WASHINGTON – Ms. Jennifer Swanson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Data, Engineering and Software, announced today the launch of a pilot, #CalibrateAI, that will explore innovative applications of generative artificial intelligence for Army acquisition activities.
#CalibrateAI will use a cutting-edge generative AI tool – developed by one of the Army’s many industry partners, at no cost to the Army – that harnesses the power of advanced technology, data analytics, machine learning and natural language processing. This AI tool is designed to deliver tailored responses that are highly relevant to specific topics, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of information retrieval and analysis.
“By using off-the-shelf AI tools and leveraging cross-service authority-to-operate reciprocity granted by DoD CIO, #CalibrateAI will explore how we increase productivity while enhancing the accuracy of information,” said Swanson. “The ability to query curated document sets for generating new content, along with providing citations, will ensure that our outputs are not only accurate but also easily fact-checked.”
#CalibrateAI is aligned with the Army CIO’s generative AI initiative and serves as an opportunity for AI experimentation and feedback by allowing participants to simplify repetitive and time-consuming tasks. Deployed in an Impact Level 5 secure cloud environment, the AI tool can handle controlled unclassified information data, ensuring that sensitive information is managed with the highest level of security.
The AI tool includes customizable user-access controls to protect “need to know” information, ensuring that data security and confidentiality are paramount. #CalibrateAI will focus on identifying and calling out potential “hallucinations” or erroneous outputs, thereby increasing the reliability of AI-generated content.
#CalibrateAI aims to:
• Increase productivity by using AI tools to collate, curate and generate critical information relevant to acquisition activities.
• Improve accuracy by implementing mechanisms to provide citations, ensuring the integrity and verifiability of generated content.
• Promote innovation by encouraging the exploration of novel applications of AI in acquisition.
• Inform the Army CIO’s pilot, which includes other generative AI tools, to scope a cost-effective path for the Army’s broader adoption of these capabilities.
The Army’s Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology is committed to leveraging advanced technologies to improve efficiency and support the U.S. Army’s mission. #CalibrateAI represents a significant opportunity to shape the future of acquisition activities through the transformative power of generative AI in a measured and thoughtful way.
For more information about #CalibrateAI, please contact Mr. Jamal Beck at jamal.b.beck.civ@army.mil.
Sgt. 1st Class Fabricio Monterroso, electronic maintenance chief, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, poses for a photo at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy, Oct. 9, 2024. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ivan Hernandez | U.S. Army photo illustration by Brenadine C. Humphrey) VIEW ORIGINAL
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U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa
VICENZA, Italy – “You need to leave your computer desk and get into the warrior mentality,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Fabricio Monterroso, electronic maintenance chief with U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). Such is the effort SETAF-AF soldiers need when preparing for the upcoming Expert Infantry, Soldier and Field Medical Badges (E3B) challenge.
E3B is a grueling test with multiple graded tasks over a one-week period. It is the combination of the Expert Infantry Badge, Expert Field Medical Badge and Expert Soldier Badge. E3B takes place at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy on Oct. 21st and will feature participants from SETAF-AF, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, as well as units from Germany and foreign national partners.
“Our role is to simply lend a hand,” said Monterroso. “We give our expertise, help in the training and give tips and tricks from when we went through it.”
In order to assist participants this year, SETAF-AF’s Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion established an internal training plan. Additionally, a group of those who have already earned their badges have agreed to provide their own support and expertise during the training.
Monterroso, serving as one of the trainers, has been stationed in Italy for two years, one with the 79th Theater Sustainment Command and one with SETAF-AF. Currently, he primarily serves with the communications directorate, ensuring successful network capabilities at exercises and security cooperation engagements in Africa.
“SETAF-AF Soldiers don’t typically get exposed to as many ‘soldier tasks’ compared to candidates from the 173rd or others who are more infantry orientated,” said Monterroso. “So we decided to set up this internal train-up for one-week to familiarize them.”
During the internal training week, soldiers get refreshed on a variety of essential tasks and skills such as medical knowledge, land navigation, weapon disassembly and other skills. Monterroso joined Sgt. 1st Class Rodd P. Simington and Capt. Joshua A. Salters in leading the land navigation portion.
“We know they won’t learn everything, but you have to break that seal,” said Monterroso. “It certainly helped me when I went through it.”
Monterroso is a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, one of many reservists and guardsmen who work at SETAF-AF on temporary active-duty orders. He said it was an incredible opportunity to compete for and obtain his Expert Soldier Badge.
“When I first heard about it, I was very excited. As a reservist we don’t get a lot of chances to do stuff like E3B.” said Monterroso. “So when I heard about it back in 2022, I threw my hand up. But I had no expectations of actually badging.”
For Monterroso, this was a challenge to see how he measured up both physically and mentally. As a former drill sergeant, this was a chance to prove to himself he could still do it, which was an opportunity he loved.
“My train of thought was to simply throw myself in there,” said Monterroso. “Thanks to the internal train-up we had back then, I was able to improve upon many things like rucking and not be as shocked when doing the actual lanes.”
Monterroso provides more to this year’s participants than simply training or expertise.
“I don’t only train them up, of course; I’m boosting their morale,” said Monterroso. “I like to make sure everyone laughs even during training. They should have a good time and not be overwhelmed by just training all of the time.”
As E3B approaches, Monterroso describes why every Soldier should participate in the grueling event.
“Whether you think you will earn the badge or not, you should do it just for the experience,” said Monterroso. “It’s always good to throw yourself to the fire and see how you come out. E3B is a great way to test yourself and see where you are.”
This year’s E3B is hosted by the 173rd Airborne Brigade and incudes Soldiers from across Europe, including partners and allies from Croatia, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain. E3B creates experts at all levels, across all organizations, increasing readiness and lethaity of Soldiers, teams, squaads ad platoons. These events are a key enabler to molding the force into professionals, while stressing commitment to every Soldier’s individual development.
Expert Badges Europe
Soldiers from units across Europe, including service members from other European countries, participate in annual events hosted throughout Belgium, Germany and Italy. For more imagery, video and news, see the Expert Badges Europe feature page.
About SETAF-AF
SETAF-AF provides U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Army Europe and Africa a dedicated headquarters to synchronize Army activities in Africa and scalable crisis-response options in Africa and Europe.
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About the U.S. Army:
The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.
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George Washington assumed the role of the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed carrier, replacing USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), which operated out of Yokosuka for nearly nine years before departing Japan in May.
“USS George Washington departed San Diego to begin the final phase of its redeployment to Japan, where it will once again serve as the Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier,” said Rear Adm. Greg Newkirk, commander of Carrier Strike Group 5. “It will take up station alongside the always-ready forces postured in the area of responsibility. George Washington, with all its capabilities, represents America’s commitment to stability in the region where it will sail and fly with our partner navies as we strive to move from interoperability to true interchangeability.”
George Washington completed its midlife refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) at Newport News Shipbuilding in May 2023, conducted pre-deployment certifications and inspections over the course of 10 months, and departed Norfolk, Virginia, in April for its Southern Seas deployment around South America, arriving in San Diego in July.
The forward-deployed Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, which recently completed training at Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada, will embark George Washington to transit the Pacific Ocean and return to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan.
“I am incredibly proud of this team and everything they have accomplished this year,” said Capt. Timothy Waits, commanding officer of George Washington. “This crew, alongside Carrier Air Wing 5, is trained, tested, and ready to return to 7th Fleet as the Navy’s premier forward-deployed aircraft carrier.”
This marks the second time that George Washington has served as the Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Japan aircraft carrier. In 2008, it became the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be forward-deployed to Japan before being relieved by Ronald Reagan in 2015.
After operating in the U.S. 3rd Fleet and 7th Fleet areas of operations, George Washington will arrive in Yokosuka in late fall.
Martinsen, a Fulbright scholar and NPS Department of Applied Mathematics associate professor, was asked to step-in as Dean of Students over the last year to fill a critical gap. He will now return to teaching, in addition to his new duties as Associate Provost for Academic Affairs.
NPS President retired Vice Adm. Ann Rondeau commended Martinsen for ably leading his team and the NPS student body through four graduations, incoming classes and the implementation of an initiative to vastly increase the number of newly commissioned ensigns coming directly from the U.S. Naval Academy and other commissioning programs.
“Our students are the mission at NPS, and Capt. Martinsen has always put their success at the forefront of his work,” said Rondeau. “He did not hesitate to say yes when asked to take the Dean of Students role, and like the true leader he is, Martinsen set the bar even higher for his team, and inspired us all by his personal commitment to the institution.”
For his accomplishments and exceptionally meritorious performance, Rondeau presented Martinsen with the Legion of Merit. He then spoke to the audience, offering his gratitude for the unique opportunity to lead NPS students, especially noting the hard work of his student services team who process graduating and incoming resident students, which in June alone totaled more than 800.
“Student Services is not just an outstanding team, it’s a family into which I was welcomed and am proud to have been a part of during my time as Dean of Students,” Martinsen remarked. “For me, it is hard to put into words just how rewarding it is to see our warrior scholar students grow academically. If ever there was a doubt as to how this country will respond to the myriad of challenges we currently face, one need only look to the skill, strength, and motivation of these young leaders to know that we will be alright.”
Rondeau also commented on NPS’ extraordinary good fortune to have a leader of Skalski’s caliber as incoming Dean of Students. “He is a warrior’s leader,” Rondeau said, noting Skalski’s career as a Navy SEAL who comes to NPS directly from Commander, Task Force 66, part of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa / U.S. Sixth Fleet.
Skalski’s achievements as a Navy SEAL and commander through multiple conflicts over his near 40-year career bring a distinct operational focus to his tenure as NPS Dean of Students. In addition, Skalski’s time in service makes him the 19th “Bull Frog” in the SEAL community, a moniker given to their to longest serving active-duty member, and is a measure of leadership that makes him ideally suited to command the student military element at NPS.
Martinsen and Skalski then read their orders. As is the time-honored tradition for a change of command, Martinsen turned to Skalski and said, “I am ready to be relieved,” to which Skalski then replied, “I relieve you.” He then took to the podium to offer his thoughts to the assembled audience as NPS’ new Dean of Students.
“The opportunity to serve here at Naval Postgraduate School is truly a gift and an opportunity,” he said. “There are many challenges ahead. While I saw technology advances in artificial intelligence, and the integration of robotics and autonomous systems change the fabric of the battlefield in real-time, the human element will always be the decisive difference. This is where our asymmetric advantage, the warfighter or in this case, the NPS graduate student, comes in.”
“I’ve seen the power of teamwork and resilience during my career,” he continued. “I know that with the talent and dedication in this room and across the NPS campus, we can turn these challenges into opportunities.”
NATO Defence Ministers wrapped up two days of talks on Friday (18 October) with a commitment to further support Ukraine, strengthen ties with partners in the Asia-Pacific and reinforce the Alliance’s deterrence and defence.
