First Black Female Brigade Commander at Naval Academy Leads With Passion

 March 12, 2021 | BY Terri Moon Cronk , DOD News

Senior-class Naval Academy Midshipman 1st Class Sydney Barber is a mechanical engineering major at the campus in Annapolis, Maryland, and will be a 2nd lieutenant Marine Corps ground officer when she graduates this spring. 

She's on the Women's Varsity Track and Field team, co-president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes club, and secretary of the National Society of Black Engineers. She also sings with the academy's gospel choir and is a member of the Midshipman Black Studies Club. In addition, she initiated a STEM outreach program for mentoring middle school girls of color in science, technology, engineering and math.

If that is not enough, Barber's most awe-inspiring position is as the academy's first Black female brigade commander this spring semester.

In the academy's 175-year history, women were only first accepted into the class of 1980, and she is the 16th woman selected for brigade commander since that time. She beat out 30 competitors for the top leadership position.

What we do is out of an act of love. Out of love, you make sacrifices, and love is proven by action."

Naval Academy Midshipman 1st Class Sydney Barber, brigade commander

Hailing from Lake Forest, Illinois, Barber, 21, is known as the "six-striper" at the academy. She said last night at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation in Simi Valley, California, that she's in the highest leadership position within the brigade of more than 4,000 midshipmen, and she has a staff of 30 people.

As brigade commander, Barber finds solutions to issues that exist in the brigade and presents them to the academy commandant at the end of the day, among her many other duties.

"My job is to build a team," she said. "The team has to trust you and respect you and know their voices are heard. They must feel critical to the mission, and you must touch the hearts of the people you lead."

Barber said she never pictured herself as brigade commander. "I looked up to strong female leaders and had lot[s] of role models. A year ago, someone said they could see me as battalion commander, so I took on leadership roles, performed community service and joined service clubs. I threw my name in the hat to maximize my potential as much as possible." 

Her efforts had to do with her becoming the best version of herself, she said. 

A self-described introvert, Barber says she's not used to being under the spotlight that's shined on her since her appointment, but she came to embrace the idea that another opportunity might not exist for someone else who looks like her.

Barber says she feels blessed to be brigade commander at the academy, and her approach comprises her lifelong faith, heart and passion. Service became her passion, whether serving her country or working in a soup kitchen.

I pursued things that light fire in my heart."

Midshipman 1st Class Sydney Barber

She left her comfortable suburban life as a teen to do humanitarian work in Chicago, the Dominican Republic and India, among other places. "It opened my eyes," she said of working in the Dominican Republic. "…I grew up in privilege and affluence. I saw people living in metal sheds and making it from one meal to the next. There is much more to life than materialism, and it made me grateful for all I had. I want to pour that back into the world."

The Naval Academy, she noted, was the perfect place for her to do that, and she pursues three things in her life: heart, purpose and legacy.

"There's no greater sacrifice or expression of love than someone who's willing to lay down their life for their country," Barber offered. "What we do is out of an act of love. Out of love, you make sacrifices, and love is proven by action. Everyone wants to have purpose, but words are meaningless unless you pursue the action, not only in this generation, but especially in 10, 20, 30 years."

When she thinks about the life she wants hers to be, Barber wants to confidently say she emptied the tank and did all she could with her humanitarian passion. 

"I pursued things that light fire in my heart. In diversity and inclusion, how do you impact a large sector of people? In a Marine Corps career, leading with heart can be unconventional, but empathy, fostering trust, sharing your story and embracing someone else's, cultivates the passions of others," she said. She said being a leader throughout her career is vital to her and the legacy she hopes to leave.

Asia Trip by State, Defense Secretaries Highlights Importance of Indo-Pacific

 March 12, 2021 | BY Jim Garamone , DOD News

Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III emphasized the importance of the Indo-Pacific region by becoming the first cabinet-level members of the Biden administration to travel to Japan and South Korea.

