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Navy and Marine Corps commence Large Scale Exercise 2025

By United States Fleet Forces Command Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command

NORFOLK, Va. — Sailors and Marines from across 22 time zones, six component commands, and seven U.S. numbered Fleets are now participating in Large Scale Exercise (LSE) 2025, as the Navy and Marine Corps officially kick off one of their largest global training events, July 30.

LSE 2025 is a global, all-domain warfighting exercise designed to simulate complex, real-world threats—from the piers of U.S. naval bases to ships at sea and headquarters around the globe—creating a realistic environment that mirrors strategic competitor challenges.

Using state-of-the-art technology, exercise planners have built real-time, dynamic scenarios that stress-test Navy and Marine Corps systems, processes, and decision-making—without physically wearing down our ships, aircraft, and equipment. While the scenarios are virtual, the lessons learned are very real, testing readiness, flexibility,

and resilience in ways never before imagined.

Building upon insights from previous exercises, LSE 2025 enables Sailors and Marines to plan, execute, and evaluate advanced warfighting concepts, ensuring future readiness when facing a thinking, capable adversary.

For the first time, LSE will include U.S. allies and partners—including Canada, Japan, and NATO— expanding the exercise’s reach and enhancing coalition integration. This level of international coordination strengthens interoperability, trust, and joint effectiveness across the maritime force, ensuring we can respond to future challenges with unity and precision.

“This isn’t just about scale—it’s about integration, synchronization, and rehearsal for the full spectrum of conflict,” said Vice Adm. John Gumbleton, deputy commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command.

“LSE 2025 will test our ability to globally coordinate Maritime Operations Centers, execute contested logistics, and mobilize our Reserve forces. Large

Turn to Large Scale Exercise, Page 6

NMFL leaders visit Naval Medical Readiness Logistics Command

By Julius Evans Naval Medical Readiness Logistics Command, Williamsburg, Va

Senior leaders from Naval Medical Forces Atlantic (NMFL), Portsmouth, VA, visited Naval Medical Readiness Logistics Command (NMRLC), Williamsburg, VA, July 18, to strengthen collaboration and gain firsthand insight into the command’s global medical logistics mission across the Fleet and Joint Force.

NMRLC personnel led the tour showcasing how the command enables global medical readiness through the development, sustainment, and deployment of Expeditionary Medical (EXMED) platforms in support in support of operational plans, exercise support, and real-world operations.

The visit underscored Navy Medicine’s commitment to integrated warfighter readi-

ness. As the logistics backbone of their expeditionary capability, NMRLC plays a critical role in projecting medical power in competition, crisis and combat.

With globally positioned detachments and directorates, NMRLC supports the medical logistics and lifecycle from outfitting ships and training deploying personnel, to delivering prescription eyewear for deployed forward Expeditionary Medical Logistics Units in Williamsburg and Okinawa. The command also provides liaison support to U.S. European Command (EUCOM), U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) through its detachments in Germany.

With a mission to develop, acquire, field, and provide enduring lifecycle support of medical materiel solutions, NMRLC enables Navy Medicine’s operational alignment with the Navy Surgeon General’s 2027 North Star

and Line of Effort 1: Deliver Expeditionary Medical Systems. The command’s impact spans across multiple directorates and detachments worldwide:

NMRLC Detachment Kaiserslautern, Germany serves as the Navy liaison to the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center— Europe, supporting medical logistics for U.S. European, Central, and Africa Commands in coordination with Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) policies.

Detachment Fort Detrick, Maryland provides initial medical outfitting and shipboard configuration expertise for afloat platforms, ensuring readiness at sea.

Detachment Naval Expeditionary Medical Command Atlantic (NEMCL), Portsmouth, Virginia functions as a unit deployment cell, delivering expeditionary training and administrative support to active-duty and

reserve personnel assigned to medical platforms.

NORA, Yorktown, Virginia leads Military Health System optical fabrication and delivers prescription eyewear under the “Sight to Fight” initiative, supporting force health protection and operational vision readiness across the Total Force.

Three new Expeditionary Medical Logistics Units, two based in Williamsburg, Virginia, and the other in Okinawa, Japan, are being established to provide forward logistical, administrative, and lifecycle support to deployed EXMED units operating in specific areas of responsibility. Through these capabilities, NMRLC ensures integrated, reliable, and expeditionary medical logistics support to the Fleet, Fleet Marine Force, and Joint Forces— anytime, anywhere.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (July 18, 2025) Senior leaders from Naval Medical Forces Atlantic pause for a photo during a visit to Naval Medical Readiness Logistics Command, Williamsburg, Virginia. The visit highlighted NMRLC’s role in supporting Navy Medicine’s global logistics mission and expeditionary medical readiness. Pictured left to right, Capt. Chad McKenzie, Deputy Commander, Naval Medical Forces Atlantic (NMFL), Capt. Sue Fierros, NMFL Chief Nursing Officer, and Cmdr. Joe Fromknecht, NMFL Director Maritime Headquarters, Manpower/Personnel. NMRLC’s commanding officer Capt. Christopher Barnes and NMRLC executive officer Cmdr. Olusegun Olabode are also pictured. (PHOTO BY JULIUS EVANS)

USS Mitscher departs Naval Station Norfolk for scheduled deployment

CourtesyStory Commander U.S. 2nd

Fleet

NORFOLK, Va Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57), assigned to Destroyer Squadron Two (DESRON-2), departed Naval Station Norfolk for a regularly scheduled deployment to the U.S. European Command area ofresponsibility July25 2025

Equipped with the Aegis combat system Mitscher provides multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities to conduct antiair,anti-submarineandanti-surfacewarfare.

“Our Sailors have trained hard and are well-prepared to go over the horizon in support of our nation’s tasking,” said Cmdr Stephen Prugh, commanding officer of Mitscher “OurSailorsarereadytousetheir knowledge and expertise in support of U.S. security whether steaming independently or as a part of the Gerald R Ford Carrier StrikeGroup.”

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the strike group’sﬂagship,aswellasmultipledestroyers from DESRON-2 and USS Winston S. Churchill(DDG81),departedNavalStation NorfolkfordeploymenttotheU.S.European Command area of operations on June 24 2025 In addition to Mitscher DESRON-2 includes USS Mahan (DDG 72), USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) and USS Forrest Sherman (DDG98).

“Mitscher is another combat-ready warship DESRON-2 brings to Fleet and ComponentCommandersforforceemployment,” said Capt. Mark Lawrence, commodoreofDESRON-2.“Ourforcesaresteadfast in their support of economic prosperity national security and national defense, in theAtlanticOceanandallaroundtheglobe.”

The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group provides combatant commanders and civilian leaders with increased capacity to support U.S. security, deter adversaries and project power globally through sustained operationsatsea. U.S. 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 in response to the changing global security environment, develops and employs maritime ready forces to ﬁght across multiple

domainsintheAtlanticandArcticinorderto ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S.,allied,andpartnerinterests FormoreU.S.2ndFleetnewsandphotos, visit facebook.com/US2ndFleet, https://

www.c2f.usff.navy.mil/, X - @US2ndFleet, and https://www.linkedin.com/company/ commander-u-s-2nd-ﬂeet

USS Gonzalez conducts change of command ceremony

ByLt.j.g MatthewWeinberger

USS Gonzalez (DDG 66)

NAVAL STATION NORFOLK Cmdr

Michael Schenk relieved Cmdr Katrina (Kate) Stegner as the Commanding Officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyerUSSGonzalez(DDG66),duringa Change of Command ceremony aboard the ship,July25,2025 The ceremony marked the end of a 19-month tour as the Commanding Officer forCmdr Stegner Underhercommand,USS Gonzalez(DDG66)successfullycompleted anarduous20-weekcondensedBasicPhase allowingtheshiptocertifyincriticalwarfare areas Stegner also led Gonzalez on numerousunderwayperiods,includingSubmarine Commanders Course 82 (SCC 82), AtlanticAlliance,andUSSIwoJimaAmphibious Readiness Group (ARG) and Carrier Strike Group(CSG)10SurfaceWarfareAdvanced TacticalTraining(SWATT)events

“Fighting Freddy it has been an honor

of a lifetime to be your Commanding Officer,”saidStegner “Gonzalezwasrecognized across the water-front as a Crew that will get it [mission] done This professionalism and pride carries who you are and who this shipis.” Additionally, Stegner stated “Fighting Freddy, thank you for everything you have doneandeverythingyoucontinuetodoand youwilldo Thishasbeenanamazingexperience Keepgoing‘BeyondtheCall!’” Commodore, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22, Capt John Benﬁeld, served as the guest speaker during the ceremony. Duringhisremarks theCommodorenoted thepositiveandlong-lastingimpactStegner formedduringhertimeonboardGonzalez. “Katehasembodiedeverythingweexpect of a Commanding Officer - sharp, calm underpressure,deeplyinvestedinherCrew, and focused on the mission,” said Benﬁeld. “UnderCmdr Stenger’sleadership,Gonzalez did not just maintain readiness, they elevated it. She took a capable warship and

NORFOLK VA(Jul.25,2025) Command MasterChiefWilliam MeyerIII, left and Ens.Jacob Cline,right present Cmdr Katrina Stegnera Shadowboxforherworkas Commanding OfficeroftheArleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyerUSS Gonzalez(DDG 66).Gonzalezis the U.S.Navy’s 16thArleigh Burke-class destroyer.Thewarship is homeported at Naval Station Norfolkand is a part ofDestroyerSquadron 22 alongwith CarrierStrike Group 10 led bythe USS George H.W.Bush.(U.S.NAVYPHOTOBYHULLMAINTENANCETECHNICIAN THIRDCLASSXAVIERWHEELER)

madeitstronger,madeitsharper,andmore lethal.”

Cmdr Schenk assumes command of USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) after serving at Commander Carrier Strike Group Four (CCSG-4). His previous sea assignments include Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer aboard USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), Reactor Propulsion and Mechanical Division Officer aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), Operations Officer on USS Cole (DDG 67), and Reactor Training Assistant on USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) From 20222024 heservedasExecutiveOfficeronUSS Stout(DDG55) Ashore heservedasaFleet Watch Officer and Assistant Battle Watch Captain at the US Fleet Forces Maritime OperationsCenter,aJuniorBoardMember on the Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board,Atlantic,followedbytheCombatID Section Chief for Joint Staff, J6, Joint Fires IntegrationDivision.

“What an extraordinary opportunity to lead a ship like Gonzalez,” said Schenk

“This ship is more than steel and technology...it comes alive with your hard work, your pride and ownership, and your determination. Every success that the ship has achievedandwillachievecomesfromyou... and ultimately your professionalism, your willingness to answer the nation’s call. Additionally,Schenkstated,“Ilookforward tobuildingonthatfoundationaswemoveto thenextphase.”

Gonzalez is the U.S. Navy’s 16th Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer. The ship was named for Marine Sgt. Alfredo “Freddy”CantuGonzalez,aMedalofHonor recipient in the Vietnam War. The keel was laid down on February 3, 1994 at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and christened on February18,1995 The warship is homeported at Naval Station Norfolk and is a part of Destroyer Squadron 22, along with Carrier Strike Group10,ledbytheUSSGeorgeH.W.Bush.

U.S. Fleet Forces Command conducts Reception Staging, Onward Movement, and Integration Mobilization Exercise

ByUnitedStatesFleetForces

U.S. Fleet Forces Command

Rear Adm. Kenneth Blackmon, Vice Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC), and Rear Adm. Kimberly Walz, Reserve Director, Maritime Operations, USFFC, led the USFFC Reception Staging, OnwardMovement,andIntegration(RSOI) mobilizationexercise,July25-27.Thisexercise demonstrated the readiness and capabilities of the Navy Reserve and rehearsed plans to rapidly integrate Reservists into USFFC’sbattlerhythmanddailyfunctions

TheRSOIexercisebroughttogetherSailorsfromvariousunitstosupporttheiractive duty commands, simulating activities they

would experience after completing activationattheirassignedNavyReserveCenters or Mobilization Deployment Support Centers

“ThisRSOIexerciseaffordedourReserve SailorsandtheFleetForcesorganizationthe opportunity to expose friction, gaps, and seams and, ultimately, learn critical lessons to improve the process of a mass mobilizationinordertobereadytoaddvalueonday one,”Blackmonsaid.“OurReserveComponent is essential to warﬁghting readiness acrossalldomainsthroughouttheﬂeets We demonstratedthatcapabilityheretoday.

