From the News DeskAir Force awards $9 million on first Space Pitch Day San Francisco This article was updated Nov. 6 at 4:40 Eastern time to note that the Air Force is offering startups the chance to compete for a total of $1.5 million or... Author: Debra Werner Published: Nov 5, 2019E.P.I.C. Speed Ahead – SMC at ‘Full Operating Capability’ The Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) has completed the largest transformation in its 65-year history and is now at full operating capability (FOC) over one month ahead of schedule.... Author: SMC Public AffairsPublished: Nov 22, 2019Earthquakes or No, Navy Expands China Lake With More Land for Future Weapons, Drones This post has been updated with additional information on repair contracts for damage to China Lake Even before two major earthquakes struck China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, Calif., in early... Author: Gidget FuentesPublished: Oct 21, 2019Creating a pathway to qualification for community college students seeking careers in the aerospace and defense industries SAN DIEGO – Oct. 16, 2019 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) announces the launch of a new talent pipeline program in San Diego that provides community college students enrolled... Author: Northrup GrummanPublished: Oct 16, 2019Military Brought $53B to San Diego in 2019: Economic Impact Report The military is responsible for bringing in billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs to San Diego County, according to a new economic study released Thursday. The San Diego... Author: Andrew Johnson and Alex PreshaPublished: Jan 1, 1970Coast Guard Partners with Scripps Oceanography to Establish Blue Technology Center of Expertise The Coast Guard has entered into an agreement with Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego to establish a Blue Technology Center of Expertise (COE). The... Author: Lauren Fimbres WoodPublished: Sep 30, 2019Navy awards $154 million construction contract to modernize Seal Beach base A contractor could start dredging Anaheim Bay toward the end of the year, kicking off a $154 million endeavor by the Navy that will allow larger ships to dock at... Author: DANIEL LANGHORNEPublished: Sep 5, 2019Military leaders unveil new space command at Vandenberg Air Force Base Military leaders, active-duty personnel and civilian partners gathered at Vandenberg Air Force Base on Tuesday morning for the unveiling of a new command at the base that is expected to... Author: Willis JacobsonPublished: Oct 1, 2019Gov. Newsom Emphasizes Economic Importance of Military Installations at 4th Annual California Defense Leadership Summit The Association of Defense Communities’ Regional Events Series kicked off its 4th Annual California Defense Leadership Summit yesterday with a keynote address by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to community and industry leaders gathered to gain the latest on state, DOD and Capitol Hill developments, and their impacts across California. The Sacramento-based event, hosted by the California Governor’s Military Council, is an opportunity for leaders on both sides of the installation line to partner for solutions and ensure that their communities remain resilient and ready to support the needs of their local installations. The Summit convenes the commanding officers of each of California’s military bases as well as local leaders of community-based support organizations across the state. It presents a unique opportunity for local leaders to hear from other nearby community leaders facing similar challenges and share best practices. The defense leadership summit features a number of keynote sessions and speakers including Gov. Newsom, California Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D), and Lucian Niemeyer, Acting Assistant Navy Secretary for Energy, Installations and Environment. Featured sessions have included: Education and Workforce Development in the California Defense Industry; Best Practices on Military-Civilian Support Organization Collaboration; Opportunities in Military Housing; and Emerging Themes of Military Value. In his keynote address, Gov. Newsom stressed the close relationships between military installations and their surrounding communities by revisiting the historical importance of the defense industry in fueling California’s powerful economy. He emphasized the economic advantage of nurturing a strong defense base saying, “the middle class of California was built on supporting the defense industry, such as aerospace” which helped secure thousands of good-paying jobs and became a primary driver of growth in communities. Newsom also highlighted the importance of valuing California’s installations as he recalled growing up in San Francisco and seeing installations like The Presidio and Treasure Island close down. “We stopped investing in our lead, but BRAC was a wake up-call,” he stressed to the leaders. More than 30 major defense installations are located in California, incorporating all military services, topping