In a call with reporters, Ambassador Sung Y. Kim, the acting assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said the outreach shows that diplomacy is back at the center of U.S. foreign policy. 

"We are working to strengthen America's relationships with our allies as well as the relationships among them," he said. "And none are more important than Japan and the Republic of Korea."

The two secretaries will meet with leaders in both countries to discuss a wide range of regional and global concerns. The rise of China and the problems of dealing with North Korea are among the issues they will discuss, Kim said. They will also discuss ways to battle COVID-19 and the steps that must be taken to combat climate change. 

In Tokyo, Blinken and Austin will participate in the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee – the so-called "Two-plus-Two" meeting — with Foreign Affairs Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi.

In Seoul, they will attend the U.S.-South Korea foreign and defense ministerial hosted by Foreign Affairs Minister Kang Kyung-wha and National Defense Minister Suh Wook.

"The American, Japanese and Korean people share deeply rooted values of defending freedom, championing economic and social opportunity and inclusion, upholding human rights, respecting the rule of law, and treating every person with dignity," Kim said. "Our cooperation with both Tokyo and Seoul to promote these universal values is vital to a free and open Indo-Pacific."

From a defense standpoint, the alliances with South Korea and Japan are a force multiplier, said David Helvey, the acting assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific affairs. The trip illustrates "the United States's commitment to a rules-based international order that places all nations on a level playing field and holds them responsible for preserving the principles that underpin it," Helvey said.

The Indo-Pacific is the Defense Department's priority theater, and U.S. military capabilities there are dedicated to "upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific region where all nations, large and small, are secure in their sovereignty and pursue economic opportunity, resolve disputes without coercion and have the freedom to navigate and fly consistent with international rules and norms," he said.

"At a time when the region is facing mounting pressure from the People's Republic of China, and the continued threat from North Korean nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, this trip sends an important signal of resolve to work with allies, partners and like-minded nations to promote a peaceful, stable and resilient order that benefits us all," Helvey said.

After Seoul, Austin will travel on to India where he will meet with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and others in New Delhi. They will discuss ways to better cooperate in the major defense partnership the U.S. has with India. These will include enhanced information sharing, regional security cooperation, defense trade and the effects of new domains.

Related Press Release: Secretary Austin Travels to Hawaii, Japan, Republic of Korea, India

Eagle Sokol

 

U.S. and Slovenian troops participate in live-fire exercise during Eagle Sokol in Slovenia, Mar. 11, 2021. The bilateral training exercise with the Slovenian Armed Forces builds a foundation of teamwork and readiness between NATO allies.

Corps Catch

 

Marines conduct well deck operations in preparation for a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief site survey aboard the USS Ashland in the Philippine Sea, March 1, 2021.

Defense Department Launches $7.5 Million Center of Excellence in Networked Configurable Command, Control and Communications for Rapid Situational Awareness

March 12, 2021

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The Department of Defense (DoD), through the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), launched a $7.5 million Center of Excellence in Networked Configurable Command, Control and Communications for Rapid Situational Awareness (COE-NC4) at the University of California, Riverside, a Hispanic-serving minority institution.  

The Center was awarded through the OUSD(R&E)’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCUs/MSIs) Research and Education Program and is administered by the Army Research Laboratory.  

By focusing on large-scale networked systems for next-generation computing and communications, the Center will conduct research that enables systems and subsystems for sensing, data analysis, communications and networking, to be seamlessly integrated and adaptive to novel mission needs.  The University of California, Riverside is nationally recognized for both its research capabilities and its diverse student population. The COE-NC4 will connect the university’s talented students, faculty, and staff with fundamental research questions in the development of a robust, resilient, secure, and fully networked infrastructure while responding to failures and security threats.  

