. 

The attendees will learn about “fusion centers” such as the Information Fusion Centre (IFC) is a regional Maritime Security (MARSEC) center hosted by Singapore, and the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean region, hosted by India.  “We’ll discuss the foundation of the technologies that make these fusion centers work, and how operators and data are brought together.” 

“Today’s operators are faced with huge amounts of data, but with the right analytical tools, including artificial intelligence, they can detect anomalies and draw an operator’s attention to where it needs to be, and determine the best course of action,” said Osborn. 

According to Osborn, the content will appeal to a broad audience. “Anybody interested in maritime security or sustainable fishing, will find the conference content very compelling.” 

He said the on-line format makes it easy to attend, “No matter where you are in the world, you can log-in and see the most recent content or see other material that has already been posted.” 

The cost to register is just $15.00, but Navy League members can register for free. 

The major sponsor for this year’s IMSE is the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which has a large interest in protecting sustainable fishing for coastal nations. 

For more information:  https://www.imsehawaii.org/  

To register:  https://www.imsehawaii.org/registration.html  

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ARLINGTON, Va. — The government of Canada has requested the sale of up to 16 Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and support equipment under the Foreign Military Sales program at an estimated cost of $5.9 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a June 27 release.  

“The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale,” the DSCA said, noting that the agency had delivered the certification to Congress.  

Once finalized, the sale would make Canada the seventh nation to procure the P-8A, the others being the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Norway, New Zealand, South Korea, and Germany. India procured a modified version, the P-8I.   

In addition to the aircraft, the proposed procurement includes mission systems and “aircraft spares; spare engines; support equipment; operational support systems; training; training devices; maintenance trainer/classrooms; engineering technical assistance (ETA); logistics technical assistance (LTA); Country Liaison Officer (CLO) support; Contractor Engineering Technical Services (CETS); Contractor Logistics Support (CLS); repair and return; transportation; aircraft ferry; other associated training and support; and other related elements of logistics and program support,” the DSCA said. 

The major sensor and defensive systems included in the proposal are:  

• APY-10 Radar 
• AAQ-2 Acoustic System  
• ALQ-240 Electronic Support Measures 
• MX-20HD Electro-Optical/Infrared system 
• ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispenser Systems 
• NexGen Missile Warning Sensors 
• AAQ-24(V)N Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures System 

The Canadian Air Force currently flies the Lockheed CP-140 Aurora — a version of the P-3 Orion — first delivered in the 1980s. 

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ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy’s effort to expand its cyber warfare capabilities took another step with the establishment of the Cyber Warfare Technician (CWT) rating in its enlisted force. 

The CTWs will conduct both offensive and defensive cyber warfare. 

The action came only two days after the Navy established Maritime Cyber Warfare Officer designator for information warfare officers who focus on cyber warfare. 

As announced in a June 29 directive from the chief of naval operations, all Sailors in the existing Cryptologic Technician-Networks (CTN) rating will convert to the CTW rating. In addition, the CTWs will no longer be formally associated with the family of cryptologic ratings. 

The Navy currently had 2,288 Sailors rated as CTNs as of last week, most of whom were already working in cyber warfare, said Naval Information Forces Force Master Chief Laura Nunley, speaking to reporters in a press conference last week. More than 93% of the CTNs already were working in cyber warfare. 

“We are looking at further opportunities to expand that to some of the supporting roles and possibly cross-rate into there, and then we’re also looking into recruiting aspects of bringing in more enlisted to the new cyber warfare technician [rating].” Nunley said. 

“All CTNs will be required to change their rating badge to the new CWT rating badge within twelve months of release of this message,” the directive said.  

The new rating badge was designed by CTN2 Kelly Bullard. 

Vice Admiral Kelly Aeschbach, commander, Naval Information Forces, told reporters in the press conference that most of the current Navy cyber forces are on in shore duty in the Navy’s cyber mission force predominantly at Fort Meade, Maryland; Hawaii; Pensacola, Florida; Fort Gordon, Georgia; and San Antonio, Texas.  

