NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: USS Annapolis Returns Home to Naval Base Guam Following Indo-Pacific Deployment

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    NAVAL BASE GUAM  –  

    The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Annapolis (SSN 760) returned to its homeport of Naval Base Guam after a successful three-month deployment in the Indo-Pacific region, Oct. 5, 2024.

    “USS Annapolis exemplifies excellence and stands as the pinnacle of our submarine force, playing a vital role in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Capt. Neil Steinhagen, commander, Submarine Squadron 15. “Their unwavering commitment to advancing theater security and executing operational tasks has produced outstanding results. True to their motto, ‘Born Free, Hope to Die Free,’ the crew of Annapolis consistently meets every challenge head-on, showcasing unparalleled operational readiness and exceptional teamwork. Bravo Zulu, team—welcome home!”

    Under the command of Capt. James Tuthill, Annapolis completed missions vital to national security, bolstering operational maritime capabilities in the Pacific. During their deployment, the submarine participated in key bilateral operations with the French Navy and welcomed Rear Adm. Chris Cavanaugh, commander, Submarine Group Seven, during a port visit to Yokosuka, Japan.

    “My crew answered the call, exemplifying remarkable dedication to our mission across the Pacific,” said Tuthill. “I couldn’t be prouder of them, or the tenacity and professionalism they displayed every day at sea. Their resilience, determination, and refusal to quit when things got hard define my extraordinary team. It’s a true honor to lead such an inspiring group. They rose to every occasion.”

    Commissioned on April 11, 1992, Annapolis is the fourth ship in the history of the U.S. Navy to be named for Annapolis, Maryland, home of the United States Naval Academy.

    Assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 15 at Polaris Point, Naval Base Guam, Annapolis is one of four Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines forward-deployed in the Pacific. Renowned for their unmatched speed, endurance, stealth, and mobility, Los Angeles-class submarines form the backbone of the Navy’s submarine force, ensuring readiness and agility in safeguarding maritime interests around the world.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Lt. Gen. Jost Assumes Command of USFJ, 5AF

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan  –  

    U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Stephen F. Jost assumed command of United States Forces Japan and 5th Air Force from Lt. Gen. Ricky N. Rupp during a change of command ceremony on Yokota Air Base, Tokyo, Japan, Oct. 8.

    U.S. Navy Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, presided over the U.S. Forces Japan change of command while U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Laura L. Lenderman, deputy commander, Pacific Air Forces, subsequently presided over the 5th Air Force change of command.

    Paparo not only recognized the accomplishments and dedication of the two lieutenant generals, but also acknowledged the ever-growing strength of the U.S.-Japan Alliance in one of the most critical regions on the globe.

    “We have the most challenging set of adversaries in the People’s Republic of China, Russia, North Korea and violent extremist groups,” said Paparo. “Given the dangerous security environment, our adversaries’ transactional symbiosis among them … more than at any other time in recent history, our troops, our alliances, and our partnerships must be ready.”

    Lieutenant Gen. Rupp, having commanded USFJ and 5th Air Force since Aug. 27, 2021, has overseen the operations of the 66,000 servicemembers of USFJ while being at the forefront of the U.S.–Japan Alliance and working to enhance regional security through the execution of joint, multilateral exercises, and close coordination with the Japanese government.

    Notably, he shaped the establishment of multiple information-sharing systems, such as the Bilateral Intelligence Analysis Cell and the growth of U.S. Space Force capabilities in Japan. His leadership on servicemember quality of life issues will be one of the most lasting legacies of his service, having championed access to medical care, school age programs, and childcare.

    “I am immensely proud of the accomplishments that have strengthened our Alliance with the Japan Self-Defense Force,” Rupp said. “We faced unprecedented challenges but rose to meet them head on by fostering a partnership built on mutual respect, shared values, and a commitment to the security of the Indo-Pacific region.”

    Lieutenant Gen. Jost comes to Japan from United States Transportation Command at Norfolk Naval Station, Va., where he served as the commander of the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command. He is a command pilot with more than 2,700 flight hours in the T-37, T-38, F-16C/D and F- 35A. He has flown missions in support of South Korea defense obligations and operations Iraqi Freedom, Southern Watch and Noble Eagle.

    “I look forward to working alongside you as we continuously, deliberately, and urgently work to make the U.S.-Japan Alliance ever-stronger,” said Jost. “As we do so, we must be ever mindful that we are all U.S. Ambassadors in many respects while serving our great nation abroad.”

    Jost was last stationed in Japan from 2011 to 2012 where he was the deputy commander of the 35th Operations Group and later the director of staff of the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan.

    In their remarks, both leaders reflected on the strength and resilience of the U.S.-Japan Alliance and it continuing to serve as the cornerstone of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific for decades to come.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Chairs Inaugural Plenary Meeting of Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    On October 7-8, 2024, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment William LaPlante chaired the inaugural plenary meeting of the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR) in Honolulu, HI. National Armament Directors, and similarly positioned senior leaders, joined him from all PIPIR member nations in both the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions. The engagement was hosted by the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies and the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM).

    PIPIR is a multi-lateral forum of allies and partners aimed at strengthening defense industrial resilience to promote continued regional security, economic security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. It serves as a platform to accelerate defense industrial base (DIB) cooperation by reducing barriers to production, creating new sustainment hubs, and addressing supply chain constraints.

    “From day one, Secretary Austin has driven success through teamwork,” Dr. LaPlante said. “Today’s security environment demands closer collaboration with our allies and partners. PIPIR will help strengthen our collective ability to produce and sustain warfighting capability in the Indo-Pacific, and the National Armaments Directors are uniquely positioned to drive action in these areas.”

    During this inaugural plenary meeting, participants adopted a Core Vision Statement, which establishes strategic principles to guide collaboration on defense industrial resilience. The agreement of a Core Vision Statement builds upon the Statement of Principles for Indo-Pacific Defense Industrial Base Collaboration endorsed by 13 nations, including by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Shangri-La Dialogue held in May 2024.

    Members also announced the creation of workstreams, each tasked with identifying key projects appointed leadership for each, and discussed plans to operationalize project activities. The four workstreams are Sustainment, Production, Supply Chain Resilience, and Policy and Optimization. Participants underscored the need to deliver material solutions that enhance shared defense industrial resilience. They also emphasized the importance of forging closer partnerships with industry and committed to creating a standing industrial advisory board with whom to consult. PIPIR will include other advisors as necessary to address the complexity and challenges of the DIB.

    The day prior to the plenary session, INDOPACOM hosted the PIPIR delegation at Camp Smith to provide the command’s regional perspective and discuss the implications and role of multi-lateral industrial partnerships for their mission.

    The establishment of PIPIR directly supports DoD’s implementation of the National Defense Industrial Strategy and Regional Sustainment Framework, which emphasize the importance of strengthening international defense production and sustainment relationships.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO holds annual nuclear exercise: Steadfast Noon

    Source: NATO

    NATO will begin its annual nuclear exercise “Steadfast Noon” on Monday (14 October 2024) with more than 60 aircraft taking part in training flights over western Europe. Steadfast Noon runs for two weeks and involves fighter jets capable of carrying U.S. nuclear warheads, but does not involve any live weapons.

    “Nuclear deterrence is the cornerstone of Allied security,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said. “Steadfast Noon is an important test of the Alliance’s nuclear deterrent and sends a clear message to any adversary that NATO will protect and defend all Allies.”

    NATO’s nuclear exercise is a routine and recurring training activity that happens every October. Steadfast Noon involves 2,000 military personnel from eight airbases and a variety of aircraft types, including nuclear-capable jets, bombers, fighter escorts, refuelling aircraft and planes capable of reconnaissance and electronic warfare. This year’s exercise involves flights mainly over host countries Belgium and the Netherlands and in airspace over Denmark, the United Kingdom and the North Sea. Planning for the exercise began a year ago and thirteen Allies will send aircraft to take part in the drills.

