February 5, 2021

For Those Who Serve Continued on page 2….

Washington Happenings While preparation for the impeachment trial has certainly taken center stage in Washington, there are a few other considerations worth noting. The Senate has reached a power sharing agreement between both parties as they find themselves locked in a 50-50 tie for seats (Vice President Harris will cast the tie-breaking vote). Hearings this week focused primarily on the organizing rules of the new committees as their rosters are finalized. And a new subcommittee was formed to address cybersecurity concerns. The subcommittee on Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems will branch off from the existing subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities.

And of course, our Maritime Policy launch event will occur on February 24th at 2pm EST! Set aside the time as we intend to bring you two years' worth of research in one hour. Visit the event landing page by clicking here!

A few thoughts from our team: Remembering the Four Chaplains

February 3rd marks an anniversary of which many of our members may not be aware. I say this because this author was shockingly unaware of the events which transpired on February 3rd, 1943. It was on this date in history that four chaplains exemplified faith, heroism, and brotherhood in a truly remarkable fashion. The following excerpt comes verbatim from a website dedicated to honoring the four chaplains. That website can be visited by clicking here.

On Feb. 3, 1943, the U.S.A.T. Dorchester carrying 902 service men, merchant seamen and civilian workers was sunk in the cold Atlantic. Through the pandemonium, according to those present, four Army chaplains brought hope in despair and light in darkness. Those chaplains were Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed. Quickly and quietly, the four chaplains spread out among the soldiers. There they tried to calm the frightened, tend the wounded and guide the disoriented toward safety. “Witnesses of that terrible night remember hearing the four men offer prayers for the dying and encouragement for those who would live,” says Wyatt R. Fox, son of Reverend Fox. One witness, Private William B. Bednar, found himself floating in oil-smeared water surrounded by dead bodies and debris. “I could hear men crying, pleading, praying,” Bednar recalls. “I could also hear the chaplains preaching courage. Their voices were the only thing that kept me going.” By this time, most of the men were topside, and the chaplains opened a storage locker and began distributing life jackets. It was then that Engineer Grady Clark witnessed an astonishing sight. When there were no more lifejackets in the storage room, the chaplains removed theirs and gave them to four frightened young men. “It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this side of heaven,” said John Ladd, another survivor who saw the chaplains’ selfless act. As the ship went down, survivors in nearby rafts could see the four chaplains–arms linked and braced against the slanting deck. Their voices could also be heard offering prayers. Of the 902 men aboard the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, 672 died, leaving 230 survivors.

Maritime Policy- At a Glance

Make sure to check out our new Jones Act campaign with total job numbers related to Jones Act industries for each state! Educate your Members of Congress on the importance of the Jones Act today! Click here to learn more.

Council Shout Out!

A very special shout out to the Sun Coast Council! This weekend, the Council will present II Merchant Marine George Koch with the Ushakov Medal for his participation in the harrowing Murmansk Run, during which he delivered critical supplies to our allies amidst persistent enemy attack. The have also secured the attendance of Congressman Greg Steube. The Council should be further recognized for their extensive efforts to ensure the safety and proper social distancing of all involved. These events are difficult to orchestrate in our current COVID environment, but the Sun Coast Council has truly met and overcome the challenge. Keep up the great work Sun Coast Council! Don’t forget to share your stories with us! Your stories are important, and they matter to your representatives. Please connect with us here at the Navy League so that we can relay your stories to the representatives that can affect real change in support of our Sea Services. Tell your story here!

Navy League Advocacy Updates

Navy League Legislation Affairs Committee Members can view our updated Legislative Affairs Committee Page with all kinds of resources to support your grassroots advocacy!

Support the Jones Act

The Jones Act helps support 650,000 jobs across America, with an annual economic impact of more than $154 billion. More importantly to the nation as a whole, the law provides important national, homeland, and economic security benefits. Additionally, the Jones Act plays a critical role in maintaining our Merchant Mariner force and sealift capacity. Both are foundational aspects of wartime transport and emergency resupply. When our nation went to war in and Afghanistan, Mariners from the U.S.-flag Jones Act and International trading fleets crewed the Reserve Fleet ships that answered the call to transport military equipment across the oceans to support our war effort. Only the U.S. Flag Merchant Marine and its Allies can be relied upon in our time of need, and the Jones Act ensures that those forces remain strong and ready for whatever dangers await our nation in the future.