“Those are aligned with our big National Security Agency presence and the Navy Information Operations Command integrated in each of those locations,” Aeschbach said, noting that most of the cyber warriors are organized in teams ashore. 

The admiral said that she expects “over the next couple of years as we mature both the [Maritime Cyber Warfare Officer] and the [CWT] ratings and we deliver some new capabilities afloat, that we will likely see some new opportunities” for cyber warriors to serve afloat. 

Aeschbach said that the Navy is trying to frontload training of CWTs so that they are “fully trained before they arrive at command, which was something that was not happening two years ago. We’ve made a lot of progress in that area, and we’re also providing much more substantial mentoring,” she said.   

“When you talk about the substantial mentoring, and when you talk about the growth of the cyber mission force, and that’s slowing down the growth of the teams, we did take some of the near-term operational growth to actually create dedicated training and mentoring teams, which is modeled on how we train in aviation and in the surface community where we always have a small component of the force focused on what we call force generation or training and keeping units and teams standard up to a certain level one our folks are inside a certain unit,” the admiral said. “And we already are seeing some impact from that. We will put the operational growth back. It will still happen; it’s just going to happen at a little bit slower pace as we get to the total number of teams over the two to four years.” 

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ARLINGTON, Va. — HII’s Ingalls Shipyard is always looking for opportunities for more shipbuilding work and its yard has the capacity to take on more work, a senior company official said, including future awards of new classes of frigates and medium landing ships.

“We’re looking at all of our opportunities, said George Nungesser, Ingalls’ vice president for Program Management, speaking June 27 to reporters during the Modern Day Marine expo in Washington, noting that Ingalls is interested in being a second construction shipyard for the Constellation-class guided-missile frigates currently being built by Fincantieri’s Marinette Marine shipyard in Wisconsin. “We know surface combatants!”

The Ingalls shipyard builds Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers (DDGs), San Antonio-class amphibious platform dock ships, and America-class amphibious assault ships for the U.S. Navy and Legend-class national security cutters (NSCs) for the Coast Guard.

The company delivered the first Flight III Arleigh Burke-class DDG, the future USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), June 27, and the 10th NSC, the future USCGC Calhoun (WMSL 759) began its first sea trials the same day.

Asked if Ingalls was interested in bidding on the Navy’s future medium landing ship (LSM) program, Nungesser said, “We’re always interested in future ship classes, future endeavors. With a legacy of over 85 years, we’re pretty agile. We will continue to monitor the program development of that particular program and look forward to working with the Navy to see where this goes, when it something comes out as an RfP [Request for Proposals].”

Nungesser said the Ingalls shipyard currently has excess capacity, noting that the company has invested more than $1 billion in Shipyard of the Future initiatives that were completed last year. He noted that hiring and retaining the work force is a more challenging aspect industry-wide, and that Ingalls has funded a number of initiatives with local educational institutions to attract young people toward the shipbuilding trades.

“We do not meet the needs of our customers without our work force, and we are pleas with the trends that we are seeing in terms of hiring, retention, and developing talent,” he said.

“What we need — including our defense industry base — is a strong, consistent demand signal from the government to keep this shipbuilding industry healthy and responsive,” he said. “A strong demand signal enables companies to plan for the future, to hire, to train, and retain a skilled work force, and also promote investment in new equipment, facilities, and technologies.

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ARLINGTON, Va. — Textron has been demonstrating the capabilities of its Cottonmouth candidate for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) competition and has been granted funding to continue testing through calendar year 2023.

The ARV is to be an amphibious, wheeled armored vehicle to replace the Corps’ current Light Armored Vehicle in its reconnaissance battalions. It is to be equipped as a node in the command-and-control network during expeditionary operations and is to be able to serve as a battlefield quarterback, deploying sophisticated full-spectrum sensors and unmanned systems — including unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned surface vessels—and manned/unmanned teaming.