    NATO is taking steps to ensure the safety, security, effectiveness and credibility of the Alliance’s nuclear deterrent. For example, this year, the first Allied F-35A fighter aircraft from the Netherlands were declared ready to perform nuclear roles. NATO’s Washington Summit declaration makes clear that “the fundamental purpose of NATO’s nuclear capability is to preserve peace, prevent coercion and deter aggression,” It states that “as long as nuclear weapons exist, NATO will remain a nuclear alliance.”  

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Breakthrough in longstanding Dutch missing person case

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    LYON, France – The remains of Dutch national Angelique Hendrix, who disappeared in 1990, have been identified after an international DNA match was made via INTERPOL. 

    Angelique Hendrix was identified through international DNA match 34 years after she disappeared

    In 1991, Belgian authorities found unidentified human remains in Maasmechelen, just across the border from Angelique’s home in Stein, Netherlands.

    The case remained unsolved until a recent change in Belgium’s legislation allowed its DNA profiles to be shared with INTERPOL’s I-Familia database. It contains DNA data from biological relatives of missing persons.

    Dutch authorities had previously shared DNA data from Angelique’s family with I-Familia, which led to the match when Belgian authorities submitted DNA data from the human remains to INTERPOL.

    Further research and collaboration involving Belgium and the Netherlands confirmed Angelique’s identification.

    Created and managed by INTERPOL, the I-Familia database relies on voluntary DNA submissions from family members of missing persons. The database is used to compare DNA profiles with those from unidentified deceased persons and international missing persons cases.

    This case represents the first I-Familia match for both Belgium and the Netherlands since the database was launched in 2021. I-Familia contains more than 21,000 DNA profiles from 78 countries and is used exclusively for solving missing persons cases. It is not connected to INTERPOL’s criminal databases. 

    INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said:

    “The major breakthrough in Angelique’s identification was thanks to the efforts of Belgian and Dutch law enforcement and the crucial role of I-Familia in providing answers to families of missing persons.

    “For missing persons cases, international cooperation plays a vital role in enabling investigators to put together the various pieces of the puzzle surrounding a person’s disappearance.”

    The I-Familia database is also an important part of the separate Identify Me international appeal launched earlier this week, which seeks the public’s help in uncovering the identities of unknown deceased women found across six European countries.

    Members of the public with any information on the circumstances of Angelique’s disappearance can contact the Dutch police via http://www.politie.nl/angelique.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ireland’s ‘Most Wanted’ arrested in United Arab Emirates

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    LYON, France – One of Ireland’s most wanted fugitives, Sean McGovern, has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates following cooperation via INTERPOL.

    The 38-year-old, an alleged high-ranking member of the Kinahan Organized Crime Group, was taken into custody by Dubai Police on Thursday 10 October.

    The arrest follows the publication of an INTERPOL Red Notice, or international wanted persons alert, to support the ongoing collaboration between Irish and UAE authorities.

    INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said:

    “One of Ireland’s most wanted individuals has been arrested thanks to the combined efforts of the Irish authorities and the United Arab Emirates.

    “Cases like this underline the value of international police cooperation via INTERPOL’s global network, and again highlights that no fugitive can consider themselves safe from justice.

    McGovern, who is wanted for charges including murder and directing an organized crime group, will be held in the UAE pending extradition proceedings.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: NMRLC Celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    NMRLC command personnel celebrated National Hispanic Heritage Month on Oct. 9. National Hispanic Heritage Month traditionally honors the cultures and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans as we celebrate heritage rooted in all Latin American countries.

    Hispanic Heritage Week was founded as a seven-day observance in 1968 when President Lyndon Johnson signed Proclamation 3869. As the years passed on, it became clear to the American people that one week per year was not enough time to celebrate all the accomplishments and contributions of the Hispanic community.

    On Aug. 17, 1988, Public Law 100-402 was approved and signed by President Ronald Reagan, expanding Hispanic Heritage Week into a month-long event, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

    NMRLC has a diverse workforce and is honored to celebrate the rich heritages represented by command personnel.

    Headed by Capt. Christopher Barnes, NMRLC develops, acquires, produces, fields, sustains, and provides enduring lifecycle support of medical materiel solutions to the Fleet, Fleet Marine Force, and Joint Forces in high-end competition, crisis, and combat. At the forefront of Navy Medicine’s strategic evolution, NMRLC is well positioned to be the Joint Force’s premier integrated medical logistics support activity.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa Welcomes the New Mayor of Ginowan

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    In a display of continuity and stability, Capt. Kathleen Cooperman, Commanding Officer (CO) of U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, welcomed the returning City of Ginowan Mayor, Mr. Atsushi Sakima. Mayor Sakima, who previously held the position from 2012 to 2018, stepped back into the role following the sudden passing of Mayor Masanori Matsugawa in July.

    Mayor Sakima and Capt. Cooperman met in a spirit of unity and collaboration. The CO expressed her condolences and fondly recalled the strong relationship she shared with former Mayor Matsugawa. Mayor Sakima, in turn, thanked the CO for her presence at the former Mayor’s funeral and expressed his commitment to continuing the successful relationship.

    The two spoke about the upcoming opening of the new University of the Ryukyus Hospital and the positive economic growth it will bring to the city. The new hospital shares a fence line with the Naval hospital, and the two healthcare organizations have a robust relationship. Capt. Cooperman spoke about the recent opening of the hospital gate with 24/7 access, allowing the hospital sailors to walk off base and frequent the shops and restaurants just outside the entrance. The CO spoke about how she and the hospital leadership talk about being good ambassadors to our neighbors on the other side of the fence. Mayor Sakima expressed his desire to continue building on several current volunteer efforts in which the hospital staff participates and forging new opportunities in the future.

    There is no doubt that the relationships formed between the U.S. forces here in Japan are crucial to the ability to prosper and win during potential threats from natural disasters, pandemics, or potential hostile contingencies. The two leaders discussed upcoming strategic meetings and opportunities to bring children in need to the hospital trunk or treat, and the Mayor was invited to the annual tree lighting in December. The meeting went very well, and there is no doubt that the Naval Hospital personnel and the staff of the Mayor of Ginowan will continue to work together to make their neighborhood better any chance they get!

    The U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Okinawa (USNMRTCO) supports the Defense Health Agency’s U.S. Naval Hospital, Okinawa (USNHO) as the largest OCONUS Navy Medicine medical treatment facility and stands at the ready to respond to contingency operations to support the INDOPACOM region. It is a critical regional asset for direct care delivery, regional referrals, and medical contingency operations. The staff of USNHO understands their vital role as pre-positioned, forward-deployed naval forces within the first island chain, aligned and in support of the joint military commands and operations.

    Trey Savitz, Public Affairs Officer
    U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan
    Comm: 011-81-971-7024
    DSN: (315) 646-7024
    isaac.s.savitz.civ@health.mil

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  • MIL-OSI Security: NH Beaufort- Meet your Mammography Technician

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    08 October 2024

    From Lindsay Schreiber

    Beaufort S.C.- Meet Teresa Smith, the Mammography Technician here at Naval Hospital Beaufort.

    Beaufort S.C.- Meet Teresa Smith, the Mammography Technician here at Naval Hospital Beaufort. She is local to the low country; she was born in Ridgeland. Teresa said “I’ve moved around the low country throughout my life but seem to always come back to where most of my family lives, which is Hampton, S.C.” She graduated from Trident Technical College in 1994 with an associate degree in Health Science, specific to Radiology Technology.
    While she was living in the Charleston area, she met her husband, and they just celebrated 30 years of marriage.
    Teresa has worked for the last 19 ½ years at Naval Hospital Beaufort, April 2025 will mark 20 years. Teresa is a military spouse. Her husband is a retired Chief Gunners Mate with 24 years of combined active duty and reservist, very active reserve after 911.
    Radiology runs in her family. Her dad was a Radiology Technologist as well as her older brother. Family is very important to her, and she enjoys spending time with family, her 3-year-old granddaughter is the apple of their family’s eye.
    A few things Teresa enjoys doing in her free time include, going to the range with her husband, as well as shopping, traveling, and hiking. She recently hiked the presidential trail at Mt. Rushmore. She is also very active in her church helping with the youth group.
    When asked why she loves her job and has been doing it for so many years she replied “I find my job very rewarding, it’s all about getting the best images for my patient and my radiologist to make a diagnosis for that patient’s care. My passion is patient care, the whole reason we are here is to take care of our patients and provide them with the best care possible.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: I Am Navy Medicine – and Hispanic Heritage – assigned to NHB/NMRTC Bremerton

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    The Peruvian coastal capital of Lima is approximately 4,970 miles south of Naval Hospital Bremerton.