Sea Service Updates

Lots of activity at the Department of Defense these days. The new Secretary of Defense, III, has hit the ground running. Among his first actions in office, he has ordered a total military-wide standdown to address the issue of extremism within the ranks. This obviously comes on the heels of the events at the Capitol Building on January 6th.

Austin is also reviewing global U.S. troop presence in accordance with the wishes of the Biden administration which recently reversed the orders of the previous administration relating to withdrawing troops from Germany. Austin’s review will take into account “a global force posture review of U.S. military footprint, resources, strategy and missions.” Additionally, as the new administration takes an “all of government” approach to combating the spread of the Coronavirus, the Department of Defense has mandated the wearing of masks on all military installations.

PHILIPPINE SEA (Feb. 2, 2021) Marines from Force Reconnaissance Company, III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), utilize combat rubber raiding crafts to approach the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Ohio (SSGN 726) during an integration exercise off the coast of Okinawa, . The exercise was part of ongoing III MEF- U.S. 7th Fleet efforts to provide flexible, forward-postured and quick-response options to regional commanders. (U.S Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Destiny Dempsey)

Sea Service News

The State of the Sea Services

Familiar faces take gavels of defense panels – Defense News / Feb 4 It’s official: Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., became chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday as the Senate approved its power-sharing arrangement for the evenly split upper chamber. The long-awaited deal was part of a wave of organizational moves in both chambers that saw some familiar figures like Reed in new roles and some new lawmakers added to the Armed Services committees.

Geurts Is Back; Now as Temp Navy Undersecretary – Breaking Defense / Feb 4 The Navy is bringing back James Geurts, its former acquisitions chief during the Trump Administration who led the change to modernize the force and keep shipyards open during the COVID pandemic. He will fill in as Navy undersecretary during ’s transition to the Biden team.

Nordic Allies Help Navy Improve Ship Ops in Icy Waterways as Arctic Competition Heats Up – Military.com / Feb 4 In 2019, 10 Russian submarines plied the waters of the Arctic and the Barents Sea -- egresses to Ocean where they "exercise their ability to hold Europe and the continental United States at risk with land-attack missiles," said Adm. Robert Burke, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and Allied Joint Command Naples.

U.S., Saudi, British navies wrap trilateral exercise in Arabian Gulf – UPI / Feb 4 Forces with the U.S. Navy, the Royal Saudi Naval Forces and the UK Maritime Component Command conducted tri-lateral maritime exercise Nautical Defender 21 at the end of January, the Navy announced.

*Special Coronavirus Coverage*

Submarine sailor dies of ‘COVID-related complications’ - Navy Times / Feb 4 A -based sailor died of “COVID-related complications” Thursday, the U.S. Navy said in a statement. The sailor, assigned to the blue crew of the ballistic missile submarine Tennessee, is believed to be the 20th servicemember to die after contracting the novel coronavirus, according to U.S. Defense Department tallies.

US military in Japan reports just one new coronavirus infection for second day in a row – Stars and Stripes / Feb 4 The U.S. military in Japan reported one new coronavirus patient as of 6 p.m. Thursday. An individual at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa tested positive for COVID-19, the coronavirus respiratory disease, while in mandatory quarantine following recent travel outside Japan, according to a Facebook post.

Great Power Competition

F-35s, 3 Amphib Warships, 2,500 Marines Operating Closer to Iran; Nimitz Reaches Edge of the South China Sea – USNI News / Feb 4 The three-ship Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, the 2,500 Marines of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters have taken position in U.S. 5th Fleet in the North Arabian sea and are an easy sail to the Strait of Hormuz, USNI News has learned.

Navy warship’s transit of Strait a first under Biden administration – Navy Times / Feb 4 For the first time in the presidency of , a U.S. Navy warship steamed through the Taiwan Strait on Thursday, according to the Japan-based U.S. 7th Fleet.

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