NAVAIR Grounds T-45C Goshawks
Discovery of an engine blade fault prompted NAVAIR to halt all T-45C Goshawk operations late last week. NAVAIR and Rolls Royce teams are conducting engineering analyses to identify the cause of the recent T-45 engine blade failure.
Pearl Harbor’s Water Still Unsafe
The Navy urged 93,000 residents of Pearl Harbor, HI, to boil water for drinking and cooking as a precaution against bacteria, and also continue to conserve water after a fourth water main break on Monday followed three breaks on Friday of the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickman system. These same residents faced fuel contamination of their water last year from fuel leaks from JBPHH. The Navy was to begin draining that fuel Monday, but the broken mains prevent that.
US, Canada Bolster Haiti’s Security
Canada and the United States have sent “security equipment” including tactical and armored vehicles, to the Haitian National Police to help tackle an immediate health and security crisis. Haiti PM Ariel Henry has asked the international community for military assistance to quell growing violence, gang shootouts, and looting.
Oct. 18 Last Day to Register for MD Nov. 8 Election
The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 8 election is Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022. Eligible Marylanders may register to vote using the State Board of Election’s online application page or completing an application in-person at their local board of elections office. LexLeader has more details here.
Navy Wants 100 Drone Ships in Middle East Waters
The Navy wants 100 unmanned ships patrolling waters around the Arabian Peninsula by the end of the summer of 2023. Most systems will come from international partners according to US 5th Fleet commander VADM Brad Cooper. The Navy has been testing an experimental force of long-endurance drone ships at sea with artificial intelligence tools on shore to search for military threats or illegal activity.
US Army: Shorthanded and Struggling
Recruitment is down across the services, but it’s way down for the US Army. In he Army National Guard, soldiers are leaving at a faster rate than they are enlisting. And as they’re struggling to fill their ranks, the service is additionally fighting culture war battles from both sides.
JBAB Helps Restore Anacostia’s Mussels
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling’s 11th Civil Engineer Squadron conservation team has partnered with the Anacostia Watershed Society to restore the District’s native freshwater mussel populations in the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers.
Want to Be A Rocket Scientist?
Sign up now for Friday’s free class from the Armstrong Air and Space Museum. The 45-minute class lets you learn about spaceflight online for free, billed as a class for aspiring rocket scientists and promoted as best for grades 7-12, good for anyone interested in the basics of how to get a rocket into space. The class runs Friday, Oct. 7, 6:30-7:15pm.
Fed Workers Face Hike in Health Insurance Premiums
Federal employees will pay 8.7% more, on average, toward their 2023 health premiums. The stark hike reflects the COVID-19 pandemic timeline: a drop in use of elective benefits resulted in a lower average increase over the past four years. As elective benefit use increases, so do premiums. The cost of prescription drug prices also contributed to the increase.
Recruitment Shortfalls Plague All Services
Only the Air Force hit all of its active duty recruiting goals for 2022, but even so failed to meet its Reserve goals. The Navy met its active duty enlistment goals, but the Army missed its enlisted goal by 15,000.