Textron built and demonstrated an earlier concept demonstrator vehicle, called Alpha, mainly to demonstrate its automotive performance in terrain. The company followed with a company-owned Cottonmouth prototype, in which integration of government-furnished systems was accomplished. The prototype Cottonmouth was mission delivered to the Nevada Automotive Test Center for testing by the Marine Corps in December 2022.

During 2020-2021, Textron built the Alpha prototype with company funding.

“We ran the same test profile that we believed the Marines were going to run on what became our prototype deliverable for their testing under the contract agreement,” said David Phillips, Textron’s senior vice president, Land and Sea Systems, in a June21 interview with Seapower. “We had de-risked it from the standpoint of automotive, rugged, reliable, ran it through all of the cross-country, smoke testing, various different soil types, so that we could submit our proposal to the Marine Corps with actual data, not just paper.”

In September 2021, Textron began fabrication of the deliverable prototype at its Slidell, Louisiana, facility, and began systems integration work at its Hunt Valley, Maryland facility, where “we were able to test out components before actually installing them in the vehicle. The biggest difference between the Alpha prototype — which was mainly automotive — and what delivered and are testing now is the integration of all the capability: all the government furnished radios, communications equipment, computers, cyber, all of the things that make the vehicle a system,” Phillips said.

In September 2022, Textron delivered a “replica systems integration lab” to the Naval Information Warfare Systems – Atlantic in Charleston, South Carolina.

The prototype Cottonmouth was mission delivered to the Nevada Automotive Test Center for testing by the Marine Corps in December 2022.

“The vehicles have performed very well with the Marines,” Phillips said, of the automotive and durability testing it went through. “It accumulated a thousand miles across the variety of relevant Marine Corps mission profiles.”

Phillips said that the prototype’s electronic systems currently are being tested by the Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity, including “sensing and disseminating data across the battlefield, and beyond the battlefield to the fleet and higher headquarters.”

The ARV prototype was able to operate and communicate with a Group 2 unmanned aerial system at a distance of 50 kilometers, he said, noting that the prototype has accrued 500 hours of testing of the electronic systems.

The vehicle’s swim characteristics “in the plunging surf” were successfully tested at Camp Pendleton, California. In the water the ARV is propelled by waterjets geared to the vehicle’s Cummings diesel engine, said Zach Bupp, Textron’s program director, Land Systems.

The Textron ARV is a “clean-sheet design,” Phillips said, saying that it was the best way for the Marine Corps to have its Tier 1 and 2 requirements met, as well as the “vast majority of their lower-tier requirements.”

He characterized the Textron design as revolutionary rather than evolutionary.

Phillips said that size and weight are critical requirements because of transportability, noting that four Textron ARVs — at 37,00 pound each — could be carried on of the Navy’s LCAC 100-class ship-to-shore connectors.

The Textron ARV rides on six wheels rather than eight, which Philips said reduced the weight and complexity of the vehicle and prosed no problems with operations in the terrain in which it was tested.

He also said his company is doing trade studies of subsystems that could be installed on the Cottonmouth to create a family of systems that could be deployed in an ARV-centric reconnaissance battalion.

Philips said the government’s Milestone B decision for selection and to authorize low-rate initial production is expected during the first or second quarter of calendar year 2025.

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ARLINGTON, Va.— A rapid capabilities office for U.S. naval aviation is included in the chairman’s mark for the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act in order to speed up development and delivery of critical technologies and systems to naval aviation forces by using “alternative or rapid acquisition pathways for procurement.” 

The Naval Air Warfare Rapid Capabilities Office, to be co-located with the Naval Air Systems Command headquarters at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, would have the following missions, according to the draft legislation: 

‘‘(1) to contribute to the development and testing of low-cost, rapid reaction targeting and weapon systems, electronic warfare and other non-kinetic capabilities, and integrated targeting solutions to fulfill naval and joint military operational requirements;  

(2) to contribute to the rapid development, testing, and fielding of new unclassified and classified naval air warfare capabilities. 

