Carter Remembered for Opening Military to Women
Former DEFSEC Ash Carter, who died this week of heart attack at age 68, is remembered for his order to open to women all military jobs, including combat assignments. The decision came after years of study by military leaders and strong opposition from conservative groups.
Did Fat Leonard Gut Navy’s Pacific Leadership?
Fat Leonard cost the US Navy $35 million, and also some experienced Pacific leadership at a critical juncture. His arrest has produced at least 33 federal indictments and 22 guilty pleas. “China could never have dreamt up a way to do this much damage to the US Navy’s Pacific leadership.”
Mississippi R. Bottoming-Out
Critically low water levels in the Mississippi River prompts a change in ships’ draft limits in the key US export port at Baton Rouge, LA.
St. Mary’s Square Rehab Slated
St. Mary’s County Community Development Corp. has been awarded $250,000 from the Maryland Dept. of Housing and Community Development to revitalize the St. Mary’s Square parking lot on Great Mills Road to create a commuter-friendly, landscaped plaza, a bus transit stop with shelters and bike storage.
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.