more than double of any other state, according to a Governor’s Office news release. Each Author: Association of Defense CommunitiesPublished: Aug 14, 2019Active Duty Military Will Pay Only a Minimum Security Deposit When Renting Under New Legislation The California Assembly has passed Senate Bill 644, which limits the amount that those currently in the military will pay for rental security deposits. Under SB 644, active duty military will only need to pay a security deposit equivalent to one month’s rent. If it’s a furnished apartment it can be no more than two. This will be a significant change from the current law, which states that it cannot be more than 2 months for a deposit, or 3 months if the unit is furnished. Senator Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) introduced the bill earlier this year. He supports the bill because many active duty servicemen have been unable to find affordable places to live in the Bay Area. Specifically he was influenced by Dublin, California-based Camp Parks Garrison Commander Jennifer Nolan, who had asked him to limit security deposits for service members because it was hard to find a place to live. “It’s really hard for us to find places to live off base around there,” said former Army serviceman Derek Kuhn, who had served at Camp Parks. “The security deposit wasn’t the only hang-up for us. Really, the rents were the main killer. But having to pay less of a security deposit would have been enough for some of us to find a place.” SB 644 has also received support from housing advocates, anti-poverty groups, and Veterans organizations such as the California Association of Veteran Service Agencies. Opponents of the bill have included landlords and building owners, who fear that this can lead to a loss of money. Carlos Guerra, who is part of a landlord organization in Southern California, gave the view of many landlords who rent to service members. “This is bad,” Guerra told the Globe. “We need a deposit of a few months for a lot of these apartments because of how much damage can be done. It’s not a greed thing. Deposits we literally have to give back pending any repairs. This Author: Evan SymonPublished: Sep 12, 2019Northrop Grumman Fully Assembles NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope REDONDO BEACH, Calif. – Aug. 28, 2019 – At Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) in Redondo Beach, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Spacecraft Element (SCE) and Optical Telescope Element/Integrated Science... Author: Northrup GrummanPublished: Aug 28, 2019Acting SecAF Donovan announces B-21 manufacturing, testing locations Acting Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Donovan announced Sept. 16 that the B-21 Raider is being produced in Northrop Grumman’s Palmdale, California, facility - the same location as the... Author: Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Published: Sep 16, 2019Travis, local leaders sign partnership agreement Travis Air Force Base and the leaders of the Solano County communities surrounding the base have signed an agreement that establishes a Travis Community Partnership Leadership Committee, according to base’s Public... Author: Ian Thompson - Daily RepublicPublished: Sep 6, 2019SPACECOM is a go: Newest combatant command signed into existence WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has a new combatant command.With a twirl of the pen, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper signed into creation U.S. Space Command, the 11th war-fighting command... Author: Aaron MehtaPublished: Aug 30, 2019Breaking down the (Fire)wall Partnership provides STEM students with experience, jobs in cybersecuritySan Diego City College graduate Froylan Maldonado can’t believe his good fortune. Even before he transfers to UCLA this fall to further his studies in computer science and mathematics,... Author: SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICTPublished: Aug 22, 2019Col. Mastalir takes command of 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg AFB; base leaders talk future of space, plovers During a mountain hike with his family a few years ago in Colorado, Air Force Col. Anthony Mastalir found himself in a bind — he and his family members were lost... Author: Willis Jacobson wjacobson@leecentralcoastnews.comPublished: Jul 12, 2019Earthquakes Damage Edwards AFB Plant 42, Navy’s China Lake Base Airmen at Edwards AFB, Calif., assessed damage at their base before going to help nearby NAWS China Lake after two major earthquakes struck about 150 miles north of Los Angeles... Author: BRIAN EVERSTINEPublished: Jul 8, 2019All military spouses can now apply for professional relicensing fee reimbursement Navy spouses – like spouses in the other services – can now apply for reimbursement of up to $500 in costs for relicensing and recertification each time they relocate with their... Author: Karen JowersPublished: Jun 28, 2019U.S. Space Command’s major components will be based in California and Colorado U.S. Space Command