USS Kidd Transitions to Next Phase of COVID-19 Response

May 27, 2020

The guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd transitioned into the next phase of the Navy's aggressive response to the COVID-19 outbreak aboard the ship with the May 18 transfer of nearly 90 health sailors to relieve the caretaker crew that has been on the ship since its April 28 arrival in San Diego.

Prior to the transfer, the Navy re-tested the whole crew to determine which sailors would transfer back to the ship and which ones would remain in quarantine or isolation. Military health professionals will continue to monitor all crew members for symptoms.

"Our No. 1 priority is to protect the health of our force and our families," said Navy Vice Adm. Richard Brown, the commander of Naval Surface Forces. "By doing that, we also help to protect the health of our communities where we serve. Before we clear any sailor to return to the ship, they must receive two separate negative test results. We're focused on the health and safety of our sailors, and ensuring the full recovery of Kidd's crew."

Following a COVID-19 outbreak while underway, the Kidd arrived at Naval Base San Diego to receive medical care and clean and disinfect the ship. A number of sailors remained onboard to operate essential services, while other crew members and anyone who tested positive were removed from the ship to isolation or quarantine. The next phase of the recovery is another step toward ensuring the ship is safe to get underway to continue its mission.

"I want to thank the amazing team that has supported us — from Vice Admiral Brown to our most junior crew member," said Navy Cmdr. Nathan S. Wemett, the commanding officer of USS Kidd. "Everyone's resiliency and hard work is paying off, but the recovery process is not over. We must remain focused and vigilant throughout the entire process to maintain our health and readiness in order to get back to sea."

 he cleaning of the ship and care for the crew is expected to continue for about two more weeks. The Navy will test all Kidd crew members again before the ship resumes its deployment, officials said.

 (Courtesy of Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.)

Military Brothers Compete in 'Titan Games' TV Show

May 26, 2020 | BY George A. Smith

Two brothers — an Air Force instructor pilot and an Army engineer — will battle it out in the NBC series "The Titan Games," which features people from across America competing in endurance-based mental and physical challenges.

Air Force Capt. Noah Palicia, stationed in Yokota, Japan, and his older brother, Army Lt. Col. Eric Palicia, stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany, have a very special person to thank.

I pushed myself to new limits, had a ton of fun, and, most importantly, bonded with my older brother doing something we both enjoy most — competition!"

Air Force Capt. Noah Palicia

"After winning the [Defense Department] Alpha Warrior Interservice Battle for the second year in a row, my wife posted a message on 'The Titan Games' Instagram, saying that they should choose the Palicia brothers for season 2," Noah Palicia said. "I received a phone call at 2 a.m. from the casting director, asking if I would like to submit an audition tape and try out for the show. After making the tape, I was invited to the combined tryout and found out my brother and I made the show."

The Palicias participated in the tryout Jan. 9-14 in Los Angeles, and they found out they made the show a week later. They traveled to Atlanta for the filming of the series.

"It was an experience I will never forget," Noah Palicia said. "Not only was I able to compete with some of the best athletes in the world on a larger stage than I have ever competed on, but I also was able to enjoy the whole experience with my brother. I pushed myself to new limits, had a ton of fun, and, most importantly, bonded with my older brother doing something we both enjoy most — competition!"

"It was so much more than a competition though," he continued. "Definitely a TV show first and a competition second. Never again do I wish to compete with makeup caked on my face and then have to answer hours of interview questions pre and post competition."

Now comes the interesting part — family, friends and comrades get to see them on TV.

"'I'm thrilled … and a little terrified!' I said from the moment that my brother and I were informed we were going to be on 'The Titan Games.' I just don't want to become a meme!" Noah Palicia said with a laugh. "I would be surprised and disappointed if my fellow aircrew didn't give me a hard time for some silly things I was either told to say on camera or let slip out of my mouth. My non-aircrew co-workers, family and friends will be impressed with my determination and be thrilled to see a friendly face on the big screen."

Six other service members and veterans are also competing in the series. "The Titan Games" airs Monday nights. 

(George A. Smith is assigned to the American Forces Network Broadcast Center.)

President Honors Newly Commissioned Officer for Leadership as Cadet

May 26, 2020 | BY Joe Lacdan , Army News Service

Army Second Lt. Lauren Shappell faced her first challenge as a military leader before she was commissioned.

Halfway through the spring semester of her senior year at the University of North Carolina, the school's administration told students to return home during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in March.

Shappell, serving as a battalion commander for 70 cadets in her ROTC unit at Chapel Hill, had to adjust her communication and interaction with fellow students using virtual tools and online apps. Some cadets lived in different time zones, and others couldn't always make it to assigned online lab meetings.

"People had different situations, and I was kind of being empathetic to that," she said. "It was a lot of flexibility, a lot of communication with my senior class."

President Donald J. Trump honored Shappell and about 20 other college and high school students in a White House ceremony May 22, praising the newly- commissioned officer for her efforts during the semester.

"I'm very flattered," she said before the ceremony. "It's an opportunity of a lifetime."

Shappell hosted Zoom meetings with her battalion for the remainder of the spring, made online announcements addressing the concerns of her fellow cadets and offered encouraging words.

"It definitely challenged me," Shappell said. "I feel like I grew a lot in that position."

Now Shappell hopes to make the same impact on her Army career as a member of the Medical Service Corps at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Before assuming her new duties at Campbell, she will travel to Joint Base San Antonio for training.

Earlier this month, Shappell graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology without an in-person commencement. Shappell said the school hopes to have a formal ceremony for the class of 2020 in the fall.

Shappell is no stranger to adjusting to changing circumstances. As a military child, she and her family had to shift their lives, moving to Turkey and Germany when her father changed duty assignments. At age 4, she learned to speak Turkish while her father served as a battalion commander at the NATO Joint Command Southeast in Izmir, Turkey.

As a high school student, she later became interested in following in the footsteps of her father, Steven, a retired Army colonel and veteran of 33 years, and her mom, Cynthia, who served as an Army psychiatrist at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

While maintaining a 3.69 GPA in college, she became one of UNC's top cadets, earning distinguished military graduate honors. She is a semifinalist for a Fulbright scholarship, and the former lacrosse and field hockey player also excelled in military courses and physical fitness.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself to have good grades for grad school," Shappell said. "I took [ROTC] seriously, basically, and I invested myself in academics and extracurriculars like going abroad and studying languages."

Shappell originally planned to enroll in medical school to work as an Army doctor, but after taking an overseas trip to East Africa, she now hopes to eventually work in public health. She expanded on her interest in foreign languages and other cultures at UNC by taking two years of both Swahili and Turkish.

After earning James Madison University's "Project GO" scholarship, she learned about the social and economic effects of colonialism in east African countries. The Virginia native traveled to places such as Zanzibar City on Tanzania's eastern island, Unguja, where she witnessed the impact of social injustice on Maasai people.

"It definitely changes your perspective," Shappell said. "It really broadened the scope of what I knew to be different ways people live, … and these are ways people make a living, and how they are threatened by environmental changes or policies."

She revisited learning Turkish at UNC, and before her junior year she traveled to Bulgaria to take part in the Army's Cultural Understanding Language Proficiency Program for cadets. There, she taught Bulgarian soldiers English to help them qualify for NATO positions.