FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Peter Munoz from Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Twentynine Palms, California was announced as Navy Medicine's 2023 Sailor of the Year (SOY), on April 24, 2024.

Carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) is set to depart Naval Station Norfolk, Va., this week for its new homeport in Japan, the Navy announced on Wednesday. George Washington is scheduled to leave Norfolk on Thursday to sail down the coast of the U.S., through the Caribbean Sea and enter the Pacific by rounding Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America. The carrier will be part of U.S. 4th Fleet’s Southern Seas 2024 event that will team Washington up with the guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78), and Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler USNS John Lenthall (T-AO-189). The carrier will embark with a partial air wing from Carrier Air Wing 7, Naval Air Force Atlantic announced. Outlined earlier this month, Southern Seas will have the U.S. group sail with warships from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay. Washington plans to make port calls in Brazil, Chile and Peru. An international staff will of about 24 officers from 11 partner nations will serve on the carrier.

CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED// ROUTINE R 241633Z APR 24 MID600117378955U FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC TO ALNAV INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC CNO WASHINGTON DC CMC WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS ALNAV 034/24 MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/APR// SUBJ/AUTHORIZATION OF COMBAT AWARDS AND DEVICES FOR THE RED SEA AREA// REF/A/MEMO/ASST SECNAV MRA/8 MAR 24/NOTAL// REF/B/INST/SECNAVINST 1650.1/16 AUG 19// NARR/REF A MEMO FROM ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF NAVY FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS "DESIGNATION OF NEW AREA AUTHORIZED FOR COMBAT ACTION AWARDS AND DEVICES" DESIGNATED THE RED SEA AND GULF OF ADEN AS NEW AREAS FOR COMBAT AWARDS. REF B IS SECNAV MANUAL 1650.1, NAVY AND MARINE CORPS AWARDS MANUAL.// RMKS/1. Pursuant to reference (a), the geographic area enclosed by the latitude and longitude coordinates below, and the air space above, is an area within which may be awarded: the Combat Action Ribbon (CAR); personal military decorations that include the "V" and "C" devices (including the Bronze Star Medal without devices); and the Air Medal on a Strike/Flight basis. The "R" device may be awarded on personal military decorations that recognize direct hands-on impact on combat operations and engagements that occur within this geographic area. This authorization is effective from 19 October 2023 to a date to be determined. The designated area is bounded by the following coordinates: 27-00N 032-05E 09-38N 043-00E 11-49N 051-16E 16-39N 053-07E 19-10N 051-56E 17-30N 043-05E 28-40N 035-53E 2. To qualify for any of these awards and devices, a Service Member must meet all the requirements set forth in reference (b). a. Imminent danger pay is not currently authorized for this geographic area. Therefore, award of the Bronze Star Medal, CAR, and personal decorations with the "V" and "C" devices will be limited to instances in which the awardee received hostile fire pay for the incident for which the award was made, or at some date within the merit dates of the award. b. A mission involving aerial flight may only be credited toward the Strike Flight Air Medal if at least a portion of that mission took place within the designated airspace. 3. Released by the Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy.// BT #0001 NNNN CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//