will be officially established in the coming weeks. While the location of the command’s headquarters has not yet been decided yet, its two major components will be... Author: Sandra ErwinPublished: Jun 30, 2019Joe Driskill Selected New ADC President, New Board Members Elected A new ADC president and several members won election to serve new terms on the association’s board of directors at the 2019 Defense Communities National Summit last week in Washington,... Author: Association of Defense CommunitiesPublished: Jun 23, 2019Brig. Gen. Laura Yeager, a Fountain Valley native, will become 1st female to lead a U.S. Army Infantry unit LOS ALAMITOS — Brig. Gen. Laura Yeager, a Fountain Valley native who early in her career served as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter aeromedical evacuation pilot, will become the first... Author: ERIKA I. RITCHIE Published: Jun 6, 2019DOD Announces Winners of the 2019 Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan announced the 2019 recipients of the Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence.The Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence... Author: Department of DefensePublished: May 31, 2019VA Signs $148M Lease on Kearny Mesa Property The Department of Veterans Affairs signed a 20-year, $148 million lease on an approximately 100,000-square-foot building in Kearny Mesa, which it will convert into a VA outpatient clinic — billed... Author: Brad GravesPublished: Mar 26, 2019Orange County’s planned new cemetery will include space for U.S., Vietnamese and Korean veterans A cemetery Orange County officials want to build using sprawling land on Anaheim’s eastern end could be history making, with space included for those who fought alongside American forces in... Author: Alicia Robinson Published: Mar 26, 2019Army Spouse State Licensure and Certification Costs Reimbursement What is it? Army Directive 2019-18, Reimbursement for State Licensure and Certification Costs for the Spouse of a Soldier Arising from a Permanent Change of Station, establishes policy to reimburse qualified... Author: Headquarters, Deputy Chief of Staff Army G-1Published: May 15, 2019Edwards lands air show Event to rotate with Fox Field Air shows are returning to Edwards Air Force Base, as its leadership is partnering with the five-year-old Los Angeles County Air Show to offer world-class events that will alternate sites between the storied base and Gen. William J. Fox Field in Lancaster, the show’s home since 2014. Officials with the 412th Test Wing at Edwards and Los Angeles County Air Show, Inc. announced they are working on an agreement for a formal four-year partnership to conduct the air shows, which paves the way for a return of the popular events to the base where they have been absent since 2009. “We’re very excited to put Edwards Air Force Base back on the air show map as ‘the center of the aerospace testing universe’,” Brig. Gen. E. John Teichert, 412th Test Wing Commander, said. “This Author: ALLISON GATLIN Valley Press Staff WriterPublished: Oct 21, 2018A Camp Pendleton Elementary School Receives $47.5 Million Federal Grant The Fallbrook Union School District will receive more than $47.5 million in federal funding to address problems with its capacity and aging facilities at Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary School, located... Author: Deborah Sullivan BrennanPublished: Apr 27, 2019Alabama, California, Colorado vie for Space Force center The first major battle for President Trump’s prized Space Force is being waged here on Earth, as three states each with its own convincing case to make to be the... Author: Lauren Meier, Ben Wolfgang and Lauren Meier, Ben WolfgangPublished: Apr 28, 2019Pentagon discloses military projects in California that it could tap for Trump’s wall After weeks of delay, the Pentagon on Monday provided Congress with a list of more than 400 military construction projects around the globe, including dozens in California, that it could... Author: Sarah D. Wire and Molly O'ToolePublished: Mar 18, 2019California Nonprofits Form Alliance to Support Military Communities More than a dozen nonprofit organizations have formed the California Defense Communities Alliance (CDCA). CDCA held its inaugural meeting Tuesday in Sacramento. The new alliance includes groups with the shared mission... Author: Association of Defense CommunitiesPublished: Mar 24, 2019San Diego has a new ‘Navy Mayor’ as Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar takes command of Navy Region Southwest The Naval command that oversees all of the service’s shore installations across six states welcomed its new commander to San Diego on Friday as Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar assumed the... Author: By Andrew DyerPublished: Mar 23, 2019Four new Coast Guard cutters bound for California duty The Coast Guard plans to base four of its new Sentinel-Class Fast Response Cutters (FRC) in Southern California within the next year. The Coast Guard Cutter Forrest Rednour is slated to arrive