“Strengthening our deterrence and defence is this Alliance’s top priority, because keeping our one billion people safe is NATO’s most sacred duty,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said after the meeting. The Secretary General cited greater defence industrial capacity, more secure supply chains, and new technologies as critical to ensuring the Alliance’s security. Mr. Rutte added that NATO was making a fresh push for common munitions standards and more joint procurement to drive down costs and improve ease of use among Allies. NATO operations in the Western Balkans and Iraq were also on the agenda.
Addressing the issue of Allied airspace breached by Russian drones, the Secretary General said that air and missile defence remains an Alliance priority. He highlighted the airspace violation in Romania yesterday and affirmed NATO’s solidarity with Romania, commending Romanian authorities and SACEUR for “their quick and effective response.” This was possible, in part, because NATO is stepping up surveillance on its eastern flank as part of a broader effort to reinforce deterrence. Mr Rutte went on to emphasise that Allies are purchasing hundreds of modern fighter aircraft and air defences systems.
Warning of Russia’s “increasingly irresponsible rhetoric”, the Secretary General said the Alliance’s nuclear deterrent remains “vital” to preserve peace, prevent coercion and deter aggression.
On Thursday (17 October), NATO Defence Ministers were joined for the first time by their counterparts from Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand for talks on common security challenges, including in the context of Ukraine and the support that China, North Korea, and Iran are providing to Russia’s war effort.
Later on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined Ministers in the NATO-Ukraine Council and provided an overview of his plan for ending the war. The discussion among Defence Ministers with their Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, focused on Ukraine’s most urgent needs, including equipment and training. The Secretary General noted that work is well underway to set up NATO’s new command to coordinate security assistance and training for Ukraine, and to deliver on the pledge of 40 billion euros in military aid. He reiterated that Ukraine’s path to NATO membership is irreversible. “Ukraine will be member of NATO, there is no doubt about it, and until that happens we will make sure that Ukraine has everything it needs to prevail,” he said.
In this week’s look around the Air Force, overseas service members can send absentee ballots free, new TRICARE contracts impact referrals and specialty care, and the newest issue of BLUE on the Airman Magazine website explores the shift to ACE.
Under the auspice of the Northern Defence Dialogue meeting held on the margins of the NATO Defence Ministers’ Meeting on 17 October 2024, the defence ministers of Canada, Denmark together with the Foreign Minister of the Faroe Islands and a representative from Greenland, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, and representatives from Iceland and the United States reaffirm their shared commitment to enhanced collaboration on security and defence in the Arctic.
In a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape marked by new challenges, the region has become a growing global point of focus. Climate change is having profound effects on the strategic and operational environment and growing access to the Arctic’s resource potential is enticing new non-Arctic actors to the region. Potential adversaries are rapidly developing their militaries’ ability to operate both in the High North and the circumpolar Arctic region. Among its many negative consequences, Russia’s illegal and unprovoked further invasion of Ukraine has caused grave impediments to international cooperation and degraded the Euro-Atlantic security environment.
These unprecedented challenges underline the need to foster deepened collaboration among the like-minded Arctic states. The accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO significantly strengthens NATO’s collective defence posture and capabilities in the region. As all like-minded Arctic states now belong to the Alliance, we affirm our leading role in NATO’s work relating to the region and stress the importance of maintaining a credible deterrence and defence in the entire Euro-Atlantic area—including our northern regions—as well as cooperation with our other NATO Allies to this end.
At this Northern Defence Dialogue meeting, building on the work of and aiming to also strengthen NATO, we discussed:
Our situational awareness of the threat environment in the Arctic, and opportunities to enhance information and intelligence sharing in order to establish a common operating picture;
Emerging threats, risks, and geopolitical challenges from potential adversaries at both the national and international level;
Our capabilities to deter and, if necessary, defend against threats posed by our potential adversaries in the region, and our commitment to mutual participation in joint operations and exercises to enhance interoperability; and,
Ways to increase collaboration to address common threats and challenges posed to the region.
Our countries’ common ambition to maintain low tension in the region has served as the foundation of our multilateral Arctic relations and will continue to guide our cooperation in the future. Guided by the core principles of multilateral cooperation, territorial integrity, and maintaining the rules-based international order, we are committed to strengthening our collaboration to address complex global challenges and maintain the Arctic as a stable, peaceful, and prosperous region.
A NOAA survey boat examines Tampa Bay’s shipping channels in the wake of Hurricane Milton Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (Credit: NOAA National Ocean Service/Douglas E. Jessmer)
In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, the National Ocean Service’s Office of Coast Survey conducted hydrographic survey operations to help reopen Port Tampa Bay and SeaPort Manatee. As part of the response effort, Coast Survey deployed teams, including a contract surveyor, in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The routes of two NOAA navigation response teams, Fernandina and Gulfport, as they conducted hydrographic survey missions Friday and Saturday, Oct. 11-12, 2024, to assist with the reopening of Port Tampa Bay after Hurricane Milton. The contracted R/V Thunder surveyed the approaches to Tampa Bay. (Credit: NOAA National Ocean Service/Nicolas Alvarado)
“We very much appreciate the close-knit relationship the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has with both the U.S. Coast Guard and the NOAA,” said Col. Brandon Bowman, Jacksonville District Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “This enables our federal agencies to quickly respond, survey and reopen vital federal channels for navigation to aid in delivering supplies and minimize impact to the shipping industry.” Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm at approximately 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 9, near Siesta Key, just south of Sarasota, Florida. In the aftermath of the storm, the U.S. Coast Guard prioritized surveying SeaPort Manatee, to ensure safe passage for cargo ships carrying fuel to the region. “Reopening the ports is critical,” said Dr. Nicolas Alvarado, NOAA Navigation Manager for Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “The faster we can get the necessary information to our partners so the port can be reopened, the better. The navigation response teams are heroes — they work around-the-clock to get the surveying done.”
From left, physical scientist John Gray, NOAA Corps Lt. Robert Sobelsohn, and physical science technician Michael Coughlin surveyed Tampa Bay’s shipping channels Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in the wake of Hurricane Milton. This NOAA survey crew and their boat were part of the agency’s collaborative response to help open Port Tampa Bay quickly for commerce and navigation. (Credit: NOAA National Ocean Service/Douglas E. Jessmer)
When hurricanes make landfall, they often bring stronger-than-normal ocean currents that can shift navigational channels and bring debris that can threaten the ability of vessels to navigate safely along the coast and into ports. NOAA’s navigation response teams use multibeam and sidescan sonar to detect any dangers in the water and speed the reopening of ports and waterways. Coast Survey strategically places navigation teams around the country. While 80% of their time is spent acquiring data for routine nautical chart updates, they also maintain a state of readiness for rapid response mobilization after emergencies.
Navigation response team Gulfport in the foreground when oil/chemical tanker Golden State enters Tampa Bay’s shipping channels in the wake of Hurricane Milton Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. Thanks to NOAA’s hydrographic expertise, the channel was surveyed to update navigational charts and to ensure safe navigation in the hurricane’s wake. (Credit: NOAA National Ocean Service/Nicolas Alvarado)
According to the American Association of Port Authorities “2024 Port and Maritime Industry Economic Impact Report,” U.S. ports’ contribution to the U.S. Gross Domestic Product totals almost $311 billion. Port Tampa Bay receives approximately 33 million tons of cargo a year, while more than 11 million tons of cargo move through SeaPort Manatee annually. Delays in shipping, even minor ones, can cost the economy millions each year.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Victims of modern slavery will be better supported in fresh measures unveiled by the government.
For the first time, the government has pledged to eradicate the backlog of decisions on modern slavery cases within 2 years, giving thousands of women, men and children who may have suffered traumatic sexual, physical and economic abuse the clarity needed to assist with their recovery.
Currently, many victims face long delays in having their status as a victim of modern slavery confirmed through the national referral mechanism, via a conclusive grounds decision. This can lead to prolonged uncertainty and mental health suffering.
Through hiring 200 additional Home Office staff to process cases, thousands of vulnerable people will receive faster decisions on their cases so that they can move forward with their lives, whilst making the process more efficient.
These new employees are already being recruited and will be in their posts in early 2025.
The Safeguarding Minister pledged the new reforms to a room of charity and law enforcement delegates on Thursday (17 October) to mark national Anti-Slavery Week, before traveling to meet survivors of modern slavery at Salvation Army premises.
During the event, Jess Phillips set out that tackling modern slavery is one of her top priorities. She pledged to drive up prosecution numbers for perpetrators of this vile crime and reform the modern slavery system.
Minister for Safeguarding, Jess Phillips said:
For too long, modern slavery survivors and the harrowing experiences they have lived through have not been given the attention and support they deserve.
This is going to change. The actions I have announced today are a first step towards putting survivors first, eradicating the backlog of modern slavery cases to give victims the clarity and peace of mind they need to move on with their lives.
Supporting victims of modern slavery is one of my top priorities and there is much more to do. But be in no doubt, this government will use every lever at its disposal to support them while we pursue those who callously profit from their trauma and misery.
Major Kathy Betteridge, Director for Anti-Trafficking and Modern Slavery, The Salvation Army, said:
We welcome today’s announcement as a positive step towards prioritising the needs of survivors of modern slavery. Far too often, we see individuals in our support services whose recovery is delayed because they feel trapped in limbo, unable to move forward with their lives while awaiting decisions on their cases.
This is an encouraging sign that the new government recognises the needs of survivors and is actively listening to them and those who support them.
We look forward to working with the minister on the many challenges that remain in restoring the UK’s position as a world leader in the protection and support of survivors of modern slavery.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
More than 1,400 homes better-protected from flooding as Kent facility will hold 25 per cent more water than now, enough to fill 600 Olympic swimming pools
Three new gates at the Leigh flood storage area will add 200 homes and businesses to the 1,200 already better-protected from flooding
The Leigh flood storage area (FSA) currently reduces the risk of flooding from the River Medway to 1,200 homes and businesses in Tonbridge and Hildenborough in Kent. It works by holding peak floodwater in the storage area to minimise flows downstream.
Coinciding with the Environment Agency’s Flood Action Week, a milestone has been reached this month with the installation of a new gate to control the flow of water.
Lifted into place by a 300-tonne crane, this is the first of three new gates that will be installed during construction.
The new gates were delivered in pieces and welded together on site. Each gate weighs around 12.5 tonnes – the equivalent to the weight of a single-decker bus!
By replacing the gates and raising sections of the embankment, the FSA will be able to store approximately 25 per cent more water than it does now; in total, more than 7 million cubic metres of floodwater that will help to better-protect more than 200 additional homes from flooding.
Scheme progress
It is expected that the scheme will be completed by the end of 2025.
