Through the Lens: Military in Photos in 2023

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 Department of Defense regularly chronicles US military members who train and conduct operations around the globe 24/7, 365 days a year to ensure the nation’s security. DoD offers a glimpse into their lives and their work through the work of military photographers in 2023.

2024 will be “the year for military families in the state of Maryland,” Gov. Wes Moore (D) said last week when he announced his first legislative priorities for the New Year, reports Maryland Matters. The governor said his administration will sponsor four bills in the 2024 General Assembly and support five others that aim to recognize the sacrifice of military families in the state and provide support. The bills address the hiring of military spouses, expanding military leave for state employees, vehicle registration fees, and changes to the Maryland Military Installation Council.

The US Navy is offering hundreds of dollars each month in extra incentive pay to recruiters, reports Navy Times. The service said it missed its recruitment goals for active-duty enlisted sailors by more than 7,450 accessions in fiscal 2023.

US military troops’ housing allowances will get a 5% boost next year, reports Navy Times. The allowances are jumping by 5.4%, on average, in 2024. The rates take effect Jan. 1.

Harry Coker Jr., a 20-year US Navy veteran and previous third-in-command at the National Security Agency, was confirmed by the Senate to head the Office of the National Cyber Director, reports Federal Times. The leadership position at NSA will shape how agencies move forward collectively on pressing artificial intelligence and cybersecurity policies.

The Defense Department announced it will host a “multiclassification hackathon” Feb. 5-9, using Indo-Pacific operational theater data to find solutions to combatant command challenges, reports Inside Defense. Any American citizen is eligible to apply, regardless of whether they currently work for the federal government or possess a security clearance, according to a DoD news release.

Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division played an integral role in creating the Potomac Tech Bridge, which debuted Dec. 12 at the Makerspace at the University of Mary Washington Dahlgren Campus, reports dvidshub.net. NSWCDD Potomac Tech Bridge Director Michael Clark said the aim is for the Potomac Tech Bridge to become a conduit for traditional and nontraditional vendors and partners to conduct business with the US Navy and Department of Defense and provide solutions for the warfighter. The Makerspace at UMW will serve as the physical location for the Potomac Tech Bridge.

The $30 million military wreath charity, Wreaths Across America, buys solely from its founders’ farm in Maine, reports Military Times. Wreaths Across America and the Worcester Wreath Company are open about the relationship, though some have questions about whether the close ties between the nonprofit group and for-profit company undercut the charitable message of the effort. About 60,000 volunteers had been expected at Arlington National Cemetery last Saturday for this year’s wreath layings; another 4,217 sites were signed up to participate in the event as well, up more than 500 from 2022.

A US Navy submarine has tested an unmanned underwater vehicle that can leave and re-enter the sub through a torpedo tube, reports The Maritime Executive. The capability to deploy a drone through an existing hatch creates new opportunities for surveillance, scouting and other missions.

Norway has said it will donate more National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, or NASAMS, to Ukraine at a cost of $31 million, reports Defense News. Due to the urgent need for more systems, Norway will supply equipment from its own reserves.

The Finnish government said it plans to invest more than $130 million to its double ammunition production and build new factories, reports Defense News. “This is a long-term commitment to increase our heavy ammunition production, which enables Finland to continue and increase its military aid to Ukraine in the future,” Frans Peltonen, a Defense Ministry official told Defense News.

Russian volunteers are joining Ukrainian ranks to fight Russian President Vladimir Putin’s troops, reports APnews.com. The Siberian Battalion hopes someday to help oust Putin. Its members hail mostly from ethnic minorities from Russia’s far east.

BRIG GEN Stephen Lightfoot, speaking at an event hosted by the Center for Naval Analyses, said China’s increasingly “pretty malign behavior” in the southwest Pacific might be angering its neighbors but it’s also providing an opportunity for the US to strengthen its hand in the region, reports Breaking Defense.

US and China defense officials are talking again, reports Newsweek on MSN. The restart of US-China defense talks is a step toward stabilizing the rocky relations that the two governments have. They remain at odds over a range of issues as part of their broader strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region.

Fox News reports that South Korea and Japan scrambled jets last week after Chinese and Russian warplanes were spotted entering Seoul’s defense zone.

Exchange-run stores on US Army and Air Force installations will stop alcohol sales between 10pm and 6am, effective Jan. 1, reports Military Times. The change will take place at 161 shops worldwide. The decision also follows the recommendations of a report by DoD’s Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee. Navy and Marine Corps exchanges stopped late-night sales in 2013.