Sailors who participated in RSOI conductedonboardingandintegrationactivities in support of mobilization billet-trainingtoensuretheNavyReserveForceisready

to activate within days Integrated training exerciseslikeRSOIareacriticalpartofoperational readiness and underscore the critical partnership between active duty and Reserve forces which enhances the U.S. Navy’s ability to respond to every mission fromcompetitiontocrisis Immediately following the mobilization exercise, from July 30-August 8, U.S. Fleet ForcesCommand,U.S.PaciﬁcFleet,andU.S. NavalForcesEurope-Africawillconductthe separate Large Scale Exercise 2025 (LSE 2025)withsupportfromover2,000Reserve Sailors including those who participated inRSOI.

“The ﬁrst step of a rapid deployment of our Navy Reserve Forces is the mobilization of Sailors across the ﬂeet to provide

immediatesupport,”saidWalz.“RSOIexerciseshoneourabilitytoreﬁnemobilization processes to enable seamless integration withtheactivedutyattheoperationallevel of war. Our ability to practice rapid deploymentthroughRSOI,followedbyLSE2025, shows the strategic advantage provided by our Reservists and our readiness to ﬁght whencalled.”

LSE2025isaglobal,all-domainwarﬁghting exercise designed to simulate complex, real-world threats—from the piers of U.S. navalbasestoshipsatseaandheadquarters around the globe—creating a realistic environment that mirrors strategic competitor challenges

NORFOLK Va The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) and United Service Organizations(USO)heldaribboncuttingceremony onboard, officially opening the ﬁrst shipbasedUSOcentersonanamphibiousassault ship,July28

The centers include many of the same amenities as a land-based center such as comfortable seating, TVs, video and board games,andsnacks Equippingtheshipwith these centers creates a home away from home for Sailors and embarked Marines whileondeployment.

“Onboard Iwo Jima, we have 2,200 Sailors and Marines—warfighters who are being prepared and are ready to support

ournation’sbusinesswhenwedeploy,”said Capt.KathrynWijnaldum,executiveofficer ofIwoJima “Ourintentforits[centers]use is that they will provide an opportunity to supportthewarﬁghter—tohelpthemreset, recharge, and de-stress—so that they can resumetheirdutiesthatenableustoaccomplishourmissionandgetthejobdonewhen ournationcallsuponus.”

These new ship-based centers gives the Sailors of Iwo Jima and their embarked Marine teammates from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable)—America’spremierwarﬁghters— an alternative way to recharge and build a close-knit community with one another while serving in high-stress operational environments

“Thank you for the extreme cooperation oftheshipandforthepatiencetodealwith usherenowonourveryﬁrstgator,”saidJeff

Hill, the USO’s Expeditionary Region Vice President.“TobeabletoserveMarinesand Sailors wherever the world takes you, USO is going to be with you wherever you may go—that’sourobjective.”

Iwo Jima is the ﬁrst amphibious assault shiptohaveship-basedcenters,andtheUSO hasship-basedcenterson10aircraftcarriers andﬁvedestroyers

For more than 80 years, the USO has servedthemenandwomenoftheU.S.militaryandtheirfamiliesthroughouttheirtime inuniform—fromshore-basedassignments and continuing that tradition at sea. With multipleshipsnowcarryingaUSOpresence, theorganizationischartingacoursetoward an extraordinary era of support to service membersatsea.

Iwo Jima is moored at Naval Station Norfolk following its return from a 4-week underway for Composite Training Unit

Exercise(COMPTUEX).COMPTUEXwas the ﬁnal certifying event in the pre-deploymentworkupcyclefortheship’scompany.

Iwo Jima is the ﬂagship of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) which is capable of conducting global missions to accomplishU.S.strategicgoals,deteradversaries,andensureunimpededcommerceby keepingthehighseasopenandfreeinaccordance with international law. Embarked aboard ARG shipping is the 22nd MEU (SOC) and provides a forward-deployed, ﬂexible sea-based Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) capable of conducting amphibiousoperations—toincludeenabling the introduction of follow-on forces and designated special operations to meet CombatantCommander’srequirements

PCU John F. Kennedy culinary team

John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) reached a milestone July 17 when the ship’s galley ovens were poweredonandusedtopreparefoodforthe ﬁrsttime

CurrentlyunderconstructionatNewport News Shipbuilding, John F. Kennedy is the second Ford-class aircraft carrier and the ﬁrst of its class to integrate numerous advancedtechnologies—includingnext-generation galley equipment The activation of the galley’s state-of-the-art combination ovens(combi-ovens)markedthebeginning ofhands-ontrainingfortheCSs,asthecrew preparestoestablishfullfoodserviceforthe Sailorsaboard.

Laying the Foundation

Master Chief Culinary Specialist Cleopatra Bell, from Newark, New Jersey led the day’strainingevolution.“Commander Naval Air Forces (CNAF), is onboard to walk our Sailors through safe operation and maintenance of the new equipment using real ingredients,”saidBell.“Thisistheﬁrsttime theovenshavebeenpoweredup,andit’sthe ﬁrsttimefoodhasbeencookedaboardJFK.”

The activation coincided with the ship’s initial inspection and galley certification, a key step toward bringing the vessel into habitable status Over the past two weeks, Supply Engineering and Medical departments worked in close coordination to ensure readiness CSs and Food Service Attendants organized equipment, cleaned and stocked the galley, and conducted pre-operationalsanitationinspections.The Engineering team supported system lightoffs, while the Medical team verified water quality, ice system safety and food handler certifications

“Thishasbeenacoordinatedeffortacross multiple departments,” Bell added. “We’re proudoftheteamworkandpreparationthat madethispossible.”

Training the Next Generation

ForthejuniorCSsaboard thisdaymarked acareerﬁrst.“I’vegotalotofnewSailorsin my division,” said Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Renee Edwards, a native of St Ann, Jamaica.“Watchingtheirexcitementwork-

ing with this technology—especially ovens that can be controlled by phone app—was a proudmoment.” As the Supply department’s training petty officer Edwards is helping guide her shipmates through a phased certiﬁcation process While the day’s training menu was simple—pot roast—the team is looking ahead to integrating more options “We’re justgettingstarted,”saidEdwards “Butonce we’re fully operational, we’ll incorporate crewfeedbackandcontinuetoraisethebar.”

Edwards emphasized the unique conﬁguration of the Ford-class galley, which has only one main production space The team willsoonbegintrainingonadditionalcookingsystemssuchaskettlesandgrills which are essential to supporting the Messdecks, Chief’sMessandWardroom.

Professional Expertise at the Helm

Among the team leading the charge is CulinarySpecialist2ndClassHaiwenWuof LosAngeles a2024Navy“ChefoftheYear honoree and accomplished competition chef Wu recently trained with the AmericanCulinaryFederationandbringsawealth ofadvancedculinaryknowledgetotheJFK galley “My goal is to train our Sailors from the ground up,” Wu said. “Whether they’re preparing meals for the crew or serving in theChief’sMess they’llbeready.” Wu’s presence underscores the high level of professionalism across the division. “It’s an honor to be part of the team that’s standingupfoodserviceonJFK,”headded. “We’relayingastrongfoundationforfuture success.”

Looking Ahead

As the ship continues preparations for commissioning, the galley activation represents more than just hot food—it reﬂects the growing capability pride and resilience of the Sailors aboard. The ability to serve nutritious meals is critical to Sailor moraleandmissionreadiness

“There’s still more training to do,” said Edwards, “but we’re motivated. We’re building something special here, one meal atatime.” With committed leadership, motivated junior Sailors, and support from across the command,theS-2SupplyDivisioniswellon its way to making John F. Kennedy’s galley theheartoftheship

Norfolk Naval Shipyard Establishes Submarine

ByMichaelDBrayshaw Norfolk Naval Shipyard

Aligned to the U.S. Navy goal of having 80 percent operational availability of fast attack submarines by 2027, Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) has established a Submarine Maintenance Operations Center (SMOC) Detachment to support timely depot-maintenance deliveries back to the ﬂeet.

“The goal of the SMOC is to support, at a very tactical level, availabilities in execution and planning to set them up for success,”saidCapt.SteveMongold,Officer in Charge of NNSY’s SMOC Detachment. “What that boils down to is whatever the project superintendents tell me they need—whether it be material resources, modiﬁcations to the work package, technical adjudication, you name it—it’s the SMOC’smissiontohelpthemgetit.Weare going to coordinate directly with supporting commanders and their organizations to hold each other accountable for delivering support in a timely and effective manner to get the desired outcome.” NNSY’s current depot-level submarine availabilities include USS Montpelier (SSN 765) undergoing an Engineered Overhaul, and USS John Warner (SSN 785) as the ﬁrst Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Virginia-class Extended Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability at NNSY

“I have worked with Capt. Mongold to potentially reduce the scope of work being performed on Montpelier based on operational needs of the boat, said Montpelier Project Superintendent Michael Harrell. “The network of resources outside of the shipyard is expanded by having the SMOC Detachment here close to the project, helping us to get answers faster and do what we need to do to deliver on time or early.”

In spring 2023 the Chief of Naval Operations designated Submarine Forces (SUBFOR) as the single accountable commander responsible for on-time completion of submarine depot availabilities in the public shipyards. Submarine Forces initially stood up a SMOC at Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic (SUBLANT) headquarters to provide support to all submarine availabilities across the four public shipyards. Now establishing a detachment allows a sharper focus on the submarine projects at NNSY, while serving as a pilot for the

other shipyards to set up their own SMOC detachments NNSY’s SMOC Detachment declared Initial Operating Capability on June 30 2025 Mongold said, “the real advantage with the SMOC is the Type Commander

is much more closely involved with the maintenance, and so we bring the decision-making authority closer to the problem and to quicker resolution. There’s been many instances where we’ve been able to get decisions within hours or even minutes.”

The SMOC Detachment is also assisting availabilities in planning such as for USS New Hampshire (SSN 778), helping to condense the work package to be more executable and save resource days SMOC Detachment Deputy and Operations Lead Anthony “T-Mac” McFadden is one of the group’s three leads bringing his shipyard knowledge and experience to bear “I’m excited because I’ve previously been on shipyard teams where we’d work so hard, but still didn’t complete the availability on time,” said McFadden. From the outside looking in, it’s like, ‘you all are failing.’ Now, with CAPT Mongold here, they know we’re working hard, they see we’re working hard, and what can we do to make it better for us to be successful? The ideas he’s bringing with the work we’re doing, it’s exciting to me I can tell the other guys, ‘he’s here to help and make sure we’re successful.’ ” Mongold said, “There are great people here doing great work. It’s really, ‘what do we need and how can we help that great work deliver the desired outcome? What are those micro things that are in the way and slowing the work down or making it hardertogetdone?’Afreshsetofeyesmay help shed some heat and light on those things and get them answered.

NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic tests smart skimmer tech to enhance Navy’s oil spill response

ByDavidTodd Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Mid-Atlantic

NORFOLK,Va Respondingtoenvironmental challenges and the need for rapid, efficient oil spill recovery, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Mid-Atlantic (NAVFAC MIDLANT) is testing a cutting-edge remotely operated vessel to helpbolstercleanupeffortsatnavalinstallationsacrossHamptonRoads Engineeredfor agility,cost-effectiveness,andprecision,the initiativereinforcestheNavy’scommitment toprotectingcoastalwaterswhilemaintainingoperationalreadiness

The Remote-Control Skimmer is a compact vessel that combines advanced engineering agile mobility and a strong commitment to environmental protection. Designed to modernize oil recovery operations, it brings innovative technology to the forefront of spill response. During a recent sitevisittoNavalStationNorfolk,RearAdm.

Jorge Cuadros, Commander of NAVFAC Atlantic, joined NAVFAC MIDLANT leadership for an in-depth, 360-degree demonstration of the skimmer’s remote-control capabilitiesanditscurrentandfutureoperationalpotential.

“EnablingFleetandwarﬁghterreadiness means that we must train and operate our platforms as good stewards of our coastal waters,”saidCuadros “Toolslikethisreﬂect the Navy’s commitment to innovation and investment in solutions that preserve readiness, while safeguarding the environment I’m excited to see how we can scale this capabilityacrosstheNAVFACenterprise.”

Developed in partnership with the Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC) in Port Hueneme, California, and oil spill contractor Elastec in Carmi, Illinois, the skimmer supports the Navy’s broader strategy to modernize oil spill recovery across diverse anddemandingenvironments.Thecollaboration highlights a fusion of technical ingenuityandecologicalresponsibilityaimedat preserving marine ecosystems and operationalcontinuity.

