Navy Region Southeast News

Maritime navigational safety near two U.S. Navy installations in Kings Bay, Ga., and Portsmouth, N.H. has been improved thanks to new Physical Oceanographic Real-Time Systems, also known as PORTS, installed by NOAA and the U.S. Navy. They are the first new PORTS in two years, and the 34th and 35th in the nationwide network.The system near Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, the East Coast home to America’s Ohio-class submarines, is an integrated series of sensors which will provide critical real-time information on oceanographic and meteorological conditions.

Navy installations throughout Florida are preparing for heavy weather as Hurricane Irma approaches South Florida. Commander, Navy Region Southeast, Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar, directed the evacuation of non-essential personnel and family members from Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, Sept. 5. "Their safety and security is a top priority," Bolivar said. Approximately 50-60 mission essential personnel are remaining behind to maintain essential functions on the installation. Naval Air Station Key West personnel have a designated safe haven area of within 300 miles of Atlanta. Personnel and family members need to muster with the installation, their command or through the Navy Family Accountability and Assistance System (NFAAS) website upon arrival to the safe haven area.

Vice Adm. Mary M. Jackson relieved Vice Adm. Dixon R. Smith at a change of command ceremony for Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) March 31, at the Washington Navy Yard. The ceremony included the presentation of colors by the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard color guard, national anthem by the U.S. Navy Band and remarks from guest speaker, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson. "While here, I've witnessed firsthand the tremendous dedication of our civilians and Sailors who support the fleet, warfighters and their families," said Smith. Smith served as the head of the Navy's entire shore infrastructure for approximately two and a half years and was the fifth commander of CNIC since the command's inception in 2003.

In preparation for Hurricane Matthew, Commander, Navy Region Southeast (CNRSE) has ordered the mandatory evacuation for approximately 700 spouses and children on board Naval Station (NS) Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Navy Region Southeast is coordinating with U.S. Southern Command and U.S. Transportation Command for an airlift to transport family members via military aircraft to safe haven at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Fla. Family members would remain in Pensacola until it is safe to return. NAS Pensacola has quarters to house the families, and the Fleet and Family Service Center counselors will be available to provide assistance. The remaining military and civilian personnel will shelter in place and be able to support recovery efforts once safe to do so following the storm's passage.

Maritime security experts are gathering this week at Maritime Security 2015 East in Jacksonville, Florida, to exchange information and ideas, as well as learn about and see emerging technologies and operational concepts in action. Presentations were made by speakers from the Navy and Coast Guard, along with state, city and local organizations with maritime security and law enforcement responsibilities. The event is taking place at the Jacksonville JAXPORT Cruise Terminal. A dramatic on water demonstration was led by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

Naval Air Station, Kingsville, Texas - The Navy released today a memorandum of agreement (MOA), signed by officials from the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of the Navy and Texas Wind Group (TWG), which outlines a mutual approach to enable a renewable energy developer to build and operate wind turbines at planned locations in Kleberg County, Texas, while reducing the potential for those turbines to affect flight operations at NAS Kingsville. "Sustaining military readiness is the number one priority of everyone in the Navy chain of command," said Capt. Mark McLaughlin, commanding officer of NAS Kingsville. Signing for DoD was David Belote, director of the DoD Energy Siting Clearinghouse.

Rear Admiral Wendi B. Carpenter is the daughter of an Air Force veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Raised throughout the United States, she graduated from the University of Georgia in 1976 with a bachelor of science degree in psychology. Carpenter was commissioned in 1978 through Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Fla. and in July 1979 was designated a Naval Aviator. Graduating at the top of her class, she was assigned as the Navy’s first Selectively Retained Graduate Instructor Pilot (SERGRAD) in the T-44 aircraft at VT-31, NAS Corpus Christi, Texas.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) presented its highest rating for worker safety programs to Naval Submarine Base (NSB) Kings Bay during an all hands presentation held at the southeast Georgia submarine base April 19. Kings Bay received Star status -- the highest level a business entity can achieve in the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). The strategic submarine base joins 1,600 other organizations in the United States who have achieved this status. According to OSHA, Kings Bay is the first Navy operational base to achieve this milestone; Naval Sea Systems Command shipyards in Puget Sound and Norfolk previously had been recognized in 2006 for their programs. OSHA area director for Savannah, John Deifer, stated the base is a model installation for others to follow.

Emergency Management Officer, Lt. Cmdr. Neil Uemura, briefs personnel from Naval Support Activity New Orleans, about hurricane preparedness, which begins on June 1, 2007. Uemura and staff from the Community Support Center gave a detailed briefing on the dangers of these devastating storms and importance of a community support center. U.S. More than 100 base and tenant command personnel from Naval Support Activity (NSA) New Orleans attended two days of briefings, hosted by NSA’s Emergency Management (EM) Team and the local Community Support Center (CSC), April 9-10 in preparation for the 2007 Gulf Coast hurricane season. The briefings touched on varying subjects that apply to service members who may be ordered to evacuate the region…