    Yet Lt. Renzo D. Sobrevilla has seamlessly bridged that distance from South American to North America as a Navy Medical Service Corps officer assigned to NHB.

    In conjunction with October recognized by the Department of Defense as [National] Hispanic Heritage Month, Sobrevilla reflected on his roots, culture, and lineage.

    “Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15 to October 15, is a time of great pride for me,” said Sobrevilla. “It’s an opportunity to recognize the vibrant contributions of Hispanic Americans and celebrate the rich cultures, histories, and traditions of the Hispanic community.”

    “As someone with Hispanic roots, I take pride in celebrating the Hispanic community’s rich cultures, histories, and traditions,” continued Sobrevilla. “I value the diversity of the Hispanic diaspora. I appreciate the influence of countries which have contributed immensely to the arts and culture in the U.S.”

    With this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month theme, ‘Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together,’ Sobrevilla notes that the premise is directly applicable to his responsibility at NHB which is dedicated to ensuring that the right material, contracted services and healthcare equipment are in the right place at the right time to provide medical and dental care to active duty, retirees and their families at NHB and three branch health clinics.

    “The theme is significant in my role at the command. It highlights the importance of diversity and collaboration in shaping the future. It’s about how a diverse community, like ours, can come together to bring about positive change, not just within our command but also in the broader context of Navy Medicine,” stated Sobrevilla, who started from humble beginnings to embark upon his chosen career path.

    “As an immigrant, I always encourage my Sailors to take full advantage of the opportunities the Navy provides. Starting as an E-1 and working my way up, I’ve seen firsthand how hard work, dedication, and motivation can turn the American dream into reality. Becoming an MSC officer was a pivotal moment for me and proof that with the right attitude, anyone can succeed,” remarked Sobrevilla.

    His interest in Navy Medicine began after he enlisted in the Navy in 2007. Several influential leaders set the foundation for him to pursue a career in the medical field. After completing his Bachelor of Science in Finance and Accounting from Northeastern University, Sobrevilla merged his growing healthcare interest with leadership and chose the Navy’s most diverse corps, MSC, which offers a number of healthcare administrator specialties.

    “The Navy Medical Service Corps appealed to me because of its commitment to diversity and inclusivity. This career has allowed me to work in various settings, each contributing to the mission of Navy Medicine,” shared Sobrevilla, NHB Materiel Management Department head, who has been part of Navy Medicine since 2016 and served in various roles, including as a plans, operations, and medical Intelligence officer, comptroller, and logistics officer.

    Sobrevilla epitomizes the value of education, having attained his Master of Healthcare Administration with Executive Concentration, Specialization in Management, Education and Training Management, and Healthcare Management from George Mason University. He is currently completing his dissertation for his Doctor of Business Administration at Grand Canyon University.

    He can also add linguistic chops to a growing curriculum vitae.

    “Thanks to my parents’ heritage, I am bilingual in Italian and Spanish,” Sobrevilla added, noting that the best part of his career has been the opportunity to work with diverse people from all over the world. “There’s the sense of fulfillment that comes from making a positive impact in their lives through Navy Medicine.”

    Sobrevilla is optimistic that staff, as well as patients and visitors, look favorable on NHB’s Hispanic Heritage Month recognition.

    “I hope others take away an appreciation for the contributions of Hispanic Americans to our society, both within the military and in broader cultural contexts,” exclaimed Sobrevilla. “It’s about understanding the importance of diversity and how it strengthens our Navy and our country.”

    When asked to sum up his experience with Navy Medicine, Sobrevilla replied, “Navy Medicine has been a transformative journey, offering me the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally. It’s a testament to the fact that with hard work and a strong work ethic, anything is possible.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pre-ministerial press conference of the NATO Secretary General

    Source: NATO

    On Wednesday, 16 October 2024, NATO Secretary General, Mr Mark Rutte, will brief the press ahead of the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence, which will take place on 17-18 October 2024 at NATO Headquarters, in Brussels.

    Media advisory

    16:00 (CEST)   Pre-ministerial press conference by the Secretary General

    Media coverage

    • Media representatives with annual accreditation to NATO can attend the press conference with their badge.
    • Media representatives without annual accreditation, who have registered for the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence and who have received confirmation of their successful accreditation, can also cover the pre-ministerial press conference. Media accreditation for the Ministerial meeting is closed.
       
    • The press conference will be streamed live on the NATO website, EBU Worldfeed, to EBU news exchange, as well as on NATO News on YouTube.
       
    • A transcript of the Secretary General’s remarks, as well as pictures taken by NATO photographers, will be available on the NATO website.
       
    • The video will be available for free download from the NATO Multimedia Portal after the event.

    For more information:
    Contact the NATO Press Office
    Follow us on X: @NATO, @SecGenNATO  and @NATOPress

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Navy Reserve Medical Team Achieves Key Certification, Demonstrating Readiness and Capability

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    In a significant milestone for Navy Reserve Medicine, Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical Suite (ERSS) Team 17 recently passed their Operational Readiness Evaluation (ORE), certifying them as a fully capable unit. This achievement marks the first ERSS Reserve team to complete the rigorous process, aligning them with the same standards as active-duty units. The certification confirms the team is ready to deploy and provide critical medical care in support of Navy operations worldwide.

    The Navy Reserve Medical community, which operates under the same training and certification standards as active-duty units, ensures that when a fleet commander requests medical support, they receive the same level of capability, regardless of whether the team is active or reserve. “The elements of training, billet requirements, and capabilities are identical between active and reserve forces,” stated Rear Adm. Eric Peterson, Deputy Director Naval Medical Forces Atlantic, emphasizing the unified nature of Navy Medicine’s operational readiness.

    ERSS Team 17 underwent months of preparation leading up to the ORE at Camp Pendleton, where they were tested against a curriculum designed to assess their medical, logistical, and operational proficiency. The successful completion of this evaluation now officially designates the team as mission-ready, meaning they can be called upon by the fleet to provide immediate damage control and surgical care in forward-deployed locations.

    Sustaining Readiness

    According to Peterson, the teams ORE certification will last for one year, during which the team will enter a “sustainment phase” in the Navy’s operational readiness framework. Throughout this time, team members will focus on maintaining their skills through professional development and leadership training while preparing for future deployments. After this phase, they will reenter the cycle of preparation and training for their next operational readiness evaluation.

    The readiness process for Navy Reserve medical teams spans approximately three years, moving through phases that include basic training, advanced preparation, and eventual certification. This timeline accommodates the unique demands on reservists, who must balance their military duties with civilian careers. Despite these challenges, the certification process ensures that Navy Reserve medical teams remain on par with their active-duty counterparts.

    Integration into Exercises and Operations

    ERSS teams, like their active-duty counterparts, are integrated into fleet exercises and real-world missions. These exercises are essential for ensuring the team’s skills remain sharp and their readiness validated.

    The importance of certifying reserve teams like ERSS Team 17 goes beyond operational readiness. It also highlights the Navy’s commitment to building a unified medical force. “Whether it’s a reserve or active unit, when a capability is requested by the fleet, they receive the same level of readiness,” said Peterson. “This ensures that regardless of a team’s reserve or active status, they are prepared to meet the mission’s needs.”

    A Vital Capability

    Peterson went on to explain that ERSS teams bring a specialized capability to the battlefield. With a seven-person team, they are designed to provide immediate surgical care in austere environments, where larger medical units might not be feasible. This capability enables them to deliver life-saving care closer to the front lines, stabilizing casualties for evacuation to more comprehensive medical facilities.

    The team includes a diverse array of medical professionals, including a surgeon, an emergency room doctor, a certified nurse anesthetist, a physician assistant, a respiratory therapist, and other key specialists. Together, they offer a range of critical services, from damage control surgery to emergency medical care, in challenging and rapidly changing environments.