This project is funded by the Navy Environmental Sustainability Development to Integration(NESDI)program theNavy’s environmental shoreside Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) program. The collaboration underscores the Navy’s commitment to sustainability and defense innovation, fusing technical ingenuity with ecological responsibility to protectmarinehabitatsandsupportmission readiness

“The equipment currently used to meet installations’ oil recovery needs is expensive to buy and maintain,” explained Casey Barker NAVFACEXWCOilSpillResponse ProgramManager “Ifwehavemorecost-effectiveequipment,liketheRemote-Control Skimmer,wecouldtheninvestmoreheavily inequipmentlikevacuumtrucksandtrailers tostoreandtransportrecoveredoilforrecyclingordisposal.” Oil spills pose serious threats to both the environmentandnavaloperations disrupt-

Large Scale Exercise from Page 1

we prepare to ﬁghtandwin—anywhere,anytime.” LSE2025istheonlyexercisewhereall10 FleetMaritimeOperationsCenters(MOCs) will operate simultaneously While many exercises focus on a single ﬂeet or region, LSE 2025 raises the bar—requiring coordinatedactionacrosstheglobeandproviding

ing port activity, damaging infrastructure, and impairing readiness Contamination nearshipberths,piers,andwaterfrontfacilities can delay ship movements interrupt fuelingoperations andrequirecostlyremediation. Alongside risks to marine life and personnel safety, oil spills also draw critical resources away from operational priorities

Aneffectiveandtimelyresponseisessential to keeping installations secure, functional, and environmentally compliant, enabling the Fleet to carry out its mission without interruption.

The Remote-Control Skimmer marks a strategic advancement in oil spill response andcleanup Capableofoperatingupto650 feetoffshore,itaccessesspillzonesunreachable by fixed recovery systems, such as maneuveringbeneathpiers,aroundmoored vessels, and into tight or obstructed spaces Weighingroughly265poundswhenempty and nearly 360 pounds when full (holding approximately 11 gallons of oil), the vessel uses rotating drums to recover oil, storing it in onboard tanks before autonomously returningtoshore Thisstreamlinedprocess enhancesefficiencywhilereducingtheenvironmentalimpact. Unlike traditional mechanical recovery methods, which often produce oil-water mixtures containing more than 50 percent water and require repeated trans-

critical experience at the operational level ofwar.

“This exercise provides an incredible opportunity to hone command and control acrossthemostlethalamphibioustaskforces intheworld,ensuringsealanesremainopen and global commerce ﬂows freely maintainingpeaceandstabilityworldwide,”said Lt Gen. Bobbi Shea, commander, Marine ForcesCommand.“LSEoffersaglimpseinto thefutureofwarfare,pushingtheboundaries of what’s possible and ensuring that our

fers to shore for regulatory processing, the Remote-Control Skimmer extracts oil directly from the water’s surface with minimal water intake (less than 1 percent).

This streamlined approach significantly enhances recovery efficiency, particularly inremoteorhigh-volumespillzones While alternativetechniques,suchason-siteseparationareavailable,theyremaincostly,technicallyconstrained,andaresubjecttostrict dischargeregulations

“The vessel is much more than metal and software it’s a promise to our waterways and the Navy’s goal to be good stewardsoftheenvironment, saidBlakeWaller NAVFAC MIDLANT Environmental Resources and Assessment Product Line Leader “This innovation allows the Navy to respond quicker when it’s needed most, shortening recovery times so warﬁghters canreturntothemission.”

Currently optimized for isolated oil spill recovery the Remote-Control Skimmer could eventually evolve to support larger spill volumes or integrate advanced sensor technologies,enhancingitsabilitytosupport operationsinFleet-concentratedareas.

“Right now, we’re testing the skimmer locallyinHamptonRoadstoassessitspotential for our broader mission across all shore installations,” said Waller “We’re encouraged by what we’ve seen so far, and as we

Navy-MarineCorpsteamremainsthemost advanced, agile, and effective ﬁghting force intheworld.”

Large Scale Exercise 2025 represents a pivotal opportunity to test and reﬁne the Navy and Marine Corps’ ability to operate in a globally contested environment. By integratingadvancedwarﬁghtingconcepts alliedcapabilities,andreal-timeoperational coordination,LSE2025reinforcesthemaritime services’ commitment to maintaining strategic advantage, deterring aggression,

continue evaluating its performance, we’re excitedaboutwhereitcouldlead.Thepossibilitiesaretrulylimitless.”

With the Navy leading the charge the future of oil recovery isn’t just a goal it’s underway As recovery technology continues to advance, NAVFAC is charting a bold newcourse TheRemote-ControlSkimmer exempliﬁes a growing alignment between nationaldefenseandecologicalresponsibility Itispoweredbyinnovation,strengthened bycollaboration,andanchoredbyasteadfast commitmenttosafeguardingmarineecosystemswhilesustainingoperationalstrength. NAVFAC MIDLANT provides facilities engineering,publicworksandenvironmental products and services across an area of responsibility that spans from South Carolina to Maine, as far west as Illinois, and down to Indiana. As an integral member of theCommander,NavyRegionMid-Atlantic team, NAVFAC MIDLANT provides leadershipthroughtheRegionalEngineerorganizationtoensuretheregion’sfacilitiesand infrastructure are managed efficiently and effectively For additional information about NAVFACMIDLANTonsocialmedia,follow ouractivitiesonFacebookatwww.facebook. com/navfacmidatlanticandonInstagram@ navfacmidatlantic.

and ensuring security and stability across theworld’soceans USFFCisresponsibleformanning,training,equippingandemployingmorethan125 ships,1,000aircraft,and103,000active-duty service members and government employees and providing combat-ready forces forward to numbered ﬂeets and combatant commandersaroundtheglobeinsupportof U.S.nationalinterests

Naval Station Norfolk’s MWR Auto Skills Center offers weekly vehicle maintenance workshops

ByYeomanSeamanApprenticeKyaRobinson

NORFOLK Va Naval Station (NAVSTA) Norfolk’s Morale WelfareandRecreation(MWR)AutoSkillsCenter program provides hands-on vehicle maintenance training through weekly workshops open to all Department of Defense(DoD)IDcardholders

Held every Wednesday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and on weekends from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., these instructionalsessionsallowSailorsandauthorizedDoDID cardholderstolearnthebasicsofcarmaintenancefromoil changesandtirerotationstoﬂuidchecksandﬁlterreplacementsinasupportive,low-pressureenvironment.

“Wehavejustaboutallthebasichandworkingtools,”said Tim Daubert, MWR Auto Skills Center manager who has workedatthefacilityfor47years “Wehavesomediagnostic equipment they can use, and we also have a data system wheretheycanlookuptheircarmodelandviewwhatkind ofproblemsthey’rehavingtogetmoreinformationontheir vehicle.”

The Auto Skills Center also operates on a do-it-yourself approach,charging$10anhourforuseofoneofthefacility’s bays However,theweekdayandweekendclassesarefreeof charge for participants looking to build conﬁdence in their owncarmaintenanceabilities

“Anyone with a DoD ID card, and not a contractor card, canusetheshop,”saidDaubert.“Youhavetodoashortsafety testtoreceiveasafetycard,justtoensurethatyouknowabit ofcarbasics Weonlytakecredit,notcash.”

For some Sailors, the Auto Skills Center has become a regularstopintheirweeklyroutine

“I come here at least three times a week,” said Second ClassFireControlmanJustinLong assignedtoMid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center “Coming here deﬁnitely savesonshopfeescomparedtogoingtoashopoutintown.

Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Alexis Rivera, assigned to

NavalStationNorfolk,whoregularlyusesthefacilitynoted the value of awareness and accessibility “I feel like this program should even be talked about more during Indoc or command meetings,” she said. “If I could describe my experience here in three words, it would be: ‘Great ExperienceHere.’

Withafullyequippedgarageandknowledgeablestaff,the AutoSkillsCenteroffersaspaceforlearning,self-sufficiency,

andcost-effectivecarcare. “Wehaveafriendlystaff,andwemakesurethisisagood learning environment that’s not overwhelming for beginners,”Daubertadded.

FormoreinformationabouttheMWRAutoSkillsCenter visit https://www.navylifema.com or

uarterdeck

Norfolk Naval Shipyard is prepping for hurricane season

By Susanne Greene Norfolk Naval Shipyard

Whether at work or at home, you should always have a plan for the Hurricane Season. With the season running from June 1 to November 30, a total of up to 19 total named storms are predicted for 2025. Heading into the peak months of the season, it is important for Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) personnel to be prepared, at work as well as at home.

The first thing they’re going to need to do is really understand their department or code’s destructive weather plan,” said Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) Emergency Management Specialist Planner Josh Pivac, Emergency Management and Planning Division (Code 1130). “The plan is going to give them all the directions and actions that they need to take to prepare their code.”

Preparing an office for destructive weather is much different than preparing the waterfront.

“It’s always good to know what actions your code is responsible for and also, if your code can support another code as a storm approaches,” said Pivac. “There’s a lot of coordination and communication but understanding what your code or shop’s

responsibilities are during an approaching storm is key to NNSY’s mission success and provided in the destructive weather plans.”

As shipyard personnel review these plans, they should take note of what areas their code or shop is responsible for.

“A lot of time when preparing for a

destructive weather (DW) event, valuable time is lost walking through different areas of the shipyard and addressing deficiencies. This is due to the areas not being properly policed throughout the year,” said Code 1130 Emergency Planning and Management Deputy Nathan Chviek. “So, a big part of

preparing for a storm is policing those areas year-round, so you understand that if a storm comes, these are the things that need to be taken care of.”

Shipyard personnel should review their spaces frequently for potential missile hazards and ask themselves questions like “how I’m going to tie this piece of equipment down?”, and “what can’t I safely relocate?” and find ways to mitigate those hazards.

Having a plan for your home is just as important as having one at work.

“We want you to have a plan for your family, because if you are asked to stay behind [to support essential shipyard operations], we want you to be sure that your family is safe,” said Pivac. “You need to be in the right mindset to focus on work.”

“If your mind is focused on your family and you’re worried about their safety, you may try to rush through things,” said Pivac. “You may hurt yourself or somebody else.” Pivac continued, “At NNSY, we want to make sure you have a plan at home so you can have peace of mind, and you’re ready to execute the preparedness actions at the shipyard.”

Turn to Hurricane Season, Page 4 Shipyard

There are several resources available to

Salute to Navy 250: Naval Station Newport prepares for its annual public summer concert and fireworks event

Courtesy Story

NAVAL STATION NEWPORT, RI —

Naval Station Newport is putting the finishing touches on Salute to Navy 250, a special edition of the installation’s annual open-tothe-public Salute to Summer concert and fireworks event, scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025.

“This year we are celebrating the 250th birthday and founding of the United States Navy,” explained Capt. Henry Roenke, installation commanding officer and host of the event. “In celebration of the proud service and legacy of the Navy, we have branded this event Salute to Navy 250. There is no better occasion to showcase the valuable relationship between our Ocean State community and the Navy than during this annual program, and we welcome the public to be part of this great event.”

Last year’s Salute to Summer drew more than 8,600 people to the base and this year’s

estimates are for slightly more.

Event activities and music will begin at 2 p.m. for the military community members and their families. Authorized Department of Defense ID card holders are able to access the event at this time also. Free public admission and access to the installation will begin at 4 p.m. that day.

The annual public event will showcase several area bands and musical performances and the Navy’s local musical unit, Navy Band Northeast. In addition to the music, there will be children’s activities available and food vendors on site for the purchase of snacks, meals and beverages.

“As part of event safety and security measures, coolers, outside food and drink, glass bottles or containers, banners or signs of any type, fireworks, firearms and other weapons, defensive sprays (pepper spray) or chemicals, illegal and recreational drugs and drug paraphernalia, pets and drones are not permitted on the installation,” noted

Navy Lt. Ryan Wells, installation security officer. “All strollers and small bags such as diaper bags, totes, backpacks or handbags will be permitted and will be subject to search.”

According to Wells, all event guests older than 18 years of age must be prepared to present a government-issued photo ID for entry to the base and guests below this age must be escorted by an adult to gain access.

“We are encouraging everyone to come prepared for a long, fun, and entertaining day at Salute to Navy 250.” explained Bruce Katz, installation public affairs officer. “We recommend guests dress for the weather, bring folding chairs, blankets and appropriate protective clothing and sun screen products to help make their day more comfortable and enjoyable.”