this summer with formal commissioning in the fall. Three additional FRCs are scheduled to arrive and be commissioned by summer of 2019. The ships will be based in San Pedro but will operate throughout the 11th Coast Guard District, which includes all of California and international waters off of Mexico and Central America. “The public deserves our best effort to serve them, and the men and women of the Coast Guard who risk their lives to protect our nation deserve the best tools and training we can provide,” said Capt. Art Snyder, the chief of response operations for the 11th Coast Guard District. “These new cutters will strengthen our security, safety and law enforcement operations in addition to improving our ability to respond to maritime emergencies and safeguard our nation’s National Marine Sanctuaries.” FRC’s are 154-foot multi-mission ships designed to conduct: drug and migrant interdictions; ports, waterways and coastal security operations; fisheries and environmental protection patrols; national defense missions; and search and rescue. To date, the Coast Guard has accepted delivery of 29 FRCs. Each ship is designed for a crew of 24, has a range of 2,500 miles and is equipped for patrols up to five days. The FRCs are part of the Coast Guard’s overall fleet modernization initiative. FRCs feature advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment as well as over-the-horizon response boat deployment capability and improved habitability for the crew. The ships can reach speeds of 28 knots and are equipped to coordinate operations with partner agencies and long-range Coast Guard assets such as the Coast Guard’s National Security Cutters. FRCs are named in honor of Coast Guard enlisted leaders, trailblazers and heroes. The four California-based FRCs are scheduled to be: Forrest Rednour (WPC-1129) - Rednour aided in the rescue of 133 people during the sinking of the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, Feb. 3, 1943. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his actions. Rednour lost his life in the sinking of the Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba in June 1943. Robert Ward (WPC-1130) - Ward operated beach-landing boats during the Normandy invasion. He landed his craft on the Cotentin Peninsula and rescued two stranded boat crews in the face of a heavily fortified enemy assault. Terrell Horne III (WPC-1131) – Horne was murdered by suspected drug smugglers who intentionally rammed the boat he and fellow Coast Guardsmen were aboard during law enforcement operations near Santa Cruz Island off the Southern California coast in December 2012. Horne pushed one of his shipmates out of the way of the oncoming vessel attack and sustained fatal injuries. Benjamin Bottoms (WPC-1132) – Bottoms was part the Coast Guard aircrew that rescued an Army aircrew from a downed B-17 off the west coast of Greenland in 1942. Bottoms and the pilot conducted the first landing of a cutter plane on an icecap and commenced a two-day rescue over a rugged arctic terrain that required multiple flights. During the second day of rescue operations, radio contact with Bottoms’ plane was lost and he was declared missing in action. More information Author: U.S. Coast Guard 11th District PA Detachment LA/LBPublished: Jul 30, 2018Navy Builds Hypersonic Test Ground in California The Navy is refitting its decades-old China Lake weapons testing and research site in the Mojave Desert to begin hosting hypersonic weapons testing from a variety of platforms, including undersea... Author: By PAUL MCLEARYPublished: Jan 23, 2019USS Michael Monsoor Commissioning Ceremony Honors Legacy of Navy SEAL The Navy’s newest Zumwalt-class destroyer, USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), was commissioned Jan. 26 at Naval Air Station North Island, California.Twenty Gold Star families and four Medal of Honor recipients... Author: By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Woody Paschall, Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public AffairsPublished: Jan 26, 2019Official Explains Federal Tax Changes for Military, Spouses Most service members and their families will see a reduction in their tax bills this year, but there are a number of changes in U.S. federal tax laws that they... Author: By Jim Garamone, Department of Defense Public AffairsPublished: Jan 28, 2019Navy Welcomes First Female Aviation Search and Rescue Senior Chief Petty Officer CORONADO, CALIF. (NNS) -- Female Sailors accomplished many firsts in the Navy, such as Adm. Michelle Howard's selection as the first female four-star admiral and Vice Adm. Nora Tyson being... Author: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Petty Officer Travis S. AlstonPublished: May 10, 2018Eastern Kern becomes county's new economic focus Personnel and other resources are headed for eastern Kern as part of a growing push to diversify the area's economy and protect its employment base in the event either of its... Author: John Cox jcox@bakersfield.comPublished: Jan 20, 2019 Archive