    Looking Ahead

    As the Navy continues to align its medical forces with its broader operational strategy, the certification of reserve teams like ERSS Team 17 plays a crucial role in ensuring that Navy Medicine remains ready for any contingency. The team’s success is part of a larger effort to integrate reserve and active-duty medical capabilities, minimizing the differences between the two and fostering a “one Navy Medicine” approach.

    Looking toward the future, the Navy plans to continue certifying and deploying more reserve medical teams. With three more ERSS teams scheduled for certification in the coming months, Navy Medicine is building a deep bench of highly trained, fully capable medical units. These teams will be ready to support the fleet in exercises, real-world operations, and any emerging global challenges.

    “Our people are excited,” Peterson remarked. “This process validates the expertise and readiness of our reserve forces, and it demonstrates that Navy Medicine, whether active or reserve, is prepared to meet the operational demands of today and tomorrow.”

    By aligning their readiness process with that of the broader Navy, these reserve teams are contributing to the Navy’s overall goal of maintaining a constant state of readiness and deterrence, ensuring that they are prepared for the challenges of the future.

    Naval Medical Forces Atlantic (NMFL) delivers operationally focused medical expertise and capabilities to meet Fleet, Marine and Joint Force requirements by providing equipment, sustainment, and maintenance of medical forces during combat operations and public health crises. NMFL provides oversight for 21 Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command’s, logistics, public health and dental services throughout the U.S. East Coast, U.S. Gulf Coast, Cuba, Europe, and the Middle East.

    Navy Medicine – represented by more than 44,000 highly-trained military and civilian health care professionals – provides enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below, and above the sea, and ashore.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point Celebrates Navy’s 249th Birthday with Ball

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    The Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point community gathered Friday, October 4, 2024, to celebrate the 249th Birthday of the U.S. Navy.

    Sailors and civilians serving aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point celebrated the occasion with a Navy Ball hosted by the staff of Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point at the Havelock Convention Center in Havelock, North Carolina.

    “Our mission – to Keep the Warfighter in the Fight – is critical in ensuring service members assigned to “America’s Air Station,” Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, remain at the highest state of medical readiness possible,” said Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, Commander of Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point.

    “When the red phone rings on the 2nd Marine Air Wing Commander’s desk with orders to deploy forces, he will find his Marines and Sailors as medically ready as possible because of your commitment to excellence in patient care,” said Barbabella to the clinic staff attending the ball.

    The event’s keynote speaker, Mr. Wilbur D. Jones Jr., a nationally known historian, spoke to the crowd about his father who served with the Marines in World War I and the clinic’s namesake and Medal of Honor recipient, Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class William D. Halyburton, Jr. Halyburton was a native of Wilmington, North Carolina and Jones grew up and lives there today.

    “Progress and time have obliterated and denuded the battlefield. Still, by reading Marine Corps records, we can partially reconstruct what transpired, exposing the character of Hospital Corpsman Halyburton,” said Jones.

    Jones continued his remarks, giving the audience a picture of the fierce combat occurring May 10, 1945 on Okinawa Shima between Japanese forces and the Marines of 2nd, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Halyburton would sacrifice his life that day to save a wounded Marine who lay farthest away from his position.

    The evening’s formal program of events concluded after an official cake-cutting celebrating the birthday and singing of the Marine Corps Hymn and Anchors Aweigh.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: NMRLC Celebrates the Navy’s 249th Birthday

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    NMRLC celebrated the United States Navy’s 249th birthday in a ceremony that featured a Master of Ceremonies, the traditional cake cutting and an awesome video production that featured the Navy’s incredible fleet and fleet personnel, in addition to the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations and the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Oct. 10.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: A Mammo Moment for Breast Cancer Awareness at Naval Hospital Bremerton

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    Let’s take a mammo math moment.

    There are more than 60,000 women – 20 percent of active duty – in the U.S. Navy. Add another approximately 142,000 female spouses.

    Factor in statistical evidence that 13 percent are at risk of developing breast cancer. For that combined total of 202,000 women, there will be 26,260 who will experience breast cancer, the most common cancer diagnosed amongst females in the U.S.

    That’s one in eight.

    Early detection is the key to lessening any ominous odds for all females in the equation, with a mammogram the ideal screening tool for that one in eight.

    As well as the seven others.

    With the Department of Defense recognizing October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Defense Health Agency military treatment facilities like Naval Hospital Bremerton remind all eligible patients on the importance of screening and prevention of the disease.

    “Any woman over the age of 40 should be getting a mammography exam and continuing to do it every single year,” said Courtney Pease R.T. (R)(M) ARRT, NMRTC Bremerton Radiology, Department Mammography lead technologist. “And don’t skip. Because if you skip it can be harder to get back into it.”

    Pease is an avowed advocate of her chosen field, readily affirming that the mammography exam – able to detect cancerous tumors – is effective in identifying any type of potential breast cancer.

    The earlier the better.

    “It’s important because breast cancer rates are one in eight, regardless of family history,” Pease said. “If you’re getting your mammogram done every year it will increase the chance that we find any cancer early and small, which increases the survival rate if breast cancer is found.”

    According to Pease, a patient does not need a doctor to get a referral for a breast cancer screening appointment at Naval Hospital Bremerton.

    “If there’s no problems, no lumps, no bumps, no pain, no concern, just call [NHB’s Radiology department] Mammography, 360-475-4220, to request a breast cancer screening mammogram,” stated Pease. “If there are no problems, the patient is of age, and everything in their prior record looks good to go, we can get them scheduled.”

    The actual mammography exam – available for all active duty, retirees and dependents – takes about 10 minutes. Yet Pease notes that even before the actual mammogram, every female should take the time for a self-exam.

    “There are prominent breast radiologists in the field who recommend personal monthly checking. So, you’re in the shower. Do a quick little run through, see if you feel any lumps, bumps, anything thing of concern. If there looks or feels to be anything out of the normal, bring it up to your primary care doctor, then they can place a referral if diagnostic imaging is required,” recommended Pease.

    The risk of getting breast cancer increases as a woman ages. Research has found that cancers discovered during early mammogram screening exams are often smaller in size and more likely to be confined to the breast. When considering the two factors – the size and likelihood of spread – the importance of early detection becomes obvious.

    “It’s not as terrible as some think it is. It is uncomfortable. Not getting around that. But we work together, the patient and I, to make it tolerable,” explained Pease. “It’s not the easiest thing in the world and most would rather not be here, but when you’re done, you get peace of mind for your health. So it’s worth it. It’s like going to the dentist. No one wants to go and be told they got cavities. But then you go and you find out you don’t have cavities, it’s way better. We go for our peace of mind.”

    Although there is no definitive explanation what causes a case of breast cancer, what is known is that screening exams, increased awareness, and improved state-of-the-art quality in mammography treatment is critical to early detection and diagnosis.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Update following allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Following media coverage relating to allegations against the late Mohamed Al Fayed and our public appeal for people to come forward and speak to police, the Met has been contacted by numerous people reporting their experiences.

    We continue to ask anyone who has been a victim of Al Fayed, or anyone with information they feel that police should be aware of relating to his activities, or those who facilitated the offending, to get in contact. Specialist detectives are available to listen to you, formally record any allegations, and signpost you to any support you may need.

    Commander Stephen Clayman said: “Since the broadcast of the documentary and our recent appeal, detectives have received numerous pieces of information, predominantly relating to the activities of Mohamed Al Fayed but some relating to the actions of others.

    “This has led to us record 40 new allegations, relating to 40 victim-survivors and covering offences including sexual assault and rape across a time period between 1979 and 2013. These are in addition to allegations we were aware of prior to the broadcast.

    “I recognise the courage it will have taken for people to take that step to speak to us about their experiences and I want to reassure anyone who has yet to make contact that we have specially trained detectives who will listen to you and support you.

    “All these reports will need to be formally logged and assessed to see if there are any allegations of criminality that can be pursued. This will take time, but we will ensure those who contact us are kept updated with progress.