The installation’s main gate, Gate 1, at Training Station Road closes to all vehicle traffic beginning at 3:30 p.m. on the day of the event to prepare for public pedes-

trian traffic to the installation. When Gate 1 closes, all vehicle traffic will be prevented from entering Training Station Road at the intersection of Third Street. Vehicle traffic can continue to access the installation through Gate 17 at Access Road in Middletown after the Gate 1 closure. Guest and handicap parking will be permitted at the Navy Medical Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) New England complex located on Third Street in Newport. Vehicles can enter the NMRTC area beginning at 3:30 p.m. Guests will then walk to the installation through NMRTC’s rear gate at Training Station Road to enter the event. Shuttles will be available to transport handicapped individuals from NMRTC to the event entry control point. For more information on this event and for future updates, visit https://www. navymwrnewport.com/activity/5eb38d76b898-4894-bcbf-c39910a17165.

A big part of prepping for a storm

Shipyard Spotlight: Aubrey Morris

Code 2360.2 Health Physicist

BySusanneGreene Norfolk Naval Shipyard

Norfolk Naval Shipyard Health

Physicist

Aubrey Morris ﬂexes her creative muscles developing training materials for the Fleet Maintenance and Radiological Support Division(Code2360),andwhennotatwork, enjoysthegymandspendingtimeinnature hikingandtakingroadtripstorecharge

Morris was nominated for her “gracious spiritandtenaciousdrive”inCode2360.2’s NuclearCentralDesignGroup

“She makes our training materials really shine,” said Norfolk Naval Shipyard Lead Radiological Instructor Jessica McRae. “Aubrey has gone over and beyond her job titleandhastakenothertechnical,video,and graphic design classes to develop her skills asamultimediaspecialist.”

“Ihaveawiderangeofresponsibilities all revolvingaroundmediacreationandmainly for training products: eLearning development, image curation, audio recording and editing, video storyboarding, scriptwriting, logodesign,branding,buildingPowerPoints, documentformatting thelistgoeson,”said Norfolk Naval Shipyard Health Physicist AubreyMorris

Morris started her career at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard as a Radiological Controls Technician (RCT) in 2011 and transferred to NNSY in 2012 She remained an RCT until she was hired for her current position in2016.

“It’s hard to sum up the ways Aubrey contributes because she has such a big impact,”saidNorfolkNavalShipyardSupervisory Health Physicist Ivey Brown. “She really tunes into what our customers need not just meeting the original ask, but giving them something even better that will resonate with the audience and improve the training.”

Browncontinued,“Herincredibleeyefor design, strong technical skills, and understandingofhowpeopleabsorbtrainingshine throughinherwork,andtheresultisamazingproducts.”

Morris thrives on taking a concept and shaping it into the final product. She is supporting Code 105.7 with the RadiologicalControlsTechnicianQualiﬁcationSchool (RCTQS)Redesignprojectbyprovidingnew visuals Also, Morris created all the visuals forthenewradiationworkertraining,which isacorporateproductusedatallpublicand privateshipyards,aswellasthelabs

“IdesignedRadconAcademy,whichwasa combinationofsupportingCode105.7along withtheentirecorporation,asthattraining productisusedatallactivitiesbyRCTsprior tothemattendingRCTQS,”saidMorris

Morris’s knowledge and creative skills makeheragreatmatchforCode2360.2

“I really appreciate how she approaches everyprojectwithoutego,bringingtheright people together from several skill sets, and readily gives credit to make sure they are recognized,”saidBrown.“She’satrueteam playerandabigreasonwesucceed.

Morris ﬁnds the creative process very rewarding

“I often need to custom-build my projects in order to tailor them to my customer’s needs, so no two projects are ever the same,”saidMorris

Morris continued, “I also work with an amazingly talented team and their endless supportenhancesnotonlymyprojectdeliverables,butmyabilitytoenjoywhatIdo.”

Like any career at NNSY, being a Health Physicisthasitschallenges

“Mycustomersknowwhattheyneedme to develop (e.g video, eLearning, PowerPoint, etc.) but they often don’t know what they want it to look like,” said Morris “Putting together concepts and building somethingupfromscratch,oftenwithlittle initial direction, is a massive challenge but inthebestpossibleway.

Morris continued, “In many ways, the most challenging part of my job is also the most rewarding and that’s a sure sign that youlovewhatyoudo!”

Her positive attitude translates into continuedsuccess

“Ingeneral,Itrytokeepthemindsetthat everything happens for me not to me,” said Morris “When looking at challenges as opportunitiesforpersonalgrowth,I’mable to take a step back and evaluate what life is tryingtoteachmeatthatmoment.”

Shebelievesthatagoodleaderadoptsthe concept that “they work for you” and has advice for anyone considering a career at NNSY

“Identify what your strengths are and leanintothem, saidMorris It’spossibleto lovewhatyoudoforaliving,andwiththere beingsomanydifferentcareeropportunities hereatNNSY,you’relikelytoﬁndaposition whereyou’llexcelbasedonyourstrengths.”

Over the years, she has been taught to speakupforherselfandbelievesthateveryone’s thoughts and opinions deserve to be heard. Also Morris has an adventurous spirit.

“Outside the gate you’ll either ﬁnd me at the gym, hiking, doing yoga, getting a swim in,orhittingabiketrail,”saidMorris “Ilove beingoutinnatureandcravingthecompany of trees and the solitude of the outdoors to recharge.” Morris continued, “I also relax by taking mini-road trips on the weekends to try different vegan foodie spots and I always enjoydiscoveringnewfavorites.”

ByKristiRBritt Norfolk Naval Shipyard

Having a questioning mindset is a valuable thing at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) beingabletotake a hard look at the processes in place and how we do work, noting if there are areas of improvement, and seeing what can be done to innovatethewaywedobusiness When Reactor Servicing Team (Code 2370) Shift Refueling Engineer (SRE) Candidate Alexander Pierzchala stepped onto an inspection job and saw the difficulty his team was having working a vacuum in spaces onboard USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), his immediate thought was, “how could we do this better?”

“We recently underwent shifts in our inspections to be more inclusive and more in-depth; however, we learned quickly that in order to get these inspections done by the new standard, we didn’t have the required tooling in place to perform them,” said Pierzchala. Innovative by trade, he had experience in additive manufacturing (3D printing) and came up with a design that could improve the way the job worked In addition,herecalledhistime innewemployeeonboardingattheshipyard and stepping into the Innovation Lab and heknewhehadthepathheneededtomake somethinghappen.“Iwasenthralledbythe lab when we toured it and it’s been something I wanted to explore more since I first entered the shipyard I knew that with 3D printing, we could make tools that worked perfectly for our needs and they would be able to help I got involved with the team hereandthroughtheprocessofdeveloping testing, performing trials shipboard we wereabletogetsometoolstogethertohelp usperformthoseinspectionsasneeded.” Pierzchala and the Code 100TO.32 Rapid Innovation Branch were able to develop a vacuum adapter for their inspections to reach into crevices that were previously unable to be reached through piping areas Through testing they were able to come up withseveraliterationsofthedesignuntilthey found a prototype that best fit the needs of theReactorServicingTeam.WhenPierzchala’s supervisor saw how this design worked, anewquestionbegantorise What’snext? “Mysupervisorwasthrilledwithwhatwe cameupwithandhesawmydrivetofinding solutionsforwhatproblemswemayfacein the work our team does daily. So he said let’s make more and let’s see what else we can make. Put a tool kit together with these designs,” said Pierzchala. “I was on it and now since that first design, the Rapid Innovation Branch and I have worked on more than 30 designs, with more and more being developed each month as we continue to explorewhatelsewecandotoimprove.”

ontheship However,astheteamwasworkingwiththeborescopeandreachingcertain areas,itwaslikeﬁshingforthem,withouta clearwayofguidingthetoolexactlywhereit neededtogo Theteamwasabletocomeup with the guide tubes that come in multiple piecestoﬁttheneedoftheuser,whowould thenbeabletotakeitonthejob,easilyputit togethertothelengthordirectiontheywant in a few minutes and guide the borescope throughthetubestothoseneededareaswith ease Once the job would be complete, they wouldthenbeabletodisassembletheguide tubeshoweverneeded “We’veusedthemon USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and thesehavebeenhugefortheteamandbeing abletousethemshipboard,”saidPierzchala

Other designs the team has worked include various types of clamps including ones with magnetic inserts to ensure items aresecuredintheirgrip;stopcollars;piping deﬂection gauges; the third arm assembly; and more. Though some are still a work-inprogress, the team has been able to come togetherateveryturntoworkthroughthese ideasandturningthemintoareality

in unique ways to solve problems It helps us get the needed tools in the hands of our employees while lowering costs so we can focus that money on the parts and tools we needthatcan’tbeprintedin-house Having thelabhereandbeingabletohavethatinnovativemindsetreallyhelpsushighlightthat mechanicatthecentermentality let’sﬁnd thoseproblemareasthatputadditionalpressureonourteammatesandlet’sworktoﬁnd those solutions It will give our mechanics the freedom they need to complete their work to the best of their abilities, saving themtime,money,andensuretheyaresafe.”

we decrease our ability to do something

However, if we try to improve, you will get to some things that work and some things that won’t you’re adding to your knowledge, your skillsets, and that’s the only way to maintain your abilities and competence

This started as such a simple idea, I saw a problem and was able to address it with the help from the Lab I thought about the designandwent…justdoit.Wecanownthe work we do and improve in our spaces but we’ve got to take those steps to make it happen.

In addition to various vacuum adapters to reach into grooves and hard-to-maneuver spaces at various sizes another item of note includes the borescope guide tube A borescope is a visual inspection tool with a ﬂexibletubewithasmallcameraattheend toinspectnarrow,difficult-to-reachcavities

“We’vebeenabletodoalotofcoolthings like adding ﬁxtures and magnetic inserts intotheprints,”saidCode100T32Mechanical Engineer Dixie Cox. “It’s all testing out and pushing our printers to their limits to ﬁnd the best ways to develop these prints Wealsocontinuetolearnandgrowfromour previousjobsandusethoselessonslearned toaddresstheneedsofourotherclients And we’re able to generate these items pennies to the dollars so it becomes a cost-effective solutiontoaddressingthoseneedshead-on.”

To Pierzchala, innovation and utilizing 3D printing isn’t “the future”, it’s “the present andshouldbesomethingthateveryone is able to utilize in their workplace in some capacity “3Dprintingisn’tanendall,beall. However, it should and can be leveraged

“Here at the lab, we aim to help our shipyard workforce find innovative solutions to what problems they may face in their job, pinpointingtheissuesthatcanbeaddressed and finding ways to make their job easier forthem, saidCox.“Anyonecancometous with an idea or even just noting a problem thattheyaredealingwith,andwewilldothe backend work to see what solutions we can find. We’ll put in the research, do site visits, evendevelopthosedesignsforyou.Wehave more than 40 printers currently at the lab with more on the way, and each of them is workinghardtodevelopitemsfortheshipyard We’reheretohelp!” Pierzchalaadded,“Thelabhasbeenabsolutely instrumental in this entire process Not everyone has the experience I do in 3D printing but with the lab, you’re able to come in and tell them your needs and they hit the ground running They are so good abouttakingrawproblemsandturningthem into solutions. They have the experience here, the machines the personnel, and the workflowtosolveproblemsinrealtime.”

When asked why innovation was so important for NNSY, Pierzchala said, “If you’re not growing, you’re dying We as humans, if we’re trying to stay at our same level,wefallshortofourultimategoalsand

Cox added, “my supervisor always said maintain a questioning mindset. When you comeacrossthedifferentjobsandprocesses at the shipyard, questions may pop up like why are we doing work that way or is there another way this can get done Even if you don’t have the specific questions you can sharewithusyourfrustrationsforthosejobs and we can take a hard look and pinpoint what can be changed or what can be developed to help ease those burdens Let’s take thoseideasandseewhatwayswecantackle ittogether.” What started as a simple idea to improve the work being done became a massive project, working to provide the inspection teams the tools they need to get the work done safely and efficiently Interested in working with the Innovation Lab? Visit the NNSYSharePointsiteathttps://flankspeed. sharepoint-mil.us/sites/NAVSEA_NSY NORFOLK and click the Hot Links section toreachthe3DPrintRequestform Provide your contact information and a description ofwhatyouneedandtheteamwillreachout tocoordinatefurtherdetails filesordesigns,

Norfolk Naval Shipyard implements use of submerged arc welding for shafting repairs

ByKristiRBritt Norfolk Naval Shipyard

Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) recently improved its shafting refurbishment capabilities with the implementation of the submerged arc welding (SAW) system, increasing deposition rates, providing savings in manhours and time spent on the work, as well as improving the quality of repairsmadewithinourproductionshops

This system utilizes a welding process wherethearcandweldpoolarecoveredbya blanketofgranularﬂux.Astheweldisdone, thearcremainssubmergedandprotectsthe weldfromatmosphericcontaminants,helpingtocreateastrong,soundweldwhilealso providing a safer alternative for welders utilizingthemachinetoavoidarcﬂashesor arcburns

“Our previous machine we’ve had in the shop for more than 20 years and we were looking for alternatives to what technology is out there to not only get the job done but to help us improve the quality of our welds while taking care of our teammates,” said Code 138.2 Weld Engineer Rick Gorman. “TheSAWsystemprovidesthosehighquality welds and beat the productivity of the oldermachinebymonths,whilealsohaving lessofatollonourworkers.”