This is a complex programme and timings could change depending on external factors, such as the weather. Regular scheme updates will be provided to residents and stakeholders via newsletters and on GOV.UK.
Sally Harvey, the Environment Agency’s area director for Kent, South London and East Sussex, said:
The installation of the new gate is a huge achievement and a great step forward in the project to reduce the flood-risk to more than 1,400 homes in Tonbridge and Hildenborough.
People can be assured that the flood storage area will remain operational throughout the project continuing to protect people, homes and businesses.
Thank you to local residents for the continued patience while the work is ongoing.
Barrier: The first of three new gates being installed at the Leigh flood storage area, which will soon hold 25 per cent more water back from communities
Cllr Matt Boughton, leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, said:
The completion of this major milestone is a huge achievement, and I’d like to thank all those who’ve contributed to getting us to this stage of the project. It takes us a step closer to providing even greater protection from the risk of flooding to local homes and businesses that can have a devastating impact.
I look forward to seeing the scheme continue its progress towards completion and much improved flood protection for the people of Tonbridge, Hildenborough and all communities in the Medway catchment.
Liz Gibney, Kent and Medway Economic Partnership chair, said:
We are delighted to see the installation of a new flood gate at Leigh. The Kent and Medway Economic Partnership originally proposed this scheme for central government investment, as we are very mindful of the devasting effects that flooding can have on local residents, businesses and communities.
Some estimates say that the average cost of flood damage in a commercial setting is around £80,000, and that a small business can lose up to 50 working days following a flood event, which clearly leads to a loss of custom and sales. This new investment will, therefore, bring peace of mind to businesses in the area, and increase confidence to invest in our locality.
Rob Thomas, cabinet member for environment at Kent County Council, said:
Completing the installation of the first gate marks a significant milestone in the delivery of the Leigh flood storage area expansion, and Kent County Council is very pleased with the progress being made. This scheme will better-protect homes and business from flooding in Tonbridge and Hildenborough, and offer improved climate resilience.
How the Leigh flood storage area works – watch the animation:
You can find out more about how the flood storage area works by watching our YouTube animation.
Working in partnership
The Environment Agency is working with Kent County Council, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council and the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership (previously part of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership) to reduce flood risk to over 1,400 homes and businesses in Tonbridge, Hildenborough and downstream communities.
Funding is through the government’s Flood Defence Grant in Aid (FDGiA), with contributions from Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, Kent County Council and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, now the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership.
Background
This week, 14-20 October, is also the Environment Agency’s Flood Action Week, which aims to help people and businesses prepare for flooding.
Will the Leigh flood storage area still be operational during construction?
Yes, the work are planned so that most of the work on the flood storage area will be during summer periods when there is a lower risk of flooding. There are robust contingency plans in place to use the flood storage area whenever needed.
The Considerate Constructors Scheme
The Environment Agency is aware of the impact of construction activity on local communities.
The Considerate Constructors Scheme promotes high standards and accountability within the construction industry. It is a voluntary scheme, meaning that scheme-registered contractors and organisations are actively trying to improve the way they work, by raising their standards in being more considerate to communities, the environment and their own workforce.
The project’s construction partner, VolkerStevin is signed-up to the scheme. The site reference is: 134154 and people can give feedback on freephone 0800 783 1423. Or email the project team direct at LEHESEnquiries@volkerstevin.co.uk.
Headline: Readout of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin’s travel to Republic of Korea
During his visit, Allvin met with ROK air force Chief of Staff Gen. Lee Young-su to discuss a range of shared interests and exchange views on the security environment on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region.
Headline: Around the Air Force: Overseas Absentee Ballots, TRICARE Changes for 2025, BLUE: An Agile Approach
In this week’s look around the Air Force, overseas service members can send absentee ballots free, new TRICARE contracts impact referrals and specialty care, and the newest issue of BLUE on the Airman Magazine website explores the shift to ACE.
Slough assumed command of Makin Island in April 2023 after serving as the ship’s executive officer since 2021.
As Makin Island’s commanding officer, her exemplary leadership spearheaded the successful completion of numerous training and certification events, enabling the deployment of a combat-ready ship following a 100-day Continuous Maintenance Availability and a truncated training cycle. Throughout her tour, she demonstrated a unique talent for innovation and interoperability in advanced warfighting concepts, successfully integrating with the thirteenth Marine Expeditionary Unit during workups and a highly productive seven-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific Region. She masterfully employed her forces, executing 11 individual exercises and operations involving 22 partner nations, and oversaw the first-ever deployment of a full squadron of 10 F-35B Lightning II fifth-generation fighter jets aboard an Amphibious Assault Ship. With commitment to excellence, she guided Makin Island to earn the 2023 Battle Effectiveness Award, achieving a 100 percent first-pass qualification rate in every mission area and executing 3,000 individual training events.
“Serving as the commanding officer of the USS Makin Island has been the most rewarding experience of my career.” said Slough, “The dedication and resilience of this crew, combined with the constant improvement of our capabilities on this ship, have made every challenge an opportunity for growth.
Together, we’ve pushed boundaries, achieved mission success, and demonstrated the true strength of teamwork and innovation in the modern Navy.”
Arana, a 1997 graduate of the University of Florida, was commissioned in 1999 through the Officer Candidate School program. He has served as the executive officer of Makin Island since April 2023. Prior to joining the Raider family, he completed squadron tours with HSC-26, 28 and was a plank owner of the HSC Weapons School Atlantic. He h also served as the Assistant Air Officer (MINIBOSS) aboard USS KEARSARGE (LHD 3), Operations and Maintenance Officer for the Tridents of HSC-9. Post Department Head, CAPT Arana served on the Joint Staff, Pentagon in the National Military Command Center as Operations Officer, National Joint Operations and Intelligence Center. He also served at the as Assistant Deputy Director for Operations, J-3, and as a Global Strike Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of Defense, and the President of the United States. CAPT Arana went on to serve at the 59th commanding officer of the World-Famous Golden Falcons, forward deployed in Atsugi Japan. His most recent tour was as Helicopter Assignments Officer and Deputy Director of the Aviation Distribution Office at the Bureau of Navy Personnel (PERS 43).
” I am both humbled and excited to lead the finest amphibious ship in the fleet. This ship and its crew have a legacy of excellence, innovation, and resilience.” Said Arana. “I look forward to continuing that tradition, guiding our team to new heights, and ensuring we are always mission-ready, wherever the call may take us.”
Makin Island, homeported in San Diego, is currently in a selective restricted availability. The Wasp-class ship is crewed by more than 1,200 Sailors and can embark more than 1,600 Marines. Makin Island’s mission is to transport and land ashore troops, equipment, and supplies to support and sustain amphibious assault operations.
“MSC Far East makes sure every U.S. military ship in the Indo-Pacific region is able to get fuel, ammo, and supplies; this can include services to our allies and partners,” said U.S. Navy Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate Andrew Werner, MSC Far East, out of Singapore. “Without a Combat Logistics Force (CFL) or refueling ships, our fleet of ships, and those of some allies, such as the Philippines, would not be able to refuel at sea.”
Sama Sama 2024, which was held Oct. 7-18, was hosted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. Navy, and featured participation from allies and partners throughout the Indo-Pacific region, including personnel and assets from Australia, Canada, France and Japan.
MSC Far East provided subject-matter-expert instruction for the refueling-at-sea familiarization training, along with members attached to Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, out of Singapore.
“The purpose of the training was to get the PN familiar with underway replenishment gear on a ship, how to set it up, and how to conduct a safe underway-replenishment,” said Werner. “MSC Far East has Boatswain’s mates that are subject-matter-experts and can train the Philippine Sailors. We do the similar training with other allies and partners.”
Underway replenishments of allied partners present a unique opportunity to strengthen partnerships and exercise compatibility of logistics systems.
“The training went over the fundamentals of refueling and replenishing at sea,” said U.S. Navy Chief Boatswain’s Mate Francisco Fuentes, DESRON 7. “We also conducted hands-on training and observed their on-station procedures for refueling-at-sea, and looked at their replenishment-at-sea stations forward of the ship.
“It was important for us to do hands-on training because it helped them understand our safety procedures, maintenance requirements, and types of equipment we use and our station procedures. This helps with our interoperability.”
According to Werner, he hopes that the training was beneficial to the PN, and they can mutually build upon interoperability.
“Every Navy does evolutions a little different and we were able to show them how on our U.S. Navy conducts a safe refueling—just about every week—when underway on deployment,” added Werner. “They were excited and motivated to learn and I look forward to working with them again in the future.”
Sama Sama 2024 is a multilateral engagement that includes a sea and shore phase that will incorporate medical, engineering, logistics and symposiums, while diving and explosive ordnance disposal teams, naval vessels and maritime surveillance aircraft conduct exercises focused on anti-submarine, surface and air warfare, and maritime domain awareness.
MSC Far East supports the U.S. 7th Fleet and ensures approximately 50 ships in the Indo-Pacific Region are manned, trained, and equipped to deliver essential supplies, fuel, cargo, and equipment to warfighters, both at sea and on shore.
U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024, MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations, with a workforce that includes approximately 6,000 Civil Service Mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and Reserve military personnel.
PROVIDENCE, RI – A U.S. Army veteran, who allegedly made false claims of combat injuries in order to obtain veterans’ health care benefits that he was not entitled to receive, has been charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with making false statements relating to health care matters and making false statements to agents, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
It is alleged in court documents that Nicholas Ash, 38, of Providence, fraudulently claimed to a Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center doctor that he was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as the result of a combat deployment to Iraq/Middle East where, he claimed, he experienced a blast from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Ash claimed that the IED blast caused him to suffer from seizures.
As alleged in court documents, Defense Department records reflect that Ash served in the U.S. Army from July 2005 to September 2007. Following completion of basic training in Oklahoma, Ash was assigned to Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, where he served as a motor transport operator. While stationed in Hawaii, for an unrelated medical matter Ash was hospitalized and placed on non-deployable status, having been deemed not medically fit to deploy on any military operation. Defense Department records show no indication that Ash was ever deployed anywhere outside of the United States.
When initially confronted with these facts by the VA doctor, and when interviewed later by a federal agent, Ash is alleged to have claimed to have been injured after he was discharged from the Army, as the result of an IED blast he experienced while employed overseas as a private military contractor.
Court records reflect that investigators could find no record Ash ever worked for the private contractor.
In support of his claim that he was injured in the Middle East and that he experienced an IED blast, Ash allegedly presented the physician with a letter written by a veteran who served in the Middle East, and claimed to know of Ash’s tour of duty in Iraq. The individual, an Army veteran, later told an investigator that he did not meet Ash until 2015 or 2017, and that he wrote the letter at Ash’s request.
Ash made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate on Thursday and was released on unsecured bond. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.
United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Services and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Service for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
During his visit, Allvin met with ROK air force Chief of Staff Gen. Lee Young-su to discuss a range of shared interests and exchange views on the security environment on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region.