Air Force awards $9 million on first Space Pitch Day San Francisco This article was updated Nov. 6 at 4:40 Eastern time to note that the Air Force is offering startups the chance to compete for a total of $1.5 million or... Author: Debra Werner Published: Nov 5, 2019
E.P.I.C. Speed Ahead – SMC at ‘Full Operating Capability’ The Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) has completed the largest transformation in its 65-year history and is now at full operating capability (FOC) over one month ahead of schedule.... Author: SMC Public AffairsPublished: Nov 22, 2019
Earthquakes or No, Navy Expands China Lake With More Land for Future Weapons, Drones This post has been updated with additional information on repair contracts for damage to China Lake Even before two major earthquakes struck China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, Calif., in early... Author: Gidget FuentesPublished: Oct 21, 2019
Creating a pathway to qualification for community college students seeking careers in the aerospace and defense industries SAN DIEGO – Oct. 16, 2019 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) announces the launch of a new talent pipeline program in San Diego that provides community college students enrolled... Author: Northrup GrummanPublished: Oct 16, 2019
Military Brought $53B to San Diego in 2019: Economic Impact Report The military is responsible for bringing in billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs to San Diego County, according to a new economic study released Thursday. The San Diego... Author: Andrew Johnson and Alex PreshaPublished: Jan 1, 1970
Coast Guard Partners with Scripps Oceanography to Establish Blue Technology Center of Expertise The Coast Guard has entered into an agreement with Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego to establish a Blue Technology Center of Expertise (COE). The... Author: Lauren Fimbres WoodPublished: Sep 30, 2019
Navy awards $154 million construction contract to modernize Seal Beach base A contractor could start dredging Anaheim Bay toward the end of the year, kicking off a $154 million endeavor by the Navy that will allow larger ships to dock at... Author: DANIEL LANGHORNEPublished: Sep 5, 2019
Military leaders unveil new space command at Vandenberg Air Force Base Military leaders, active-duty personnel and civilian partners gathered at Vandenberg Air Force Base on Tuesday morning for the unveiling of a new command at the base that is expected to... Author: Willis JacobsonPublished: Oct 1, 2019
Gov. Newsom Emphasizes Economic Importance of Military Installations at 4th Annual California Defense Leadership Summit The Association of Defense Communities’ Regional Events Series kicked off its 4th Annual California Defense Leadership Summit yesterday with a keynote address by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to community and industry leaders gathered to gain the latest on state, DOD and Capitol Hill developments, and their impacts across California. The Sacramento-based event, hosted by the California Governor’s Military Council, is an opportunity for leaders on both sides of the installation line to partner for solutions and ensure that their communities remain resilient and ready to support the needs of their local installations. The Summit convenes the commanding officers of each of California’s military bases as well as local leaders of community-based support organizations across the state. It presents a unique opportunity for local leaders to hear from other nearby community leaders facing similar challenges and share best practices. The defense leadership summit features a number of keynote sessions and speakers including Gov. Newsom, California Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D), and Lucian Niemeyer, Acting Assistant Navy Secretary for Energy, Installations and Environment. Featured sessions have included: Education and Workforce Development in the California Defense Industry; Best Practices on Military-Civilian Support Organization Collaboration; Opportunities in Military Housing; and Emerging Themes of Military Value. In his keynote address, Gov. Newsom stressed the close relationships between military installations and their surrounding communities by revisiting the historical importance of the defense industry in fueling California’s powerful economy. He emphasized the economic advantage of nurturing a strong defense base saying, “the middle class of California was built on supporting the defense industry, such as aerospace” which helped secure thousands of good-paying jobs and became a primary driver of growth in communities. Newsom also highlighted the importance of valuing California’s installations as he recalled growing up in San Francisco and seeing installations like The Presidio and Treasure Island close down. “We stopped investing in our lead, but BRAC was a wake up-call,” he stressed to the leaders. More than 30 major defense installations are located in California, incorporating all military services, topping more than double of any other state, according to a Governor’s Office news release. Each Author: Association of Defense CommunitiesPublished: Aug 14, 2019