The previous machine required seven workers per shift, with six welders simultaneously welding to control shaft distortion and firewatch totaling 14 workers overallasitwasrunning However,thenew SAWsystemutilizestwooperatorspershift (with four total overall). In the first month since it’s installation, the team was able to complete their first shaft weld in record time with over 5,000 pounds of filler material deposited. For a process that typically tookclosetofiveorsixmonthstocomplete, theteamwasabletocutdownthelengthof timetoonemonth.

“It’s been a great learning experience for us overall as we’ve trained up and put this machine into action, said Code 138.2 Weld EngineerMiguelBenedict. We’veseencost savingsintheputtingmoremetaldownand less time spent on welding in general. Plus we are able to eliminate certain roles that had been previously needed to ensure the weldswerecleanandcomplete.”

help you develop a plan for your family and puttogetheranemergencykit:

https://www.weather.gov/safety/ hurricane-plan

https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/ hurricanes

https://www.vaemergency.gov/threats/ hurricanes

https://www.defense.gov/Spotlights/ Hurricane-Preparedness/

https://magellanascend.com/Content/ View/15153 (free emergency kit available throughtheDepartmentoftheNavyCivilian EmployeeAssistanceProgram)

Gorman added, “The old process we followed would have someone working withaneedlegunwiththeweld,whichwas very loud and would require everyone in the space to utilize double hearing protection for their safety We also had someone spending hours with a power wire brush to cleanthewelds.ButwiththeSAW,theﬂuxis abletofalloffitselfwithouttheneedofthose going behind to clean the metals Overall, thisnewsystemprovidesasaferandcleaner weld overall. Everything utilizes the integratedcontrolssystemsowhenthemachine is running, the welders aren’t exposed to the heat of the weld. They are manning the controls and making sure it’s all running smoothly.”

“Make sure you have a plan for your familyandpets,”saidCode1130Emergency Management Division Head Gibby Sorrell

“It’s important for people at home to have their emergency kit ready and prepare for eachmemberofyourfamilyincludingpets Additionally,makesureyouhaveallneeded medications.”

Sorrell continued, “Know where you’re going to relocate to ahead of the storm and ensureyoucanbringpetswithyou.

Abigpartofpreppingforastormishaving ateamofbothNavalSupportActivity-Portsmouth and shipyard volunteers onsite to evaluate the installation and shipyard before, during and after a storm. The Flood WallTeam(Code900F.3)isusuallytheﬁrst grouptosignup

“We’re not just going to install the ﬂood

Withthesystem’ssuccesswithintheshop the team is looking towards a bright future for shaft welding repairs within the shop “With the SAW, we’re able to get work out faster with less rework overall. The hope is

wall because the storm is coming,” said Pivac.“Wedeterminetheinstallationofthe wallbasedonﬂoodwaterlevels.”

“The process of planning for a storm requires significant communication betweentheﬂoodwallteamandthewaterfront workforce,” said Pivac. “Industrial Equipment Mechanical Supervisor Dennis Cross and his team are a solid crew and alwaysdoaphenomenaljob.”

Ifyouvolunteertocomeinduringahurricane, the shipyard will provide cots water, andMeal,Ready-to-Eat(MREs).

“Formepersonally,ifIvolunteeredtoride outthestorm,I’dbringagoodsupplyofmy own personal snacks, water, drinks, as well as a few days’ worth of clothes and toiletries,” said Chviek. “We anticipate it’s probably going to be 48 to 72 hours minimum

said Benedict. “We are continuouslydoingthiskindofworkandas the lead yard for refurbishments for these kindsofshafts it’simportantwe’reutilizing the best tools of the trade We hope this is a ﬁrststepincontinuingtoexpandourefforts

before the area has become safe enough to startgettingadditionalpeopleintotheshipyard.” Ittakeseveryoneworkingtogetherbefore the storm to help the installation and shipyard position themselves for success to continue to meet their missions after the storm.

“It’sanallhands-on-deckapproachwhen preparingforhurricaneseasonandpersonnelhavetorememberwegointopreppingby putting the mission ﬁrst, said Sorrell. “We have to keep our focus all the way through untilthestormpasses.”

If you have any questions regarding destructiveweatherpreparationattheshipyard,pleasereachoutviaemailtoCode1130 atnnsy_code_1130@us.navy.mil.

Weld EngineerMiguel Benedict andWelderDavid Brownworkthe newsubmerged arcwelding (SAW) system at NorfolkNaval Shipyard

Our yard history: The Pipe and Steel Plate Shop, Building 202

ByMarcusRobbins Norfolk Naval Shipyard

This month we continue exploring the locations where the work gets done here at America’sShipyardorasIliketosayour“big boxstores”so let’sexplorethehowthePipe and Steel Plate Shop Building 202 came to be The pipe repair function here at Norfolk was first conducted at the north end waterfront during the post-Civil War era under open sheds and upon shipboard as wooden sailing warships became steam powered. As the calendar turned into the early 20th century the new steel Navy here required a more robust pipe facility Larger warships powered first by coal and then later by fuel oil introduced an entirely new technology that influenced both our construction and repaircapabilitiesforpipingofallsorts.We adapt to fulfill these challenges by conversionofanewBoilerShop,Building23

In parallel with the growth of the new steel Navy metal plates replaced wood as the construction material of choice Here at Norfolk, metal plate was ﬁrst brought directly to the granite building ways (ruins

of ex-Shiphouses “A and “B”) across from TrophyParkwhereweconstructedboththe USSTexasandUSSRaleighinthelate1890s Our1903stationmapdepictsnewconstruction of a facility titled Steel Storage, Building79,whichbeforeitsdemolitionwasalso locatednearTrophyPark.

Asweareallfamiliarwithindustrialshop functions and the locations where those functions take place, changes occur over timeforvariousreasons Facilityconversion of the Plumbers Shop, Building 42, seems to now take care of Norfolk’s piping needs alongwiththerecentnewconstructionofa locationforsteelstoragewithBuilding202’s completionby1921astheyardcomesoutof WorldWarI.

Building202’sfootprintwasﬁrstreserved bythedrawnplanentitled,“ProposedFinal LayoutForDevelopment, ofDecember28, 1917, Public Works Drawing #4707 which placedthelocationforseveralmajorindustrial structures before World War I. Erection of the ﬁrst bridge crane rail columns at Building202beganinAprilof1919

Building 202 grew at a quick pace as railroad tracks were laid down and an open shed style roof was assembled over same

for orderly storage and transport of steel as atthetimeNorfolkwasindeedbotharepair and a ship construction yard Given this mission,theneedforsteelsheetsandmetal shapesofallsortsandsizesatthereadywas necessary Anadditionaloutsidelocationfor steelplatestoragealsoconnectedbyrailwas constructed. In the early 1930s this outside storagebecamethesiteofourpresentSheetmetalShop,Building234

ThestructureofBuilding202wassimple in design and lent protection to the steel platematerialsfromtheharsheffectsofthe weather Utilizing the railways to convey materials in and out along with the functionality of four bays each equipped with a bridge crane lent efficient transport of steel anywherewithinthecomplex.

World War II changed everything Ships had grown larger and our supporting mission went into a 24/7 war footing at Norfolk.Atsomepointintheverylate1930s a decision was made to split the purpose of Building 202 into a new Pipe Shop along while retaining its Steel Plate Shop functions How, you might ask? Well, a ﬂoor to ceilingreinforcedwallwaserectedtosegregatethenewlyarrivedpipingfunction.This

wall remains to this very day, over 85 years later as a tangible reminder of how Norfolk adapted to the war effort by quickly adjustingitsindustrialfacilities.

Oneofthemostuniquefeaturesoftoday’s Pipe Shop is what we would refer to as the administrative entrance along the western side This low wooden addition was constructed in 1942 Worthy to note in the photograph is a great view of a “bull cart a carryover from the days of the early 20th centurywhenwestillusedanimalpowerto conveylargeitemsalongtheroadways.Also, ifyoulookcloselyinthedistancetheoutside electricaltransformerisprotectedbyahigh wallofsandbagsasagain,wewereatwar. The Pipe and Plate Shop Building 202 hassupportedthisshipyardformany,many decades with unwavering service not only as a facility but because of the people that worked under its roof Next month for September 2025 in honor of the end of World War II some 80 years ago, we shall look back on how Norfolk’s skilled workforce,thosemenandwomenalongwiththe facilitiestheyworkedwithinhelpedwinthe warrighthereontheshoresoftheElizabeth Riverbecause“historymatters.”

ByWilliamEpperson

Naval Medical Center - Portsmouth

TheNavyMedicineReadinessandTrainingCommand(NMRTC)Portsmouth/Naval MedicalCenterPortsmouth(NMCP)Nurse ResidencyProgramundertheleadershipof CAPT Meredith Croft, Chief Nursing Officer/Director of Nursing Services, has officially earned reaccreditation through the

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).Theaccreditationhasbeengranted for four years, from May 19, 2025 to July 31, 2029 NMRTC Portsmouth/NMCP is one of 297 programs in 1047 healthcare sites and one of three Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs)withanaccreditedPracticeTransitionAccreditationProgram(PTAP).

“This remarkable achievement is a testa-

ment to the unwavering commitment to excellence,professionalism,andcontinuous improvementinnursingpractice Thehard work, dedication to mentoring new nurses, and passion for providing high-quality evidence-based care have not only shaped the future of the nursing profession but is also recognized on a national level, said Cmdr KoaThomas-Jones,theNMCPPortsmouth/NMCP Nurse Residency Program

Director

“Accreditation is more than a milestone; it reﬂects the strength of our culture and collaborationacrossalldepartments Nurses who serve as preceptors, educators unit leaders orsupportivepeers allplayedavital role in this success Thank you to the First andFinestforinvestinginthegrowthofour new nurses and for making our program a modelofexcellence,”sheadded.

Access Code: Code 109.43 Telecommunications

ByTroyMiller Norfolk Naval Shipyard

Although this “Dad joke” is out of date, the question was “What are the three fastest ways to communicate with someone?” The answers were “tele”graph, “tele”phone and “tell a” woman. Most likely, this joke was created back in the day when telegraph and landline telephones were the only ways to communicate with someone who wasn’t in earshot of you. Since then, there have been many changes in communication, including the use of cell phones iPads and more. With communication being critical to fulﬁll Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s (NNSY) mission of repairing, modernizing and inactivatingtheNavy’swarshipsandtraining platforms, there is a dedicated group that ensures all shipyard employees’ telecommunications needs are met.

“The Telecommunications Office, Code 109.43, provides all communication needs for cellular phones desk phones pagers andiPads,”saidNNSY’sInformationTechnology and Cybersecurity Department (Code 109) Telecommunication Office Telecommunication Specialist Kalvin Alston. “We are responsible for over 10,000 landline desk phones, over 5,000 cellphones, over 200 iPads, and approximately 50 MiFi portable wireless routers that create a personal Wi-Fi hotspot using a cellular data connection.”

Five telecommunication specialists make up the group that is responsible for all said equipment, but that’s only the start of it. Each telecommunication device comes with a customer who has a need that the telecommunications office strives to meet above and beyond expectations

“Our customers are not just the civilians here at NNSY; we take care of the active duty Sailors too, said Telecommunication Specialist William “David” Cannady. “We alsotakecareofciviliansandmilitaryalike at the shipyard’s remote locations such as Fleet Maintenance Submarines (FMB), Naval Station Norfolk (NSN) Norfolk, Virginia; the Off-Yard Carrier Team, NSN, Norfolk, Virginia; Mid-Atlantic Regional Calibration Center NSN, Norfolk, Virginia; Navy Nuclear Regional MaintenanceDepartment(NRMD)Norfolk,NSN, Norfolk, Virginia; Kesselring Site, West Milton, New York; Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Kingsland, Georgia; Nuclear Power Training Unit in Charleston, South Carolina and Naval Foundry and Propeller Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania”

Like any other job, the Telecommunications Office team faces challenges they have to overcome such as when the computer network goes down, they are unabletoassistanycustomerssinceallcell phones, iPads and pagers require access to the cellular network services

“Customer service is our top priority,”

said Alston. “We understand that their time is valuable and when something out of our control holds them up we do what we can to ensure their needs are still met in a timely manner.”

