Tony

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A former Navy reservist who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler was sentenced Thursday to three years in prison on firearms charges. The sentence U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff imposed for Hatchet Speed in federal court in Alexandria was just five months less than the term sought by federal prosecutors and much longer than the one-year term sought by Speed’s lawyers.

The Navy is trying to learn why it has high suicide rates. One answer may lie with the practice of putting sailors together on limited duty, which can exacerbate feelings of hopelessness and despair. The Navy continues to search for underlying causes behind the service's high rate of suicide. Advocates point to clusters of sailors on limited duty, saying it fuels hopelessness and actually leads to devastating consequences. Steve Walsh with WHRO in Norfolk sends us this report.

Three ships of the class have been awarded to Fincantieri: The Constellation (FFG 62) in 2020, the Congress (FFG 63) in 2021, and the Chesapeake (FFG 64) in 2022. A contract for construction of the fourth ship-in-class, the yet to be named FFG 65, is expected sometime this year. The future USS Constellation (FFG 62) is the lead ship of the US Navy’s newest class of warships. Construction of the first-in-class ship is underway. The shipyard, Fincantieri Marinette Marine officially began construction of the first Constellation-class frigate last summer. The shipyard which used to produce Freedom type LCS, and is about to launch the last and final one on Saturday, went through an extensive upgrade of its facilities to support the frigate program. These capital Improvements at the yard are set to be completed in 2023.

Veterans Affairs Bulletin

The Norfolk-based George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group is in the Atlantic sailing for home after seven and a half months in the Mediterranean Sea, according to Wednesday photos from ship spotters. USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar Wednesday after arriving in the region on Aug. 25, according to photos posted on social. Bush is set to begin the return journey to its homeport in Norfolk, Va.