    “We also continue work to make contact with lawyers representing individuals who have come directly to them, to ensure they are aware of our request to speak to police so any crimes can be recorded and the relevant support provided.

    “While the majority of information we have received relates to Al Fayed’s ownership of Harrods, we are contacting representatives of other organisations linked to Al Fayed to ensure anyone affected is identified and has the opportunity to speak with us.”

    There are various ways to contact police about your experience:

    – call the Complex Investigation Team on 020 8217 6582 or 6586 between 8am and 6pm Monday to Sunday;
    – call 101 at any time and quote CAD1920/26Sep;
    – email CSCMailbox-.ComplexInvestigationTeam@met.pnn.police.uk
    – use the following online portal here where you can provide information.

    It is important to make clear at this stage that it is not possible for criminal proceedings to be brought against someone who has died.

    This means there is no prospect of any conviction relating to Al Fayed himself.

    However, we continue to explore whether any other individuals could be pursued for any criminal offences.

    A full review of allegations previously made to police continues. We have now identified 21 separate allegations reported to us about Al Fayed prior to the recent media broadcast. This review will ensure there are no new lines of enquiry based on new information which has emerged and will include liaising with the Directorate of Professional Standards where appropriate.

    Previous allegations:

    In addition to the 19 allegations we were already aware of, a further two allegations have now been identified relating to Al Fayed. These 21 allegations resulted in crimes being recorded involving Al Fayed relating to 21 separate women and were reported to the Met between 2005 and 2023.

    The offences were alleged to have taken place between 1979 and 2013. Of these reports, four were allegations of rape, 16 were sexual assault and one related to trafficking.

    Between 2005 and 2023 we approached the Crown Prosecution Service on five occasions – two of these, in 2009 and 2015, were to pass full files of evidence. The remaining three approaches were for early investigative advice.

    In all 21 allegations that were reported to police there was no further action taken against Mohamed Al Fayed.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man jailed for murder after detectives retrieve CCTV that disproves his claim of self-defence

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man who claimed self-defence after he murdered Bajram Luli has been jailed.

    Sabin Manda, 32 (27.08.92) of no fixed address appeared at Inner London Crown Court on Friday, 11 October where he was sentenced to life imprisonment to serve a minimum of 17 years.

    Manda had previously been found guilty of murdering 27-year-old Bajram Luli at the same court on Thursday, 26 September.

    The pair had been involved in a dispute over drugs in Sudbury Heights Avenue, Greenford, on 11 March 2024.

    Manda claimed he attacked Bajram in self-defence after fearing for his own life. However following the incident he went ‘off the grid’ claiming he was worried about possible retaliation.

    In the meantime, detectives had secured CCTV footage which captured the attack and showed it was unprovoked. As a result of extensive enquiries using a range of techniques Manda was located and arrested.

    Detective Inspector Adam Guttridge, Specialist Crime South, said: “The investigation team worked long and hard to locate footage of this incident that helped disprove Sabin Manda’s version of events.

    “Our enquiries confirmed that he launched an unprovoked attack on Bajram and Manda will now face many years in prison where he can contemplate the consequences of his actions.

    “I sincerely hope that can only hope his conviction brings some comfort to Bajram’s family. My thoughts are with them today. ”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Secretary General to visit Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and Clay Barracks in Germany

    Source: NATO

    On Monday, 14 October 2024, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will visit Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and will travel to Germany.

    At SHAPE, Mr Rutte will meet Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Christopher Cavoli, and other senior officers. 

    In the afternoon, NATO Secretary General will travel to Wiesbaden, where he will meet the German Minister of Defence, Mr Boris Pistorius, and visit the site of NATO’s Security Assistance and Training – Ukraine (NSATU) command.

    There will be no media opportunity.

    Photographs will be available on the NATO website and video can be downloaded from the NATO Multimedia Portal after the event.

    For more information:
    For general queries: contact the NATO Press Office
    Follow us on X: @NATO, @SecGenNATO and @NATOPress

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Around the Air Force: Air Task Force Combat Support Training, First Guardian Launches into Space, Childcare Pilot Program

    Source: United States Air Force

    In this week’s look around the Air Force, Air Task Forces prepare for Combat Support Training, the first USSF Guardian launches into space on a NASA mission, and the DoD creates a pilot program to cover certain childcare costs after a PCS.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Celebrates Navy’s 249th Birthday

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    Sailors, Marines and civilians serving aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point celebrated the 249th Birthday of the United States Navy with a cake cutting ceremony at the base dining facility Wednesday, October 9.

    “This year’s theme, “Warfighting Strength and Readiness” should echo in our minds as we serve aboard “America’s Air station,” said Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, Commander of Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point and the ceremony’s kenote speaker. “MCAS Cherry Point is a critical component of the strength and readiness of the Navy and has been since it’s authorization by Congress in 1941.”

    The cake cutting ceremony was part of a larger celebration that included a special meal served at the DFAC.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: NMRLC Member Becomes U.S. Citizen

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    Congratulations LSSR Andrea Ordinola Valdez, on becoming a United States citizen, Oct. 8, 2024, during the Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America ceremony.

    Throughout our history, the United States has welcomed immigrants from all over the world who have helped shape and define our country. Granting citizenship to eligible lawful permanent residents is vital to our nation’s security, economic prosperity, and a future built on the principles of the U.S. Constitution.

    “The Navy is the most powerful and greatest institution worldwide, so I was excited when my recruiter told me I had the requirements to join, such as having a green card, a Social Security number, and my certificates and academic degrees,” said Ordinola Valdez. “I was interested in the rate or career related to business, logistics and administration.”

    Ordinola Valdez attended one of Peru’s most prestigious universities, Universidad Nacional de San Agustin, studying economics and logistics and earning an undergraduate degree. Additionally, she has a master’s in business management and a PhD in administration.

    She was a professor in universities in Tacna, Jorge Basadre Grohmann University, and Private University of Tacna. She studied at San Agustin University and held the number one ranked position during the development of her career. She also won the Criscos Scholarship to study in Argentina, and ultimately returned to the city where she was born to share her knowledge with local youth in Tacna.

    “My parents always taught me ethics, honesty and the importance of work, since work dignifies human beings,” said Ordinola Valdez. “I’m a person with solid ethical values and a professional at work. These are the values that my parents instilled in me.”

    Today, Ordinola Valdez serves as a logistics specialist responsible for operating financial accounting systems and managing inventories of repair parts and general supplies that support ships, squadrons and shore-based activities.

    “I like all the activities in the office and in the storerooms, the training to learn more about the Navy and the different programs, and to learn more about logistics,” said Ordinola Valdez. “It is the perfect job that combines physical and mental activity.”

    Headed by Capt. Christopher Barnes, NMRLC develops, acquires, produces, fields, sustains, and provides enduring lifecycle support of medical materiel solutions to the Fleet, Fleet Marine Force, and Joint Forces in high-end competition, crisis, and combat. At the forefront of Navy Medicine’s strategic evolution, NMRLC is well positioned to be the Joint Force’s premier integrated medical logistics support activity.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man jailed for manslaughter of Yusuf Mohamoud

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man has been jailed for the manslaughter of 18-year-old Yusuf Mohamoud in Finchley after Met detectives used CCTV and mobile phone data to identify him as the killer.

    Tyrese Jennings, 21 (06.03.03), of Lichfield Grove, N3 was found guilty of manslaughter at the Old Bailey on Thursday, 11 July. He was sentenced at the same court on Wednesday, 9 October, to 13 years’ imprisonment.

    Detective Chief Inspector Tom Williams, Specialist Crime, said: “Our thoughts today are with Yusuf’s family. He was a young man with his life ahead of him and they continue to grieve his untimely loss.

    “I hope seeing the conviction and today the sentencing of Jennings brings them some small comfort.”

    An investigation was launched after police were called to reports of a stabbing in Regent’s Park Road, N3, at 21:40hrs on Monday, 7 August 2023.

    Officers attended along with the London Ambulance Service. Yusuf, from Enfield, was found seriously injured. Sadly he died at the scene from a stab wound to the neck.