Recently, the telecommunications team was tasked to replace all ﬂip phones with iPhonestoimprovecommunicationacross the entire yard This would allow faster and easier texting, the ability to check government email, accessibility to MicrosoftTeamswhennotatacomputer among other things

“We had 3,000 customers with flip phones who needed to be converted over to an iPhone,” said Telecommunications Supervisor Colon Davis. “This was a daunting task that required the Telecommunication Office’s team to reach out to our ﬂip phone customers, scheduling them for an appointment and then doing the actual switch out during their appointment. The Telecommunication Office was given roughly three months to complete thistaskandwehadeverythingcompleted under the three month deadline.”

Another recent win for the Telecommunications Office is recently completing

placingallofitstelecommunicationequip-

ment under one provider, which wasn’t always the case

“NNSY had two contracts one with AT&T and one with Verizon. We were tasked to place all of our cellular coverage under one provider, which we did with a quick turnaround time,” said Davis “The reason, the AT&T contract was coming to an end, Verizon was the carrier that NNSY was to use, so we had to swap every AT&T phone over to a Verizon phone within two months or users not converted would lose service We had over 2,000 devices to convertandwediditunderthetwomonth deadline.” If assistance is required for government iPhones or iPads, users should keep in mind, Flank Speed is designed to allow the user the ability to set up and correct issues themselves without the need for others If customers still require assistance you may schedule an appointment with the Telecommunications Office by using the appointment link https://outlook-dod. office365.us/owa/calendar/TelecommunicationsC10943@ﬂankspeed.onmicrosoft.us/bookings/. Due to the number of

customers, walk-ins are not accepted; an appointment must be made If assistance is needed with a landline desk phone please submit an IT Service Portal ticket by going to https://flankspeed.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/WTMS/ SitePages/ITHelpdeskHome.aspx, select the “Submit an NNSY Incident Ticket” option toward the top left of the screen Completetheformandincludeyourname, landline desk phone number, location of the desk phone date and time of the issue and numbers you are calling or receiving calls from while having the issue in the “description” portion of the ticket.

Dynamic supports cost-saving maintenance evolution for ACU-2 Craft

ByOscarPope

Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center

JOINT EXPEDITIONARY BASE

LITTLE CREEK-FORT STORY The Mid-AtlanticRegionalMaintenanceCenter (MARMC) auxiliary floating dry dock Dynamic(AFDL6)successfullycompleteda dockingandundockingevolutionforLanding Craft Utility (LCU) 1654 assigned to AssaultCraftUnit(ACU)2atJointExpeditionaryBaseLittleCreek-FortStory

The docking evolution enabled LCU 1654’screwtoconductcriticalmaintenance,

includingafull-jacketwatersystemﬂushfor twomainpropulsionenginesandthreeShip Service Diesel Generators (SSDG), welding repairs to the port and starboard KORT nozzles—a ducted propeller assembly for marine propulsion, and the replacement of both port and starboard waterborne shaft sections

Throughout the evolution, Dynamic provided essential services including shore power, low-pressure air, welding support, craneoperations,security,andenvironmentalmitigation. “Dynamic was able to plan, brief, and

execute an emergent docking within a 72-hournotice-typicallya10-dayminimum process for us - enabling ACU-2 to get their assetoutontimetosupporttheAtlanticAlliance,” said Dynamic Commanding Officer, Lt Cmdr JeremyMayﬁeld. According to ACU-2 leadership, executing the work aboard Dynamic resulted in a cost savings of approximately $124,400 compared to commercial dry dock alternatives Mayﬁeld added, “The Dynamic team’s expertise and professionalism enabled this to be successful and coordinate with all

outsideentitiesonshortnoticetosupporta safeandefficientevolution.

The mission underscores the ongoing strategic value of afloat maintenance capabilities and the ability of Navy assets like Dynamic to deliver flexible, cost-effective supportindirectalignmentwithFleetreadinessobjectives MARMC afieldactivityunderNavalSea Systems Command (NAVSEA), provides surface ship maintenance, management andoversightofprivatesectormaintenance andfleettechnicalassistancetoshipsinthe Mid-AtlanticregionoftheUnitedStates

MWR hosts back to school giveaway

ByPettyOfficer2ndClassMattHall

Naval Station Great Lakes

GREATLAKES,Illinois NavalStationGreat Lakes (NSGL) Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR)helditsannualfreeback-to-schoolgiveaway for service members and families at the NSGLEpicenter,July24

The event was supported by military and civilian volunteers, as well as local community members in businesses in order to give back to militaryfamilies,easeﬁnancialburden,andhelp kidsstarttheschoolyearwithconﬁdence.

“Our kids got the opportunity to ‘shop’ for theirschoolsupplies whilereceivingencouragementfrombeyondthegatelinetostarttheyear off strong and ready to succeed,” said Michelle Smith,theMWRcommercialsponsorshipcoordinator “This year we had over 900 backpacks to distribute and over 70,000 supplies ranging from paper, Kleenex, folders, crayons, headphones, calculators and so much more, making the opportunity to get everything off their list a possibility.”

The giveaway was sponsored by the United Services Automobile Association, the Chicago Wolveshockeyteam,OperationHomefront,the Great Wolf Lodge, and numerous other local communitygroupsandbusinesses

“NavalStationGreatLakesproudlysupportsour annualback-to-schoolgiveawayprogram,recognizing that a well-educated populace has been key to theUnitedStates standingasaworldsuperpower,” said NSGL Commanding Officer, Capt Stephen Yargosz. This program provides essential school suppliestomilitarychildrenastheyprepareforthe newschoolyear.”

On iberty

summertime dishes for a healthier you

A Glass Spectacle takes center stage at the Chrysler Museum’s Perry Glass Studio

Vitreous Theater redefines glassmaking as performance art from a new generation of glass-artists and

Press Release

NORFOLK, Va. — Fire, glass and performance collide in an anticipated return of Vitreous Theater at the Chrysler Musoeum of Art’s Perry Glass Studio, 245 Grace Street, Norfolk. On Friday, August 9, audiences are invited to experience Vitreous Theater: A Glass Spectacle by The Sisters in Silica, a trio of Chrysler Museum Glass Studio assistant alumnae: Kimberly McKinnis, Suzanne Peterson, and Heather Sutherland.

After a well-over-a-year-long pause during the Studio’s expansion, the return of Vitreous Theater signals a thrilling revival of live glass performance. This one-night performance features two showings—a 3 p.m. matinee and an 8 p.m. evening performance—giving guests twice the opportunity to witness the pyrotechnic magic of live glassmaking blended with immersive theatrical performance.

An evening of vitreous delight, A Glass Spectacle offers a feast for the pyro-centric. Expect surreal scenes including molten rain pouring over a glass umbrella, scalding double Dutch with glasma, glass cotton candy spun before your eyes and flaming confetti falling from the sky. The evening unfolds as a choreography of fire and imagination, all backed by live music from singer and songwriter, frau (@wowitsfrau).

“Unlike Glass After Dark, where guests watch the team create an actual object, during Vitreous Theater, visitors experience glass as part of a larger artistic process,” says Robin Rogers, manager and program director of the Perry Glass Studio. “The moment is the product.”

The performance marks the latest in a line of boundary-pushing Vitreous Theater productions that have redefined the possibilities of hot glass as a medium for narrative and spectacle. Past iterations have blended glass with dance, puppetry, music and more, cementing the Vitreous

Theater as a Chrysler Museum visitor favorite and the Studio’s reputation as a national leader in contemporary glass performance.

Tickets for Friday, August 9 Show

3 p.m. Matinee: $20 non-members / $10 members

8 p.m. Evening: $25 non-members / $15 members

Join us for an unforgettable experience at the Perry Glass Studio. To purchase tickets to Vitreous Theater, visit chrysler.org/vitreous-theater and stay up-to-date on upcoming events, exhibitions and more at chrysler.org or follow on social media @ChryslerMuseum.

The Chrysler Museum of Art brings art and people together through experiences that delight, inform, and inspire. Internationally recognized for its collection of more than 35,000 objects, including one the largest glass collections in America, the Museum also includes free admission, the state-of-theart Perry Glass Studio, a full-service restaurant, shop, theater, works on paper space, and oversees the historic Myers House. The Museum boasts an ambitious schedule of exhibitions, events, and programs, and has been nationally recognized for its commitment to inclusion through its innovative gallery host program. For more information, visit chrysler.org. Follow on social media @ChryslerMuseum to receive the latest updates.

Lava Goes Pop Punk at The Annex in Norfolk this Saturday, The Annex coowner Josh Coplon and Curtis Allison of the band Longsleeves tells us about it

Interview By Yiorgo

A year ago this month, a breath of fresh air in the musical scene for the Hampton Roads Area was infused with the opening of The Annex, a 460-person venue located at 2500 Church St. Unit A, just two blocks down the street from Maker’s Craft Brewery. The Annex with its almost 6,500 square feet area, features both the venue for musical acts to showcase their talents and a separate restaurant with regular dining hours.

Founded by the business owners trio of: Tom Wilder, co-owner of Young Veterans Brewing Co. in Virginia Beach, Chris Holyfield, who co-owns The Bunker Brewpub at the Oceanfront and Josh Coplon, the founder and owner of LAVA Presents, a music and event production company. With us today is Josh Coplon who obviously handles the music side of the business and Curtis Allison, guitarist for the band Longsleeves whose band will be performing this Saturday August 9th at The Annex for Lava Goes Pop Punk. Yiorgo: Josh,why should people attend Lava Goes Pop Punk at the Annex? What

will they see, hear and experience?

Josh Coplon: LAVA goes Pop-Punk is an evening full of pop-punk / emo / scene adjacent bands + live band emo karaoke! The event features local emo night group Pop-Topic + three original bands, Longsleeves, Red Weather and Post-American Gothic.

Y: Josh, can you tell us a little bit about the inception of Lava Goes Pop Punk, where fans can get tickets and what are you hoping to accomplish by putting this show on?

JC: Tickets are available at www. theannexnfk.com Pop-Topic and I have worked together quite a bit and we both had the idea to do something that was more than just an evening with them and could feature more of their friends from our local scene like Curtis Allison and his band Longsleeves right here.

Y: Can you describe The Annex?

JC: The Annex is a standing room (with some seating) venue, bar and from scratch kitchen with a separate restaurant area. We have six different fried chicken sandwiches + a whole lot more! We have

INSIDE: Check out Flagship Values, your source

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS, NEWS AND PHOTOS

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Please submit events here: www.militarynews.com/users/admin/calendar/event/

Please submit news and photos here: www.militarynews.com/norfolk-navy-ﬂagship/submit_news/

Free concert series on Labor Day weekend at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront features packed line-up

Press Release

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The City of Virginia Beach, Beach Events, and IMGoing are pleased to announce a series of FREE concerts over Labor Day weekend at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront from Friday, August 29 — Sunday, August 31, 2025. As part of the Virginia Beach Events program, several national recording artists are set to perform free concerts on Virginia Beach Oceanfront park stages. All shows start at 7:30 p.m. ET.

“The Virginia Beach Oceanfront is the place to be this Labor Day Weekend!” said Beach Events Director William Younce. “Local families and visitors are welcome to come and enjoy an unforgettable, free concert series featuring an incredible lineup of national artists.”

The packed line-up features well-known artists including legendary 80’s rock band Quiet Riot, Rev Run - founding member of Run DMC, one of the most influential hip-hop groups of all time, and Grammy-winning bluegrass guitarist and singer-songwriter Molly Tuttle, among others.