“We are excited for the capabilities of University of California, Riverside to further enhance the Department’s efforts to conduct transformative research in these vital areas and their contributions to the defense technology base through the exploration of ideas,” said Dr. Jagadeesh Pamulapati, acting Deputy Director of the Office of Research, Technology, and Laboratories in OUSD(R&E). “The development of key fully networked command, control, and communication applications deepens our ability to solve science and technology challenges ranging from improving the performance of defense networks to accelerating sensing and computing research to further deter our adversaries in support of the DoD’s technology priorities.”

The COE-NC4 supports the Department’s commitment to building a diverse pipeline of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics talent.  This center will integrate underrepresented students into essential research efforts by way of design projects, colloquiums, and internships at defense laboratories and provides participants with a pathway to graduate studies while fostering awareness of critical research that impacts our national security.

“Our partners at the University of California, San Diego, will engage in research using novel communication and computing paradigms to transfer sensitive information safely to enable better decision making,” said Dr. Pamulapati.  “The Center’s research framework will further facilitate collaborations among the partnering institution and the DoD Army Research Laboratory in thrust areas concerning flexible network resource allocation and robustness to adversarial disruptions on sensing and communications infrastructure.”

For more information on the DoD HBCU/MSI Program, see [https://basicresearch.defense.gov/Programs/HBCU-MI-Program/]

Desert Disconnection

 

A Marine unplugs a fuel hose at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, March 5, 2021.

Vaccination Time

 

Hawaii Army National Guard’s Sgt. Roberto Ramilo administers the COVID-19 vaccine to a Department of Education employee in Kona, Hawaii, March 6, 2021.

Academy Vaccination

 

A sailor receives the COVID-19 vaccine at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., March 11, 2021.

Airdrop Partners

 

Air Force Senior Airman Keion Buckley checks Japanese bundles before loading onto a C-130J Super Hercules for an equipment airdrop during Airborne 21 at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 10, 2021. The exercise allowed U.S. and Japanese troops to work alongside one another while improving the readiness of both forces.

First Military Women of Color Exhibit Opens at Women's War Memorial

 March 12, 2021 | BY Terri Moon Cronk , DOD News

"The Color of Freedom: Honoring the Diversity of America's Servicewomen" exhibit has made its debut at the Military Women's Memorial on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery to highlight the contributions of military women of color who have served in the U.S. military throughout American history.

The new exhibit was virtually unveiled March 4 in a partnership between the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation and Comcast NBCUniversal, according to a memorial press release. The exhibit tells the stories of women of color who served in the military and it also includes three components with Kindergarten through 12th-grade educational programming, a speakers' forum and a digital exhibit.

Spotlight: Women's History Month

"While the memorial has always worked hard to tell the stories of all service women, we are eager to add a voice to the current discussion of race, and to share the extraordinary and enduring contributions of service women of color," said Phyllis Wilson, president of the Women in Military Service For America Memorial Foundation at the exhibit's opening. 

"In many cases [these were] contributions that have been forgotten, ignored or diminished in our textbooks," she noted.

I found these women and many others have been forces within the trajectory of [U.S.] history, women's history and military history. I have found that diversity is our strength..."

Britta Granrud, Memorial Curator

The exhibit spotlights more than 30 service women of color who have blazed trails, broken down barriers and shattered glass ceilings, Wilson explained.

The women of color who dared to lean in and accomplish their missions created a better U.S. military and a better nation, she emphasized.

The public narrative regarding racial injustice last summer presented the memorial with an opportunity to develop an exhibit about all women of color, and to highlight their service, said memorial curator Britta Granrud. 

In designing the exhibit, the curator said she wanted the women to tell their stories in their words. The curator was able to capture those words from women who participated in the exhibit and from the memorial's largest repository of women's military stories in existence, in addition to artifacts and other tangible evidence of their service, she pointed out.

"I found that women of color have faced barriers of gender, race and traditional cultural values in pursuit of a right to serve," Granrud said. "I found that in their persistent efforts … overcoming discrimination has allowed them to thrive and see their roles expand across all sectors. I found these women and many others have been forces within the trajectory of [U.S.] history, women's history and military history. I have found that diversity is our strength; … [and] our life experiences and the communities from which we come make us stronger and make us better."

