US Naval Construction Group 2 Welcomes Its First Woman Commander
Captain Constance Solina relieved Capt. Jeff Deviney as commander, Naval Construction Group (NCG) 2, during a change of command ceremony on July 7 to become the first woman to commanded an NCG and all Atlantic-based Seabees. (The Seabee nickname is a heterograph of the initial letters "CB" from the words "Construction Battalion".)Deviney, from Freer, Texas, led 4,500 personnel over the course of two years and oversaw their manning, training, and equipment readiness needs to ensure they deployed on time to five separate combatant commands.
USN to Commission Destroyer Zumwalt
The Navy will commission the destroyer Zumwalt (DDG 1000), Saturday, Oct. 15, during a 5 p.m. EDT ceremony in Baltimore, Maryland. The ship is named in honor of Adm. Elmo R. "Bud" Zumwalt Jr., former chief of naval operations (CNO) from 1970 to 1974. A veteran of World War II and the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, Adm. Zumwalt exemplified honor, courage and commitment during 32 years of dedicated naval service, earning a Bronze Star with Valor for his actions during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. He passed away in 2000 at the age of 79. During his time as CNO, Adm. Zumwalt embraced technological innovation and advocated a number of successful programs including the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate…
2015 USFFC Fleet Sea, Shore Sailors of the Year
Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command Adm. Phil Davidson announced the 2015 USFFC Fleet Sea and Shore Sailors of the Year during a ceremony hosted by the Hampton Roads Navy League at the Sheraton Waterside in Norfolk, March 24. Aviation Boatswain's Mate 1st Class (AW/SW) Tinisha Franklin, a native of Brooklyn, New York, stationed aboard aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) was announced as the 2015 Sea Sailor of the Year and Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 1st Class (AW/SW) Brian McGarrigle, a native of Clearwater, Florida, stationed at Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 40 (HSM-40) as the Shore Sailor of the Year. "For the Shore Sailors of the Year standing behind me…
Bath Iron Works Lays Keel of DDG 1000
On November 17, 2011, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works celebrated the keel laying of Zumwalt (DDG 1000), the first ship in the planned three-ship Zumwalt class of guided-missile destroyers. The keel unit is the 4,000-ton, heavily outfitted mid-forebody section of the ship, which was moved from the shipyard’s Ultra Hall construction facility onto the building ways in late October. The ship is named for ADM Elmo Zumwalt (1920-2000), regarded as the father of the modern Navy. He…
Defense Budget Bodes Well for Bath Iron Works
Plans for construction of the Navy's next-generation destroyer at Bath Iron Works and a Mississippi shipyard remain on track, Pentagon officials said Monday as they sent next year's budget request to Congress. Unlike past years, when the destroyer program and other shipbuilding projects have been targeted for cuts, the fiscal year 2008 budget stays the course for the sleek new ships. The budget requests $3.5 billion to complete construction of the two lead Elmo Zumwalt class destroyers, with one to be built at BIW and the other at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Pascagoula, Miss. After the lead ships are built, the two shipyards are expected to compete for future contracts. The Navy plans to contract for one destroyer each in 2009, 2010 and 2011, for a total of five ships.
