The New Fat Albert’s Path to Blue Angels

Fat Albert at NAS Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. US Navy Blue Angels Facebook photo

Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River economic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff.

The US Navy’s Blue Angels purchased what is now the new Fat Albert C-130 J Super Hercules from the British Royal Air Force in June 2019. Countless organizations — from NAVAIR PM207 to Lockheed Martin to Marshall Aerospace, the company that specializes in C-130 engineering projects — have had a hand in getting Fat Albert to full functionality, reports The Associated Press. “The teams were united in the one task, to meet the needs of the fleet,” said Capt. Steve Nassau, program manager at the Tactical Airlift Program Office at NAS Patuxent River, reports The Tester. The final stop was at Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth in Texas where the Navy is completing its acceptance process, reports Forbes.

Reports surfaced last week that President Donald Trump was considering firing DefSec Mark Esper. When asked over the weekend about that, the president said, “I consider firing everybody,” reports The Hill. Breaking Defense reports that a source says if that were to happen, it wouldn’t happen until after the Nov. 3 election.

China is developing a new stealth, twin-seater jet based on its own J-20, reports The EurAsian Times, which will act as an early-warning aircraft. The aircraft would be the first in its class to employ twin-seater variants, compared to the current US F-22 Raptors and  F-35 and Russian Su-57 which are single-seater aircraft.

The US Navy says fall E-4 advancement exams are off for all active duty, full-time support and Selected Reserve sailors due to concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, reports Navy Times.

The US Air Force is bringing its Ninth and 12th Air Forces under one roof as the 15th Air Force, reports Air Force Magazine. Air Combat Command at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA, is preparing to consolidate its fighter, rescue, and command-and-control enterprises under this new numbered air force.

DefSec Esper has nominated Lt. Gen. David Allvin to be the Air Force’s next vice chief of staff, reports Air Force Times. Lt. Gen. Allvin is currently director of strategy, plans and policy for the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.

Nine NAVAIR civilians are the winners of 2020 Women of Color Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Awards, reports The Tester. The women were honored for their community service, technical contributions, and exceptional achievements in their fields.

A scaled-back military exercise with the US and South Korea is expected to begin this week, reports Military Times. The pandemic has forced a summer drill that will be smaller than in years past.

 

 

The use of software that allows companies to monitor its employees’ computer use is on the rise, reports WTOP News. If the employer provides a worker with a computer, the employer is allowed to see what they do with it, and not tell them about it. This was made legal in the Electronic Privacy Act of 1986.

Some defense officials believe DefSec Esper’s proposal to cut military health care by $2.2 billion could gut the Pentagon’s health care system during a nationwide pandemic, reports POLITICO.

A Defense Department inspector general reports finds that thousands of active-duty troops and their families can’t get mental health services that they need, reports Military.com. An average of 53% (4,415 of 8,328 per month) of all active duty service members and their families, identified as needing mental health care and referred to Tricare, did not receive care and the DoD Military Health System did not know why, according to the report.

Throughout the pandemic, the Navy has used various resources to ensure mission requirements are met, reports The Baynet. In the early days of COVID-19, Navy Reservists were called upon to assist NAVAIR in establishing an emergency watch operation center.

The death of a Texas Army National Guard soldier during land navigation training at Fort Hood is under investigation, reports Army Times. The Texas base has been under much scrutiny due to several deaths on or near the base over the past several months, reports Task & Purpose.

Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt, commander of Fort Hood was slated to go to Fort Bliss, near El Paso, and take over leadership of the 1st Armored Division. That transfer has been delayed, reports Army Times.

The Washington Post reports plans have been finalized to open up the Arctic Wildlife Refuge to drilling. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said his department was following through on the 2017 budget bill that instructed the federal government to conduct oil and gas leasing on the refuge.

A “Freedom Clock” is being installed at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, showing the seconds, minutes, and hours of time that has passed since Marine veteran Capt. Austin Tice was taken hostage while reporting as a freelance journalist in Syria on Aug. 14, 2012, reports Marine Corps Times.

Late author Tom Clancy’s home in northern Calvert County has sold for $4.9 million, reports Military Times. The house sits on 537 acres overlooking the Chesapeake Bay.

The USS Constitution and the USS Constitution Museum in Boston have reopened to the public, reports Navy Times. The Constitution is the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat and played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812.

Southern Maryland News Net has video of an osprey rescue at NAS Patuxent River. Crews on base believe Tropical Storm Isaias on August 4 and heavy rain the next day injured the bird.

The Washington Football Team has appointed Jason Wright as team president, reports WTOP News. Mr. Wright becomes the first Black person to be president of an NFL team.

The Baltimore Ravens held their first training camp session Monday. Here’s what the Baltimore Sun thinks you need to know.

Contracts:

CPP Construction, Gaithersburg, Maryland, was awarded a $9,627,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the McMillan backwash discharge to sewer construction project. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work will be performed in Washington, DC, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 23, 2021. Fiscal 2020 Washington aqueduct capital improvement funds in the amount of $9,627,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-20-C-0033).