The common denominator of these women of color who served their country is that they are leaders, said retired Army command sergeant major Michelle Jones, a participant in the exhibit and a combat veteran who served 25 years in the Army. Jones was the ninth command sergeant major in the U.S. Army Reserve and the first woman to serve in that position.

The women of color who served gave us — and continue to give us — a roadmap of selfless service, she said. 

Jones said the women of color who served carry the five "Ls" of leadership: loyalty, to put the needs of the nation before their own; leadership, to lead the nation's greatest assets in its service members; liberty, to enforce our freedoms and our personal freedoms; life, to ensure our way of life is never compromised, and legacy, about which Jones said, "I say and believe your individual accomplishments and achievements are a testament to what you did in your life. But the legacy you leave is a testament to how you lived your life and the lives that you touched. A legacy never dies. It goes on exponentially."

Her sisters-in-arms continue to exhibit characteristics that carry them through their careers, their lives, their struggles and their disappointments, Jones noted. 

The memorial and exhibit hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays; and noon to 5 p.m., Sundays. For more information, call the memorial at (703) 533-1155.

Jet Power

 

Air Force Capt. Kristin Wolfe, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team commander and pilot, flies during a demonstration rehearsal at the 2021 Heritage Flight Training Conference at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., March 5, 2021.

Underwater Construction

 

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Travis Kearns secures a 250-pound zinc anode onto a steel pile at Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan. The anodes are welded onto the pile using underwater welding techniques developed by the underwater construction teams.

Military Advance

 

Marines advance during a force-on-force exercise at Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji, Japan, March 4, 2021.

Swift Swim

 

Army Spc. Michael J. Makinano participates in a swim event during the 2021 Best Warrior Competition at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, March 5, 2021.

Readout of Annual Bilateral Meeting Between Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense David Helvey and Thailand's Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary General Natt Intracharoen

 March 11, 2021

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On March 10-11, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs David F. Helvey and Thailand's Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary General Natt Intracharoen led the 6th U.S.-Thailand Defense Strategic Talks.  It was one of the first bilateral dialogues with a treaty ally in the Indo-Pacific region under the Biden Administration, and it symbolizes the value the United States places on the U.S.-Thai alliance.  The talks were virtual, and both sides looked forward to future in-person discussions.

Acting Assistant Secretary Helvey and General Natt discussed the wide range of U.S.-Thailand defense cooperation, including an exchange of views on the regional security environment, and enhancing reciprocal access and security cooperation.  Both sides agreed on the importance of working together to ensure maritime security, reiterated our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, and discussed the coup in Burma, where both delegations voiced strong concerns about the Burmese military’s violence against protestors. 

Acting Assistant Secretary Helvey underscored that the United States will continue to prioritize the security, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific, and looked forward to the 40th COBRA GOLD exercise later this year.  In addition, U.S. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Ambassador Atul Keshap highlighted developments within the context of the U.S.-Mekong Partnership and reaffirmed U.S. commitment to Mekong security issues.

Army Hospital Helps Child With Rare COVID-19 Complication

 March 12, 2021 | BY Jane Lee, Martin Army Community Hospital

"It was scary, but I knew I wasn't going to lose him." A mother's faith sustained her through the most terrifying week of her life, as her 10-year-old son fought off a rare but serious COVID-19 complication in the pediatric intensive care unit in Fort Benning, Georgia.

Army Spc. Olubisi Abisoye's son, Enoch, woke her up in the early hours of Friday, Feb. 12, saying he did not feel well.

"Something's wrong, something's definitely wrong," Enoch said. "My body was too hot, my head was spinning as if something had just hit me in the head. I wouldn't normally wake someone up at 5 a.m. unless it was an emergency, so it was an emergency."

Abisoye treated her fifth grader with Tylenol for his headache and fever, and Pepto Bismol for his upset stomach. But when he wasn't feeling any better by 2 p.m., she brought him to the emergency department at Martin Army Community Hospital (BMACH).