***Corrected Copy*** CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED// ROUTINE R 131239Z APR 23 MID200080892372U FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS NAVADMIN 084/23 PASS TO OFFICE CODES: FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/APR// SUBJ/APPLICATION FOR ASSIGNMENT TO THE U.S. NAVY CEREMONIAL GUARD (CORRECTED COPY)// REF/A/DOC/COMNAVPERSCOM/19NOV22// REF/B/DOC/DOD/15DEC98// REF/C/DOC/DOD/30NOV98// REF/D/DOC/SECNAVINST/14APR15// REF/E/MSG/NAVADMIN/091914ZMAR22// REF/F/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/121417ZAPR23// NARR/REF A IS MILPERSMAN ARTICLE 1306-907, NAVY CEREMONIAL GUARD. REF B IS DOD DIRECTIVE 5210.55, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PRESIDENTIAL SUPPORT PROGRAM. REF C IS DOD INSTRUCTION 5210.87, SELECTION OF DOD MILITARY AND CIVILIAN PERSONNEL AND CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES FOR ASSIGNMENT TO PRESIDENTIAL SUPPORT ACTIVITIES. REF D IS SECNAVINST 6810.1, OPHTHALMIC SERVICES. REF E IS NAVADMIN 064/22, BUPERSINST 1000.22C MANAGEMENT OF NAVY UNIFORMED PERSONNEL DIAGNOSED WITH PSEUDOFOLLICULITIS BARBAE (PFB) UPDATE. REF F IS NAVADMIN 084/23, APPLICATION FOR ASSIGNMENT TO THE U.S. NAVY CEREMONIAL GUARD.// RMKS/1. This NAVADMIN amends reference (f) and solicits motivated officer (O3-O5) and enlisted (E4-E9) applicants for duty with the United States National Ceremonial Guard (USNCG). Interested volunteers, who meet the criteria described below and in references (a) through (c), are eligible to apply for billets as early as 15 months from their projected rotation date. 2. Enlisted approved applicants are eligible to receive one of two Special Duty Assignment Pays, either as a Recruit Division Commander (NEC-8RDC) (limited billets) or as Staff Ceremonial Specialist. 3. Established in 1931, the USNCG is a Presidential support unit in line with references (b) and (c) and is the official ceremonial unit of the Navy. Located in Washington, D.C., the primary mission of the USNCG is to represent the service in Presidential, Joint Armed Forces, Navy, and public ceremonies in the National Capital Region and around the world. Members of the USNCG participate in some of the most prestigious ceremonies including Presidential inaugurations, State Funerals, White House ceremonies, and arrival ceremonies for foreign officials in our Nation's capital. In addition, the USNCG conducts all funeral honors for Navy personnel and their dependents buried in the Arlington National Cemetery. Elements of the command, such as the U.S. Navy Drill Team and the U.S. Navy Color Guard, regularly represent the Navy in public events (Navy Weeks, Fleet Weeks, public parades, ship's commissioning ceremonies, and professional sporting events) across the country. 4. Volunteers (both officer and enlisted) must be strong leaders who are ready to serve as role models to large numbers of junior Sailors. Volunteers must always operate with maturity and tact and be exceptional and disciplined representatives of the U.S. Navy, both on and off duty. They must have an impeccable appearance, excellent military bearing, and meet the following height requirements (waiverable by USNCG commanding officer (CO) on a case-by-case basis for exceptional candidates): a. Male: minimum 6 feet. b. Female: minimum 5 feet 10 inches. 5. Volunteers (both officer and enlisted) must meet the minimum qualifications contained in references (a) through (c) and the following additional requirements: a. No driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated convictions within the last 5 years. b. No excessive debt. The command financial specialist should evaluate the debt-to-income ratio of the member. c. Be able to participate in public ceremonies without glasses (contact lenses are acceptable). While assigned to the USNCG, Navy medicine is authorized to provide prescription contact lenses at the government's expense in line with reference (d). d. Be capable of strenuous marching, drilling, and prolonged standing. e. Must be a U.S. citizen and hold at minimum a valid secret clearance. f. No trait below 3.0 for the past three evaluation periods. g. Overall physical fitness test category score is a good low or higher and within body composition assessment standards. h. Must be able to shave to conduct Navy and Joint ceremonies on a routine basis. Due to mission requirements and tasking, the USNCG must maintain a tighter standard than is outlined in reference (e). Members diagnosed with Pseudofolliculitis barbae, please contact the USNCG to discuss the possibility of a waiver. 6. Interested enlisted candidates meeting the above requirements must submit a completed Enlisted Personnel Action Request (NAVPERS 1306/7) to their rating detailer via their CO, requesting release to shore special programs for assignment to the USNCG. Once released, the Shore Special Programs Branch (PERS-4010) detailer will release a screening message to the command with application requirements. Once the application package is received and reviewed, a telephone interview will be arranged with the USNCG command master chief. Because of the challenging nature of duty onboard the USNCG, enlisted candidates whose records reflect that they have succeeded in this assignment may be viewed positively on future enlisted advancement boards. 7. Interested officers should contact their detailer and review references (a) through (c) for specific requirements. A telephone interview will be arranged with the USNCG CO and the following additional requirements: a. Submit a copy of the last three fitness reports. b. Full-length official photograph in the uniform of the day. c. Last three performance fitness assessment cycle results. 8. Additional information may be found on the USNCG website at: https://ndw.cnic.navy.mil/About/Tenant-Commands/United-States-Navy- Ceremonial-Guard/ or https://www.facebook.com/usnceremonialguard/. Check out the U.S. Navy's official YouTube channel for a video about the Navy Ceremonial Guard at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jxEiPQzJCY. 9. This NAVADMIN will remain in effect until superseded or canceled, whichever comes first. 10. Released by Vice Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman, Jr., N1.// BT #0001 NNNN CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//

Those going up for Chief, applying for one of the Officer to Enlisted programs, or those needing to update their records should review this instruction. This instruction is a complete revision and should be reviewed in its entirety. BUPERS Instruction 1070.27D Military Service Records for Navy Enlisted Personnel

DANTES Information Bulletin (DIB) - April 2023

Military One Source - April 2023 Newsletter

Shifting Colors - Spring-Summer 2023

The US Navy's newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, will deploy in early May, sailing with its escorts for the first time as a fully certified carrier strike group, a major milestone after years of problems that have delayed the ship and frustrated officials. Ford has "fully transitioned to an in-service ship," Capt. Brian Metcalf, program manager for Ford-class carriers, said at the Sea, Air, Space exhibition in National Harbor, Maryland on April 4.

