ACTING UNDER SECNAV HONORS ‘RHODE ISLAND NINE’ MARINES

WASHINGTON, D.C. –

Acting Under Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Gregory J. Slavonic served as the keynote speaker at the Rhode Island Nine Beirut Memorial dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony September 27 in Providence, Rhode Island.

The memorial honors the nine Rhode Island Marines who lost their lives during the Marine Barracks bombing in Beirut, Lebanon October 23, 1983.

“Most of you know the names of the nine Marines who perished during the horrific terrorist attack that destroyed the Marine barracks in Beirut,” said Slavonic. “But beyond every name there is a story – a decision to serve, a commitment to peace and freedom, and a family waiting so anxiously at home.”

The ceremony incorporated personal and military aspects. Gold Star families of the deceased Marines were present and laid wreaths at the memorial, beneath images of their fallen service members. The Marine Corps Color Guard played the National Anthem and the Rhode Island National Guard provided a flyover. The Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Dan McKee also spoke at the event, in addition to Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza.

The attack on the Marine barracks killed 241 U.S. Marines, Sailors and Soldiers who were deployed to Lebanon as part of a multinational peacekeeping mission during the Lebanese Civil War.

To honor that mission, written in granite of the Rhode Island Nine Memorial wall are the words: They came in peace.

“They came in peace…is a phrase often associated with Marines that served in the Lebanon crisis from 1982-1984,” said Col. Craig R. Wonson, a military professor at the U.S. Naval War College and ceremony speaker.

The sacrifice made by the Rhode Island Nine and their fellow Marines was not in vain. In many ways, the events of that Sunday morning have helped better prepare our Marines for such situations today…The lessons learned and applied from Beirut have, without question, helped keep thousands of Marines safe ever since.”

The Beirut bombing remains the single deadliest day for the U.S. Marine Corps since D-Day at Iwo Jima in 1945 and the deadliest day for Rhode Island service members since the Civil War.

“While today is an opportunity to reflect on the lives of those who were lost, it is also an opportunity to inspire new generations to understand the freedom they have been given, to grasp how and why it is theirs, and to dedicate themselves to pass it on to generations yet to come,” said Slavonic. “The dedication that takes place today is a wonderful example of ensuring the memories of these warriors continue to live on.”

The memorial is located on the Providence River on Dyer Street and is open to the public.

https://www.marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/2370168/acting-under-secnav-honors-rhode-island-nine-marines/

Fluor's Unit Wins $1.12B Contract Modification From US Navy

Fluor Corporation FLR has been benefiting from continuous contract wins over the past few months. Recently, the company’s subsidiary — Fluor Marine Propulsion LLC — has received a contract from the U.S. Navy.

This is a $1.12-billion cost-plus-fixed fee modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise the fiscal 2021 option for naval nuclear propulsion work at the Naval Nuclear Laboratory.

The contract work — which is expected to be completed by September 2021 — will be carried out in Pittsburgh, PA (48%); Schenectady, NY (42%); and Idaho Falls, ID (10%).

Fluor has been riding high on strong end-market prospects, solid backlog level and a good business portfolio mix. In March, Fluor Marine Propulsion received a $1.8-billion contract modification for work at the Naval Nuclear Laboratory. The deal is a modification to a contract awarded in July 2018 that included options that, if exercised, would bring the total value of the same to $13.1 billion. The scope of the contract includes work on naval nuclear propulsion technology, including research, design, construction, testing, operation, maintenance and ultimate disposition to support operation of the country's aircraft carrier fleets.

It has a solid track record of receiving awards, and management remains optimistic about continuation of this trend in the future as well, which is expected to drive growth. Recently, the company filed an annual report on Form 10-K for 2019. Full-year new awards from continuing operations and government were $12.6 billion, and ending consolidated backlog was $31.9 billion, which hints at further growth. Fluor, being an industry leader in nuclear remediation at government facilities throughout the United States, is expected to benefit from rising demand for energy across the globe.

https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/fluors-unit-wins-%241.12b-contract-modification-from-us-navy-2020-10-02

Army discontinues Rapid Equipping Force

WASHINGTON — The Army has discontinued its Rapid Equipping Force stood up during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to get urgently needed capabilities into the field in 180 days or less.

As the Army shifts from a focus on counterinsurgency operations to going up against near peer adversaries like Russia and China across air, land, sea, cyber and space domains in large-scale operations, the REF’s utility and mission has been in question.

The service is also disbanding its Asymmetric Warfare Group.

“As our focus changes to great power competition and large-scale combat operations, Army analysis indicated that the personnel and resources could best be utilized in building the operational fighting force,” an Oct. 2 Army statement reads.

“To ensure the value of organization’s work over the past 14 years is not lost, all lessons learned will be maintained by the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center, via the Center for Army Lessons Learned, Centers of Excellence and other [Training and Doctrine Command] enterprise stakeholders,” according to the statement.

The discontinuation won’t happen overnight. Both organizations will be fully deactivated, the statement notes, by the end of fiscal 2021 “and will transition the mission of providing immediate support to other organizations.”

Over the past several years, the REF hung on to certain missions and continued to advocate for its relevancy.

A year ago, Defense News sat down with the REF’s director in a new, smaller office space at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, in a conference room surrounded by Drone Busters, a small counter-unmanned aircraft system, that was rapidly fielded to units by the outfit and considered one of its success stories.

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/10/02/army-discontinues-rapid-equipping-force/

Alleged “Powder Puff Bandit” strikes Englewood bank, and authorities are asking for help to find him and accomplice

A suspected bank robber dubbed the Powder Puff bandit, because of the makeup worn to conceal facial tattoos, is wanted by the FBI along with a female accomplice.

The FBI and local authorities are asking for the public’s help in finding Paul Hernandez, 33, and Mary Bannigan, 27, according to an FBI news release.

The pair are suspected of robbing multiple banks in the Denver metro area, including an Englewood bank, BBVA Compass Bank, 4600 S. Broadway, on Thursday, the FBI said.

A dye pack inside a money bag in Monday’s robbery detonated and cash stolen will be stained with red dye, the FBI said. The suspect has displayed a hand gun in two of the robberies.

Hernandez was arrested on Jan. 29 in Broomfield on suspicion of bank robbery. He posted bond and was released from jail on June 13. Hernandez has not shown up for courts dates or complied with conditions of the bond, authorities said.

He’s been robbing banks after his bond release, the FBI said.

Hernandez is described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall with a thin build, a shaved head and facial tattoos. Bannigan is described as about 5 feet, 2 inches tall with a thin build. She wears eyeglasses and has long- dark hair which is sometimes colored blonde.

Anyone with information of their whereabouts is asked to call the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force at 303-629-7171, or anonymous tips can be left with Crime Stoppers at 720- 913-7867 (STOP).

https://www.denverpost.com/2020/10/02/powder-puff-bandit-strikes-englewood-bank/

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Kara Young