US Forms Council to Advise on USMMA Improvements
The U.S. Department of Transportation has formed a new advisory council to help drive improvements at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), a service academy in Kings Point, N.Y.According to the DOT, establishment of the USMMA Advisory Council fulfills a key recommendation from the National Academy of Public Administration’s (NAPA) November 2021 report entitled “Organizational Assessment of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy: A Path Forward.” Specifically, NAPA’s report recommended…
Port of Los Angeles Starts Giving COVID-19 Vaccinations
About 800 workers from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Friday will be in the first wave of COVID-19 vaccinations for employees at the United States' busiest seaport complex, which has been hard hit by pandemic-related workforce disruptions and surging imports.Congress members last month joined state and local leaders in urging California officials to hasten COVID-19 vaccinations for employees at the ports amid high-stakes battles over which workers should be prioritized as essential.Such decisions at times are made at the local level…
US to Deploy Hospital Ships for Coronavirus Response
Two U.S. Navy hospital ships are being prepared to aid shoreside medical facilities that could become overrun by the coronavirus pandemic, the Pentagon's chief spokesman said.The USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy will be deployed "as needed to assist potentially overwhelmed counties with acute patient care" as part of the Defense Department's response to the pandemic, Jonathan Rath Hoffman, assistant to the defense secretary for public affairs, said during a news conference at the Pentagon on Wednesday.The Comfort is now in Norfolk…
Long Beach Terminals Remain Open
Marine terminals at at the United States’ second-busiest seaport have remained open and operating amid the unfolding coronavirus crisis, with regular vessel calls and scheduled work shifts continuing, the Port of Long Beach said.The port said its marine terminals are receiving vessel calls and workers are transferring cargo off and on ships under the health-protective directives established by the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection, with guidance from the U.S.
Engineering Services Network Appoints Director
Engineering Services Network Inc., (ESN) appoints retired Navy Cmdr. Albert J. ESN, an engineering and technology solutions company that provides services to the Department of Defense and other federal agencies, has named retired Navy Cmdr. Albert J. Desmarais as director of business development for its Navy operations, and will provide additional marketing support for its Veterans Affairs and Maritime operations. Engineering Services Network provides engineering and technology solutions. For more than a decade, they have delivered critical services to various military and federal agencies in the fields of: information technology and health IT, engineering and technical support, strategic and program management, testing and evaluation and operations support.
IEEE Touts Navy Scientists
Navy scientists rank No. 1 when it comes to newly patented discoveries and inventions, according to a June report published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The IEEE's annual Patent Power Scorecard, that ranks the relative significance of various organizations' patent portfolios, said the Navy surpassed all international government agencies. IEEE is the world's largest professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity. "This recognition reflects the national importance of the Navy's scientists and engineers and our commitment to protecting the government's intellectual property," said Naval Surface Warfare Center Commander Rear Adm. Jim Shannon.
President Bush Signs Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill
President Bush signed the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (H.R. 4939). In addition to funds for the named programs, the legislation provides the Coast Guard with an additional $26 million for operating expenses and the Department of Health and Human Services with $2 billion for the pandemic influenza program. An earlier version of the bill included $227 million for port security grants, but that did not survive. Source: HK Law source: HK Law
Hospital Ship Comfort Arrives in New Orleans
From U.S. The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) arrived here Sept. 28 at the request of the Department of Health and Human Services and Louisiana government state officials. The ship, one of the largest trauma facilities in the nation, is preparing to act as an emergency trauma center for New Orleans as its citizens begin to repopulate the Crescent City. During this mission, Comfort will be under the operational control of Joint Task Force Rita. “We are looking forward to helping the city of New Orleans get back on its feet and are ready to assist the people in any way we can,” said Capt. Thomas Allingham, commanding officer of the ship’s Medical Treatment Facility. Comfort has been operating in the Gulf Coast region for nearly three weeks.