NASA selected a crew of four research volunteers to participate in its last simulated mission to Mars in 2024 within a habitat at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Obaid Alsuwaidi, Kristen Magas, Tiffany Snyder, and Anderson Wilder will step into the 650-square-foot HERA (Human Exploration Research Analog) facility on Friday, Nov. 1. Once inside, the team will live and work like astronauts for 45 days. The crew will exit the facility on Monday, Dec. 16, after simulating their return to Earth. Jordan Hundley and Robert Wilson also were named as alternate crew members. Scientists use HERA studies to examine how crew members adapt to isolation, confinement, and remote conditions before NASA sends astronauts on deep space missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The studies provide data about human health and performance in an enclosed environment over time with crews facing different challenges and tasks. The four volunteers will carry out scientific research and operational tasks throughout their simulated mission, including raising shrimp, growing vegetables, and “walking” on the surface of Mars using virtual reality. They will also experience communication delays lasting up to five minutes as they “near” Mars, allowing researchers to see how crews may respond to the type of delays astronauts will encounter in deep space. Astronauts traveling to the Red Planet may encounter one-way communication delays lasting as long as 20 minutes. As with the previous HERA missions, crew members will conduct 18 human health studies during the mission through NASA’s Human Research Program. Collectively, the work helps scientists understand how a spaceflight-like environment contributes to the physiological, behavioral, and psychological health of crew members. Insights gleaned from the studies will allow researchers to develop and test strategies aimed at helping astronauts overcome obstacles on deep space missions.
Primary Crew
Obaid Alsuwaidi Obaid Alsuwaidi serves as captain engineer for the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Ministry of Defense. In this role, he provides guidance in civil and marine engineering and addresses challenges facing the organization. Previously, Alsuwaidi worked as a project manager for the defense ministry, helping to streamline productivity, establish high standards of professionalism, and build a team of experts to serve the UAE’s needs. Alsuwaidi earned a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Western Sydney University in Australia, followed by a master’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from George Washington University in Washington. In his free time, Alsuwaidi enjoys horseback riding, swimming, and running. Kristen Magas Kristen Magas is an educator and engineer, currently teaching at Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School in Franklin, Massachusetts. She also mentors students involved in a NASA design and prototyping program, helping them develop and fabricate products to improve life in space on both International Space Station and Artemis missions. Magas was a finalist for the 2025 Massachusetts State Teacher of the Year. Magas received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. She also holds a master’s degree in Vocational Education from Westfield State University in Massachusetts. She has worked as a community college professor as well as a design engineer in municipal water and wastewater treatment. In her spare time, Magas enjoys coaching robotics and track and field, hiking, biking, and staying connected with her community. She has two children and resides in North Attleboro, Massachusetts with her husband of 25 years. Tiffany Snyder Tiffany Snyder is a supervisor for the Cybersecurity Mission Integration Office at NASA, helping to ensure agency missions are shielded against cybersecurity threats. She has more than 20 years of information technology and cybersecurity experience, working with the Air National Guard and as a special agent with the Defense Counterintelligence Security Agency. She joined NASA in 2018 as an IT specialist, and later served as the deputy chief information security officer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, providing cybersecurity oversight. Snyder holds a bachelor’s degree in Earth Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a master’s degree in Digital Forensics from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her dogs — Artemis and Apollo, gardening, running, and visiting the beach with her family. Anderson Wilder Anderson Wilder is a Florida Institute of Technology graduate student working on his doctorate in Psychology. His research focuses on team resiliency and human-machine interactions. He also works in the campus’s neuroscience lab, investigating how spaceflight contributes to neurobehavioral changes in astronauts. Wilder previously served as an executive officer and engineer for an analog mission at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah. There, he performed studies related to crew social dynamics, plant growth, and geology. Wilder received his bachelor’s degrees in Linguistics and in Psychology from Ohio State University in Columbus. He also holds master’s degrees in Space Studies from International Space University in Strasbourg, France, and in Aviation Human Factors from the Florida Institute of Technology. He is completing another master’s degree in Cognitive Experimental Psychology at Cleveland State University in Ohio. Outside of school, Wilder works as a parabolic flight coach, teaching people how to fly in reduced gravity environments. He also enjoys chess, reading, video games, skydiving, and scuba diving. On a recent dive, he explored a submerged section of the Great Wall of China.
Alternate Crew
Jordan Hundley Jordan Hundley is a senior consultant at a professional services firm, offering federal agencies technical and programmatic support. Prior to his current position, he focused on U.S. Department of Defense clients, performing model-based system engineering and serving as a subject matter expert for related operations. Hundley was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. While on active duty, he served as an intercontinental ballistic missile operations officer. He later joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve. Currently, he is a space operations officer with experience in space battle management and electromagnetic warfare. Hundley earned a master’s degree in Engineering Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. He is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in Systems Engineering at the university. Hundley holds a private pilot license and is a certified rescue diver. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking and camping, researching theology, and learning musical instruments. Robert Wilson Robert Wilson is a senior researcher and project manager at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. He leads work enhancing human-machine collaborations, developing human prediction models, and integrating that technology into virtual reality and robotic systems designed to operate in isolated, constrained, and extreme environments. His human-machine teaming expertise also extends into responsible artificial intelligence development. He recently participated in a United Nations Roundtable discussion about artificial intelligence in security and defense. Wilson received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Biomedical Engineering from Purdue University in 2013 and 2015, respectively. He earned his doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2020. Outside of work, Wilson is an avid outdoors enthusiast. He enjoys scuba diving, winter camping, backcountry skiing, and hiking through the woods or mountains throughout the year. At home, he also likes to tinker in computer networking and self-hosted systems. ____ NASA’s Human Research Program pursues the best methods and technologies to support safe, productive human space travel. Through science conducted in laboratories, ground-based analogs, commercial missions, and the International Space Station, the program scrutinizes how spaceflight affects human bodies and behaviors. Such research continues to drive NASA’s mission to innovate ways that keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready as human space exploration expands to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. For more information about human research at NASA, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/hrp
Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense 2
On the afternoon of October 15th, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense Senior Colonel Wu Qian answered recent media queries concerning the military.
Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)
(The following English text is for reference. In case of any divergence of interpretation, theChinesetextshall prevail.)
I have four pieces of information at the top.
The first one.
At the invitation of China’s Ministry of National Defense, defense attachés from more than 60 countries including Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Jordan, the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Canada and Argentina went to the PLA Eastern Theater Command area on October 14th for a five-day visit. This visit will help them better understand the Chinese path to modernization, especially the great achievements made by the people’s military in the new era, and will advance the friendly cooperation between the PLA and their militaries.
The second one.
According to the annual plan and the consensus reached between China and Thailand, the Commando 2024 joint army training will be held in Yunnan Province from mid- to- late October. The training focuses on joint counter-terrorism operations, including manned/unmanned coordination, special blasting, helicopter fast-roping, and joint search and clearing. It aims to improve interoperability between the Chinese and Thai armies and bolster regional stability.
The third one.
The PLA Army Engineering University will host the 11th International Army Cadets Week (IACW) in Nanjing from October 28th to November 3rd. Officer cadets from military academies of countries including Argentina, Egypt, Italy, Pakistan, and Singapore will participate in the event. Under the theme of “Enhancing the Capability of Junior Officers for Future Warfare”, this year’s IACW will have themed discussions, leadership challenges, live-fire shooting training, cultural exchange and other activities. The IACW is a platform for officer cadets to communicate and learn from each other.
The fourth one.
The PLA Army Command College will host the Zhongshan International Forum in Nanjing from October 21st to 25th. Army representatives from over ten countries including Laos, Cambodia, Iran, Tanzania and Kazakhstan will participate in the event. Under the theme of “Future-oriented and New Type Modern Army”, the forum will have themed discussions on such topics as “objectives and trends in army development”, “theoretical innovation for army combat and training”, “army deployment in MOOTW”, and “cultivation of army commanders and staff officers”. The forum will facilitate exchanges and mutual learning among the participants, and promote theoretical innovation for army development.
Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)
Question: It is reported that the recruitment of naval pilot cadets for 2025 has started. Please tell us more about it.
Wu Qian: The PLA Navy recently launched the naval pilot cadet recruitment for 2025. As usual, eligible high school graduates and fresh graduates from universities either with a bachelor’s or master’s degree could apply. In reference to the recruitment standards in major naval powers, the PLA Navy has loosened the criteria on eye sight, widening the scope of applicants to include those who have received vision correction surgery. To meet takeoff/landing requirements for carrier-borne aircraft in complex sea conditions, the Navy has added such testing items as stereoscopic vision, visual contrast sensitivity, magnetic resonance imaging and chest CT scanning, as well as a 15-hour airborne ability screening, to make the recruitment more science-based and precise.
Pursue your dream to fly in the Navy, and serve the country with dedication and loyalty. The recruitment of naval pilot cadets for 2025 started on October 15th. We welcome young people to join this cause for the brave and become dancers on the blade. For more details, please log on to http://www.hjzf.mil.cn.
Question: Naval forces from the United States, Japan, India and Australia conducted Exercise Malabar in the Indian Ocean on October 8th. Some reports say this exercise is directed at China and can enhance the Quad mechanism among the four countries in security areas. What’s your comment?
Wu Qian: China believes that security cooperation among relevant countries should not harm the interests of any third party or undermine regional peace and stability. The so-called Quad mechanism has become a sheer political tool for the United States to contain China and maintain its hegemony. We firmly oppose relevant parties to use China as an excuse to stir up confrontation and escalate regional tensions. A small circle bloc will not make any big difference. The Asia-Pacific should be a grand stage where countries join hands to cooperate, rather than an arena for geopolitical competition. We require relevant countries to give up their obsession with zero-sum mindset and put more efforts on protecting regional security, instead of doing the opposite.
Question: It is reported that the Japanese Defense Ministry recently released reports and photos about the movements of the PLA Navy’s Liaoning aircraft carrier task group, which sailed around the Philippines, and was then joined by the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hainan. Please comment on that.
Wu Qian: We have noticed the media hype by the Japanese side. The Japanese photographer is trying to catch headlines, and is showing off his or her techniques again. Recently, the PLA Navy sent the Liaoning aircraft carrier task group to conduct training in waters of the South China Sea. This is a routine arrangement within the annual plan that is aimed to enhance the task group’s combat capability. The PLA will routinely organize similar training activities in the future.
Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)
Question: According to media reports, the US Government Accountability Office recently accused Raytheon of fraud in selling expensive weapons to Taiwan, which procured the Patriot missile system in 2013 and radar systems in 2017 from that company. A public opinion representative from the Kuomintang criticized US arms dealers as fraud dens. Do you have any comment?
