The graduating class of cadets march to the stadium for the graduation ceremony at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, May 22, 2021.
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Rosy Return
Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jasmin Trias greets a loved one upon the USS Somerset’s return from a seven-month deployment to its home port of Naval Base San Diego, May 23, 2021.
Log Luggers
Marine Corps recruits squat with a log during drills at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, May 25, 2021.
Air Force Academy Grads to Keep Competition From Becoming Conflict
May 26, 2021 | , DOD News
Since the end of World War II, there've been many other wars — but not another global war between great powers. The balance and stability that's existed for more than 75 years is now at risk and for recently-commissioned young officers out of the U.S. Air Force Academy, it'll be their job to maintain a now fragile world peace, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff said.
"We are now in the 76th year of the great power peace following World War II — and the structure is under stress," Army Gen. Mark A. Milley said while speaking to more than 1,000 cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy commencement ceremony today in Colorado Springs, Colorado. "We can see it fraying at the edge. With history as our guide, we would be wise to lift our gaze from the never-ending urgency of the present, and set the conditions for a future that prevents great power war."
Right now, Milley said, the United States is in great power competition with nations like Russia and China. That competition must not escalate, he told cadets — who will soon be out in the force as second lieutenants.
"We need to keep it [competitive] and avoid
great power conflict ... Each of you [will] play an important role in
keeping the peace. You can expect to be at the edge, many, many times,
making hard choices with imperfect information. But you're going to have
to keep your guard up against the enduring nature of evolving security
challenges. Each and every one of you are going to be fundamental to our
nation's defense in the years to come. And it will be you that leads
our country safely through the next 20 years."
— Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
— Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
"Your parents see their sons and daughters on the field before you, but your nation sees lieutenants, sees airmen, sees space Guardians, who will lead our Air Force and our Space Force as pilots and navigators, engineers, intelligence officers, special tactics and combat rescue officers — each one critical to the joint force mission."
The threat landscape that exists now, Milley said, includes artificial intelligence, robotics, human engineering, hypersonics and long-range precision fires that all provide capability beyond what has ever existed in human history.
As defenders of the nation, Milley said, the new officers will need to be agile and adaptive — they will not have the luxury of time their predecessors might have had to make decisions. The new face of warfare, he said, moves too quickly and changes too unexpectedly. He challenged them to be ready for that.
"The country that masters these technologies, combines them with doctrine and develops the leadership to take advantage of it — the side that does that best — is going to have a decisive advantage at the start of the next war," Milley said. "It's your challenge to be on that side. You will lead us as a nation, not just as an Air Force or a Space Force."
Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on the Passing of Former Senator John Warner
May 26, 2021
Today, on behalf of the Department of Defense, we mourn the loss of Senator John Warner and celebrate his life of extraordinary service to our country. From his early days serving in the military to his distinguished careers at the Pentagon and in the United States Senate, Senator Warner set an enduring example of principled leadership.
Senator Warner served as an enlisted sailor during World War II, then as a Marine Corps officer during the Korean War. In 1969, President Nixon appointed him as under secretary of the Navy. In 1972, the future senator went on to serve as Secretary of the Navy, where, among other achievements, he signed the Incidents at Sea agreement with the Soviet Union. At the height of the Cold War, this bilateral pact helped keep our country safe by reducing the chances of unwitting escalation.
He drew on his defense experience and expertise in the Senate, where he represented Virginia for five terms. As chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he became known for independence and for building bipartisan partnerships, earning the respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. He pushed hard for legislation banning the torture of alleged terrorists, and he opposed the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Throughout his long public career, Senator Warner stood up for our men and women in uniform and made lasting contributions to our national security.
Charlene and I send our deepest condolences to the Warner family. Senator Warner will be missed, but his legacy of service will continue to inspire the next generation of leaders to serve our great nation.
Teen's Vaccine
A 13-year-old receives the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from Air Force Staff Sgt. Tyler Watkins at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., May 19, 2021. The clinic began administering the vaccine to people ages 12 to 15 following approval by the Defense Health Agency earlier in the month.
Stratotanker Flight
An airman flies a KC-135 Stratotanker over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, May 18, 2021.
Hornets on the Horizon
Ceremony Song
Members of the 1st Marine Division Band perform during a change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., May 21, 2021.
Memorial Jump
A soldier participates in an airborne operation at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 25, 2021, to commemorate the 77 paratroopers that lost their lives during combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Friendly Fist Bump
An airman interacts with children during an event to present school supplies and sports equipment to students at Moi Air Base, Kenya, May 12, 2021.
DOD to Hold Public Hearings on PFAS Contamination
May 26, 2021 | , DOD News
The Defense Department will expand community outreach regarding PFAS contamination, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for environment and energy resilience said.
Richard Kidd, provided testimony today at a virtual House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing on defense environmental restoration.
