United States Fleet Forces Command News

The crew of the U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), painted the ship’s anchor gold March 19, 2015, after being awarded the Retention Excellence Award, for fiscal year 2014. Throughout the year, Mount Whitney maintained an overall retention rate of 88.2 percent, and reenlisted a total of 15 Sailors throughout the year, which earned them the honor of receiving the Golden Anchor Award. The golden anchor is presented annually to commands that meet or exceed annual retention goals for each reenlistment zone, maintain an attrition rate for first term Sailors below 6.2 percent, and are named to two or more quarterly retention honor rolls during the fiscal year. Ships that receive the award are authorized to paint their anchors gold.

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) to provide operational & environmental support to United States Fleet Forces Command (USFF). The contract with the United States Navy is to provide operational and environmental support for fleet training range complexes for the United States Fleet Forces Command (USFF) and Commander, United States Pacific Fleet. The single-award firm fixed-price contract has a one-year period of performance, four one-year options, and a total contract value of approximately $21 million, if all options are exercised. Work will be performed primarily in Norfolk, Va., Virginia Beach, Va., Kauai, HI, Whidbey Island, Wash., San Diego, Calif., Fallon, Nev., El Centro, Calif, and Guam.

Defining priorities, building partnerships, and modernizing capabilities have recently been at the forefront of the Maritime Community’s agenda. The U.S. Coast Guard’s leadership vision for the 21st Century and the Department of Homeland Security’s release of the Implementation Plan for the Small Vessel Security Strategy are two focal points being addressed to enhance the national capacity for maritime homeland Sscurity. In keeping with theses current matters of the maritime community, IDGA’s 9th Annual Maritime Homeland Security Summit will bring together departmental policy makers, uniformed service leaders, law enforcement, and industry partners to exchange and share best practices and opportunities to improve the security of our Nation's maritime borders.

Adm. John C. Harvey Jr., Commander, United States Fleet Forces Command (USFFC), has permanently relieved Capt. Owen Honors of his duties as commanding officer of USS Enterprise (CVN 65) for demonstrating poor judgment while serving as executive officer of that ship. "The responsibility of the commanding officer for his or her command is absolute. While Capt. Honors' performance as commanding officer of USS Enterprise has been without incident, his profound lack of good judgment and professionalism while previously serving as executive officer on Enterprise calls into question his character and completely undermines his credibility to continue to serve effectively in command," said Harvey. including through personal example.