Active Duty Military Will Pay Only a Minimum Security Deposit When Renting Under New Legislation The California Assembly has passed Senate Bill 644, which limits the amount that those currently in the military will pay for rental security deposits. Under SB 644, active duty military will only need to pay a security deposit equivalent to one month’s rent. If it’s a furnished apartment it can be no more than two. This will be a significant change from the current law, which states that it cannot be more than 2 months for a deposit, or 3 months if the unit is furnished. Senator Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) introduced the bill earlier this year. He supports the bill because many active duty servicemen have been unable to find affordable places to live in the Bay Area. Specifically he was influenced by Dublin, California-based Camp Parks Garrison Commander Jennifer Nolan, who had asked him to limit security deposits for service members because it was hard to find a place to live. “It’s really hard for us to find places to live off base around there,” said former Army serviceman Derek Kuhn, who had served at Camp Parks. “The security deposit wasn’t the only hang-up for us. Really, the rents were the main killer. But having to pay less of a security deposit would have been enough for some of us to find a place.” SB 644 has also received support from housing advocates, anti-poverty groups, and Veterans organizations such as the California Association of Veteran Service Agencies. Opponents of the bill have included landlords and building owners, who fear that this can lead to a loss of money. Carlos Guerra, who is part of a landlord organization in Southern California, gave the view of many landlords who rent to service members. “This is bad,” Guerra told the Globe. “We need a deposit of a few months for a lot of these apartments because of how much damage can be done. It’s not a greed thing. Deposits we literally have to give back pending any repairs. This Author: Evan SymonPublished: Sep 12, 2019
Northrop Grumman Fully Assembles NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope REDONDO BEACH, Calif. – Aug. 28, 2019 – At Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) in Redondo Beach, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Spacecraft Element (SCE) and Optical Telescope Element/Integrated Science... Author: Northrup GrummanPublished: Aug 28, 2019
Acting SecAF Donovan announces B-21 manufacturing, testing locations Acting Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Donovan announced Sept. 16 that the B-21 Raider is being produced in Northrop Grumman’s Palmdale, California, facility - the same location as the... Author: Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Published: Sep 16, 2019
Travis, local leaders sign partnership agreement Travis Air Force Base and the leaders of the Solano County communities surrounding the base have signed an agreement that establishes a Travis Community Partnership Leadership Committee, according to base’s Public... Author: Ian Thompson - Daily RepublicPublished: Sep 6, 2019
SPACECOM is a go: Newest combatant command signed into existence WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has a new combatant command.With a twirl of the pen, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper signed into creation U.S. Space Command, the 11th war-fighting command... Author: Aaron MehtaPublished: Aug 30, 2019
Breaking down the (Fire)wall Partnership provides STEM students with experience, jobs in cybersecuritySan Diego City College graduate Froylan Maldonado can’t believe his good fortune. Even before he transfers to UCLA this fall to further his studies in computer science and mathematics,... Author: SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICTPublished: Aug 22, 2019
Col. Mastalir takes command of 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg AFB; base leaders talk future of space, plovers During a mountain hike with his family a few years ago in Colorado, Air Force Col. Anthony Mastalir found himself in a bind — he and his family members were lost... Author: Willis Jacobson wjacobson@leecentralcoastnews.comPublished: Jul 12, 2019
Earthquakes Damage Edwards AFB Plant 42, Navy’s China Lake Base Airmen at Edwards AFB, Calif., assessed damage at their base before going to help nearby NAWS China Lake after two major earthquakes struck about 150 miles north of Los Angeles... Author: BRIAN EVERSTINEPublished: Jul 8, 2019
All military spouses can now apply for professional relicensing fee reimbursement Navy spouses – like spouses in the other services – can now apply for reimbursement of up to $500 in costs for relicensing and recertification each time they relocate with their... Author: Karen JowersPublished: Jun 28, 2019