Wu Qian: We firmly oppose US provision of weapons to China’s Taiwan region. I believe what the reports revealed is only a tip of the iceberg. The Democratic Progressive Party Authorities have been doing everything to court their masters in the US to buy weapons, which only wasted the hard-earned money of people in Taiwan. It is evident that what they bought are pieces of junk that only benefited corrupted officials and arms dealers. There are growing opposition and dissatisfaction from the local people.
Sky-high price and obsolete functions are two hallmarks of US arms sales to Taiwan. From mouldy bulletproof vest to expired ammunition to expensive missiles and radars, we can see that the Americans only care about American interests. “Taiwan Independence” is a dead end and outsiders are never reliable. Those who try to rely on US support for independence will only court their own destruction.
Question: Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba once suggested establishing an “Asian version of NATO” and working with Western countries in containing China. Officials from the Japanese Defense Ministry said China and Russia’s infringement upon Japan’s airspace is a regional and international concern. Please comment on that.
Wu Qian: In disregard of fact on the ground, the Japanese side often hypes-up the non-existent “China threat” to divert the international community’s attention from its military expansion. China is strongly opposed to this approach. It is known to all that Japan has broken away from its pacifist constitution and “exclusively defense-oriented” policy in recent years, and largely enhanced its military preparedness, such behavior has put its Asian neighbors and the international community on high alert.
We urge the Japanese side to stop forming exclusive military alliances and “cliques”, be very cautious with its words and deeds regarding military security, and do more for regional peace and stability.
Question: The Israel Defense Force recently attacked the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL). What’s your comment? Are Chinese peacekeepers safe?
Wu Qian: China is seriously concerned about and strongly condemns the Israeli military’s attack on the UNIFIL. China firmly opposes any attack on UN peacekeepers. We require a thorough investigation on the incident and hold those responsible accountable. We urge relevant parties to take real actions to prevent such an incident from happening again. The parties involved in the conflict must ensure the safety of the personnel and assets of the UNIFIL.
The Chinese peacekeeping units in Lebanon are safe now. China is closely monitoring the security situation in Lebanon, and will take additional measures to strengthen security protection of our troops.
As we close out Hispanic Heritage Month across the country through food, family and culture, Naval Medical Research Command (NMRC) reflects on stories of the Hispanic Americans who have shaped our country through service and dedication.
One such story comes from the director for NMRC’s Biological Defense Research Directorate (BDRD), Capt. Guillermo Pimentel.
Pimentel, born in Manhattan and raised in Puerto Rico, began his career in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a hospital corpsman in 1988.
“We lived in the Guánica, the poorest town in Puerto Rico. It is the friendliest town, and a beach-lovers paradise,” Pimentel recalled. “During my senior year of high school, I was approached by a Navy recruiter. I ‘failed’ the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery by 2 points.”
Nevertheless, that same recruiter went on to explain the benefits of joining the Navy.
“It was very appealing, since I come from a low-income family, and I would be fully independent, so I joined the Navy at 17.”
Following his time as a reservist in the Gulf War, Pimentel left the service to earn a bachelor’s degree in industrial microbiology and a master’s degree in biology from the University of Puerto Rico.
Pimentel then braved the cold climate of Pullman, Washington to earn a doctoral degree in plant pathology from Washington State University (WSU), focusing on mycology and population genetics. Following his graduation from WSU, Pimentel, now a lieutenant, became head of the microbiology department at the U.S. Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia.
From 2003 to 2010, Pimentel served multiple leadership positions at the Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU) 3 (now NAMRU EURAFCENT), then located in Cairo. In these roles, he managed research projects with the mission of implementing and strengthening laboratory-based disease surveillance capabilities in the Middle East, Central Asia, former Soviet Union, North Africa and West Africa. Pimentel led research and surveillance efforts to understand the epidemiology of infectious diseases of public health importance in the EUCOM, CENTCOM and AFRICOM Areas of Responsibility. He went on to provide laboratory support during several H5N1 flu outbreaks in West Africa and Central Asia. During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, Pimentel led the NAMRU-3 outbreak support to forces deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq and 20 partner nations.
In August of 2015, Pimentel reported to the NAMRU-6 (now NAMRU SOUTH) in Lima, Peru as executive officer. In March 2017, he became commanding officer of the NAMRU.
Before returning to NMRC as BDRD director, Pimentel served as the Chief of the Global Emerging Infections Surveillance Branch at the Defense Health Agency from 2019 to 2022, leading the DoD global infectious disease surveillance network in support of Force Health Protection for the Geographic Combatant Commands.
Pimentel shared thoughts on these experiences in the Navy, and on growing up in Puerto Rico, as part of NMRC’s recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month.
‘We should absolutely recognize Hispanic Heritage Month,” Pimentel commented at a recent command gathering. “As humans, we tend to forget history and past contributions of our personnel pretty quickly. I see Hispanic Heritage Month program as a mechanism to reflect on the past and to learn from the history of an organization.
“We all learn and experience differently across our lives. This it is what make us unique as individuals. When we bring all this unique and diverse knowledge to an organization, it makes us stronger.”
Pimentel also spoke on the Hispanic leaders that inspire him.
“I love to learn about past contributions of our military and civilian personnel to the mission,” Pimentel said. “A good example is how Dr. Martinez-Lopez, a Puerto Rican just like me, was a general for the Army, commander of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, and now is Assistant Secretary of Health Affairs.
“As a Puerto Rican, it gives me lot of pride, and sometime hope, because less than 1% of all admirals and generals come from a truly Hispanic background. I love to listen from where they came, how they fought challenges, how they apply their experiences and their impact to the mission.”
Throughout Hispanic Heritage month, NMRC aims to recognize the contributions of our sailors, scientists and civilian personnel with roots in countries and cultures with Spanish-speaking heritage.
NMRC is engaged in a broad spectrum of activity from basic science in the laboratory to field studies in austere and remote areas of the world to investigations in operational environments. In support of the Navy, Marine Corps, and joint U.S. warfighters, researchers study infectious diseases, biological warfare detection and defense, combat casualty care, environmental health concerns, aerospace and undersea medicine, medical modeling, simulation, operational mission support, epidemiology and behavioral sciences.
The influenza vaccination – required for all active duty military personnel, selected Reservists and healthcare workers – shot exercise for tenant commands will be held October 21-22, 2024, at NHB’s Health and Education Center (BHEC), 2850 Thresher Ave, Naval Base Kitsap Bangor, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The annual influenza vaccination for all eligible family members of active duty and retirees will take place October 23-27, 2024, also at NHB’s BHEC, Wednesday-Friday, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from noon until 5 p.m.
There has already been an increase of positive influenza cases of late.
Dr. Dan Frederick, NHB Population Health Officer, emphasizes that immunization remains the primary method of reducing seasonal influenza illness and any potential associated complications. Being vaccinated against the viral threat not only helps protect vaccinated individuals but can assist in protecting family and co-workers by helping reduce the spread of the disease.
“Getting the flu shot helps protect someone once the flu season starts in their community. The vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to the illness,” Frederick said.
Frederick also emphasizes that just as it is important for military personnel who live and work in close quarters to receive the vaccine, it is also highly recommended for school-aged children.
“Influenza is not the common cold. It can be a life-threatening disease that especially can put specific groups in jeopardy,” explained Frederick. “While certainly people with respiratory conditions, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are at increased risk, those over 65, young children, and pregnant women would be at the top of my list.”
For those who opt to receive their influenza vaccination elsewhere, there are a number of outlets in the surrounding community that accept TRICARE. NHB requests for those who do get their flu shot out in town – especially active duty, selected reserve, and healthcare workers – to provide documentation of receipt to their medical staff, provider, or directly to NHB Immunizations Clinic to update their medical record.
As a contagious respiratory illness, the flu has varying degrees of symptoms, ranging from no symptoms (asymptomatic) to severe symptoms which can develop from one to four days after infection and include such signs as:
• Fever or feeling feverish/chills. • Cough • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing • Fatigue (tiredness) • Sore throat • Runny or stuffy nose • Muscle pain or body aches • Headache • Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though more common in children.
There are [also] a number of daily measures which anyone can implement to help protect themselves during cold and flu season.
According to the CDC, along with getting vaccinated, there are a few healthy habits to protect against flu,” said Lt. Anurag Sharma, NHB Preventive Medicine department head and environmental health officer. “Personal hygiene by routinely washing hands thoroughly and appropriately. Avoid close contact. Stay home when sick. Cover your mouth and nose if ill and when coughing or sneezing and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.”
The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.
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Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Brylea Huitt, a proud native of Dallas, Texas, has carved out a distinguished path in the Navy, blending her passion for healthcare with service to her country.
Starting as a nurse’s assistant at the young age of just 16, Huitt’s calling to serve others naturally led her to the Navy, where she took on the role of a Corpsman.
“Joining the Navy was a clear choice for me — it allowed me to serve my country while pursuing my passion for helping others,” she said.
Huitt arrived at Naval Medical Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Twentynine Palms in Dec. 2022 and plans to separate from the Navy in Jan. 2025.
Throughout her career, challenge coins have become meaningful symbols of her most memorable experiences in the Navy, each representing a personal story.
Challenge coins have a long-standing tradition in military history, believed to date back to World War I, when service members carried coins as symbols of camaraderie and loyalty. Over the years, these coins have evolved into personalized tokens that represent unit pride, special achievements, or moments of recognition. Often given by commanding officers or peers, challenge coins serve as a meaningful reminder of the bonds formed and the milestones reached throughout a service member’s career.
Out of the many challenge coins Huitt has earned, three stand out as her favorites.
The First Coin: Gifted from an Admiral
Huitt’s most cherished challenge coin came as a surprise, as it was given to her by an Admiral.
“My top favorite challenge coin is the first one I ever received, which was from Rear Admiral Timothy Weber,” Huitt recalled. “During my time as a Hospital Apprentice at the 13 Area Branch Clinic at Camp Pendleton, I had the honor of giving him a tour and discussing all the impactful work we were doing there. Although I was initially nervous, it turned into a moment of immense pride for me.”
“Naval Medical Forces Pacific” is engraved on the coin. Naval Medical Forces Pacific is a key command within the U.S. Navy’s medical structure, overseeing Navy Medicine’s healthcare operations and support across the Pacific region. It provides medical expertise, readiness, and support to naval and joint forces, ensuring that service members are healthy, prepared, and able to perform their duties. It also plays a vital role in supporting humanitarian missions, disaster relief efforts, and maintaining force readiness in the Indo-Pacific area.
The coin represents a significant moment of recognition in the early days of Huitt’s career.
The Second Coin: A Scorpion from Bahrain
Her second favorite coin, shaped like a scorpion, was earned during her deployment from NMRTC Twentynine Palms to Isa Air Base in Bahrain. Modeled after the local ‘death stalker’ scorpion, the coin features the U.S. and Bahraini flags.