PFAS is an abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. PFOS, which is perfluorooctane sulfonate, and PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, are two chemicals in the larger PFAS class. The chemicals are used in a firefighting foam that is known as aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF.
The foam is used by DOD and civilian firefighting organizations and other industries to rapidly extinguish fuel fires and protect against catastrophic loss of life and property. The foam is also present in other items, such as furniture and carpet.
It has been found in soil and drinking water where AFFF has been used and is considered hazardous to human health in elevated amounts.
"Frankly, the most important outreach occurs at the local level. But it's important that senior leaders demonstrate their commitment and lead by example. I will start this on July 14, representing the department at a public town hall," Kidd said.
"The department has been able to establish and maintain a mature, effective cleanup program," he added.
Kidd said that the remaining cleanup cost of PFAS and other hazardous chemicals at contaminated sites is about $29 billion, but that figure is likely to rise if more contamination is detected.
As of March 31, the department had identified 698 installations with PFAS contamination, Kidd said. "We have completed the preliminary assessment and site investigation on 129 of these installations. Of these 129, 63 were found to require no further action, while 66 are proceeding to the remedial investigation and feasibility study."
Kidd said he expects all of the preliminary assessments and site investigations on all installations to be completed by the first quarter of 2024.
"The department has also taken quick action to address PFAS chemicals in drinking water, both on and off base. We are confident that no one is drinking water with PFOS or PFOA above the EPA's lifetime health advisory of 70 parts per trillion, where the Department of Defense is the known source," he said, referring to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Additionally, the department has a strong internal governance body in the form of the PFAS Task Force, and a record of serious engagement on this topic, Kidd added.
Kidd shared his assessment of the challenge in PFAS cleanup.
"The rate of progress is defined primarily by the rules that govern our physical world. Physics, chemistry and science, establish the realm of the possible and dictate the parameters within which we work. Based on what we know today, and known technologies, frankly, it will be years before we fully define the scope of the problem. … And after that, probably decades before cleanup is complete," he said.
Investing in science could produce new cleanup technologies or methods and could shorten that timeline, he mentioned.
"The program is legally and technically complex, but its purpose is simple: to preserve the trust with the American people, and protect the environmental bounty of this great land for current and future generations. I'm committed to this effort," he concluded.
Also testifying were Amy Borman, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for environment, safety and occupational health; Karnig Ohannessian, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for environment; and Mark Correll, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for environment, safety and infrastructure.
DOD Awards $13.1 Million Contract to Renco Corporation to Increase Domestic Production Capacity of Nitrile Gloves
May 26, 2021
On May 26, 2021, the Department of Defense (DOD), on behalf of and in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), awarded a $13.1 million contract to Renco Corporation to increase domestic production capacity of nitrile gloves.
This industrial base expansion effort will allow Renco to increase production capacity of nitrile gloves in Colebrook, NH, standing up two high-speed dip lines (glove manufacturing equipment lines) and six additional Standard Indexing (traditional) dip lines. This effort will increase nitrile glove production by 45.8 million gloves per month by July 2022.
DOD’s Defense Assisted Acquisition Cell (DA2) led this effort in coordination with the Department of the Air Force’s Acquisition COVID-19 Task Force (DAF ACT). HHS’ Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) funded this effort through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act to support industrial base expansion for critical medical resources.
Filipina American Loves Weightlifting, Leading Marines
May 26, 2021 | , DOD News
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have shaped the history of the
United States and have had their lives dramatically influenced by
moments in its history. Every May, the Defense Department joins the rest
of the nation in celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage
Month.
Marine Corps 1st Lt. Tiffany Roberts is a manpower officer at Camp Pendleton, California. She's also a Filipina American. Her mom was born in Manila, Philippines, and her dad was born in Canandaigua, New York, and is an Army veteran. Roberts was born in San Jose, California.
"I joined the Marine Corps because I felt a strong need to give back to this country who has given me and my family so much. I feel incredibly lucky to have been born in a place where women are treated as strong and capable humans with endless potential," she said.
"I feel as though the best way for me to give back for the beautiful life I have been given is through serving in the military. Out of all of the countries, out of all the lives I could be living, I was chosen to live this one," she added.
Roberts has inherited her mother's loving nature and hospitality, traits she said are usually characteristic of Filipina women. Those traits, she said, have made her an understanding and caring Marine officer.
"My mother and brother instilled Filipino pride in me as a young child, and they taught me what it means to be a family-woman," she said.
As a youngster she said she was smaller and more soft-spoken than other girls and that she often had to fight hard for her voice to be heard or to make her presence known.
"My mother taught me to be resilient and to stand tall because when I speak, I speak with more than just my own voice; I speak with the voice and strength of all my ancestors who came before me. This is something I have carried on through my Marine Corps career," Roberts said.
