Category Archives: Military Personnel

Shutdown: Navy-Air Force Football Game Back On

Shutdown: Navy-Air Force Football Game Back On

U.S. Naval Academy quarterback Trey Miller (1) hands off the football during the 113th Army-Navy Football game at Lincoln Financial Field in 2012. US Navy Photo

U.S. Naval Academy quarterback Trey Miller (1) hands off the football during the 113th Army-Navy Football game at Lincoln Financial Field in 2012. US Navy Photo

The football game between the Naval and Air Force academies is back on, according to a Naval Academy release obtained by USNI News. Read More

Navy Issues $6.4 Million Contract to fix Navy Yard Shooting Scene

Navy Issues $6.4 Million Contract to fix Navy Yard Shooting Scene

Washington Navy Yard, Washington D.C.

Washington Navy Yard, Washington D.C.

The Navy has awarded a $6.4 million contract that would, “make immediate safety repairs to the facility, conduct detailed damage assessments, and develop alternative concept designs,” for the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) headquarters building according to a Sept. 30 award provided to USNI News on Wednesday. Read More

Shutdown: Pentagon Restrictions Could Cancel Navy-Air Force Football Game

Shutdown: Pentagon Restrictions Could Cancel Navy-Air Force Football Game

Naval Academy mascot Bill the Goat stands with midshipmen during the 2012 Army-Navy Game. US Navy Photo

Naval Academy mascot Bill the Goat stands with midshipmen during the 2012 Army-Navy Game. US Navy Photo

The record crowd that is expected to attend the U.S. Naval Academy – U.S. Air Force Academy football game in Annapolis, Md., Saturday may be in for a huge disappointment.

The Department of Defense announced today that all intercollegiate athletic competitions at the service academies have been suspended due to the federal government shutdown. Read More

Shutdown: Navy Public Shipyards Furlough Thousands

Shutdown: Navy Public Shipyards Furlough Thousands

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard removes propeller four from USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) for maintenance. US Navy Photo

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard removes propeller four from USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) for maintenance. US Navy Photo

The Navy’s four public shipyards will all suffer furloughs that may affect Naval Sea Systems Command’s (NAVSEA) ability to conduct ship maintenance, Navy officials told USNI News on Tuesday.

Thousands of workers at the shipyards have been told to stay at home as the standoff between House Republicans and the Obama administration over a pending continuing resolution measure continues.

Read More

Opinion: Why More Commanding Officers are Getting Fired

Opinion: Why More Commanding Officers are Getting Fired

USS Rentz (FFG-46) in 2009. US Navy Photo

USS Rentz (FFG-46) in 2009. US Navy Photo

As of this date, 16 Navy commanding officers, including five ship captains, have been relieved of their respective commands in 2013.

Is this number particularly significant? Well, while the number of ships in commission has continued to decline, to what is now the lowest number since 1916, the number of ship captains being relieved of their commands is steadily increasing. So, the percentage of ship captains being fired is rising, every year, and that should be a concern. Read More

Interview: Randy Forbes on Sequestration, the Navy and China

Interview: Randy Forbes on Sequestration, the Navy and China

 

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus speaks with Randy Forbes in Forbes' office on June 13, 2013. US Navy Photos

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus speaks with Randy Forbes in Forbes’ office on June 13, 2013. US Navy Photo

Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) — chairman of the House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee — sat down with USNI News on Sept. 18 to talk about the challenges of sequestration, how he feels about the Littoral Combat Ship program, China, what the Navy is doing right and—more important—what the Navy is doing wrong. Read More

Search Suspended for Two Missing Crew from Red Sea Knighthawk Crash

Search Suspended for Two Missing Crew from Red Sea Knighthawk Crash

 MH-60S Knighthawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28 departs the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) in January.

MH-60S Knighthawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28 departs the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) in January.

The Navy has suspended the search for two crewmembers lost following the crash of a MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter on Sunday in the Red Sea, according to a Monday release from U.S. 5th Fleet.

“Navy officials have concluded that given the time elapsed since the incident, aircrew survivability was extremely unlikely,” according to the statement. “The location of the crash site is known, and an extensive area has been searched multiple times by various ships and aircraft.” Read More

Document: CNO Greenert's Sept. 18, 2013 Testimony before the House Armed Services Committee

Document: CNO Greenert’s Sept. 18, 2013 Testimony before the House Armed Services Committee

From the document:
In this statement I will explain the impacts of sequestration having occurred in FY 2013 and current law imposing reduced discretionary caps in future years, and why I believe these caps will preclude our ability to execute the 2012 Defense Strategic Guidance (DSG) in the long term. In the near term, sequestration in FY 2014 will negatively impact our readiness and investments, further degrading programs in all appropriations except military personnel. Combined with the prohibitions on transferring funds, increasing program quantities and starting new projects associated with a continuing resolution, these impacts will be considerably worse in FY 2014 than they were in FY 2013. Read More

Mabus Orders Immediate Review of Navy and Marine Base Security

Mabus Orders Immediate Review of Navy and Marine Base Security

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus interviewed by reporters near the Washington Navy Yard on Sept. 16, 2013. US Navy Photo

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus interviewed by reporters near the Washington Navy Yard on Sept. 16, 2013. US Navy Photo

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus has kicked off two separate reviews of Navy and Marine Corps installation security following the Monday shooting at the Washington Navy Yard, a defense official told USNI News on Tuesday.

The first review will, “insure physical security standards are in place and are being maintained,” at Department of the Navy bases around the world, the official said.

Read More