Buckle Up Y’all. I am back with News 6 for the last week in July.

Navy to Break Glass Ceiling With New Joint Chief of Staff 

The president has recommended Admiral Lisa Franchetti as the new head of the Navy. This would mark the first time a woman has led any branch of the military and become a member of the joint chiefs of staff.

President Biden said in the statement of recommendation that Franchetti “demonstrated extensive expertise in both the operational and policy arenas.” She is only the second woman to rise to the rank of four-star admiral in the Navy and has served for 38 years.

Franchetti would replace Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday, who has held the position for the past four years. 

She is currently in the second top position of the Navy, which is Vice Chief of Naval Operations.

She is only the second woman to reach the position of four star admiral in the history of the Navy. 

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement he is “very proud” Franchetti was nominated as the Navy’s chief and added she would “continue to inspire all of us.”

“Biden chose Franchetti based on the broad scope of her experience at sea and ashore, including a number of high-level policy and administrative jobs that give her deep knowledge in budgeting and running the department,” Adam Hodge, acting White House National Security Council spokesman, said on Twitter after the announcement was made.

Franchetti spent her career mostly on warships, and commanded U.S. Naval Forces Korea. She also served as director for strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Staff and commanded the 6th Fleet, which is based in Naples, Italy, and has responsibility over Europe and Africa.

Sounds like she’s the right gal for the job! May your tenure as a joint chief of staff be smooth sailing.

Find out more at washingtonpost.com

Change May be in Store for Exchange

A proposal in next year’s Defense bill might include dropping ties with all China made or imported products in military exchanges.

It would also impact popular programs like tutor.com which hires many military spouses. 

While this proposal would have minimal effect on DECA commissaries, it could lead to the closure of many post exchanges as 70 percent of products sold at these establishments are manufactured or imported from China.

“This provision would deprive military personnel and families of products that are widely available to other American citizens,” wrote Steve Rossetti, president of the American Logistics Association, in a letter to House lawmakers asking them to exclude the amendment.

“They should not be singled out and penalized by virtue of their service. Congress has not chosen to ban these products from off-base retailers and military personnel and their families should be entitled to at least the same rights and privileges as the citizens they defend,” Rossetti wrote.

A wide variety of products would no longer be available on military installations worldwide, including Apple iPhones, iPads, computers, TVs, headphones, patio furniture, seasonal goods [such as Halloween costumes and Christmas decorations], luggage, watches, appliances, hardware, bicycles, fitness equipment, photo, home décor, housewares, Nike, Adidas, Levi’s and Mattel toys.” Said AAFES spokesperson, Chris Ward.

AAFES is predicting the loss of 16,000 jobs if this passes.

As mentioned earlier  tutor.com is also under fire, as last year it fell under the ownership of a business that is run out of China.

Tutor.com staunchly defends itself and assures the public that Americans’ data is safe from the Chinese government.

“Tutor.com is neither controlled nor owned by the People’s Republic of China,” said Pamela Brehm, Tutor.com’s senior director for military and government programs.

But the US government is not so sure.

“Though the committee understands that the company has taken certain mitigations related to the security of U.S. persons’ data in relation to these services, the committee is aware that technological advances could still allow for rapid exploitation by a sophisticated adversary,” senators wrote in their report accompanying the Senate Armed Services Committee’s proposed legislation.

The committee has given the DOD until February 28, 2024 to come up with a plan to make sure American privacy is not under risk of Chinese possession. 

“Tutor.com initiated a U.S. regulatory review, and as a result instituted additional controls and safeguards to ensure the ongoing protection of personal data, Brehm said. Their commitment to securing personal information “is bolstered by mechanisms that provide for constant monitoring and compliance,” she said.

“These measures were designed and implemented to ensure that no personal information of our students or customers is or will be transferred to the People’s Republic of China.”

“Many of us at Tutor.com are military spouses, veterans, parents, and former military kids ourselves,” Brehm said. “We understand military life, and so it is our great honor to support our military service members and their families. All of us at Tutor.com remain dedicated to safeguarding the personal data of all students we help, including military families.”

Politics are always murky and complicated but it adds a certain level of stress when military families are being used on the playing field.

Let us hope our lawmakers can find a way to  keep America safe and China weaker without military families being used as collateral. 

Find out more at militarytimes.com

Veteran Seaman Advocates for Veteran Plane

Brunswick, Maine used to be the home of the Brunswick Naval Air Station until it was decommissioned in 2011. Now, a navy veteran named John Vandal is making sure the world doesn’t forget its existence.

Where the air station once stood is now a bustling residential and shopping area. A lone P2-Neptune airplane is all that stands from days gone by.

 But developers want it gone. That’s where plane mechanic Vandal comes in.

He is trying to keep its demolition at bay until they raise the 350,000 dollar funds to repair the bird and have it moved to its new home in a museum down the road.

Vandals says:

“Oh, I can do it. They told me I’d never be able to get these bomb bay doors off so I could patch the holes in them,” Vandal said, pointing to the plane’s aft belly. “And I said, ‘Hold my beer.’

“We have a lot of kids out there who don’t know the base even existed,” said Scott Miller of the Brunswick Naval Aviation Museum, which is just down the street from the P2-Neptune. “We need to save this plane so they will know, even after we are long gone.”

With a wing span of 100 feet, The huge plane will need to be partially disassembled to be moved from the spot where it has perched for over 70 years.

It is Vandals’ job to maintain it until she is ready to be moved. Vandal said veterans who called this base or planes like it “home” often stop to thank him. 

“It’s touching, it really is,” said Vandal. “I love it when vets thank me for my service — because I can say the same thing right back to them.” 

He has even had veterans stop by who worked on the very plane he now maintains. 

We all know how important our military past is to our veterans. Hats off to Vandal for keeping a 100 foot piece of our military history alive. 

Find out more at https://www.bangordailynews.com

Today in History 

On July 31st 2012 Michael Phelps earned his 19th medal beating out Russian gymnast  Larisa Latynina as the most decorated Olympian. 

He won it during the London Olympics 4 x 200 meter relay.

He went on to win two more medals at those  Olympic, ending with 21 and announcing his retirement.

And, as many athletes are want to do, he turned out to be a liar and appeared at the 2016 Olympics where he won four more medals, ending his tally at an impressive 23. 

Phelps should be thankful he doesn’t have to PCS with all that hardware, I can only imagine the paperwork that would entail. 

That’s it for me! I’m Emma Tighe where information empowers.