The office would be led by a designee of the secretary of the Navy and would report to the chief of naval operations. The office would be overseen by a board of directors to include the secretary of the Navy, the chief of naval operations, the commander, Naval Air Systems Command, and the commander, Naval Air Forces. 

‘‘The Secretary of the Navy shall ensure that the head of the Office may use available alternative or rapid acquisition pathways for procurement,” the draft said. “The Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System process shall not apply to acquisitions by the Office.” 

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ARLINGTON, Va. — The Coast Guard has closed its maritime security detachment in Guantanamo Bay (Gitmo), Cuba, concluding a 21-year presence of port security units that provided security to the naval base, the longest continuous deployment of the Coast Guard Reserve in its history. 

As noted in a June 13 message from the Coast Guard commandant, the Maritime Security Detachment cased its colors that date.    

Port Security Unit (PSU) 305, which provided the last detachment, also was the first to staff the Maritime Security Detachment in 2002, when prisoners seized by U.S. forces during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and elsewhere were imprisoned at Gitmo.  

“Since 2002, the Coast Guard has safeguarded critical assets and infrastructure for Joint Task Force Guantanamo in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM,” the message said. “Through countless hours of rigorous training, relentless vigilance, and steadfast resilience, Coast Guard Port Security Units and Maritime Safety and Security Teams have upheld the highest standards of professionalism while executing this vital mission.” 
 

PSU 305 returned to Virgina on June 14 after its nine-month deployment, which was the unit’s fifth such deployment over the 21 years. 

With the closure of the detachment. Responsibility for maritime anti-terrorism/force  
protection of Gitmo was transferred to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, the message said. 
 

PO2 Cristian, Lucas
For the first couple of years I was apart of the program, I did not accomplish much. I would attend my weekly Saturday drills, spending the day nonchalantly following my staff cadets, as we would perform a near identical POD at each meeting. I would go home without having retained much and then forget about Sea Cadets until Friday evening of the next week. While it was true that we occasionally deviated with various events that helped expand my horizons, I still wouldn’t absorb or even understand too much of what I would experience, and even let some opportunities go to waste.

This was such the case until a couple weeks after I had turned 16, which is when I attended Recruit Training and first connected to the wider Sea Cadet community. Despite having previously attended League Orientation, my RT is when I first began to understand the program and the Navy. It lit a fire in me to pursue greatness within the Corps and opened my eyes, inspiring me to make use of the opportunities offered. In fact, hours after I had graduated I begged my parents to immediately send me another training that took place less than two weeks later; field operations at Green Swamp, FL.

Going to trainings has helped me gain many attributes, such as discipline, cleanliness, obedience, greater physical strength and capability. I have become a practical and orderly person: stricter with myself and now with a greater sense of independence. My experience has enriched me with different varieties of knowledge and practical skills. From Field Operations I gained an understanding of how infantry forces conduct their missions and gained a better perspective of what it means to in combat. During my MAA training, I learned about law enforcement and the ins and outs of radio communication, clearing buildings, and SOP for MAAs. At Seabee training, I physically built a deck with my shipmates giving me not only the practical handy skills that are required to work with my hands but also a greater zeal for teamwork which has improved my interpersonal skillset.

My training at POLA is ultimately what has been the most developmental. Learning about what it means to be a leader and how to navigate its difficulties helped me in everyday life. I began to understand the sacrifices required and how to maintain the relationship between subordinates and those in command.

Returning to my unit the summer after POLA, I received my Petty officer third-class rank. Since I was the only Petty officer at that point and with the previous leadership withdrawing, I was given the position of LPO and ordered to take charge of my unit. I suddenly found myself in a difficult position, with both Officers and Cadets alike looking toward me to lead. This time period would be a trial by fire where my only options were to sink or swim. And although it was stressful, I was able to grow into my role and did not buckle under the pressure. Becoming a petty officer not only improved my leadership skills but also defined me in smaller aspects. I learned how to project authority with confidence but while also maintaining neutrality, and it also has helped me speak more clearly. Calling commands and addressing my cadets refined my voice so that I trip over my words less and convey my intentions with greater effectiveness.