SCRA is a program that provides certain protections in lending for servicemembers who are called to Active Duty. Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

Veterans Benefits Newsletter | April 2023

ABOARD GUIDED-MISSILE DESTROYER USS HALSEY OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA – When Cmdr. Amanda Browning joined the Navy, she learned how to drive and operate a ship from a set of CD-ROMs on a computer aboard Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG-53). Twenty years ago, new surface warfare officers learned on the job after a cost-saving decision to trim upfront training, and the results were far from consistent. Following the 2017 fatal collisions in the Western Pacific that killed 17 sailors, the Navy reversed course and invested billions of dollars in virtual shore trainers on both coasts and made time for new SWOs to get a feel for a 9,000-ton warship in the safety of a trainer.

This is a reminder that bibliography for advancement in rate has been posted for active duty E5 - E6 September Exam. Go get them now! Bibliography for Advancement in Rate

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) – A former U.S. Navy officer has pleaded guilty to an attempted child pornography production charge after he was arrested in a child exploitation sting back in December. Christopher Paul Hetherington, 33, entered the plea for attempted production of child sexual abuse material on Friday, according to a release from the Department of Justice.

A former US Navy fighter pilot has told how his squadron encountered UFOs almost daily for months while training off the American coast. The sightings included a near collision with an object that appeared like a cube inside a sphere, and a close encounter with a fleet of objects moving at 120 knots into the wind. ** Ex Lieutenant Graves, U.S. Navy, F/A-18 Pilot has launched Americans for Safe Aerospace, which is aimed at promoting reporting of UAPs. **

Wow! The lawmaker whose district includes Naval Hospital Bremerton has challenged the Navy over years of downsizing and staffing cuts at the facility, saying it has not only hurt readiness but also endangered patients. "I had a service member who said that she was pregnant. ... With the closure of labor and delivery, she ended up seeking care from a local provider where she sat for eight hours in a waiting room and miscarried," Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., told Military.com in an interview Thursday.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – If you live overseas, the MyCare Overseas app makes it easy to manage your health care at home and on the go. “MyCare Overseas lets you get help with health care services and manage your TRICARE benefit, all in one place,” said Michael Griffin, program analyst with the TRICARE Overseas Program Office at the Defense Health Agency. “It’s a handy tool for finding providers, getting real-time language help, tracking your referrals, and much more.”

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – First-in-class USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is set to deploy the first week of May following the completion of a series of certification exercises, service officials said on Tuesday. Ford returned on Sunday from its composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX) that served as a month-long, high-pressure stress test for the carrier, air wing and its escorts ahead of its first world-wide deployment. Carrier Strike Group 4 engineered the test for Ford, Carrier Air Wing 8, its escorts and Carrier Strike Group 12. While the Navy hasn’t said where it will operate, USNI News understands it will continue the consistent carrier presence in the Mediterranean Sea that the U.S. began in December 2021 ahead of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.

CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED// ROUTINE R 041555Z APR 23 MID600052929502U FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS NAVADMIN 083/23 PASS TO OFFICE CODES: FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N7// INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N7// MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N71/APR// SUBJ/ACADEMIC YEAR 2023-2024 NAVAL WAR COLLEGE FLEET SEMINAR PROGRAM// RMKS/1. This NAVADMIN announces the U.S. Naval War College (NWC) Fleet Seminar Program (FSP) which offers intermediate level Joint Professional Military Education (JPME-I) through a set of three courses: Strategy and War (S and W), Theater Security Decision Making (TSDM) and Joint Maritime Operations (JMO). Each course normally requires one academic year to complete, which runs from September through the following May. All three courses are not offered simultaneously at all locations. There is no tuition fee and course materials are provided on a loan basis at no cost to the students. Applicants must apply by 31 May 2023. 2. Background: a. The NWC FSP will be offered in 18 regional locations in the United States for academic year 2023-2024. Planned locations and courses are: (1) Annapolis, MD (S and W, TSDM and JMO) (2) Everett, WA (S and W) (3) Dahlgren, VA (JMO) (4) Fort Worth, TX (S and W) (5) Great Lakes, IL (TSDM) (6) Jacksonville, FL (TSDM and JMO) (7) Kitsap, WA (TSDM) (8) Mayport, FL (S and W) (9) Millington, TN (S and W) (10) New Orleans, LA (JMO) (11) Newport, RI (S and W, TSDM and JMO) (12) Norfolk, VA (S and W, TSDM and JMO) (13) Patuxent River, MD (TSDM) (14) Pearl Harbor, HI (S and W, TSDM and JMO) (15) Pensacola, FL (Whiting Field) (S and W) (16) San Diego, CA (S and W, TSDM and JMO) (17) Washington, DC (S and W, TSDM and JMO) (18) Whidbey Island, WA (JMO) b. Seminars meet once a week in the evening for 34 weeks. Completion of all three courses results in the award of a College of Naval Command and Staff diploma, as well as credit for JPME-I. The FSP also provides a path to attain the NWC Masters Degree through the College of Distance Education (CDE) Graduate Degree Program (GDP). FSP students may apply for the GDP following successful completion of their first FSP course. The FSP at all locations are conducted in-step with each other, so students who transfer to or are assigned temporary additional duty at another location may attend class at the new location. 3. Criteria: a. NWC accepts program applications from commissioned officers (active and reserve) and civilian employees of the federal government, subject to the following eligibility requirements: (1) Members of the sea services (Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard) in the paygrade of O-3 or above, while officers from the other services must be in the paygrade of O-4 or above. Civilian employees of the federal government in the grade of GS-11 and above, or equivalent, are also eligible for enrollment. (2) All applicants must have previously earned at least a baccalaureate degree. b. Qualified individuals currently stationed in areas listed in paragraph two, or those who expect transfer to those sites prior to 1 September 2023 are encouraged to apply. 4. Application Process. More information is available and applications must be submitted at the NWC College of Distance Education FSP website at https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/training-education-qualifications (NWC Academic Programs link). The application period will remain open until 31 May 2023. 5. Selection Notifications. NWC will make enrollment selections and accepted applicants will be advised of their enrollment selection status via email. 6. Points of contact are Ms. Kelly Folger who can be reached at (401) 856- 6530 or via email at fsp(at)usnwc.edu and Professor Ronald Oard who can be reached via email at oardr(at)usnwc.edu. 7. Request widest dissemination of the above information. Regional coordinators at the sites listed in paragraph two are requested to pass this information to all Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard units and all reserve units located within safe-driving distance of an FSP site. 8. This message will remain in effect until superseded or 31 May 2023, whichever occurs first. 9. Released by Vice Admiral J. W. Hughes, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development (N7).// BT #0001 NNNN CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//

CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED// ROUTINE R 051712Z APR 23 MID200080873554U FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC TO ALNAV INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC CNO WASHINGTON DC CMC WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS ALNAV 028/23 MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/APR// SUBJ/2023 CAPTAIN EDWARD F. NEY MEMORIAL FOOD SERVICE AWARD RESULTS// RMKS/1. It is a pleasure to announce the results of the Fiscal Year 2023 Captain Edward F. Ney Memorial Awards Program recognizing excellence in food service. My personal congratulations to all the outstanding food service teams listed below. a. Captain Edward F. Ney Afloat General Messes, representing the Navy's Undersea Enterprise, Surface Warfare Enterprise, and Naval Aviation Enterprise: (1) Submarine Category Winner: USS MAINE (SSBN 741) (2) Small-Medium Afloat Category Winner: USS THOMAS HUDNER (DDG 116) (3) Large Afloat Category Winner: USS BATAAN (LHD 5) (4) Aircraft Carrier Category Winner: USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN 76) b. Captain Edward F. Ney Ashore General Messes representing Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC): (1) West Coast General Mess Category Winner: Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI Silver Dolphin Bistro (2) East Coast General Mess Category Winners: Naval Station Newport, RI Captain Edward F. Ney Hall. (3) Outside the Continental United States General Mess Category Winner: Naval Air Station Sigonella, Ristorante Belle Etna. 2. These annual awards encourage excellence in Navy food service programs with the objective of improving the quality of life for our Navy personnel. I commend the Navy Undersea Enterprise, Surface Warfare Enterprise, Naval Aviation Enterprise, CNIC, and individual commands for their hard work and commitment to excellence. 3. Commands will be contacted via separate correspondence for awards information. 4. Released by the Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy.// BT #0001 NNNN CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Are your prescriptions enrolled in the TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery automatic refill program, administered by Express Scripts? If they are, did you know you must approve your refills before they’re sent to you? Not only is the process easy and convenient, but it will also help prevent excess prescription waste. “The TRICARE Pharmacy Program streamlined the home delivery refill process, so you only get your medications when you need them,” said Marcy Opstal, a senior program analyst with the Defense Health Agency’s Pharmacy Operations Division. “Having patients approve their refills before they’re shipped also improves patient safety and reduces medication waste.”

A Navy sailor charged with storming the U.S. Capitol was stationed on an aircraft carrier in Virginia when he joined a mob’s attack on the building, according to a court filing Monday. The FBI arrested David Elizalde on Sunday in Arlington, Virginia, on misdemeanor charges, including disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, according to a court filing.

Today, the Department of Defense announced a new non-chargeable, paid bereavement leave benefit for service members who suffer the loss of their spouses or children. Directive-type Memorandum 23-003 –"Bereavement Leave for Service Members" implements the policy and procedures for the administration of bereavement leave for service members across the Department of Defense. The new leave benefit is authorized in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022. The loss of a spouse or child has detrimental effects on a service member’s ability to perform assigned duties. Bereavement leave is designed to allow service members time away from their military duties to make arrangements required by the tragic death of their spouses or children and to attend their funeral, burial, or memorial service. Service members will be afforded the opportunity to take up to two weeks of leave in connection with the death of a service member’s spouse or child, consistent with operational requirements. Specifically, an active and reserve component service member (on active duty for longer than 12 months) who experience the death of a spouse or child and who has fewer than 30 days of accrued ordinary leave on the date of the death is eligible for up to 14 consecutive days of bereavement leave. Based on the law, this benefit is only available to service members with accrued leave balances below 30 days. Thus, a service member with a leave balance of 30 or more days may take chargeable emergency leave as they would in the past. However, if, while on emergency leave, his or her balance falls below 30 days, the service member will become eligible for the bereavement leave benefit of up to 14 days. The new bereavement leave benefit applies to all eligible service members on or after the effective date of DTM 23-003 (i.e., March 29). Also, a retroactive provision in DTM 23-003 is available to service members for this new benefit. For a service member whose spouse or child died on or after June 25, 2022 and before the effective date of DTM 23-003, and who was charged leave taken in connection with the death will have those leave days of up to 14 days restored to his or her leave balance if the service member would have been eligible for bereavement leave. Additionally, for a service member who took emergency leave in connection with the death of a spouse or child after the effective date of DTM 23-003 but before his or her respective military service releases its bereavement leave policy, will have those emergency leave days of up to 14 days restored to his or her leave balance if the service member would have been eligible for bereavement leave. Service members are encouraged to contact their military service for more specifics on the administration of the new bereavement leave benefit.