Army Corps Leads Effort on Bridge Cleanup
The US Army Corps of Engineers is deploying more than 1,100 personnel to Baltimore, following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge into the Patapsco River on Tuesday. Naval Sea Systems Command is contracting out a variety of vessels to the harbor to help with clearing and reopening of the channel after a tanker struck the bridge.
Among Budget Cuts $15M From MD 5 Project
Among the $3.3 billion major expansion project reductions to Maryland’s capital budget is $15 million from the Route 5 Great Mills project,
Uptick in Attacks on US Troops in Middle East
As the US continues to move its assets around the Middle East to support Israel in its war against Hamas, the number of attacks on US troops nearby has increased.
Navy, Army, Corps All Without Chiefs
With the retirement of ADM Mike Gilday, chief of naval operations, the US Navy becomes the third services branch — along with the Marine Corps and Army — to be operating without a Senate-confirmed chief.
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.
US Tech Job Cuts Continuing Into 2023
Job cuts in the US tech sector seen last year are spilling into 2023, with companies such as Google and Microsoft announcing recently the elimination of thousands of positions. Looking for a new job? The US Office of Personnel Management is expanding efforts to attract tech talent to the federal workforce amid continuing layoffs at US companies.
Lawmakers Ask for Halt on Nice Bridge Demolition
Three Maryland lawmakers are urging the state Department of Transportation to pause plans to demolish the existing Gov. Harry Nice Memorial Bridge. They want a review conducted to determine the feasibility and cost of repurposing the old bridge for recreational use.
Budget Calls for 4.6% Pay Raise for Service Members
The White House released its fiscal 2023 budget Monday. The $733 billion spending plan calls for a 4.6% pay raise for service members, but the services would see its active-duty end strength drop. The Navy would see a decrease of about 600 personnel.
Navy Pilots Continue Russian Deterrence Missions
US Navy pilots are flying dozens of daily missions from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Mediterranean region. The Truman has been in the region since December, making it the longest stretch in decades for US ships to stay in that region.
US Ramping Up Evacuation Efforts
Biden faces global pressure to extend Afghanistan evacuation efforts as Taliban warns: extending the deadline means “extending the occupation … [which] will provoke a reaction.”