The Sea Cadet program has enriched myself and my life in countless ways and for that I am exceedingly grateful.

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SN Safarli, Jamil
Don’t stop believin’
Participating in the Naval Cadet Corps recruit training in camp Geneva (Fruitland, FL) was undoubtedly one of the most challenging experiences I have had to face in my life. The difficulties I faced from the moment I was assigned to the training till the end taught me valuable life lessons that have stuck with me ever since. Firstly, getting to the training site was an arduous task that took my family four hours. I had to endure a long; difficult drive to the site, which only added to my anxiety. I had never been to the training site before and did not know what to expect.

Flashforward to after the hotel night, I was greeted by a set of unfamiliar faces, which only made me feel more nervous. The next morning, we were up at 4 am, which was not something I was used to. I was already tired from the previous day’s journey, and I did not expect the training to be as intense as it was. However, I quickly realized that the physical training was the best I have ever done.

Despite my tiredness, I pushed myself to the limit and exceeded my expectations. For the next few days, it
took me a while to adjust to the rigorous routine and
the demands of the training. However, as time passed, I found myself becoming more accustomed to the routine, and it became easier to adapt to the environment. The teachings that I experienced during the training were also valuable lessons. I learned that it is essential to keep yourself occupied, even when things seem out of control. I also learned the importance of staying focused on the task at hand and not allowing myself to become distracted by external factors. As the days went by, I began to feel more comfortable with the other recruits, and we started to work together as a team. This experience taught me the value of teamwork and how important it is to rely on others in times of need. I realized that even in the most challenging of situations, it is essential to stay positive and work together to overcome any obstacles.

In conclusion, the Naval Cadet Corps recruit training was an experience that pushed me to my limits and taught me valuable lessons that have stayed with me ever since. From the grueling drive to the site to the early morning wakeups and the intense physical training, I learned the value of perseverance, teamwork, and staying focused on the task at hand. Although it was a difficult experience, I am grateful for the lessons I learned and the memories I made.

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LC3 Rolff Stankovic, Marko

Over the past year, my first with the Sea Cadets, I learned what a Sea Cadet is: The United States Navy Sea Cadets Corps gives its cadets skills, knowledge, and confidence through training. Sea Cadets has made a difference in my life by showing me its core values to strive for – honor, respect, commitment, and service. It has made a difference in my life by giving me the ability to rise to responsibility, enjoy countless adventures, and, most of all, has built my confidence.

Sea Cadets has made a difference in my life by giving me the knowledge and experience to be responsible. Responsibility means doing something you are supposed to do and accepting the results of your actions. In the Sea Cadets program, I am expected to prioritize and accomplish tasks in a timely manner. Some of the ways I must apply the value of responsibility while I am at camp is by being physically ready, taking showers and tidying up my space without command, and being dressed in less than ten minutes.

Sea Cadets has made a difference in my life by giving me many adventures to learn the importance of teamwork and leadership. Some of the adventures focus on teambuilding activities that help me and my friends work together, overcome obstacles, and reach our goals. For example, at Tiger Tails Recreational Center we had rope and aerial challenges to triumph over. Exploring new places like Vizcaya, watching an air show, meeting Navy helicopter pilots, going on a Coast Guard cruiser, touring a destroyer ship, and attending the Seven Seas Gala are just a few of the countless adventures that Sea Cadets has given me. I also learned from the community service activities like beach clean-up and laying down wreaths.

Sea Cadets has made a difference in my life by giving me confidence in myself, my choices, and my actions. The Sea Cadets program has helped me understand that a person’s confidence is one that is built out of a multitude of experiences. Sea Cadets encourages and motivates me to think and act with confidence. The lessons I have learned have made me realize that I can do great things. This confidence can be seen in my academics and personal life too.

Sea Cadets has taught me many useful skills that embody the core values. I pledge to uphold those values by continuing to grow and keeping honor, respect, commitment, and service in mind.

