All of Maryland’s courts became fully operational Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, including for jury trials, for the first time since Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera ordered them closed in March, reports Maryland Matters. The Maryland Defenders Union questions the Judiciary’s plan to reopen, stating that it only serves to “provide cover for disparate, inconsistent, and dangerous local interpretations of what a ‘safe’ courthouse truly is.”

Navy leaders feel they have found a difficult but winning strategy to keep the  COVID virus in check among its crews, longer deployments and fewer port calls, reports Breaking Defense. The USS Stout just set a Navy record for 208 consecutive days at sea — breaking the 207 day record set by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS San Jacinto earlier this year.

A House bill would ensure a veteran who dies from coronavirus while in the care of Veterans Affairs would have service-connected disabilities noted in the cause of death to protect survivor benefits, report Stars and Stripes. The Ensuring Survivors Benefits during COVID-19 Act, introduced by Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), requires VA to account for service-related disabilities that might have exacerbated the virus and contributed to the death of a veteran.

Navy analysts are placing 4-to-1 odds against meeting cost targets of $12.2 billion and $12.9 billion for the last two aircraft carriers in the next-generation Gerald R. Ford class, reports Bloomberg News. This latest budgetary warning sign for one of the Pentagon’s costliest weapons program  sees just a 20% chance that the USS Enterprise and USS Doris Miller will meet those goals.

 

 

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division is hosting its first-ever virtual career fair on Thursday, Oct. 22, from 2 to 6 pm EST. NSWC Crane is hiring business and technical positions from student and entry level to journeyman experience levels. This event is open to the public, reports WBIW

The Navy has a new Air Boss, reports Navy Times. VADM Kenneth Whitesell took command of Naval Air Forces and Naval Air Force, Pacific Fleet last week. VADM Whitesell had been serving as deputy commander of US Pacific Fleet since July 2019 and succeeded VADM DeWolfe “Bullet” Miller III, who has now retired.

Taiwan says its military is under pressure from China as missions mount, reports Reuters. Taiwan’s military has launched aircraft to intercept Chinese planes more than twice as much as all of last year, the island’s defense ministry said, describing Taiwan as facing severe security challenges from its huge neighbor. China, which claims democratic Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up its military activities near the island, responding to what Beijing calls “collusion” between Taipei and Washington.

The US Coast Guard offloads $48M in cocaine and six suspected smugglers in Puerto Rico, reports Seapower Magazine. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernandez (WPC-1114) offloaded approximately 1,981 kilograms of cocaine, 28 kilograms of amphetamines, and six suspected smugglers at Sector San Juan on Oct. 2, following two separate interdictions in the Caribbean Sea. The interdictions are the result of multi-agency and international partnership.

Veterans with acupuncture before surgery have less pain, reports UPI Health News and less need for opioids. The pilot study was presented this week at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2020 meeting. “Six percent of patients given opioids after surgery become dependent on them, and veterans are twice as likely to die from accidental overdoses than civilians. Clearly it is crucial to have multiple options for treating pain, and acupuncture is an excellent alternative. It is safe, cost effective, and it works,” said Dr. Brinda Krish, an anesthesiology resident at Detroit Medical Center. She was the lead author in the study.

The first female ANG deputy director says “there isn’t a ceiling,” reports AirForceMag.com. Maj. Gen. Dawne L. Deskins is the first woman and first non-pilot to become the deputy director of the Air National Guard. Maj. Gen. Deskins commissioned into the active-duty Air Force as a second lieutenant in 1984, having gone through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at Cornell University while studying at nearby Ithaca College.

Contracts:

Maersk Line Ltd., Norfolk, Virginia, has been awarded a contract modification on contract HTC711-19-D-W026 in the amount of $173,052,625. This modification provides continued international ocean and intermodal distribution services. Work will be performed worldwide as specified on each individual order. The option period of performance is from Dec. 1, 2020, to Aug. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2021 transportation working capital funds to be obligated on individual task orders. This modification increases the total cumulative face value of the contract from $170,116,349, to $343,168,974. The US Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

American President Lines LLC, Washington, DC, has been awarded a contract modification on contract HTC711-19-D-W014 in the amount of $142,730,774. This modification provides continued international ocean and intermodal distribution services. Work will be performed worldwide as specified on each individual order. The option period of performance is from Dec. 1, 2020, to Aug. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2021 transportation working capital funds to be obligated on individual task orders. This modification increases the total cumulative face value of the contract from $140,308,983, to $283,039,757. The US Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Farrell Lines Inc., Reston, Virginia, has been awarded a contract modification on contract HTC711-19-D-W021 in the amount of $63,026,301. This modification provides continued international ocean and intermodal distribution services. Work will be performed worldwide as specified on each individual order. The option period of performance is from Dec. 1, 2020, to Aug. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2021 transportation working capital funds to be obligated on individual task orders. This modification increases the total cumulative face value of the contract from $61,956,899, to $124,983,200. The US Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Schuyler Line Navigation Co. LLC, Annapolis, Maryland, has been awarded a contract modification on contract HTC711-19-D-W031 in the amount of $12,386,038. This modification provides continued international ocean and intermodal distribution services. Work will be performed worldwide as specified on each individual order. The option period of performance is from Dec. 1, 2020, to Aug. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2021 transportation working capital funds to be obligated on individual task orders. This modification increases the total cumulative face value of the contract from $12,175,877, to $24,561,915. The US Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $78,530,376 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-2300 to exercise options for the accomplishment of class design services for the Littoral Combat Ship program. Work will be performed in Hampton, Virginia (31%); Moorestown, New Jersey (27%); Washington, DC (22%); and Marinette, Wisconsin (20%), and is expected to be completed by October 2021.  Fiscal 2015 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $13,148,817 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

InfoReliance LLC, Fairfax, Virginia, has been awarded an $8,183,001 modification (P0015) to contract FA4452-18-F-0003 for Global Air Transportation Execution System application and system support. The contract modification is to fund Option Year Three, which was agreed upon at contract award. Work will be performed in Fairfax, Virginia, and is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2021 transportation working capital funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $51,118,522. The 763rd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Oct. 2, 2020)