The Labor Day Weekend concert series is produced by IMGoing.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29

17th Street Park: Colt Ford with special guest Jovi Greene

24th Street Park: Quiet Riot with special guest Seven Ten Oil

31st Street Park: Frank Turner with special guest Tim Barry

SATURDAY, AUGUST 30

17th Street Park: The Aquabats! with special guest Padfoot

24th Street Park: SICKICK with special guest DAINJAZONE

31st Street Park: Rev Run with special guest Mighty Joshua

SUNDAY, AUGUST 31

17th Street Park: Illiterate Light with special guest Will Evans

24th Street Park: Molly Tuttle with special guest John Hollier & The Rêverie

31st Street Park: Sammy Rae & The Friends with special guest Natalie Brooke

* Please note, concert line-ups are subject to change.

About Virginia Beach Events: Beach Events is the entertainment program presented by the City of Virginia Beach, featuring concerts, festivals, and family activities held at the oceanfront resort area. A full array of events, ranging from the Monsters on the Beach monster truck races to a whole festival with tribute bands in June to a holiday light display along the boardwalk means there’s truly “something for everyone!”

Beginning in May, through Labor Day Weekend the wildly popular Live! On Atlantic program thrills audiences right on the sidewalks of Atlantic Avenue with magicians, jugglers, musicians, costumed characters, and more! When it comes to entertainment, “all the world’s a stage” most nights at the Virginia Beach oceanfront, and most of it is FREE!

shows of all genres coming to The Annex!

Curtis Allison: I would like to speak on that topic myself. The venue is magnanimous. The public address system at The Annex is phenomenal. Mr. Coplon spent a lot of time in a lot of places and has really taken the time, attention to detail and care into finding out this is what works and this is what doesn’t work. The sound quality that the audience will be able to experience is amazing and the listener has the best experience. When you go through the side doors, you go over to the restaurant side, with an incredible seating area. Mr. Coplon also understood that people want to eat good food and he delivers. He truly is making this area a cultural staple powerhouse.

JC: Thank you for the very kind words but you know that you are already booked for the show. (smiles and laughter by everyone).

CA: I only speak from my heart and that’s the truth.

Y: Actually that’s a great question. Curtis, how were you booked for this show?

CA: When we announced on social media that we’re playing music together again and we’re playing shows again and it’s the original lineup for all of us, Mr. Josh Coplon, was one of the first to email us like two hours after we had put up the post on social media and said, “Hey, if you’re doing a reunion show, I want it to be at my venue.”

Y: Curtis, where were you born and what made you fall in love with music so much that you became a musician?

CA: I’m from Norfolk but I was born at Portsmouth Naval Hospital. I actually did not get into music until I was 17. When I lived in Norfolk in the mid-’90s, my mom got me a little stereo, I put it on the radio station 96X and I ended up never turning it off. I think it ran for five years straight. I had the freedom to pick what I wanted, and I did. I was captivated by the disc jockeys of the day.

And, and my mom, when she gave me the radio, she gave me two cassette tapes. They were: The Cranberries and the other one was Green Day’s album Dookie. And I listened to those two and listened to them and they were wonderful, but I really, really liked the variety of radio. And so, I had this idea one day. I was like, “Man, I’d really like to learn how to play guitar.” You know, ‘cause I’m jumping around in 1996 on my bed or on the floor playing air guitar. It was something that I knew I wanted to do, but we were professionally poor people. There wasn’t money for anything like that.

Y: How did you make it happen?

CA: In 2002, right before we moved back to Norfolk from Henderson, North Carolina, I remember the night really specifically. My buddy Justin Williams had a band, he had the whole setup in the basement of his house. He would play the bass, but he also could play guitar. Justin asked me that night, “Curtis, do you wanna play bass?” I told him I know what bass is but, I don’t know anything about it. So he just grabs it, puts the strap over my neck, tells me to, “Put your hand here, put this one through there. That’s your fret hand and you just play with your right hand.” I followed his directions and I was able to play an F sharp as the first note I ever played. And I was hooked. Musically, this was my drug. I’ve never felt anything like it before. And the next day I was able to hang out with another buddy of mine, John Apanchun and he said, “I heard that you’re trying to play some bass with Justin yesterday. If you wanna learn how to play bass, you need to play bass like this.” And he hands

me a tape of the Rancid album Out Come the Wolves, and he puts it in the tape deck. And the first track is a song called Maxwell Murder. It’s a punk song and Matt Freeman who is the bassist for the band Rancid, in the middle of it, there is this just nonsensical machine gun, blistering bass solo. John said, “This is what the bass can sound like, bro.” And I said, “Oh my gosh!” My horizons were completely expanded. There was no standard comparison. There was nothing. And that is what started my eventual lead to talking to you today about playing music. But the person that I credit the most for my musical development was my band director, Mr. Wendell Banyon at Norfolk Collegiate, where I finished my junior and senior year. He really knew how to capture the most and pull the best out of all of his students. He also taught me that if you want to get better as a musician, you need to put yourself around people who are more accomplished, more talented, better at their instrument then you. You will reach that destination quickly. And you will have accomplished great things because other musicians who are better will hold you to a standard.

Y: So besides the bass, what other musical instruments do you play?

CA: In Longsleeves I play guitar. I like to think of myself as a bassist who masquerades as a guitarist.

Y: Tell us about your band Longsleeves.

CA: I wanted to create music again and have a band. My beautiful wife Corrie suggested for me to reach out to people and see if they want to be in the band with me. I was really skeptical at first but I did just that and it worked. The stories of how I found and reached out to each one of the members are hilarious and I could write a book on it. Suffice it to say, some were random, a “feeling” about someone I would see and ask them, to professional recommendations. One time, we had a producer that we were working with tell us, “You know, all of you guys have different musical backgrounds.” And he was right. Kyle Bower is our lead guitarist and he also plays keys. Kyle is really into The Doors and ‘70s-type rock. Austin Fountenot is the bassist and vocalist. He’s very much into mid-2000s emo/pop punk type stuff and a metal guy too. Matt Francis, our percussionist and also our musical videos creator, he loves punk music but he also likes the post-punk stuff from, like, the mid-’80s. And then for me, because I, as I

described earlier, my radio was on for five years straight listening to 96X, I was exposed to all of these alternative acts. So I am hugely into the sounds of alternative music from the mid-’90s. After we came back together this past fall, my buddy Josh Mitchell, has come into the fold and is doing additional keys and synth work with us.

And you know what? We work together because we respect one another, and we acknowledge each other’s musical backgrounds. And the gents love the way that I write, because the arrangements I write, allows them to be expressive in their respective areas. So all of those things come together and we make beautiful music together.

Y: How would you classify the musical style of Longsleeves?

CA: I would say we are an amalgam of late ‘70s big solos, post-punk drumming from the ‘80s, intermixed with emo basslines from the mid-2000s, with a backdrop of 1990s alternative lead guitar riffs.

Y: What are your thoughts on artificial intelligence’s current impact on the artistic community as a whole, with respect to your genre?

CA: I would encourage folks who maybe are scared or intimidated or uncertain about artificial intelligence being injected into the artistic community and feeling that maybe they don’t have a chance, to remember, that the machine can only replicate. The origin code exists within all of us on everyone’s spiritual and human experiences, whether electric, whether tragic, whether happy, whether joyous, doesn’t matter. The only reason the machine can create art in the first place is because it’s taking bits from you. You are the origin point. And if you are creative, continue to do so. Do not be deterred. Do not be swayed. And you can serve as a bulwark of human consciousness against the onslaught of second-tier machine regenerated nonsense.

Y: The beauty of live performances is that anything can happen or go wrong. Any fun anecdotes you wanna share?

CA: I didn’t get very far in Boy Scouts but I got far enough and the motto in Boy Scouts is be prepared. And all of us know to be prepared. We all live by the philosophy of like two is one and one is nine. So, I always seem to break strings live. At the last show we were at The Camel in Richmond, I was saying to myself, “I better bring two

guitars, bring two guitars but I just didn’t. I brought one guitar. And the green room is in the basement. In the middle of one of our sets, I broke a string, we finished the song and I just ran and jumped off the stage. Almost ran over a couple people but they were like, it’s punk rock. I ran to the back and I ran down the stairs, almost fell down them and grabbed my pack of strings, brought it up there. Threw the aux cable in the air . But the fellas, they are so good and I’ve done it so much they went into this really cool type of jam. Austin was singing and talking back and forth with the crowd. the show must go on. I had a guy ask me, “Bro, you ran off the stage real fast and came back, put the string on right there. Is that like your shtick?” And I said, “No, I just forgot to bring my spare strings and my wire cutters up on stage with me.” My band mates do such a good job of covering for me that people literally cannot tell the difference as to whether or not that was something that was pre-planned or just spontaneous. Y: What has been a wow, pinch me moment or two that you can’t believe that this little boy from Norfolk, born in Portsmouth, got to experience because of being a musician?

CA: Wow, that’s a great question because I have met some really, really great people along the way. My wow moment I would say was a recognition by an industry professional that shed light on all this. It was an external validation. There’s a gentleman named Adam Grundy who is a music journalist. Now most musical journalists write about the culture, they don’t actually write about the bands. He was like a Pitchfork type reviewer and 15 years ago, having a Pitchfork reviewer, reviewing your album was life or death. They were truly musical gatekeepers. If they gave you a thumbs down, unless you were already a superstar, you were gonna stay in the thumbs down category and that was gonna be it. Matt had said to me one day, “There’s a musical reviewer, his name is Adam Grundy, and he’s reviewed some of my most favorite bands that I listen to. I just think it would be so cool if I could say that this album, Joy Rider, was reviewed even by somebody like him.” I was like, “Give me his email address. I’ll write to him.” So I wrote him a three sentence email that was along the lines of, “What can I say? You are an absolute cultural staple, a beacon of light directing people as to the best things to experience. I would love it if you would review our album, the self-release entitled Joy Rider. Well, he wrote back two days later and said, “I don’t typically review things that are submitted by bands that don’t have representation. But I liked that you did and it sent it to me, so I’m gonna go ahead and do a review for you. And he did! And he published it. For me that was an external validation of all of the nights of practice that I, that we all put in. We all read the article at the same time, together. And it was just surreal for him to say, “I was pleasantly surprised by the release from the band Greensleeves from Norfolk, Virginia, and I am really excited to see the things that they will release in the future.” People at that level do not have to say things like that. That was when I knew to stay the course, keep doing what you’re doing, continually innovate, push yourself, push the fellas, the fellas push you, and you’ll continue to ascend. Editors note. You can follow Longsleeves on all the various social media platforms. Yiorgo is an arts, entertainment and sports writer. A stage, TV and movie actor, he is also a sports entertainer, educator, motivational speaker, writer, storyteller and columnist.

The Annex from Page 1

Local band Longsleeves. (PHOTO COURTESY OF CURTIS ALLISON)

Simple recipe swaps for a healthier you

ByFamilyFeatures

Source: American Heart Association

Iftheideaofoverhaulingyourfamily’smenuisstopping you from making healthier choices in the kitchen, you might ﬁnd relief in knowing simple swaps are all it takes Insteadofsweepingchangesthatrequireallnewrecipes, justchanginganingredientortwoinyourfavoritedishes canputyouonapathtowardbetternutrition.

Youcanboostthenutritionalvalueofmealsandsupport your heart health by making smart substitutions - like usingwholegrains healthyoilsandlower-sodiumoptions - to reduce saturated fat, added sugars and sodium while addingbeneﬁcialnutrientslikeﬁber proteinandhealthy fats

Anothernutrition-consciousswapyoucanmakeeasily isoptingforfat-freeorlow-fatplainGreekyogurtinplace of full-fat sour cream and other dairy products. A single serving typically provides 10 or more grams of protein and roughly 13% of the daily recommended value of calcium.Infact accordingtotheAmericanHeartAssociation, a balanced diet that includes regular consumption ofunsweetened,nonfat plainyogurtforindividualswith hypertensionmayhelpimprovebloodpressureoutcomes Start doing your heart a favor with these favorites that replace full-fat ingredients with low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt, helping you reduce calorie intake and fat content withoutcompromisingﬂavor.

Mango and Pineapple Tropical Parfaits capture the ﬂavors of ripe fruit, silky yogurt and crunchy granola in every spoonful of paradise while ruby-red pomegranate andcoconuttopoffthisislandtreasure.

FruityOatmealYogurtParfaitsprovideaprotein-packed breakfast to start busy days while Frozen Yogurt Bark - a chilled delight with less than 100 calories per servinghelpsyouindulgewithoutoverdoingit.

Adietthatinvolvessmartswapslikethesemaycontribute to heart health, per the American Heart Association, by providing essential nutrients and supporting healthy bloodpressurelevels-meaningyou’rejustafewingredient substitutions away from enjoying a more nutritious yetstilldeliciousmenu.