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LC2 Lorzeille, Andrew
The United States Naval Sea Cadets Corps. This is the name of the program that changed my life. My name is Andrew Lorzeille, but I am now known as LC2 Lorzeille. This program is only $100 a year, but I went to events that cost more than $500 dollars. The people in my division are not only just people, but they are also my family. We are all one ship, united and strong, with honor, respect, commitment, and service.

To start off, this program offers fun activities that includes team-working skills, cooperation, and friendship. For example, we went to help the community by bringing pumpkins to a Pumpkin Patch. We were all in a line, passing pumpkins down, and working as a team while making new friends. That day was incredibly fun, even though I was starting off as a new cadet, and I did not know anyone. I made great friends and muscles that day. Another example is the Shark-Tagging Event. On that day, we had extreme persistence to tag a shark. We spent about 4 hours trying to lure it, and on the 5th hour, we used teamwork and cooperation to tie it down and tag it. It turned out to be a tiger shark, and when I touched it, it was very rough. Events like these are once-in-a-lifetime and teach great lessons about teamwork, cooperation, and friendship.

In addition, this program has helped me to be a better person by giving me duties, responsibility, and discipline. For example, I went to a three-day camp for training. We were taught survival skills, respect, teamwork, and discipline. We built a shelter out of leaves and sticks, we learned about formations and practiced on it, and overall had an amazing time. Another example is the Seven Seas Gala. I had a huge responsibility for ringing the bell a certain number of times at extremely specific times during a speech. Even though I was nervous on the stage, I felt proud of myself for stepping up to the challenge of having a huge responsibility. After the Seven Seas Gala, people gave me respect for doing an excellent job. This is how the program helped me to be a better person by giving me duties, responsibilities, and discipline.

To summarize, the United States Naval Sea Cadets Corps has changed my life in many positive ways. It has given me once-in-a-lifetime events, teamwork skills, friendship, responsibility, and discipline. I learned many survival skills and feel very proud of being part of The USS Fort Lauderdale Division. My name is LC2 Lorzeille, what are you doing today?

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LC2 Lorzeille, Sophia
The program that has changed my life is called the United States Naval Sea Cadets Corps, USS Fort Lauderdale Division. Everyone in the program is very friendly. This youth program has impacted my life in many positive ways!

To begin with, this program helps me understand
and practice the four core values of the Sea Cadets Organization which are: honor, respect, commitment, and service. For example, if the person in command yells “EARS”! This means that everyone is supposed to be listening. It can sometimes be unexpected. At other times, the command must repeat themselves because cadets are still talking. I am learning how to be more disciplined and respectful.

In addition, every Saturday I have a lot of fun. For instance, I have gone to some swimming events including a Shark Tagging Event! Outstanding! The shark looked so big. He was 12 feet long! I also went to meet the Blue Angels in person. I saw the Blue Angels jets and they were cool to look at and meeting the pilots was exciting, but I was nervous, too. During the Mini Recruit Training, I enjoyed sleeping over in the cabins with my friends and going to the beach the next day. Also, as I will continue to grow with the program, my confidence will become sky-high.

In conclusion, the Navy Sea Cadets Corps program has improved my life a lot over this past year. Its four core values will shape my future as an individual. I love the program and the challenges of every Saturday.

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Release from SENEDIA

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SENEDIA Releases Economic Impact Report   

Details the Economic Strength and Growth in the Region  

MIDDLETOWN, RI – SENEDIA, the alliance for Defense tech, talent, and innovation, today released a new report that highlights the importance of the New England Defense Cluster to U.S. economic growth. The term “Defense Cluster” encompasses all defense-related activities including both the private Defense Industry (defense contractors) and the Military Defense Infrastructure, which includes civilian employees working for the Department of Defense (DoD), active-duty military personnel (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force), and U.S. Coast Guard and National Guard personnel.  

In addition to state-level impacts for all six New England states, the report provides a comprehensive look at the New England region’s impact. In 2022, the cluster accounted for $119.1 billion in economic output, representing 9.2 percent of the region’s GDP. It also accounted for 407,523 jobs, generating more than $40 billion in income for households.  