“I received this while serving at the Expeditionary Medical Clinic, where I cared for multiple deployed units and took on the roles of MEDEVAC (Medical Evacuation) coordinator and SAPR (Sexual Assault Prevention and Response) Victim’s Advocate,” Huitt explained.
The coin serves as a reminder of her pivotal role in supporting both the medical and emotional needs of her fellow service members.
The Third Coin: A Holographic Caduceus
Huitt’s third favorite coin is a holographic caduceus that comes complete with a removable sword.
“This thoughtful gift from the Physical Therapy department during deployment (to Bahrain) holds special significance to me, as it features the Hospital Corpsman Pledge on the back,” said Huitt.
The Hospital Corpsman Pledge highlights the Corpsman’s dedication to providing compassionate and skilled medical care to all service members. It emphasizes loyalty to the Navy, maintaining the highest standards of performance, and upholding the trust placed in them by both patients and the Navy. The pledge reflects a commitment to preserving life, relieving suffering, and upholding professional ethics in every aspect of their duty.
Looking back on her years serving at NMRTC Twentynine Palms, Huitt’s deployment to Bahrain stands out as one of her most memorable experiences.
“It provided me with invaluable opportunities to travel to three different countries, assist diverse groups of locals and service members, and immerse myself in cultures I might never have experienced otherwise,” she exclaimed.
Huitt’s time as a Sailor in the Navy may be coming to a close, but her days of serving others in a healthcare setting are far from over.
“After separation from the Navy, I plan to return to Texas and begin school to become a Radiology Technician,” Huitt shared.
Huitt’s story helps exemplify the significance of challenge coins to service members — each one a tangible reminder of the dedication, service, and connections she has built throughout her career.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
XIAMEN, Oct. 16 — President Xi Jinping has urged east China’s Fujian Province to play a pioneering role in the country’s modernization drive by staying committed to its development goals.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during an inspection tour in the coastal province on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Colombo (Agenzia Fides) – “The fact that the government under the newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has confirmed its will to conduct a thorough investigation into the Easter 2019 attacks is certainly a good sign. We look to the future with greater hope for justice. And we can say that we are confident,” said Peter Antony Wyman Croos, Bishop of Ratnapura, a city in central Sri Lanka, to Fides on the announcement that the new government in Colombo has confirmed the opening of a new investigation into the suicide attacks carried out on April 21, 2019 on three churches and three hotels, in which 279 people lost their lives and hundreds were injured. Government spokesman and Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath once again publicly assured that the government will ensure justice and that no one involved in the attacks will be exempt from legal responsibility. “The Easter Sunday attacks will be thoroughly investigated. We assure the people of Sri Lanka that we will not pave the way for injustice. We will not hide or protect anyone. All those responsible for these acts will be brought to justice through legal channels,” said Herath. “Once the investigation is completed, we will submit a full report and also announce the action that will be taken,” he added, stressing that all investigation reports currently in the government’s possession will be carefully reviewed to ensure “completeness and accuracy.” Also during a visit to St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church in Negombo, one of the churches attacked in 2019, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake promised justice for the faithful: “There is a widespread belief in society that the Easter Sunday attacks may have been carried out for political reasons,” he said. Meanwhile, in recent days, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has initiated “contempt of court” proceedings against Nilantha Jayawardena, the former director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), for failing to pay full compensation to the victims of the 2019 attacks. The man had been ordered to pay 75 million rupees (around 25 thousand euros) in compensation to the victims of the Easter attacks, but has so far only paid 10 million rupees. On January 12, 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the appeal of the victims’ families and sentenced four politicians and government officials, including former President Maithripala Sirisena, to pay a heavy fine for failing to prevent the attacks despite advance warnings from the intelligence services. In addition to former President Sirisena, these include: Pujith Jayasundera, Inspector General of Police; Hemasiri Fernando, former Minister of Defense; Sisira Mendis, former head of intelligence services. But while those responsible have been identified in the trials for “failure to take precautionary measures”, five years after the tragic events, nothing is known about the organizers and instigators of the massacres, a point on which the Catholic Church continues to call for “justice and transparency”. Another focus of the new government is the social sphere, an area in which the new government will be called upon to intervene to alleviate the serious economic crisis. Bishop Croos recalled that “people expect the new president to take measures to support the economy, alleviate the hardships of families and improve the employment situation. In addition to the medium and long-term measures, there is also an urgent need to support in the short term, especially the poorest, who are currently struggling to make a living”. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 16/10/2024)
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Source: The Conversation – USA – By Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels, Honorary Reader in MIgration and Politics, University of Kent
Election workers prepare to mail absentee ballots to Americans, including those living overseas.Allison Joyce/Getty Images
One group of American voters is being largely ignored in the closely watched polling leading up to the Nov. 5 elections: U.S. citizens living abroad, whether as civilians or as members of the military. We know from governmental data that the number of ballots cast by overseas Americans has been greater than the margin of victory in races in the past – and may be again in 2024.
But that one potentially crucial group of American voters – U.S. citizens living abroad – does not get much attention, from pollsters or campaigns.
We are scholars of politicalscience whose research shows that overseas voters can make a difference in elections – and that there is potential for campaigns to mobilize these voters, despite a more complex process of voting than for domestic voters.
But those are likely undercounts. It’s almost impossible to account fully for dual citizens, naturalized U.S. citizens who have returned to the country of their birth or people who split their time between the U.S. and other countries.
Overseas Americans tend to be highly educated: More than three-quarters have a college degree, double the percentage within the U.S. Most overseas Americans do not move from country to country but rather stay in one country, often for a decade or more. But our surveys have found they remain interested in U.S. politics – not least because they pay U.S. income taxes, whether they work for a U.S. or foreign employer. IRS data shows that the vast majority are not ultra-wealthy.
Overseas voters’ absentee ballot requests and their returned ballots are carefully scrutinized by local officials in the state where they last lived in the U.S., making abuse very unlikely. But it is complex for overseas voters to vote: The paperwork is complicated, and there is comparatively little outreach from political parties and candidates.
Barriers to voting from overseas
In 2020, the Federal Voting Assistance Program, which is supposed to help overseas voters exercise their voting rights, estimated that just shy of 8% of eligible American voters overseas cast ballots in that year’s presidential election. Using program numbers to calculate a percentage another way finds that no more than 20% of overseas Americans cast ballots in the 2020 election.
Federal law requires local election officials in the U.S. to mail absentee ballots45 days before an election to overseas Americans who request them. Poor mail service in the U.S. and elsewhere can mean that voters don’t always get the ballots in time, and the ballots mailed back to election officials face similar delays.
Some states allow voters to receive or return their ballots electronically, which is faster; an overseas voter casting a ballot in Massachusetts can request a ballot, receive a blank ballot and return it all by email, while an overseas voter from Pennsylvania must return it by mail or courier, following exact procedures for enclosing their ballot in multiple envelopes.
In 2023, the Federal Voting Assistance Program estimated that as many as 150,000 U.S. citizens overseas did not cast ballots in the 2022 elections because of administrative hurdles, such as slow or irregular mail service and difficulties in communicating procedural changes to prospective voters abroad.
Interest in US politics
Another possible reason Americans abroad don’t vote is that they have lost interest in U.S. politics. But our own research, and the work of others, finds that not to be true.
Even given the logistical challenges, U.S. citizens living in Canada, as one example, have very similar levels of interest in American politics compared with citizens back home.
During the 2020 and 2022 campaign seasons, two of us surveyed American citizens who had moved north of the border. In 2020, 55% indicated they were very interested in American politics, as did 44% in the midterm year of 2022. This is comparable with levels of attention to politics within the U.S. during those campaigns, as gauged by the Cooperative Election Study.
So although Americans in Canada indicated interest levels as high as those in the U.S. during the past two national election cycles, the vast majority of them did not cast a vote. Administrative barriers play a role, but they’re not enough to explain such low turnout among citizens overseas.
Ignored by campaigns
Another key factor driving low turnout from abroad is a lack of communication from campaigns and parties. Research demonstrates that contacts by campaigns and parties significantly increase a person’s likelihood of voting.
U.S. citizens living abroad are unlikely to hear from campaigns, even in nearby Canada. When asked in 2020 or 2022 whether they had been contacted by American political campaigns, most potential voters in the U.S. had. But our surveys of Americans living in Canada show less than one-third reported contact from parties or candidates.
Because overseas citizens vote in their last state of residence in the U.S. but are not physically resident there, campaigns find it harder to identify them as swing-state residents or members of favorable demographic groups.
Overall, Americans living overseas are as eligible to vote as citizens in the U.S. They are as attentive to politics as Americans living in the U.S. On the other hand, they face major administrative hurdles and are generally not contacted by American parties or campaigns.
James A. McCann has received support for his research on migration from Purdue University, the US Fulbright Program, the Russell Sage Foundation, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels and Ronald Rapoport do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Schneur Zalman Newfield, Associate Professor of Sociology and Jewish Studies, Hunter College
Lubavitchers have put up leaflets, posters and even murals of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson around the world, with many proclaiming him the messiah. Nizzan Cohen via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
If you live anywhere near New York – or anywhere in the world, really – you may have seen a picture of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Yellow posters of the rabbi’s face are stuck to lampposts or streetlights: an elderly man with a long white beard and black hat.
For tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews, Schneerson is simply “the rebbe”: the leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, even though he died in 1994. The name “Chabad” is familiar to many Americans, but the actual beliefs of this Hasidic group rarely are.
As someone who was raised in a Lubavitch community and became a scholar of sociology and Jewish studies, I am often asked what sets it apart from other Orthodox streams of Judaism.
Mystic teachings, joyful prayer
Hasidism began under the leadership of the 18th-century mystic and healer Israel ben Eliezer, known as the Baal Shem Tov. Instead of focusing on the Bible and Jewish law, the movement prioritized attaching oneself to God through joyful prayer and passionate devotion.
The Lubavitch sect of Hasidism was founded in the late 1700s by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the author of the Tanya – a theological text and self-improvement manual still studied daily by Lubavitchers. For over a hundred years, the movement was based in the rural town of Lyubavichi, Russia, from which it derives its name.
Since 1940, however, Lubavitch has been based in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The headquarters there at 770 Eastern Parkway are simply referred to as “770” by Lubavitchers the world over, who imbue the red brick building with mystical symbolism.
Yet there are key features of Lubavitch that distinguish it – particularly how much it engages with non-Orthodox Jews.
The rebbe
All Hasidic sects have a leader, a “rebbe,” who is believed to possess unique spiritual gifts and connect his followers to the divine. Still, Lubavitch is distinct in terms of the extent to which the rebbe is central to the lives of every single member of the community.
