Saturday, July 11, 2020

9th Mission Support Command Responds to COVID-19 Pandemic

July 10, 2020 | BY AIR FORCE MAJ. MELODIE TAFAO

The 9th Mission Support Command, headquartered in Honolulu, has mobilized close to 400 personnel throughout the Pacific to assist in defense support of civil authorities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 9th MSC is the most geographically dispersed command in the Army Reserve, and it provides U.S. Indo-Pacific Command with capable forces at key points. The command spans two U.S. states, two U.S. territories, a commonwealth and two foreign countries across seven time zones.

''As a U.S. Army Reserve geographic command designated as a principal ready force unit, and based on our wide array of forces across the Indo-Pacific theater, the 9th MSC prepares for such contingencies year-round,'' said Army Col. Joseph Thomas Jr, the 9th MSC deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and training. ''The 9th MSC was more than ready to answer the call, mobilize, and in some cases, forward-deploy forces in order to execute and command and control validated [Federal Emergency Management Agency] mission assignments and other Theater Joint Force Land Component Command requirements in support of COVID-19 response efforts.''

A soldier wearing a mask cleans a door handle.

The 9th MSC proved their training effective as they seamlessly transitioned from steady-state operations to their efforts in support of civil authorities. It activated its crisis action team, or CAT and immediately began working with the joint force land staff to match capabilities against emerging requirements.

''The CAT was immediately stood up through an initial team huddle of all personal staff and special staff,'' said Army 1st Lt. Lauren Brown, with the COVID-19 fragmentary order team. ''The COVID-19 FRAGO team ensured the information pertaining to [9th MSC] from Army Headquarters, [U.S. Army Pacific] and U.S. Army Hawaii was documented.''

The command quickly organized personnel and supplies to match the need of the mission, people and location, eventually resulting in 376  personnel completing seven FEMA mission assignments and Theater Joint Force Land Component Command and U.S. Army Hawaii taskers.

''Mobilization of 9th MSC forces started with multiple tactical-level units to provide Joint Reception Staging and Onward Movement for other joint and interagency partners, and to operate federal staging areas in American Samoa, Guam, and Saipan,'' Thomas said. ''We then mobilized a team of planners to augment Task Force West in Guam, a team of nurses to provide medical augmentation in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, and additional staff personnel from 9th MSC headquarters and its subordinate theater support group to round-out those operational-level staffs and keep pace with planning, reporting, and command and control requirements.''

Soldiers transfer duffel bags lined up on the ground into a truck.

In addition to mobilizing nurses, medical planners and staff personnel, soldiers with the 9th MSC smoved 273 personnel, four pallets, 16 boxes, eight bags of medical equipment and cargo and more than 11,500 units of personal protective equipment into Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. The command exercised emergency preparedness liaison officers in Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands.

The 9th MSC also provided personnel to support increased Force Protection/Health Protection Condition measures on installations across U.S. Army Hawaii’s area of operations, and it provided COVID-19 cleaning tand contact tracing teams.

''With COVID-19 being a condition that is new, it did present the challenge of lack of knowledge on how to keep everyone safe while maintaining a workflow,'' Brown said. ''At times it has almost been like building a ship while it is flying.''

Throughout this pandemic, the 9th MSC adapted to these conditions.

''In the end, the 9th MSC enterprise rose to the challenge and completed all requirements while executing in a COVID-19 environment with social distancing, virtual collaboration and facing other unforeseen circumstances and challenges,'' Thomas said.

(Air Force Maj. Melodie Tafao is assigned to the 9th Mission Support Command.)

Chapels at Camp Arifjan Reopen for In-Person Gatherings

July 10, 2020 | BY ARMY SGT. KHYLEE WOODFORD

After months of being closed due to COVID-19, chapel doors have reopened for in-person services at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.

Services were halted earlier this year in response to COVID-19.

A man seated in a pew holds a book open during a chapel service.

With social distancing implemented, attendance capacity is limited to 25 personnel, along with limited seating. Despite these restrictions, Army Chaplain (Maj.) Jung Lee, assigned to the 595th Transportation Brigade, noticed the pandemic did not deter attendance.

"We are starting to see new faces; there is steady growth," Lee said. "This was a pleasant surprise." Lee led the contemporary services June 20.

Along with seeing new faces in the crowd, a new sense of fellowship fostered amid the precautionary changes in typical services, the chaplain said.

"We talk with a mask on, but there is conversation now, and eye contact," Lee said. "There is a sense I can just feel. People enjoy the atmosphere of community."

Army Chaplain (Capt.) James Johnson, deployed with the 3rd Medical Command and a member of the praise team, also participated in the reopening day of contemporary service.

Soldiers and civilians attend worship service.
Soldiers attend worship service.

"You can be in great shape and have a great education and still lose your connection to meaning while on mission," Johnson said. "Connecting with the community is a wonderful way to stay connected with meaning. [In-person] chapel services help to provide that."

During the temporary closure, chaplains within the Area Support Group Kuwait provided service members and Defense Department civilians access to online fellowship.