U.S. Space Command’s major components will be based in California and Colorado U.S. Space Command will be officially established in the coming weeks. While the location of the command’s headquarters has not yet been decided yet, its two major components will be... Author: Sandra ErwinPublished: Jun 30, 2019
Joe Driskill Selected New ADC President, New Board Members Elected A new ADC president and several members won election to serve new terms on the association’s board of directors at the 2019 Defense Communities National Summit last week in Washington,... Author: Association of Defense CommunitiesPublished: Jun 23, 2019
Brig. Gen. Laura Yeager, a Fountain Valley native, will become 1st female to lead a U.S. Army Infantry unit LOS ALAMITOS — Brig. Gen. Laura Yeager, a Fountain Valley native who early in her career served as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter aeromedical evacuation pilot, will become the first... Author: ERIKA I. RITCHIE Published: Jun 6, 2019
DOD Announces Winners of the 2019 Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan announced the 2019 recipients of the Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence.The Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence... Author: Department of DefensePublished: May 31, 2019
VA Signs $148M Lease on Kearny Mesa Property The Department of Veterans Affairs signed a 20-year, $148 million lease on an approximately 100,000-square-foot building in Kearny Mesa, which it will convert into a VA outpatient clinic — billed... Author: Brad GravesPublished: Mar 26, 2019
Orange County’s planned new cemetery will include space for U.S., Vietnamese and Korean veterans A cemetery Orange County officials want to build using sprawling land on Anaheim’s eastern end could be history making, with space included for those who fought alongside American forces in... Author: Alicia Robinson Published: Mar 26, 2019
Army Spouse State Licensure and Certification Costs Reimbursement What is it? Army Directive 2019-18, Reimbursement for State Licensure and Certification Costs for the Spouse of a Soldier Arising from a Permanent Change of Station, establishes policy to reimburse qualified... Author: Headquarters, Deputy Chief of Staff Army G-1Published: May 15, 2019
Edwards lands air show Event to rotate with Fox Field Air shows are returning to Edwards Air Force Base, as its leadership is partnering with the five-year-old Los Angeles County Air Show to offer world-class events that will alternate sites between the storied base and Gen. William J. Fox Field in Lancaster, the show’s home since 2014. Officials with the 412th Test Wing at Edwards and Los Angeles County Air Show, Inc. announced they are working on an agreement for a formal four-year partnership to conduct the air shows, which paves the way for a return of the popular events to the base where they have been absent since 2009. “We’re very excited to put Edwards Air Force Base back on the air show map as ‘the center of the aerospace testing universe’,” Brig. Gen. E. John Teichert, 412th Test Wing Commander, said. “This Author: ALLISON GATLIN Valley Press Staff WriterPublished: Oct 21, 2018
A Camp Pendleton Elementary School Receives $47.5 Million Federal Grant The Fallbrook Union School District will receive more than $47.5 million in federal funding to address problems with its capacity and aging facilities at Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary School, located... Author: Deborah Sullivan BrennanPublished: Apr 27, 2019
Alabama, California, Colorado vie for Space Force center The first major battle for President Trump’s prized Space Force is being waged here on Earth, as three states each with its own convincing case to make to be the... Author: Lauren Meier, Ben Wolfgang and Lauren Meier, Ben WolfgangPublished: Apr 28, 2019
Pentagon discloses military projects in California that it could tap for Trump’s wall After weeks of delay, the Pentagon on Monday provided Congress with a list of more than 400 military construction projects around the globe, including dozens in California, that it could... Author: Sarah D. Wire and Molly O'ToolePublished: Mar 18, 2019
California Nonprofits Form Alliance to Support Military Communities More than a dozen nonprofit organizations have formed the California Defense Communities Alliance (CDCA). CDCA held its inaugural meeting Tuesday in Sacramento. The new alliance includes groups with the shared mission... Author: Association of Defense CommunitiesPublished: Mar 24, 2019
San Diego has a new ‘Navy Mayor’ as Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar takes command of Navy Region Southwest The Naval command that oversees all of the service’s shore installations across six states welcomed its new commander to San Diego on Friday as Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar assumed the... Author: By Andrew DyerPublished: Mar 23, 2019