In 1951, Schneerson accepted leadership of the Lubavitchers after the passing of his father-in-law and grew the movement exponentially until his passing in 1994. Rather than naming a successor, however, Lubavitchers have continued to regard Schneerson as “the rebbe.”
With his piercing blue eyes, full white beard, black fedora and silk coat, images of Schneerson are ubiquitous among Lubavitchers. Photos and paintings of him adorn walls, key chains, clocks and charity boxes wherever they live.
A baby clutches a photo of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson during a holiday celebration in front of the Chabad Lubavitch headquarters in Brooklyn. AP Photo/Mark Lennihan
While the rebbe was alive, his followers would ask him for advice and blessings regarding all spiritual matters, as well as questions about health, business and marriage. Since his passing, followers continue to seek his blessings by placing notes at his gravesite and searching his printed works for guidance.
One expression of Lubavitchers’ devotion is their commitment to creating Jewish outreach centers all over the world.
The ethos of sharing Hasidic thought was present from the founding of the Lubavitch movement. This drive became much more developed, however, during and after the Holocaust and continued under Schneerson’s leadership.
Today, Lubavitch has established Jewish outposts, called “Chabad Houses,” from Melbourne to Hong Kong and Buenos Aires to Cape Town. These emissaries endeavor to reach out to secular Jews and inspire them to become more religiously observant.
Members of Chabad participate in a Fourth of July parade in Santa Monica, Calif. AP Photo/Richard Vogel
The language surrounding Lubavitch outreach often has a militaristic flavor – for example, its youth movement is named the “Army of God”: Tzivos Ha-Shem, in Hebrew. However, outreach is rooted in the commandment to love one’s fellow Jew and a desire to help them enjoy the Jewish tradition. It is also motivated by a belief that these efforts will help fulfill the biblical prophecy of a Jewish messiah, who will usher in a time of global peace.
The most distinct aspect of contemporary Lubavitch is its enthusiasm for the coming of the messiah and its assertion that Schneerson is that long-awaited messiah, despite his death.
Messianic hopes and people claiming to be the messiah have appeared at various points throughout Jewish history, often during periods of crisis. In the wake of the devastation of the Holocaust, however, Schneerson made the idea of the messiah’s coming integral to every aspect of Jewish life.
Eventually, most followers came to believe that Schneerson was the righteous redeemer sent by God to usher in the messianic age. While Schneerson did not embrace these proclamations, he insisted that through additional acts of goodness and kindness it was possible to bring about the messianic redemption.
While some outsiders criticized this emphasis, especially claims about the rebbe, the situation became much more fraught after he passed away in 1994. In response to this trauma, a split developed in Lubavitch.
One camp, composed largely of those involved in outreach work and members of long-standing Lubavitch families, argued Lubavitch should stop publicly talking about Schneerson being the messiah since it scared away outsiders. The other camp, largely composed of those who joined the community as adults, claimed that he was still the messiah and was about to return, and that it was vital to tell the world.
To some other Jews, this belief seemed suspiciously close to Christian faith in the second coming of Jesus. Still, many Lubavitchers persist in their messianic beliefs.
The future
This issue still divides some Lubavitchers. Nonetheless, since Schneerson’s passing three decades ago, the movement has increased in size and strength.
The group’s cohesiveness has been aided by creative uses of technology to foster a sense of the rebbe’s continued presence in their lives. For example, the Jewish Educational Media organization regularly produces videos that splice footage of his talks with current visuals to make him feel present in the moment. Lubavitchers have reinterpreted Hasidic texts to fit their current predicament, helping them feel grounded despite his physical absence.
While the precise future of Lubavitch is unknown, the fact that it has managed to weather the storm of the rebbe’s passing and emerged stronger gives his followers hope for the future.
Schneur Zalman Newfield does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Philip M. Orton, Research Associate Professor in Ocean Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology
A consequence of dredging deep channels is that water also enters more easily with tides and storm surge.Google Earth
Centuries ago, estuaries around the world were teeming with birds and turbulent with schools of fish, their marshlands and endless tracts of channels melting into the gray-blue horizon.
The result has been the environmental collapse of estuary habitats and the loss of buffer zones that helped protect cities from storm surge and sea-level rise. But the damage isn’t just what’s visible on land.
Below the surface of many of the remaining waterways, another form of urbanization has been slowly increasing the vulnerability of coastlines to extreme storms and sea-level rise: Vast dredging and engineering projects have more than doubled the depths of shipping channels since the 19th century.
Some of these oceanic highways enable huge container ships, with drafts of 50 feet below the waterline and lengths of nearly a quarter mile, to glide into formerly shallow areas. An example is New Jersey’s Newark Bay, which was as little as 10 feet (3 meters) deep in the 1840s but is 50 feet (15 meters) deep today.
A consequence of dredging deep channels is that water also enters and exits the estuaries more easily with each tide or storm. In these dredged channels, the natural resistance to flow created by a rough and shallow channel bottom is reduced. With less friction, that can lead to larger high tides and storm surge.
The effects of dredging are most visible in the daily tides, which have grown larger over the past century in many estuaries and aggravated nuisance flooding in many cities, as our research shows.
The most common culprit for these larger tides is estuary urbanization.
For example, in Miami, where the tide range has almost doubled, a major contributor is the construction and dredging of a nearly 50-foot-deep (15 meter), 500-foot-wide (150 meter) harbor entrance channel beginning in the early 20th century.
In New York City, some neighborhoods in southern Queens see 15 minor tidal floods per year today. Computer modeling shows that these floods are caused in about equal measure by sea-level rise and landscape alterations, including dredging and wetland reclamation projects that fill in wetlands to build industrial sites, airports and neighborhoods.
These costs have gone largely unnoticed, since changes have occurred gradually over the past 150 years. But as sea-level rise and turbo-charged storms increase flooding frequency and severity, the problem is becoming more visible.
Building solutions to the flooding problem
In response to rising sea levels, a different form of estuary urbanization is attracting new attention as a possible solution.
Gated storm-surge barriers or tide gates are being built across estuaries or their inlets so they can be closed off during storm-surge events. Some examples include barriers for New Orleans; London; Venice, Italy; and the Netherlands. Such barriers are increasingly being proposed alongside levee systems for coastal protection of urbanized estuary shorelines.
Surge barriers are not long-term solutions to flooding driven by sea-level rise, and their negative impacts remain poorly understood.
Venice’s rising flood wall includes 58 gates, each about the size of two tennis courts, that rise to block the inlet from storm surge.
Natural solutions
Wetlands and mangroves have also emerged as a popular nature-based solution.
Communities and government funding have focused on attempts to restore or create new wetlands as buffers in shoreline areas. But this solution is ineffective for flood protection in most harbor cities, such as New York, due to the lack of available space.
A storm surge crossing over a mile of marsh can be reduced by several inches, depending on the site’s characteristics. But typical urban estuary waterfronts have only tens of feet of open space to work with, if that much. In a narrow space, the best that vegetation can do is reduce wave action, which often isn’t the the most pressing problem for cities on estuaries that are typically sheltered from wind-driven storm waves.
As a result, engineered wetlands, while attractive, may be ineffective, especially if trends in ship sizes and estuarine urbanization continues.
Better ways to put nature back to work
Our research reveals an opportunity for scientists, engineers and broader society to think bigger – to consider a more comprehensive reshaping and restoration of the natural features of estuaries that once mitigated or absorbed flooding.
These approaches can sharply reduce flooding and provide years of protection against sea-level rise. Restoration to historical channel and wetland configurations, however, is rarely given serious consideration in coastal storm risk management studies because of the perceived economic cost, but also because the cumulative effect of deeper channel depths is often unrecognized.
Renaturing urbanized estuaries in these ways could be paired with buyout programs to also reclaim the floodplain, reducing risk in more sustainable ways. Or it could be paired with seawalls to protect existing neighborhoods in a more ecologically beneficial way. These approaches should be considered as alternatives to further urbanizing our cities’ few remaining natural areas – their estuaries.
Philip M. Orton receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, pertaining to the assessment of coastal flooding from storms, high tides, sea level rise and estuary urbanization.
Stefan Talke receives funding from the National Science Foundation, the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, the California Department of Transportation, Pacific Northwest National Labs, and the California Delta Stewardship Council. The research pertains to the effect of sea-level rise and anthropogenic change on tides and floods in the past, present, and future.
The Albanese government is giving 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, despite earlier this year apparently playing down the prospect of the donation.
The latest Australian package is worth A$245 million. It brings the total Australian military aid to Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022 to A$1.3 billion, and overall Australian support to A$1.5 billion.
When asked about a possible gift of the tanks in February, Defence Minister Richard Marles said it was “not on the agenda”.
Government sources say donating the tanks required US approval since Australia had purchased them from Washington, so there had been a process to go through.
Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy, who is on his way to the NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels, announced the decision in London. In Brussels, Conroy will meet with the Ukraine defence minister.
Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea form the “Indo-Pacific Four” group of non-NATO countries attending the meeting.
The 49 tanks are near the end of their life, so a small number will have to be repaired before they are delivered. Alternatively, they could be used as spare parts if Ukraine wants them delivered more quickly. Ukraine will decide which option to pursue.
The Australian army is retaining a handful of the M1A1 Abrams to help the transition to the M1A2 fleet of tanks.
Conroy said: “We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine in their fight against Russia’s illegal invasion. These tanks will deliver more firepower and mobility to the Ukrainian armed forces, and complement the support provided by our partners for Ukraine”.
Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Thursday 10th October, 2024 (9:00am – 10:00am – Infront of the Government Building)
Captain Eric Turner (Regional Leader of Salvation Army, Samoa),
Hon. Deputy Prime Minister,
Hon. Cabinet Ministers,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Heads of Government Ministries and Corporations, NGOs,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Talofa Lava! And a Warm Welcome!
It is a great honor to stand here and address you today on a topic that is vital for our individual well-being, our workplaces, and ultimately, our nation – ‘MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE’.
Today, we rally to not only recognize the importance of mental health but to ensure that it becomes a pillar of how we work, how we lead, and how we care for one another in the workplace.
Today, the 10th of October is the commemoration of the World Mental Health Day globally including Samoa, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world, on its theme – ‘Healthy Minds, Healthy Workplaces’. It is also the last day that ends the commemoration of the activities for the Mental Health Awareness Week in Samoa, which started on Sunday 6th October, 2024.
As this year’s World Mental Health Day puts more emphasis on the
importance of Mental Health in the Workplace, I am humbled indeed to speak not only as a leader and as an employer but an employee of the Government of Samoa.
Mental health is not something that exists in isolation. It is deeply tied to every part of our lives, including the workplace. The workplace is where we spend a large part of our days. It is where we contribute to our communities, earn a living, and grow professionally. But the workplace can also be a source of stress, anxiety, and pressure.