House lawmakers want more outside community groups to help in stopping veteran suicides, reports Navy Times. Frustrated with the VA’s lack of progress in preventing veteran suicides, lawmaker suggested last week that more of the $16 billion allotted for outreach efforts be given to outside groups, saying that increased urgency is needed in addressing the problem.

The Maryland Department of the Environment issued an advisory about eating certain types of fish from local waterways over concerns about “forever chemicals,” reports WTOP News. See the list of the warnings for the fish and where they are found here.

Although the majority of state’s public schools experienced no change this year in the Maryland State Department of Education’s five-star rating system, there was a statewide decrease of schools to receive top-star status, reports Maryland Matters.

SGT Maciel Hay, a cavalry scout with the US Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade in Europe, is the first active-duty female sniper to graduate from the Army school, reports The Hill. In 2015, the US military opened all combat jobs to women.

Contracts:

Tetra Tech Inc., San Diego, California, was awarded a $14,804,603 modification (P00009) to contract W912DY-22-F-0059 for recurring maintenance and minor repair of petroleum systems. Work will be performed in Windsor Locks Connecticut; Washington DC; Dover, Delaware; Wilmington, Delaware; Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Chicopee, Massachusetts; Hanscom, Massachusetts; Westfield, Massachusetts; Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; Middle River, Maryland; Bangor, Maine; Bangor, Maine; Pease Air National Guard Base, New Hampshire; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Barnegat, New Jersey; Lakehurst, New Jersey; McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey; Fort Dix, New Jersey; Mattydale, New York; Niagara Falls, New York; Scotia, New York; Westhampton Beach, New York; New Windsor, New York; Annville, Pennsylvania; Coraopolis, Pennsylvania; Horsham, Pennsylvania; Middletown, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; North Kingstown, Rhode Island; Hampton, Virginia; Burlington, Vermont; Charleston, West Virgnia; and Martinsburg, West Virgnia, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 29, 2024. Fiscal 2010 revolving funds in the amount of $14,804,603 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

Kearney and Co. P.C., Alexandria, Virginia, is being awarded a maximum $11,893,927 labor-hour contract modification (P00010) for financial statement audit services for the Defense Health Program (DHP), Medicare Eligible Retiree Care Fund, and Defense Health Agency Contract Resource Management. This brings the total cumulative value of the existing contract, HQ042322F9000, to $34,554,750 from $22,660,822. Work will be performed in various locations including DHP headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia, as well as other federal locations in Texas, Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, Colorado, New York, and Maine, with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2024. This contract was the result of a competitive acquisition for which one quote was received. Fiscal 2024 defense-wide operating and maintenance funds in the amount of $11,893,927 are being obligated at time of option exercise. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

Huntington Ingalls Inc., Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $100,000,000 cost reimbursable modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-2116 to establish a Nuclear Enterprise Workforce Special Incentive. This special incentive will support the government’s portion of strategic co-investments in recruitment, training, and retention of a critical, skilled nuclear ship construction and ship repair workforce. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by December 2037. Fiscal 2023 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $50,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

Huntington-Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding (HII-NNS), Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $9,337,704 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-15-C-2114 for the procurement of material and labor associated with contractor furnished on-board repair parts for the outfitting of CVN 79. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by July 2025. Fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion navy outfitting funding in the amount of $9,337,704 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Supervisor of Shipbuilding Newport News, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

TRAX International Corp., Las Vegas, Nevada, was awarded a $692,886,684 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for planning, conducting, analyzing, and reporting the results of developmental tests, production tests and other tests. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 13, 2028. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $1,000 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-24-D-0004).

Huntington Ingalls Inc., Ingalls Shipbuilding Division, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded a $36,763,925 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-21-C-2443 for life cycle engineering and support for the LPD 17 Class Amphibious Transport Dock Ship Program. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Mississippi; (95%), and Norfolk, Virginia (5%), and is expected to be completed in December 2024. Fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,308,771 (55%); fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,736,544 (28%); fiscal 2024 research development test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $750,000 (6%); fiscal 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $650,842 (5%); fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $428,435 (3%); and fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $250,000 (2%), will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $98,000 (1%) will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

Delta Resources Inc. of Washington, DC, is awarded a $14,918,702 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00030-24-C-6030 to provide engineering and professional support services for the Conventional Prompt Strike program. The contract has options which, if exercised, would increase the value of the contract to $79,690,027. Work will be performed in Washington, DC, (93%); and Huntsville, Alabama (7%). Work is expected to be completed on Dec. 17, 2028. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,250,000 will be obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is being awarded on a sole source basis under 10 US Code 3204(a)(1) and was previously synopsized on the System for Award Management online portal. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.