    Detectives found that Yusuf had left his home earlier that evening and arrived in the area at around 21:00hrs in a car with a number of friends. They got out and went into a nearby restaurant.

    Jennings was one of a group of three males who confronted Yusuf when he left the restaurant. During the ensuing altercation, Yousuf was stabbed in the neck and the three males made off.

    Detectives from Specialist Crime began an investigation and using CCTV and mobile phone analysis quickly identified the three males as Jennings and two boys, aged 15 and 16 years.

    Jennings was arrested on 14 August and charged with murder. He was found guilty of manslaughter on Thursday, 11 July, following an Old Bailey trial. He was found not guilty of murder.

    The two boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were also charged with murder. They were found not guilty of all offences at the same court.
    ____

    Note: There is no image of the victim at the request of his family.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: U.S. Naval Forces Korea Awarded ROK Presidential Unit Citation

    Source: United States Navy

    SEOUL, South Korea — Republic of Korea (ROK) President Yoon Suk Yeol presented Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea (CNFK) Rear Adm. Neil Koprowski with the ROK Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), during the 76th Annual ROK Armed Forces Day Ceremony in Seoul, October 1.

    The ROK PUC is the highest unit honor that the ROK president can bestow on a military unit and recognizes the efforts of all the Sailors of CNFK for “outstanding contribution to the defense of the Republic of Korea.”
    Over the last year, CNFK has supported multiple port visits in Busan and Jeju, including three carrier strike groups, amphibious strike and amphibious ready groups, the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, USS Kentucky (SSBN 737) and the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Vermont (SSN 792). CNFK also coordinated trilateral partnerships with Republic of Korea Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

    “We are incredibly honored by President Yoon’s personal recognition on behalf of CNFK,” said Koprowski. “This award is a testament to the ironclad commitment to the ROK-U.S. alliance and a true reflection of the work being done every day by ROK and U.S. Sailors from CRF and CNFK. Our collaboration with the ROK Navy ensures we remain ready and vigilant, working together to safeguard the security of this great nation.”

    The conferral of the PUC marks the fourth time a U.S. Navy command has received the prestigious award since 1950. Previous recipients of the award include CNFK in 2017 and U.S. Navy Task Forces 90 and 95 in periods bridging 1950-1951 during the Korean War.

    Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea (CNFK), located on Busan Naval Base, South Korea, is the U.S. Navy’s representative in South Korea, providing leadership and expertise in naval matters to improve institutional and operational effectiveness between the two navies and to strengthen collective interoperability in Korea and the region.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: San Francisco Fleet Week 2024 Combined Urban Search and Rescue Training

    Source: United States Navy

    SAN FRANCISCO — Nearly 50 Sailors and Marines participated in urban search and rescue training with members of the San Francisco Fire Department during San Francisco Fleet Week 2024 on October 9.

    The training was held on Treasure Island, an artificial island in San Francisco Bay and home to Naval Station Treasure Island, a former United States Navy facility that operated there from 1942 to 1997. Today, Treasure Island hosts the San Francisco Fire Department’s Training Facility.

    Doug Johnson, a firefighter with the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) and an instructor for the Northern California Rescue Training team, explains the importance of these integrations.

    “In the case of a natural disaster, if everyone has basic skill sets that can be depended upon to execute a need, it allows for a much more coordinated use of personnel,” said Johnson. “If I can turn to a group of military service members as a single resource and say, ‘Hey, here’s what we need to accomplish—are you capable of helping?’ it just makes it easier for those who have training on our side to pass off some of the responsibility.”

    According to attending service members, some key takeaways from the event included safety, supervision, and executing tasks methodically. U.S. Navy Lt.j.g. Henry Gao, the repair division officer aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25), shared his experience from the training.

    “All of these activities are fun training, but you obviously need to know all the precautions, check before you do anything that might be dangerous, and have a full plan for what it should look like if it’s safe. And, of course, if something looks dangerous, you need to know how to avoid the situation,” said Gao.

    U.S. Marine Corps SSgt. Talon Wolfe, assigned to Somerset, also weighed in. “Being able to get involved with the community was huge,” said Wolfe. “My biggest takeaway was that, with this training, we’re able to showcase that we can do a lot more than we initially thought. Today, I worked with a team of other Sailors and Marines to lift a 6,000-pound slab of concrete.”

    Deputy Chief of Operations for the SFFD, Darius Luttropp, shared his perspective on having service members integrate with firefighters and instructors during San Francisco Fleet Week 2024.

    “All the Fleet Week training and Defense Support of Civil Authority exercises are both great opportunities to highlight civilian services and the military,” said Luttropp. “They give us a chance to see how each other operates. We truly get to see the value of interaction, motivation, drive, desire, and willingness. The tempo at which the military works is very similar to how the fire department operates. It’s always been a great collaborative relationship.”

    Fleet Week, now in its 43rd iteration, is a time-honored sea service celebration that allows citizens of the Bay Area to witness today’s maritime capabilities firsthand. Nearly 2,500 Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen will showcase their skills and equipment, participate in various community service events, and enjoy the hospitality of the Bay Area.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Fiscal Year 2024 was a Banner Year for SRF-JRMC Dive Lockers

    Source: United States Navy

    YOKOSUKA, Japan – Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) was filled extremely demanding and diverse mission sets for the SRF-JRMC Dive Lockers.

    Throughout the year, divers from SRF-JRMC Yokosuka and Detachment Sasebo supported 18 fly-away taskings, responding to numerous CASREPS and emergent repairs in locations such as Singapore, Guam, Manila, Malaysia, Subic Bay, and Thailand. This required heavy coordination between SRF-JRMC Dive Locker leadership, Commander Logistics Group Western Pacific, Commander Task Force 73 (CFT-73), Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility. The efforts of the SRF-JRMC divers ensured all mission objectives would be completed, supporting all Forward Deployed Naval Fleet warships in the 7th fleet area of responsibility without impacting regularly scheduled production in Yokosuka or Sasebo.

    In December, the divers supported tasks in three different locations simultaneously: support of the USS Manchester (LCS 14) in Singapore, support of the USS Oakland (LCS 24) in Guam, and support of Mobile Diving & Salvage Unit-1 onboard the USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52) conducting salvage operations following an Osprey crash off the coast of Yakushima, Japan. There, they conducted personnel recovery and gathered vital information for the Air Force post-crash investigation team.

    SRF-JRMC Sasebo Detachment divers conducted over 230 underwater ship husbandry dives for Sasebo forward-deployed vessels as part of regularly scheduled maintenance. They also provided support for unique technical tasks such as troubleshooting the USS Rushmore’s (LSD 47) propeller systems and a controlled waterborne monitoring of a challenging pier side repair of the New Orleans (LPD 18).

    At SRF-JRMC Yokosuka, divers completed 469 underwater ship husbandry dives, including the final repair availability of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) before leaving it redeployed to the United States. They worked with the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense to perform urgent running gear inspections and clear fouling for HMS Spey (P234), allowing the ship to return to sea for their Pacific Patrol and avoid a dry docking.

    SRF-JRMC Yokosuka divers, with assistance from its Sasebo Dive Locker, supported outside entities in FY24, such as the Underwater Construction Team TWO (UCT2). With Sasebo divers assisting, they conducted underwater cutting and welding operations for pier repairs in Yap, Federated States of Micronesia. SRF-JRMC Yokosuka divers also supported the inspection and repairs of fleet mooring chains in Yokosuka and provided support of a significant underwater repair of the USS Canberra (LCS 30) at the Southwest Regional Maintenance Center in San Diego.

    The Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) schedule for the SRF-JRMC Dive Lockers is already shaping up to be even busier than 2024 as more ships are added to the Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF) and the number of U.S. naval patrols in the Pacific increases. In response, the SRF-JRMC Yokosuka Dive Locker is qualifying more Japanese Master Labor Contractors (MLCs) in diving operations who will continue operations when the U.S. Navy divers are deployed from home station. The SRF-JRMC Yokosuka Dive Locker is the only multinational U.S. Navy dive locker.

    No matter what is asked of the SRF-JRMC Dive Lockers in FY25, they will stand ready to carry forward the motto of the command “Nan Demo Dekimasu!”; “We Can Do Anything!”