In Samoa, the demands of work, the increasing pace of change, and the responsibilities we all carry, whether as employees or leaders can take a toll on our mental well-being. When stress becomes overwhelming and mental health is not prioritized, the results are clear. There will be a decrease in productivity, an increase in absenteeism, and a general decline in workplace morale.
However, mental health challenges do not just impact the workplace, they impact individuals, families, and communities. When an employee is struggling mentally, it affects their ability to engage fully at work, their relationships at home, and their overall quality of life. This is why it is essential that we take a proactive approach in addressing mental health in our workplaces. It is not just good for business; it is good for people.
Samoa, like many other nations, is facing a rise in Non-Communicable Diseases or NCDs including those related to mental health. NCDs accounts for over 80% of all deaths and more than half the premature deaths in Samoa. Therefore, mental health conditions such as stress, depression, anxiety, and burnout are no longer issues we can ignore. In fact, mental health conditions are among the leading causes of lost workdays, lower productivity, and long term-disability worldwide.
The Ministry of Health in Samoa has integrated mental health into our national health strategy, recognizing the importance of both physical and mental well-being for a healthy Samoa. In the workplace, we must follow suit. We cannot build a prosperous Samoa if our workforce is unwell, both mentally and physically.
A lot of organizations including our Health Sector Partners who are
gathered here today, both public and private have recognized the
importance of mental health through their combined efforts such as awareness campaigns, advocacy, offering of coping platforms and mechanisms for our people to be more resilient. More workplaces are adopting policies that address mental health and are working to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.
However, we need to accelerate these efforts and ensure that all
workplaces, no matter the size or sector, are places where mental health is supported.
Let us commit to making mental health a priority in every Samoan
workplace. We can take practical steps such as raising more awareness on mental health; develop and implement supportive policies; foster a culture of care by showing compassion and understanding toward each other; and collaborate with Mental Health Services in Samoa for counselling and support.
In Samoa, we have a unique opportunity to lead by example. By
prioritizing mental health in the workplace, we not only improve the lives of our employees but also enhance productivity and success of our businesses and institutions. Let us move forward with the spirit of fa’aaloalo, valuing and respecting the mental well-being of every
individual.
I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge our partners and stakeholders from government, the guidance and support of the World Health Organization, development partners, the private sector, NGOs, and civil society. Thank you for your continuous support towards the work of mental health in Samoa. Your commitment demonstrates your dedication to the health of our people.
Ladies and Gentlemen – Together, we can build workplaces that not only contribute to Samoa’s economy but also to the happiness, health, and well-being of our people.
SOIFUA MA IA MANUIA!
SAUNOAGA AUTU: AFIOGA FIAME NAOMI MATA’AFA – PALEMIA O SAMOA I LE SAVALI FA’APITOA – FA’ATAUAINA O LE VAIASO O LE SOIFUA MALOLOINA O LE MAFAUFAU
Aso Tofi, 10 Oketopa 2024
9:00am – 10:00am – Luma Maota o le Malo
Lau Susuga i le Taitai o le Sauniga, Captain Eric Turner,
Lau Afioga i le Sui Palemia, Afioga i le Saoali’i, Tuala Tevaga Iosefo Ponifasio,
Paia o Minisita o le Kapeneta,
Sui o Malo Aufaatasi ma Faalapotopotoga mai Fafo,
Le paia ma le mamalu ua aofia potopoto,
O le asō, ua fa’ailogaina ai e le lalolagi atoa e aofia ai ma Samoa le Aso Fa’apitoa o le Fa’atauaina o le Soifua Maloloina o le Mafaufau. Ua fa’ai’u ai fo’i ma polokalame e pei ona tapisaina ai e Samoa le Vaiaso Faapitoa mo le fa’alauiloaina o le taua o le Soifua Maloloina o le Mafaufau, e pei ona sa amata mai le Aso Sa 6, Oketopa 2024.
Tatou ave lea o le vi’iga i le Atua, ua livaliva le foe a le tautai, ua a’e manuia taumafaiga o lenei vaiaso.
O le soifua maloloina o le mafaufau e aofia i le fa’atulagaga fa’asaienisi o sē tasi o gasegase tumau, ua to’atele nisi ua a’afia ma maumau ai le soifua. E tusa ai ma fa’amaumauga fa’asoifua maloloina, e sili atu ma le 80% o tagata Samoa ua a’afia i gasegase tumau e a’afia ai totoga e pe’i o le suka, toto maualuga ma o’o ai ina maua i gasegase o le fatu, kanesa ma isi. O lo’o aofia ai i totonu ma le faitauga o tagata ua a’afia tumau le mafaufau i le faitauga o nei gasegase tumau. O fa’amaumauga lata mai, o le to’atele ua a’afia le mafaufau ma fa’amauina e mafua mai ona o le soona tagofia o le ava malosi. Ma ua mafuli i tupulaga talavou o lo’o nonofo i nu’u tu taulaga, o i latou fo’i nei e faigaluega.
O le sini autū o lenei tausaga ma lona fa’amoemoe, ua ave le fa’amamafa i le soifua maloloina o le mafaufau i totonu o fale-faigaluega. O se tasi o mataupu ua le Pau, le Vau, a ua fa’atāfea i le auau e nisi tagata. Atonu e malamalama gofie pe a tatou talatala iai, ae faigata lona fa’atinoga ma e le’o lagonaina e le to’atele.
Afai o le tele o le taimi o le tagata faigaluega e alu i totonu o le fale-faigaluega, e tatau ona tapena fa’afafine to’aga le silasila mamao i le mafaufau manuia o le aufaigaluega. E lē masino o le a si’itia se auaunaga, tele tupe maua ma fa’afiafiaina le ta’ita’i o le fale-faigaluega, o le aufaigaluega faapea ma aiga o lo’o tapua’i mai.
E le o pō malaē le to’atele o e pele ia tatou uma, o fanau, uso ma tuafafine faapea tua’ā ua a’afia mafaufau. E le gata o i latou ua iloa āuga ma iai foliga va’aia,ae fa’apena ma nisi o lo’o a’afia i nisi o gasegase ua avea ma mafuaaga ua a’afia ai ma le mafaufau. O le popōlega tele, o le to’atele o lo’o a’afia e le’o mafai ona iloa, ma o nisi ua a’afia ma ma’imau ai le soifua ona o le pule i le soifua. Ua taotaomia le saili o se fesoasoani ona o le to’atele o lo’o a’afia i sauaga ona o le fefe ma le tusitusilima.
E le māmā lenei mataupu, ma o le tele o lu’itau pe a a’afia le mafaufau, e le gata o le a afaina ai le auaunaga o se fale-faigaluega, ae faapēnā ona a’afia ai aiga, o fanau, faapea ma nu’u ma le atunu’u. O Samoa o lo’o fa’avae ana auaunaga tausili i so’o se fale-faigaluega i ana tu ma aganu’u, e pei o le fa’aaloalo, alofa ma le tautua matavela. O nei tu ma aga a Samoa e mafai ona fa’alautele e fai ma vaifofō ina ia maua le mafaufau maloloina o le tagata faigaluega.
O se fa’amalosi mo fale-faigaluega uma faapea ma ta’ita’i o Samoa, e tāua tele la tatou pitolaau fai fa’atasi. Afai e lagonaina e so’o se tagata faigaluega o lo’o iai tu ma aga e pei o le alofa ma le fa’aaloalo, e ta’ita’itama ai le fa’atinoga o le galuega, o le a si’itia ma maoa’e so’o se auaunaga, o le a telē le lagolago a le aufaigaluega, ma fa’atuatuaina ta’ita’i o so’o se fale-faigaluega.
O le fesili – O a nisi taumafaiga tatou te galulue ai ina si’itia le soifua maloloina o le mafaufau i totonu o se fale-faigaluega? Ia tatou:
• Lagolago ma fai le fale-faigaluega o se nofoaga e fiafia ai tagata e galulue.
• Ia saogalēmū le fale-faigaluega mo tagata uma, e aunoa ma le tusitusi lima ma le fa’ailoga tagata
• Ia amanaia le taimi e tatau ona mālōlō, ma mafuta ai le tagata faigaluega i lona aiga
• Ia fa’atino ni a’oa’oga e si’itia ai le malamalama o ta’ita’i o fale-faigaluega i le tāua o le soifua maloloina o le mafaufau.
E toe fia fa’aleo le tele o taumafaiga a Samoa ua iai, e pei ona iai le saunoaga a le Afioga i le Sui Palemia i lana saunoaga autū i le Aso Sa, na tatalaina ai lenei Vaiaso Faapitoa mo le mafaufau maloloina.
– O galuega ma auaunaga e tauala atu le Matagaluega a le Soifua Maloloina, ua amanaia ma tu’ufa’atasia ai vaega o le siakiina o so’o se gasegase, e le gata i le tino ae ua aofia ai ma le mafaufau. O lenei taumafaiga, ua tatau ona fa’ata’ita’i ma fa’atino e fale-faigaluega, e le gata o le ausia o galuega a le aufaigaluega, ae ia silasila toto’a i a’afiaga o le soifua maloloina o le mafaufau.
– Ua tele polokalame fa’alauiloa, o auaunaga mo le fa’atalatalanoaina o i latou ua a’afia, faapea ma faigafa’avae ma tulafono mo le unaia o le soifua maloloina o le mafaufau.
– Ua tele polokalame ma auaunaga e taofi ma fa’atonutonu ai mafuaaga fa’avae o le a’afia ai o le mafaufau e pei o le ava malosi ma le tagofia o fualaau fa’asaina.
Ae peita’i, o lo’o mana’omia ona fa’aauau ona tapisa lenei mataupu i auala saogālēmū, alofa lē fa’atuāoia, ma aua ne’i iai se tusitusilima. E mo’omia na lalago fa’atasi auaunaga fa’asoifua-maloloina ina ia si’itia faigafa’avae ma tulafono e aofia ai vaega o le mafaufau manuia e aunoa ma le fa’aitū-au.
O le pitolaau a aiga, āoga, fale-faigaluega, nu’u aemaise ekalesia o le ogatotonu lea o le fa’avae o le soifua maloloina e aofia ai ma le mafaufau manuia.
E toe momoli le agaga fa’afetai i a tatou auaunaga ma fale-faigaluega ua potopoto lenei aso, i lā outou lagolago i lenei fa’amoemoe. E fa’afetaia a tatou paaga uma fa’asoifua maloloina faapea ma auaunaga o lo’o fa’aauau ona galulue mo le soifua maloloina o le mafaufau.
Ou te fiafia tele e fa’alauiloa ai fo’i le fa’amae’a ai o fa’atinoga uma o le Vaiaso Faapitoa o le Soifua Maloloina o le Mafaufau i Samoa i le asō.
Agalelei le Atua i fuafuaga o lenei aso, aemaise fo’i le aga atu mo le Aso Sa faapitoa o le fanau.