These yogurt-inspired recipes were developed as part oftheAmericanHeartAssociation’sHealthyforGoodEat Smartinitiative,whichisnationallysupportedbyDanone Discover more easy, ﬂavor-packed ways to make your favorite recipes healthier for your heart at heart.org/ eatsmart.

Frozen Yogurt Bark

Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association

Servings: 8

1½cupslow-fat,no-sugar-addedvanillaGreekyogurt 2tablespoonshoneyorpuremaplesyrup

2tablespoonschoppedunsaltedalmonds

½cupﬁnelychoppedmango

½cupblueberries

¼cupblackberriesorraspberries,choppediflarge In medium bowl, whisk yogurt and honey until combined.

Line 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish with parchment paper Usingspatulaorknife,spreadyogurtmixtureover paperasthinlyaspossible Sprinklealmondsoveryogurtmixture.Usingﬁngertips, gentlypressalmondsintoyogurtmixture. Sprinklewithmango,blueberriesandraspberries Using ﬁngertips gentlypressfruitintoyogurtmixture.

Cover dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Freeze overnight.

Forserving,removebakingdishfromfreezer Gentlylift parchmentpaperfromdishandtransfertocuttingboard. Usinghands,breakbarkintopiecesorhitlightlyonsurface ofcuttingboard.Serveimmediatelyasbarkbeginstomelt 15minutesafterremovingfromfreezer

Nutritional information per serving: 70 calories; 2 g

total fat; 3 mg cholesterol; 15 mg sodium; 10 g carbohydrates;1gﬁber;9gtotalsugars;4gprotein.

Mango and Pineapple Tropical Parfaits

Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association Servings: 4 (1 parfait per serving)

1mediummango,peeledandchopped 2cupsnonfatplainGreekyogurt

½cuplow-fat,no-added-sugargranola ½cupdicedpineapple 1mediumbanana,sliced ¼cuppomegranateseedsorarils

2tablespoonsunsweetenedﬂakedcoconut

In each parfait glass layer ¼ mango ¼ cup yogurt, 1 tablespoon granola, 2 tablespoons pineapple ¼ banana slices and ¼ cup yogurt Top with remaining granola Sprinklewithpomegranateseedsandcoconut. Serveimmediatelyforpeakﬂavorandtexture.

Nutritional information per serving: 230 calories: 6 g totalfat;82mgsodium;33gcarbohydrates;5gﬁber;24g totalsugars;13gprotein

Fruity Oatmeal Yogurt Parfaits

Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association

Servings: 4 (1 parfait per serving)

2cupsfreshorfrozensliced,hulledstrawberries thawedandpatteddryiffrozen

2cupsfreshorfrozenblueberries,halvedblackberries orboth,thawedandpatteddryiffrozen

1tablespoon,plus1teaspoon,honey

2teaspoonsgroundcinnamon

2cupswater

1cupuncookedrolledoats

2cupsnonfatplainGreekyogurt

In medium bowl, gently stir strawberries blueberries honeyandcinnamon.

In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring waterandoatstoboil.Boil5minutes,stirringoccasionally

In each parfait glass, layer ¼ cup oatmeal, ¼ cup fruit mixture, ¼ cup yogurt and ¼ cup fruit mixture. Repeat layers

Nutritional information per serving: 238 calories; 2 g totalfat;6mgcholesterol;47mgsodium;42mgcarbohydrates;6gﬁber;21gtotalsugars;16gprotein.

Solve summer hunger with lemony skillet spaghetti

ByFamilyFeatures

Source: Culinary.net

Fresh ﬂavors off the grill are tempting throughout summer, but sometimes you just need an indoor mealtostayoutoftheheat.Combinethebestofboth worldswithLemonChickenSpaghettiforthelemony taste of summertime with a warm, ﬁlling meal. For moreeasyskilletsolutions,visitCulinary.net.

Lemon Chicken Spaghetti

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin Savvy” Servings: 4-6

1poundspaghettinoodles

2chickenbreasts

½cupﬂour

2tablespoonslemonpepper

½cupavocadooil

3tablespoonsbutter

2cupschickenbroth

½cupheavycream

½cupParmesancheese

1tablespoononionpowder

salt,totaste

pepper,totaste

1teaspoonlemonpepper(optional)

Cooknoodlesaccordingtopackageinstructions

Cutchickenintobite-sizedpieces Inbowl,mixﬂourandlemonpepper Mixchicken inﬂouruntilevenlycoated.

In skillet over medium heat, add oil and butter

Add chicken and fry until golden brown. Remove fromskilletandsetaside

Empty skillet but don’t wipe clean. Add chicken broth and, using spoon, stir bits from chicken over medium heat. Add heavy cream, Parmesan cheese and onion powder Season with salt and pepper, to taste Add lemon powder if desired. Stir until well combinedthenaddchicken.

Serve over cooked noodles or mix noodles into skillet

FromNavalMedicalCenter

Portsmouth

To meet the ever increasing demand for blood, the Armed Services Blood Bank Program(ASBP)isemphasizingtheimportance of Apheresis a donation process that optimizeseachofyourblooddonations

PlateletsfromApheresisdonorvolunteers areroutinelyneededtosupportcancertherapy,openheartsurgery,blooddisorders,and critically ill patients including babies and infants

Platelets must be transfused within ﬁve days of collection, requiring the supply to beconstantlyreplenished.Mostpeoplehave plentyofplateletstosparebutthereisnever enoughtogoaround.Youcandonateplateletsupto24timesayear

PleaseconsidergivingtheGiftofLife Apheresis Donor Program (Platelet Donation)

WhyDonatePlatelets?

During treatment for their illness, cancer patients, babies in intensive care, and surgery patients may become susceptible to life-threatening bleeding Transfusion of platelets is needed to help prevent these complications Youmaygivethesepatientsa secondchanceatlifebybecominganapheresis platelet donor Most people have more plateletsthantheyneed,andcansafelygive someaway Whathappensduringanapheresis plateletdonationprocedure?

Duringanapheresisprocedure,bloodwillbe removedfromyourarm,asinaregularblood donation.Itwillpassthroughsteriletubing in a special machine called a cell separator where a safe number of desired platelets will be removed. The rest of the blood will be returned to you. The apheresis donation lasts about two hours New sterile tubing is usedforeachdonorandisneverreused.

CanIbeanapheresisblooddonor?

If you are suitable to give a pint of whole blood, you are usually ﬁt to be an apheresis donor Additionally: You should not take aspirin or an aspirin-containing drug within the 48 hours precedingaplateletdonation Yourbloodcellcountmustbehighenough so we may collect the best possible product for the patient and your own cell count will not drop too low after the procedure. (We willdoatesttocountyourcells).

If you have given whole blood, you must wait 57 days after that donation before you may undergo an apheresis procedure

However,youmaymakeanappointmentin advancewiththeNMCPBloodBank. Becauseofstrictregulatoryrequirements, persons may not be able to donate due to prior travel, medications, medical conditions, certain risk factors or other situations If requested, The Apheresis section mayprovidegeneraldeferralinformation. Contact the Apheresis Center at 757953-1717or757-953-1730

HowmanytimesmayIdonatemyplateletscellsbyapheresis?

Each of us has a supply of platelets in the blood, and as many as half can be lost with-

outilleffects Thesearereplacedbythebody within forty-eight hours You may have up totwoapheresisprocedureswithinaseven dayperiod,withanintervalofatleastfortyeight hours between procedures However, we prefer you give less frequently to allow your body to recuperate completely and keepahighbloodcellcount. WherecanIgetmoreinformationonthe apheresisprogram?

Ifyouhavequestionsregardingtheapheresis program or would like to make an appointment to donate, call the NMCP Blood Bank at(757)953-1717or1730

ByTRICARECommunications

FALLS CHURCH, Va Welcoming a newbabytoyourfamilyisanexcitingmilestone Your baby’s health is probably one of your top priorities, so you may be wondering how to get TRICARE coverage for your child. The ﬁrst thing you should do is register yourchildintheDefenseEnrollmentEligibilityReportingSystem.

“Your child can’t have a TRICARE plan until you’ve added them to DEERS,” said Cristina Flores health systems specialist for Healthcare Operations at the Defense HealthAgency

Your child’s date of birth and their sponsor’sstatusaffectwhatyoushoulddonext.

“Childrenofactivedutyservicemembers willbeautomaticallyenrolledinaTRICARE plan once they’re registered in DEERS,” Floressaid.“Butenrollmentisn’tautomatic for children whose sponsors are retirees or haveTRICAREReserveSelectorTRICARE RetiredReserve.

Keep reading to make sure you know the important next steps and deadlines for gettingTRICAREcoverageforyourchild.

Q: When do I need to add my child to DEERSforthemtogetTRICAREcoverage?

A: This depends on where your child was born: In the U.S.: You have 90 days from your child’sdateofbirthtoaddthemtoDEERS. Overseas (including U.S. territories): You have120daysfromyourchild’sdateofbirth toaddthemtoDEERS

Q:HowdoIaddmychildtoDEERS?

A: Your child’s sponsor will need to visit a Uniformed Services ID card office to complete the registration. (If both parents are service members, choose one to be the child’ssponsorinDEERS.) Bringyourchild’sofficialbirthcertiﬁcate orSF-240ConsularReportofBirthAbroad

You don’t need to wait for your child to receive a Social Security number to start the registration process. But you do need to update your child’s DEERS record when your child is assigned a Social Security number Go to milConnect to learn more about addinganewborntoDEERS

Q:WhatdoIneedtodoaftermychildis inDEERS?

A: The next step depends on your child’s sponsor’sstatus

If your child’s sponsor is an active duty servicemember:

Your child will be automatically enrolled in a TRICARE plan after you add them to DEERS Whereyourchildlivesdetermines

whether they’ll have TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Select, or TRICARE Select Overseas

Contact your regional contractor to conﬁrmyourchild’senrollmentinaplan.

You have 90 days from the automatic enrollment date to change to a different plan.UsethePlanFinder(onlineathttps:// tricare.mil/planﬁnder) to see what other plansyourchildmightbeeligiblefor

Ifyourchild’ssponsorisaretiree: Yourchildwon’tbeautomaticallyenrolled inaplanafteryouaddthemtoDEERS.

In the U.S. you must enroll your child in a TRICARE plan within 90 days of your child’s birth so that their coverage effective dateistheirdateofbirth.

Overseas (including U.S. territories), you must enroll your child in TRICARE Select Overseas within 120 days of your child’s birth so that their coverage effective date is theirdateofbirth.

If your child’s sponsor has TRICARE Reserve Select or TRICARE Retired Reserve: Your child won’t be automatically added toyourplanafteryouaddthemtoDEERS

IntheU.S.,addyourchildtoTRSorTRR within 90 days of your child’s birth so that their coverage effective date is their date of birth.

Overseas (including U.S. territories), add your child to TRS or TRR within 120 days of your child’s birth so that their coverage effectivedateistheirdateofbirth.

Q:Canmyotherfamilymemberschange theirTRICAREplan?

A: Having a baby is a TRICARE Qualifying Life Event. A QLE for one family member creates a chance for all eligible family members to change their TRICARE health planwithin90daysoftheQLEdate,asnoted intheTRICAREQualifyingLifeEventsFact Sheet (online at https://www.tricare.mil/ Publications/Fact-Sheets/qle) Note, this doesn’tapplytoTRSorTRR.

Q: What happens if I don’t add my child toDEERSorenrolltheminaplanbythe deadline?

A:Ifyoudon’taddyourchildtoDEERS,they won’tbeeligibleforDOD’smilitaryorcivilianhealthcarecoverage Ifyourchild’ssponsorisonactivedutyor retired, TRICARE won’t pay on any claims

starting when your child is 91 days old (121 days old overseas). If your child’s sponsor has TRS or TRR, TRICARE won’t pay on anyclaimsstartingonday1. YoucanstilladdyourchildtoDEERSafter the deadline However, the sponsor’s status determines: If and when your child can enroll in a TRICAREplan Yourchild’scoverageeffectivedateandif TRICAREwillreprocessanydeniedclaims Go to Getting TRICARE for Your Child (online at https://www.tricare.mil/ LifeEvents/Baby/GettingTRICAREforChild)tolearnaboutthesescenarios

Once your child has a TRICARE plan, make sure you take advantage of TRICARE-covered services to keep your child healthy TRICARE covers well-child carefrombirththroughage5.Thisincludes routine services like newborn care, immunizations andmore.Youcanalsolearnmore about how TRICARE covers breast pumps supplies,andbreastfeedingcounseling

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