MD Guard Divests Its A-10Cs, But White House Nixes F-16 Deal
Maryland Air National Guard LT COL Steven Montalvo gestures farewell to fellow guardsmen while taxiing in an A-10C Thunderbolt II at Warfield Air National Guard Base at Martin State Airport, MD, on March 26. The aircraft was the first to be sent from the 175th Wing to the boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, AZ, as part of the initial process of divesting the Maryland Guard’s A-10C fleet. (Photo by Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Sarah Hoover) Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River economic community….
NavSec Del Toro Violates Hatch Act
NavSec Carlos Del Toro violated the Hatch Act for voicing support for President Joe Biden during a work trip to the United Kingdom in January. The Hatch Act prohibits federal officials from participating in political activities while serving in their official capacity and in their federal workplace.
Weapons Tests at Dahlgren Prompt Lawsuit by Environmental Groups
US Navy weapons testing at the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Dahlgren, VA, has sparked a lawsuit by two environmental groups. Environmentalists allege the tests don’t abide by the Clean Water Act.
Birckhead New MD Adjutant General
MAJ GEN Janeen Birckhead has assumed her new role as the Maryland National Guard adjutant general. Birckhead succeeds outgoing MAJ GEN Timothy Gowen, who assumed command in 2019.
Deployments in Europe Likely to Remain Into Summer
The Pentagon said that thousands of troops mobilized over the past few months to Eastern Europe will most likely remain into the summer. DoD also announced that the US will send additional aid to Ukraine: $300 million more in military supplies, including drones, laser-guided missiles, armored vehicles, and machine guns.
Navy Makes Changes to Basic Training
The US Navy is revamping its boot camp basics to include 10 weeks of training instead of eight and adding more mentorship, life skills, and personal and professional development portions to the curriculum.
VADM Morley to Speak at TPP Dinner
VADM Francis “Spanky” Morley will be the guest speaker at The Patuxent Partnership’s members-only annual dinner on September 2, 2021.
Greenwell Foundation Has Programs for Vets
Being close to Naval Air Station Patuxent River puts the Greenwell Foundation in a position to reach out to local service members, both active and veterans alike, to offer nature-based therapeutic and recreational programming.
Bill Would Create Medal of Honor Monument
A bipartisan bill in the US Senate — the National Medal of Honor Monument Act — would create a monument to honor the more than 3,500 medal recipients who have performed extraordinary valor in combat.
Van Hollen Touts Provisions in NDAA for MD Military
The National Defense Authorization Act provides many provisions for Maryland’s military and veterans, according to Sen. Chris Van Hollen. Among them is authorization of $426 million for the National Security Agency at Fort Meade.