The entire family had tested positive for COVID-19 in January, but have since recovered. The doctors still needed to rule it out due to Enoch's symptoms. Thankfully, the nasal swab for COVID-19 came back negative. So did the tests for flu and strep. When his 103 degree fever finally broke around 10 p.m., the doctors discharged him.

Abisoye said her son seemed fine over the weekend, but started complaining of a headache again on Monday. This time, she also noticed rashes. When he started throwing up Monday night, she thought it best to make an appointment to see his primary care manager. Since Enoch was suffering from COVID-19 symptoms, they took him to the Pediatric Respiratory Urgent Care Clinic.

Army Capt. Brandon Pye, a PRUCC provider, quickly assessed the child's symptoms and rushed him to the emergency department.

"His vital signs were so abnormal. His blood pressure was low," Pye said. "His heart rate was markedly elevated. He was lying down with his eyes closed, not spontaneously talking or moving a lot."

Enoch's mom credits this early intervention and the BMACH staff for saving her child's life.

"Within a few hours, his vital signs just started dropping," Abisoye said. "It was bad. He got everybody scared. He was in so much pain; he was crying and yelling. Luckily we had wonderful people on shift that day. They had ten people attending to him to make sure he was okay."

Now began the process to find out exactly what was wrong.

"They had to send his blood to the lab for examination. They did an MRI. The first one that came back was his COVID-19, and he tested positive."

Turns out Enoch had developed a rare but serious complication associated with COVID-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes or gastrointestinal organs. The CDC does not know what causes the rare complication, but since mid-May 2020 has reported a spike of 2617 cases. What they do know is more than half the reported cases of MIS-C, 59%, are in males and most are in children and teenagers between the ages of one and 14. The CDC said MIS-C has also disproportionately affected children who are Hispanic, Latino or Black.

"The doctors discovered he had inflammation in different organs. I was really scared," Abisoye said. "He was having difficulty breathing, so they gave oxygen and epinephrine to him to help him… because at that time, he couldn't really breathe."

BMACH reached out to children's hospitals in both Atlanta and Auburn, only to be told their beds were full and couldn't take any critical COVID-19 patients. Fortunately, Children's of Alabama in Birmingham had beds and were already treating patients with MIS-C.

"Because of the urgency of the situation, they had to bring the helicopter to take him over there," Abisoye said. "They took him to the pediatric ICU in Birmingham around 11 p.m."

With her son medevaced to Birmingham, Abisoye took off on the solitary three hour drive.

"The drive was not the problem for me. The problem for me was I was so anxious to see him," shared Abisoye. "I'm not a medical person. I don't know what to expect. I don't know what's the worst that can happen. So that feeling of uncertainty of things scared me."

Abisoye said she prayed all through that night, and the following nights.

"I didn't get to see him until two or three in the morning. When I got to his room, as soon as I opened the door, he was half asleep. He opened his eyes, and he squeezed my hands."

Tami Story, BMACH nurse care manager, said two infusions of immunoglobulin finally stopped Enoch's body from attacking itself. Enoch was so sick, he wasn't even able to get out of bed until Thursday. The nurses were afraid of him falling.

"At least I wasn't as shaky," Enoch said. "So I could go to the bathroom and walk back and forth. I wasn't scared. I remember seeing all the beautiful lights during the helicopter ride."

"My greatest fear was the side effects. When this year started, God didn't tell me I was going to lose my child. I knew he was going to make it, but I didn't know what MIS-C was. Because COVID-19 is so new, the doctors can't really say this is what happened 20 years ago, and this is how we deal with it. And this is what we should do. So that 'IF' was the big problem for me as a mom."

Enoch was discharged from Children's of Alabama on Saturday, Feb. 20. He is on the mend, but must have more blood work done and see a rheumatologist in Birmingham to watch for inflammation and any long-term damage.