The hard work, resilience and grit that she said her mother taught her early on is what inspired her to challenge herself physically.
In 2019, Roberts began weightlifting on a team called XIOS Strength and Conditioning. She credits her Filipino coach, Andrew DelaCruz, with seeing potential in her strength and power.
DelaCruz took her on his team to become a 59 kilogram Olympic weightlifter. Since beginning her training with him, Roberts has competed on multiple national stages and received many medals in her weight class.
Recently, she qualified for the 2021 USA Weightlifting Senior Nationals by lifting a total of 166 kilograms (approximately 365 pounds) as her combined total for the snatch and clean and jerk.
"My major goals are to compete on an international stage at the Pan American Games and to be selected to be on Team USA as a weightlifter," she said.
In addition to weightlifting, Roberts is working on getting her masters degree in psychology with an emphasis on military and trauma.
"In the Marine Corps, my major goals are to help my Marines develop themselves physically, professionally and mentally," she said.
"Though I initially joined the Marine Corps to give back to my family
and country, I now love the Marine Corps because of my Marines. I am
their biggest supporter. I want them to thrive in this life, and I want
to be a mentor to them to show them that no matter what their
demographic, ethnicity, gender, height, or predispositions may be, they
can achieve great things. All of the opportunities are open for them
here, and I want to give them everything to be the best Marines and
leaders that they can be," she said.
Flag Officer Assignments
May 26, 2021
The acting secretary of the Navy and chief of naval operations announced today the following assignments:
Rear Adm. (lower half) William E. Chase III, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned deputy commander, Joint Force Headquarters-Department of Defense Information Network (JFHQ-DODIN), U.S. Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Maryland. Chase is currently serving as deputy principal cyber advisor to the secretary of defense, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Washington, D.C.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Brian L. Davies will be assigned additional duties as deputy commander, Second Fleet, Norfolk, Virginia. Davies will retain all currently assigned duties as commander, Submarine Group Two, Norfolk, Virginia.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Jeffrey S. Scheidt will be assigned as deputy principal cyber advisor to the secretary of defense, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Washington, D.C. Scheidt is currently serving as deputy chief, computer network operations, National Security Agency, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, Fort Meade, Maryland.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Michael J. Steffen will be assigned as commandant, Naval District Washington, Washington, D.C. Steffen is currently serving as deputy commander, Second Fleet, Norfolk, Virginia.
Capt. Anthony E. Rossi, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as director, Navy International Programs Office, Office of the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D.C. Rossi is currently serving as major program manager, Mission Integration and Special Programs Office, PMA 298, Patuxent River, Maryland.
Homeport Greeting
Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Kameron Bradley greets his family after returning to San Diego following a seven month deployment aboard the USS Somerset, May 23, 2021.
Motor Disposal
An Air Force ordnance disposal team blows up a NASA rocket motor at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., May 19, 2021.
Surface Searching
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Allen Pinder searches for surface contacts from aboard the USS Iwo Jima during a transit of the Strait of Gibraltar, May 22, 2021.
Falcon Flight
An F-16C Fighting Falcon flies during a readiness exercise over Fort Worth, Jan. 13, 2021.
Arlington Honors
Navy Lt. Chandler Irwin, a chaplain, presides over the funeral service for Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Thomas Griffith at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., May 21, 2021.
Memorandum of Understanding for Acquisition Support Signed Between the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services
May 26, 2021
On May 20, 2021, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Andrea Palm signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to continue the agencies’ partnership in defeating COVID-19 and preparing for future public health emergencies.
The MOU establishes the framework under which the Department of Defense (DoD) will continue to support HHS with acquisition efforts to expand domestic industrial capacity of health and medical resources; procure diagnostics and medical supplies for the Strategic National Stockpile; and accelerate the development, manufacture, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics.
Under the MOU, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, through the Defense Assisted Acquisition Cell (DA2) will review assisted acquisition requests from HHS, determine which acquisition authorities and resources are best suited to support the efforts, and execute agreements with industry to fulfill the defined requirements.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, DoD has executed over $26 billion on behalf of HHS to meet the needs of the Nation. In accordance with the Secretary of Defense’s priorities, the Department will continue to act boldly to support interagency efforts to defeat COVID-19. This MOU reinforces DoD support to HHS in furthering that mission, and strengthens the partnership between agencies.
Most recently under this partnership, DoD awarded three agreements totaling $650 million to Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. (Eurofins), PerkinElmer Health Sciences, Inc., and Battelle Memorial Institute. These awards will support the government’s efforts to expand domestic COVID-19 testing for K-8 schools, underserved populations, and congregate settings such as homeless shelters. The Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) led this acquisition effort, in coordination with Army Contracting Command – Rock Island (ACC-RI) and DA2.
The MOU will remain in place until at least September 30, 2023.
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