“The Defense Cluster is an engine of innovation nationwide, and especially here in New England, where billions of dollars in economic activity are generated and hundreds of thousands of military and civilian employees have high-wage, high-tech, high-demand careers,” said Molly Donohue Magee, SENEDIA executive director. “A robust Defense Cluster is essential to national security and this report demonstrates that it is equally critical for our economy.”   

New England’s Defense contracts are growing at a faster rate than the national average, making it a major contributor to the U.S. defense industry and regional economy. The cluster significantly impacts job creation, income, and output across every New England state, and has a strong multiplier effect and economic linkages with other sectors in the region.  

“From small, advanced manufacturing businesses and start-up tech companies to major defense contractors and military installations, the Defense Cluster represents tremendous opportunities for the workforce and for our economy,” said Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D-RI). “Across New England, we are developing new technologies and capabilities, modernizing our military, building next-gen submarines, and driving broader economic growth today and for the future.”  

High-level findings from the report are summarized on the SENEDIA website, with a full version and state-level highlights available for download.  

“Today’s report provides a timely, comprehensive look at the power and potential of the Defense Cluster and we look forward to seeing how policymakers, employers, and military leaders can make use of this important information,” said Magee.  

To learn more and to download the report, visit the SENEDIA website.

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ARLINGTON. Va. — The U.S. Navy needs a non-provocative but purposeful presence in the seas around China to deter challenges to international rules and the security interests of the United States, the chief of naval operations said. 

CNO Admiral Michael Gilday, speaking June 7 to an audience at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank, remarked on the recent incidents in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, particularly the unsafe maneuvers of the PLAN(N) destroyer Luyang III last week in the vicinity of the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Chung-Hoon and Canadian frigate HMCS Montreal. 

“We’re handling that, I think, very well, very professionally,” Gilday said. 

“I am encouraged by the most recent turn in dialogue by senior leaders with the toning down of, I would say, militaristic tone,” the CNO said. “I think that’s been helpful. We need to continue to operate out there, and we need to continue to operate forward. We need to assure allies and partners. At the same time, we need to deter anybody, any nation that tends to challenge those international rules, challenge the security interests of not only the United States but our allies and partners and put our economic interests in jeopardy.  

“So, I think we need to be out there, and we need to be in the way,” the admiral said. We can’t just be milling about. It has to be purposeful, and it has to be non-provocative. Let me just underscore that.” 

Gilday said he was concerned about the “lack of transparency” of the Chinese military and “their intentions with respect on how they intend to use their navy to reach President Xi’s goals are concerning with respect on military expansion.”   

Gilday also noted the positive contribution of the Chinese PLAN Navy in anti-piracy operations in recent years off the coast of East Africa.  

“They have been good partners with combating piracy, thwarting it, and keeping those sea lanes open for all,” he said. “That should be a model for the behavior that we should expect from the PRC. I would encourage more of those types of collaborative operations at sea that benefit all of us.”  

Gilday noted that “mil-to-mil [military-to-military] relationships are intended to be a shock absorber. No matter the political climate, those mil-to-mil relationships have to be steady, predictable, and they have to be very measured.” 

Also speaking in the seminar was Peter Levesque, president of CMA CGN shipping company and of American President Lines, who remarked on the tensions in the South China Sea. 

“The major challenge for us is, obviously, what happens in the South China Sea,” Levesque said. “Five trillion dollars of goods flow through the South China Sea every year. It’s a major shipping lane, obviously, for CMA and for the other carriers. We’re worried about what everybody’s worried about, that two planes go bump in the night, or two ships go bump in the night accidentally and spiral into something bigger, and all of a sudden, we can’t use those trade lanes or insurance companies won’t insure our ships to go through those trade lanes.  

“It’s a real concern, and I don’t think we fully comprehend how big of an impact that would be not only to the global supply chain but the U.S. supply chain in particular if tensions get to the point where that’s an unusable space,” he said.