www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | Section 1 | Thursday, August 26, 2021 1
IN THIS ISSUE
Information Warfighter career U.S. Naval Academy First Class Midshipmen now have the opportunity to take a deep dive into the Information Warfare (IW) Community prior to service selection week. PAGE A4
VOL. 28, NO. 34, Norfolk, VA | flagshipnews.com
August 26-September 1, 2021
70 USNS Comfort Crewmembers Earn Armed Forces Civilian Service Medals for NYC COVID 19 Relief Mission By Lashawn Sykes
Military Sealift Command Public Affairs
Lt. Cmdr, Stacy Coulthard, a surgeon assigned to Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 2, conducts ultrasound training to practice assessing traumatic injuries aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24), Aug. 20, 2021. (MC2 JACK D. AISTRUP)
Fleet Surgical Team 2 Joins USS Arlington for Haiti Mission By MC2 Jack D. Aistrup NPASE East Public Affairs
NORFOLK, Va — Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 2 joined the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24) as the ship departed Norfolk to support the United States Agency for International Development/Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA) led humanitarian assistance and disaster relief effort in Haiti to save lives and ease suffering following a 7.2-magnitute earthquake on Aug. 14, 2021. “With the FST, Arlington now has surgical capabilities and specialized subject matter experts to provide enhanced care for victims of the earthquake. Without an augmented team, Ship’s company is capable of Role 1 care, which is basic medical care,” said Cmdr. Shanua O’Sullivan, FST-2’s offi-
cer in charge. Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Thai Dinh, a respiratory therapist with FST-2, was previously assigned to the hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH-20), during the humanitarian mission following the earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010. “We saw a myriad of patients, crush injuries, and pediatric patients as well,” said Dinh of the previous mission. “It was a learning curve, but an experience, along with lessons learned since then, that prepared me well for returning for this mission to Haiti. I can pass on my knowledge to junior corpsman on the team and the Sailors who have never deployed on a humanitarian assistance mission.” As Arlington nears Haiti, the integrated medical team, comprising Arlington Sailors, FST-2, and Fleet Marine Force Corpsmen work to prepare the ship to receive patients.
“We’re setting up our main battle dress stations, we’re going through inventories and making orders for the medical materials and drugs that we need,” said Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Andrew Slaughter, Arlington’s independent duty corpsman. “We’re turning on equipment that we don’t typically use without OR capabilities. Our main focus is getting all the gear out and getting it set so that when we arrive in Haiti, we’re ready to start doing our mission to help the people of Haiti in support of USAID/BHA.” Arlington and its crew of more than 650 Sailors, Marines and embarked personnel are deployed to U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet. The blue/green team is committed to the task of supporting USAID/BHA and aiding the Haitian people to conduct disaster relief operations and rapidly reduce the suffering of victims.
NORFOLK, Va — Capt. Janice G. Smith, Commodore, Military Sealift Command Atlantic, last month, presented civil service mariners assigned to MSC’s hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) in port on Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, with Armed Forces Civilian Service Medals for distinguished service while serving as crewmembers aboard Comfort from March 30, 2020 to April 30, 2020. This award is the result of the crews’ outstanding support during the ships New York City COVID-19 relief mission Smith said. “How our CIVMARS conducted themselves during a national crisis was nothing short of amazing, casting their own fears aside to support the mission. They really went above and beyond the call of duty on this one!” A total of 70 CIVMARS earned an AFCSM. Smith presented medals to 27 crewmembers during a routine visit to the ship, and the other 43 medals were mailed due to crewmembers either being on leave or reassigned to another US Navy Service Ship. Capt. Andrew Lindey, master of USNS Comfort, said it was nice to be recognized for the work Comfort did in New York. He said, at the time, they knew very little about the COVID virus but to see the crew respond to the nation’s call without complaining was commendable. “I feel fortunate to have such a dedicated and talented crew; every day, I thank my lucky stars to be associated with the crew of Comfort.” According to the Department of Defense, the AFCSM was established to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of the U.S. Department of Defense civilian workforce who directly support the military forces, when those members are engaged in military operations of a prolonged peacekeeping or humanitarian nature. It symbolizes the importance DoD attaches to civilian service and recognizes the value of civilian service in helping to accomplish the U.S. Government’s objectives. During Comfort’s month-long deployment to NYC, the ship saw surges in infections and patients requiring intensive care treatment, medical teams aboard Comfort treated a total of 182 patients over the course of a three-andhalf week period in support of the domestic Turn to USNS Comfort, Page 7
Naval Air Station Oceana Air Show canceled due to coronavirus By Naval Air Station Oceana Public Affairs VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The 2021 Naval Air Station Oceana Air Show was canceled today due to high community transmission of the coronavirus. Naval installations in Hampton Roads are currently in Health Protection Condition (HPCON) Level Bravo (plus), which means there’s a daily average of 16 to 30 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 population in the past seven days. When the public was invited to this year’s air show in July, local installations were in HPCON Alpha. In HPCON Alpha, the daily average of new coronavirus cases must be less than two new cases per 100,000 population in the past seven days. Since that time, local cases have spiked significantly and current trends indicate a resurgence with the Delta variant peak occurring the week prior to the air show. As a result, base officials determined the air show cannot proceed. “I know this is disappointing
to everyone who looks forward to coming onto base, seeing our highperformance aircraft, and meeting the men and women of naval aviation who call Oceana home,” said Capt. Bob Holmes, Naval Air Station Oceana’s commanding officer. “But this is the right thing to do to ensure the health and safety of our force and safeguard the Navy’s mission readiness.” The Naval Air Station Oceana Air Show is the Navy’s largest community outreach event in Hampton Roads, and has been held nearly every year since 1953. It typically attracts more than 250,000 spectators during the two-day show, which was scheduled to include performances by the Blue Angels this year. “With a quarter of a million spectators who love to cheer on the Navy, it wasn’t practical to let the show go on as the pandemic undergoes a resurgence,” Holmes said. “Safety must always be our top priority.” Last year’s in-person air show was also canceled to help stop the spread of COVID-19, and instead, a first-of-its-kind live broadcast air show was held.
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The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington departed Naval Station Norfolk to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to Haiti. PAGE A5
US Navy Blue Angels flying in formation on November 11, 2011 during the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show at NAS Pensacola. Blue Angels fly F-18 Hornets with special livery representing colors of US Navy: Yellow and Navy Blue. US Navy Blue Angels is the oldest active military aerobatic demonstration squadron and is considered the best Demonstration Squadron in the world. (RYPSON)
Suervey says For Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s (NNSY) Radiological Monitoring Division (Code 105.3), taking surveys involves the safety of all four Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (NNPP) customers — the NNSY workforce, ship’s force, the public and environment. PAGE A6
Paramedic of the Year We congratulate Jeremy McElroy, with the Nasco Paramedic of the Year Award Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Fire & Emergency Services. PAGE A2
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