"Some services were already being recorded; however, virtual services will continue even after the pandemic," Army Sgt. Jamel King, a chaplain assistant and the ASG-KU Operations noncommissioned officer in charge of chaplain services, said. "It is our job to offer our service members and civilians these services. The pandemic did not disrupt our battle rhythm."

DOD Announces $84.4 Million in Defense Production Act Title III COVID-19 Actions


Today, the Department announces seven Defense Production Act Title III actions to help sustain and strengthen essential domestic industrial base capabilities and defense-critical workforce in the small unmanned aerial systems, space technology, and shipbuilding industries.  These actions will help to retain critical workforce capabilities throughout the disruption caused by COVID-19 and to restore some jobs lost because of the pandemic. The Department remains closely partnered with FEMA and HHS, providing almost $2.9 billion in life-saving medical services, supplies and equipment to service members and federal agencies in the nation's whole-of-government approach to the coronavirus pandemic.

DoD Announces $13.4 million DPA Title III Investments in U.S. Small Unmanned Aerial System Industrial Base

As part of the national response to COVID-19, and to support the domestic small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) industrial base, the Department of Defense awarded contracts totaling $13.4M to five companies to sustain the capabilities of this critical domestic industrial base. Using funds authorized and appropriated under the CARES Act, these DPA Title III investments will further enhance the U.S. warfighter’s situational awareness, improve human-machine teaming, and provide engineering support for aiding the integration of sUAS capabilities into DoD programs.

The DPA Title III funds across five companies saved 14 jobs, created 20 new positions, and will support continued advancement of capabilities providing the companies additional paths for recurring revenue. The following is an overview of each company’s award:

  • AirMap, located in Santa Monica, California, received $3.3M to aid product development and engineering support for integration of sUAS mission planning, post-mission analysis, and unmanned traffic management software.
  • ModalAI, located in San Diego, California, received $3M to develop their next generation U.S.-made flight controller that will enable advanced autonomy including GPS-denied navigation, and all-environment obstacle avoidance. 
  • Skydio, located in Redwood City, California, received $4M to improve the flight controller hardware/software and data link for their sUAS so that highly capable components can be purchased and used across U.S. Government unmanned systems.
  • Graffiti Enterprises, located in Somerset, New Jersey, received $1.5M to modify their commercial data link for DoD’s sUAS use including operation in restricted frequency bands, reduction in the size, weight, and power of the hardware, and software developments to improve security and resiliency of their data link.
  • Obsidian Sensors, located in San Diego, California, received $1.6M to build a low-cost, dual thermal sUAS camera that can be mounted onto a stabilization gimbal and then integrated and flown on small, packable, ISR systems.

The five awards were provided under Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU’s) Commercial Solutions Opening. DIU is leading the Department’s UAS framework development intended to provide secure, trusted sUAS capability to the Department of Defense and other Federal Government stakeholders.

DoD announces $15 million Defense Production Act Title III Agreement with LeoLabs to Strengthen Domestic Space Industrial Base

As part of the national response to COVID-19, the Department of Defense entered into a $15 million agreement with LeoLabs, Inc. to ensure the continued viability of space surveillance capability through the operation and maintenance of a world-wide highly capable phased-array radar network.  The ability to surveil and analyze spacecraft in low earth orbit is essential to national defense. LeoLabs, Inc. is the only domestic commercial supplier with demonstrated capability in this critical area.

Using funds authorized and appropriated under the CARES Act, this DPA Title III investment will offset direct workforce and financial distress brought about by the coronavirus pandemic to a sole-source capability within the defense industrial base and ensure resultant critical capabilities are retained within the U.S.

LeoLabs, Inc. is based in Menlo Park, California, with operating locations throughout the United States.

DoD announces $56 million Defense Production Act Title III Agreement to Strengthen Domestic Shipbuilding Industrial Base

As part of the national response to COVID-19, the Department of Defense (DoD) entered into a $56 million agreement with ArcelorMittal Inc. to sustain critical domestic industrial base shipbuilding capability and capacity.  This investment will expand ArcelorMittal’s plate processing footprint and heat-treating capability, subsequently increasing its alloy steel plate production and ensure the U.S. Government gets dedicated long-term industrial capacity to meet the needs of the nation.

Using funds authorized and appropriated under the CARES Act, this DPA Title III investment will protect jobs in a region hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure critical capabilities are retained in support of U.S. Navy operational readiness.

ArcelorMittal is a steel and mining company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The principal place of performance is at ArcelorMittal’s facility in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.

Website resources:

DoD Coronavirus update: https://www.defense.gov/Explore/Spotlight/Coronavirus/    

DoD Industrial Policy: https://www.businessdefense.gov/coronavirus/

Joint Acquisition Task Force: https://www.acq.osd.mil/jatf.html  

Defense Production Act Title III: https://www.businessdefense.gov/Programs/DPA-Title-III/

Crafty Marines

Marines in inflatable crafts participate in a squad competition after a small-boat exercise at Kin Blue Beach, Okinawa, Japan, July 7, 2020.