    For over 75-years, U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center (SRF-JRMC) has been the linchpin of U.S. naval operations in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region by providing intermediate-level and depot level repair for the ships of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Seventh Fleet.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: NAWCWD Team Delivers F-35 MDF in Record Time

    Source: United States Navy

    POINT MUGU, Calif. – The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division team delivered a crucial mission data file ahead of schedule, significantly accelerating the normal production timeline to support Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

    The NAWCWD team provided a comprehensive mission data file, essential for F-35 Lightning II operations. This file offers intelligence updates and design enhancements that enable pilots to identify and counter threats in specific operational environments. The update incorporated more than 100 intelligence changes and multiple design improvements, significantly enhancing the aircraft’s survivability and lethality.

    Under normal circumstances, this production process would require a much longer timeline. However, when the Abraham Lincoln and VMFA-314 were ordered from the U.S. 7th Fleet to U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, the NAWCWD team acted quickly. In collaboration with Air Force partners, they expedited the process and completed the task in record time. This ensured the squadron’s readiness in theater.

    “Our team cut days off our timeline to release the data in support of theater priorities,” said Cmdr. Alexander Sandroni, commanding officer of the 513th Electronic Warfare Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base. “The scope and thoroughness of the update, combined with our accelerated timeline, highlighted the importance of open communication and adapting dynamically to the needs of our customers.”

    Through close collaboration across multiple disciplines — intelligence experts, engineers, testers, and data analysts — the team overcame technical challenges and compressed the production timeline by half. Their coordinated efforts were critical to enabling Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations and ensuring the mission data file’s timely delivery in support of joint operations in theater.

    Rear Adm. Keith A. Hash, commander of NAWCWD, praised the team’s quick response and focus on the mission — getting capabilities to the warfighter when they need them.

    “We rely on our dedicated, engaged, mission-focused team to deliver critical and relevant capabilities that provide our fighters a decisive advantage,” Hash said. “Pulling together, finding a way to accelerate this delivery, and seeing it through to the end is just one example of how this team continues to give our nation’s defenders the very best today, tomorrow, and into the future.”

    The team also overcame several technical challenges, ensuring rigorous testing and validation of the MDF. Their commitment to delivering high-quality, operationally-ready solutions contributed to the F-35’s enhanced capabilities and operational readiness.

    “The dedication, technical expertise, and commitment of our team were evident every step of the way,” Sandroni added. “They showed how much we can accomplish when we come together with a shared mission.”

    The timely delivery underscores NAWCWD’s essential role in providing innovative solutions and fleet support, enabling the Navy to stay ahead in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive global environment.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: USS Annapolis Returns Home to Naval Base Guam Following Indo-Pacific Deployment

    Source: United States Navy

    NAVAL BASE GUAM – The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Annapolis (SSN 760) returned to its homeport of Naval Base Guam after a successful three-month deployment in the Indo-Pacific region, Oct. 5, 2024.

    “USS Annapolis exemplifies excellence and stands as the pinnacle of our submarine force, playing a vital role in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Capt. Neil Steinhagen, commander, Submarine Squadron 15. “Their unwavering commitment to advancing theater security and executing operational tasks has produced outstanding results. True to their motto, ‘Born Free, Hope to Die Free,’ the crew of Annapolis consistently meets every challenge head-on, showcasing unparalleled operational readiness and exceptional teamwork. Bravo Zulu, team—welcome home!”

    Under the command of Capt. James Tuthill, Annapolis completed missions vital to national security, bolstering operational maritime capabilities in the Pacific. During their deployment, the submarine participated in key bilateral operations with the French Navy and welcomed Rear Adm. Chris Cavanaugh, commander, Submarine Group Seven, during a port visit to Yokosuka, Japan.

    “My crew answered the call, exemplifying remarkable dedication to our mission across the Pacific,” said Tuthill. “I couldn’t be prouder of them, or the tenacity and professionalism they displayed every day at sea. Their resilience, determination, and refusal to quit when things got hard define my extraordinary team. It’s a true honor to lead such an inspiring group. They rose to every occasion.”

    Commissioned on April 11, 1992, Annapolis is the fourth ship in the history of the U.S. Navy to be named for Annapolis, Maryland, home of the United States Naval Academy.

    Assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 15 at Polaris Point, Naval Base Guam, Annapolis is one of four Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines forward-deployed in the Pacific. Renowned for their unmatched speed, endurance, stealth, and mobility, Los Angeles-class submarines form the backbone of the Navy’s submarine force, ensuring readiness and agility in safeguarding maritime interests around the world.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: U.S. Navy EOD develops IED exploitation capabilities with NATO allies and partners at Northern Challenge 2024

    Source: United States Navy

    KEFLAVIK, Iceland – Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 8 operated alongside 17 NATO ally and partner nations during Exercise Northern Challenge 2024, Sept. 26-Oct. 9, 2024. Northern Challenge demonstrates the United States’ commitment to NATO allies and partners by integrating efforts to plan and execute complex EOD detection, neutralization, and exploitation capabilities within a multinational framework.

    Northern Challenge is an annual, joint-funded multinational exercise hosted by the Icelandic Coast Guard aimed at preparing NATO allies and partners for international deployments to clear the way for lethal, resilient forces to operate in contested environments and disrupt our adversaries in conflict.

    EODMU 8, assigned to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 68, trained alongside tactical units from U.S. Marine Corps’ 8th Engineer Support Battalion and U.S. Army’s 702nd and 720th Ordinance Companies . Additional participating NATO allies and partners included Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and United Kingdom.

    Northern Challenge 2024 included roughly 330 participants, 500+ improvised explosive devices (IEDs), 380 land tasks, and 120 maritime tasks. Throughout the exercise, two teams from EODMU 8 completed 50 training serials and provided four exercise control members who assessed and mentored other nations’ teams. During the exercise, EOD technicians responded to simulated IEDs threats of increasing complexity over a two-week period.

    “At Northern Challenge 2024, we’re working with our NATO allies and partners learning different tools for the toolbox and increasing our lethality on the battlefield,” said Chief Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Jake Ferguson, platoon 8-2-2 Leading Chief Petty Officer, EODMU 8. “We’ve had some awesome training put on by our Icelandic and British partners; we’ve done a lot of both maritime and land-based IED serials that we’ve been able to defeat. We’re also turning in evidence, working with the exploitation cell to develop counter-IED tactics and reporting procedures.”

    In addition to conducting complex training scenarios, EOD technicians from across participating countries collaborated within a multinational exploitation center to enhance interoperability at the operational level. These cells ensured that EOD teams were organized to effectively counter IED threats while ensuring the intelligence analysis and information sharing is in accordance with NATO standards and procedures.

    The exploitation cell was comprised of the Technical Exploitation Coordination Cell (TECC) and the Combined Exploitation Laboratory (CEL). The TECC and CEL fuse capacities and capabilities across a joint interagency multinational structure. This multinational effort provided high-level analysis of collected exploitable material (CEM), refining fidelity of the operating area and providing critical information to the operator on the ground or in the water.

    CEM in the lab consisted of a full scope of exploitation methods such as triage, x-ray, chemical analysis, biometrics, forensics, electronics engineering exploitation, and document and media exploitation.

    The end state of the analysis is to inform the command, provide enhanced operator threat assessment on the battlefield, and ultimately deny the adversary anonymity.

    U.S. Navy EOD technicians from Expeditionary Exploitation Unit One (EXU-1) led the CEL in coordination with personnel from U.S. Army Force Europe (USAREUR) and other allies and partners. Their mission throughout the exercise was to assist in processing and analyzing exploitable material collected from simulated explosive threats, analyze and consolidate the findings, then brief the overall threat environment and an assessment of next 24-48 hours, providing a tactical picture for stronger decision-making on the ground and better situational awareness.

    Lt. Ryan DuTot, an EOD officer assigned to EXU-1, served as the exercise’s Combined Exploitation Laboratory office in charge.