Four new Coast Guard cutters bound for California duty The Coast Guard plans to base four of its new Sentinel-Class Fast Response Cutters (FRC) in Southern California within the next year. The Coast Guard Cutter Forrest Rednour is slated to arrive this summer with formal commissioning in the fall. Three additional FRCs are scheduled to arrive and be commissioned by summer of 2019. The ships will be based in San Pedro but will operate throughout the 11th Coast Guard District, which includes all of California and international waters off of Mexico and Central America. “The public deserves our best effort to serve them, and the men and women of the Coast Guard who risk their lives to protect our nation deserve the best tools and training we can provide,” said Capt. Art Snyder, the chief of response operations for the 11th Coast Guard District. “These new cutters will strengthen our security, safety and law enforcement operations in addition to improving our ability to respond to maritime emergencies and safeguard our nation’s National Marine Sanctuaries.” FRC’s are 154-foot multi-mission ships designed to conduct: drug and migrant interdictions; ports, waterways and coastal security operations; fisheries and environmental protection patrols; national defense missions; and search and rescue. To date, the Coast Guard has accepted delivery of 29 FRCs. Each ship is designed for a crew of 24, has a range of 2,500 miles and is equipped for patrols up to five days. The FRCs are part of the Coast Guard’s overall fleet modernization initiative. FRCs feature advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment as well as over-the-horizon response boat deployment capability and improved habitability for the crew. The ships can reach speeds of 28 knots and are equipped to coordinate operations with partner agencies and long-range Coast Guard assets such as the Coast Guard’s National Security Cutters. FRCs are named in honor of Coast Guard enlisted leaders, trailblazers and heroes. The four California-based FRCs are scheduled to be: Forrest Rednour (WPC-1129) - Rednour aided in the rescue of 133 people during the sinking of the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, Feb. 3, 1943. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his actions. Rednour lost his life in the sinking of the Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba in June 1943. Robert Ward (WPC-1130) - Ward operated beach-landing boats during the Normandy invasion. He landed his craft on the Cotentin Peninsula and rescued two stranded boat crews in the face of a heavily fortified enemy assault. Terrell Horne III (WPC-1131) – Horne was murdered by suspected drug smugglers who intentionally rammed the boat he and fellow Coast Guardsmen were aboard during law enforcement operations near Santa Cruz Island off the Southern California coast in December 2012. Horne pushed one of his shipmates out of the way of the oncoming vessel attack and sustained fatal injuries. Benjamin Bottoms (WPC-1132) – Bottoms was part the Coast Guard aircrew that rescued an Army aircrew from a downed B-17 off the west coast of Greenland in 1942. Bottoms and the pilot conducted the first landing of a cutter plane on an icecap and commenced a two-day rescue over a rugged arctic terrain that required multiple flights. During the second day of rescue operations, radio contact with Bottoms’ plane was lost and he was declared missing in action. More information Author: U.S. Coast Guard 11th District PA Detachment LA/LBPublished: Jul 30, 2018
Navy Builds Hypersonic Test Ground in California The Navy is refitting its decades-old China Lake weapons testing and research site in the Mojave Desert to begin hosting hypersonic weapons testing from a variety of platforms, including undersea... Author: By PAUL MCLEARYPublished: Jan 23, 2019
USS Michael Monsoor Commissioning Ceremony Honors Legacy of Navy SEAL The Navy’s newest Zumwalt-class destroyer, USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), was commissioned Jan. 26 at Naval Air Station North Island, California.Twenty Gold Star families and four Medal of Honor recipients... Author: By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Woody Paschall, Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public AffairsPublished: Jan 26, 2019
Official Explains Federal Tax Changes for Military, Spouses Most service members and their families will see a reduction in their tax bills this year, but there are a number of changes in U.S. federal tax laws that they... Author: By Jim Garamone, Department of Defense Public AffairsPublished: Jan 28, 2019
Navy Welcomes First Female Aviation Search and Rescue Senior Chief Petty Officer CORONADO, CALIF. (NNS) -- Female Sailors accomplished many firsts in the Navy, such as Adm. Michelle Howard's selection as the first female four-star admiral and Vice Adm. Nora Tyson being... Author: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Petty Officer Travis S. AlstonPublished: May 10, 2018
Eastern Kern becomes county's new economic focus Personnel and other resources are headed for eastern Kern as part of a growing push to diversify the area's economy and protect its employment base in the event either of its... Author: John Cox jcox@bakersfield.comPublished: Jan 20, 2019