    “Northern Challenge 2024 is not just about defusing bombs; it’s about harnessing cutting-edge technology to outsmart adversaries and strengthen global security alliances,” said DuTot. “The integration of technical exploitation into this exercise ensures we don’t just neutralize threats, but also gain critical intelligence from them. Any time we are working with partner nations in an environment like this, it’s a force multiplier that provides long-term strategic benefits.”

    Operating in a range of environments and exchanging knowledge with regional NATO allies and partners enhances every participating unit’s readiness and relationships with international and interagency counterparts.

    “Exercises like Northern Challenge provide an excellent opportunity to rehearse our IED defeat tactics in austere environments,” said Cmdr. John Kennedy, commander, EOD Mobile Unit 8. “The unique value of Northern Challenge is the exploitation piece. For our operational platoons, the drills didn’t end at ‘defeating the device’; they concluded after ‘exploiting the device’ so we could gain an appreciation of how the device works, and who employed it.”

    Northern Challenge provided practical training to operators across the joint force, with the integration of the exploitation cell to enhance the intelligence picture driving the threat assessment. As a result, the United States military is better prepared to deploy EOD forces throughout the U.S. European Command’s area of responsibility in support of the collective defense of NATO allies.

    “We’ve worked with the Canadians, Swedes, Icelanders, Polish, Lithuanians, and others; these guys are so good at their craft. Everybody here is a warrior, and they all volunteered to do the same job. Exchanging tactics, techniques, and procedures with them is making every single one of us better so that the enemy doesn’t get a leg up on us,” said Ferguson.
    U.S. military participation in Northern Challenge 2024 demonstrates that U.S. and NATO joint forces are ready and postured with combat-credible capability to assure, deter, and defend in an increasingly complex security environment.

    CTF 68 is a part of the U.S. 6th Fleet and commands all Naval Expeditionary Combat Forces, in U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of responsibility. Navy Expeditionary Combat Forces bridge the gap from sea to shore and provides expeditionary capabilities in remote, complex and austere environments.

    EODGRU 2 and EODMU 8 operate as part of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command and provide skilled, capable, and combat-ready deployable Navy EOD and Navy Diver forces around the globe to support a range of operations.

    For the full collection of photos and news about Northern Challenge 2024 and U.S. Navy EOD, visit https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/USNFE-6FPA and https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/EODG-2.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Resident of New Hampshire Sentenced for Involvement in Online Scheme to Defraud the Elderly

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Raj Vinodchandra Patel, 34, of New Hampshire, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Dee D. Drell to 51 months in prison for his role in an online scheme to defraud the elderly.  On June 20, 2024, Patel pleaded guilty to one count indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  

    Sometime in September 2023, an elderly resident in Alexandria, Louisiana, saw a “pop-up” message on their computer screen which directed them to call a computer “helpline.” This alleged computer helpline was merely a contact number being operated by one of Patel’s co-conspirators from India. When the victim called this supposed helpline, they were told that criminal activity had been seen on their computer and then transferred them to an alleged special agent working for the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C. who would assist them further. However, the victim was not actually communicating with a federal agent but in truth and in fact, it was another of Patel’s co-conspirators operating from India. This fake federal agent falsely claimed that the victim’s Social Security number had been compromised, and that their monetary assets were at risk and that the only way to fix it would be for the victim to liquidate their bank account, buy gold bullion, and then transfer that gold bullion to another federal agent who would maintain the gold for supposed safe keeping until the “federal investigation” was completed. When in truth and in fact, there was no federal investigation, but this was an online scam to steal money and property from the victim. 

    Patel worked as a courier in this wire fraud scheme. On October 7, 2023, he flew from Boston to New Orleans, rented a car, and drove to the victim’s residence to retrieve the gold bullion. The victim had been instructed by Patel’s co-conspirator in India to place the gold bullion into the backseat of Patel’s rental car. Unbeknownst to Patel, however, the victim had contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) about the fraud scheme. The FBI set up a sting operation and video recorded Patel retrieving the package from the victim and driving away.

    Troopers with the Louisiana State Police stopped Patel and he was placed under arrest. Following his arrest, Patel admitted to his part in this scheme and that he had flown to other places across the United States for gold pickups from other elderly victims. Patel further admitted that as he was being stopped by law enforcement officers, he deleted the “WhatsApp Business” application from his cell phone in order to conceal his communications with co-conspirators. The intended loss amount attributed to this fraud scheme was approximately $514,000.

    “There is a keen federal interest to protect the elderly and prosecute those who take advantage of their vulnerability by using them to commit financial crimes,” said United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “This is a transnational crime, spanning from India to central Louisiana, that was investigated because the victim trusted his/her instincts and immediately contacted law enforcement. The Department of Justice is ready, willing, and able to seek justice for the elderly, who are the backbone of our country.”

    “Victims in Louisiana lost nearly $12 million dollars to schemes just like this one last year and those are the people we know about,” said Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of FBI New Orleans. “The victim in this case did exactly as we ask the public to do. Trust your instincts. Take a break and call law enforcement. These actors are getting bolder and potential victims are putting their lives at risk with these encounters. We ask the public to report any suspicious activity like this to IC3.gov or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.”

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Louisiana State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Shannon.

    To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov.  To learn more about the Department of Justice’s elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Formerly Married Couple Sentenced for Multimillion Dollar Fraud Schemes

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    Orlando, FL – United States District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Nikesh Ajay Patel (40, formerly of Windermere), and his ex-wife, Trisha Patel, (41, Orlando), for their roles in a financial scheme defrauding the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and others. On October 8, 2024, Nikesh Patel was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison, which must run consecutive to a 25-year term he is already serving from the Northern District of Illinois. Trisha Patel was sentenced on September 18, 2024, to 51 months in federal prison. Both are required to pay restitution to the USDA and four other financial institutions.

    According to court documents, Nikesh Patel was charged in 2014 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois for a $179 million fraud scheme. He was arrested and released on bond. For the next several years, Nikesh Patel claimed that he was cooperating with authorities and using his business skills to recover funds to repay the victims. In fact, Nikesh Patel had devised a new scheme against the USDA that netted him over $19 million. Nikesh Patel was planning to flee to Ecuador on a private jet and avoid sentencing in the Chicago case. Instead, FBI agents arrested Nikesh Patel at the Kissimmee airport on January 6, 2018, and arrested him for attempting to abscond. Nikesh Patel was subsequently returned to Chicago, where he was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison on June 6, 2018.

    Thereafter, on December 18, 2019, a federal grand jury in Orlando returned a 13-count indictment against Nikesh Patel for stealing $19 million while he was on federal pretrial release in the Chicago case. On February 28, 2023, Patel pleaded guilty as charged to all counts in that indictment: one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and eight counts of money laundering.

    In the 2019 case, Nikesh Patel fabricated fraudulent loan documents and used a fictitious identity to perpetrate his conspiracy and scheme. He then applied to the USDA to guarantee the fake loans as part of their Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program. Once the USDA agreed to guarantee the loans, Nikesh Patel sold the guaranteed portion to the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac) and received $19,342,392. The FBI was able to recover $11,321,931 and Nikesh Patel was ordered to pay the remaining portion as restitution to Farmer Mac.

    While Nikesh Patel was in federal custody for the 2019 case, he recruited Trisha Patel (his wife at the time) to perpetrate a third financial scheme. Between January 2021 and December 2023, Nikesh and Trisha Patel devised a more sophisticated scheme utilizing a commercial pump manufacturer in Houston, Texas. At the direction of Nikesh Patel, Trisha pretended to be a senior representative of the company and falsely claimed to USDA that they wanted to expand their business in rural Puerto Rico. The Patels then created a fake lender to pretend that it was loaning $8,540,000 to the business for the expansion. USDA guaranteed 80% of the fake loan, and the Patels then sold that guarantee to financial institutions and received $7,446,880. The FBI was able to recover $74,545 in currency and a 2022 BMW model X7. The defendants were ordered to pay the remaining portion to USDA and four other financial institutions as restitution.

    For the third scheme, Trisha Patel and Nikesh Patel each pleaded guilty to an Information charging one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on May 21, 2024, and May 22, 2024, respectively.

    These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General. They were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta and United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.

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