VAN METER, Iowa (April 24, 2009) More than 500 veterans who escorted the unclaimed remains of seven Iowa veterans to their final resting place at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery line the procession route with American flags after providing a motorcycle escort for the remains. The ceremony coincided with Des Moines Navy Week, one of 22 Navy Weeks planned across America in 2009. Navy Weeks are designed to show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy and increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence. U.S. Navy photo by MCCS Gary Ward. In San Diego there is a Veterans Memorial Service held on the 4th Saturday each month, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Our brave American veterans are not forgotten. A memorial service is held in honor of current veterans and veterans of past wars who have not been previously honored. Taps will be played. You're welcome to attend. Balboa Park, Veterans Memorial Center, 2115 Park Blvd.

French slated as next NRSW commander
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead announced April 28 that Rear Adm. (lower half) William D. French, who has been selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as commander, Navy Region Southwest, San Diego. French is currently serving as commander, Navy Region Marianas/U.S. Pacific Command representative, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau/commander, U.S. Naval Forces Marianas, Guam.

Marine at Twentynine Palms confirmed with swine flu
A Marine at Twentynine Palms is confirmed to have swine flu and is under quarantine, along with his roommate, according to an April 29 briefing by the commandant of the Marine Corps. Additionally, 30 other Marines who came in contact with the sick Marine are quarantined for 5 days. The ill Marine suffered from vomiting and other flu-like symptoms beginning April 25, Gen. James Conway said at a Pentagon briefing. “He’s doing fine. He’s up and about, he says he feels pretty good.” The roommate and the other 30 Marines are receiving Tamiflu, Conway said. But the ailing Marine is not, because it is past the point where it would be helpful. Conway said the Marine had not been to Mexico, and it is not known how he may have contracted the virus.

MANAMA, Bahrain (April 26, 2009) An opening cut by divers around a 16 by 18 foot hole before dry-docking the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) is visible while evaluating the ship. New Orleans was damaged during a collision with the Los Angeles class attack submarine USS Hartford (SSN 768) in the Strait of Hormuz March 20, 2009. The ship arrived to the Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard dry-dock facility April 25 to repair the damage. U.S. Navy photo by MC2 D. Keith Simmons

USS New Orleans enters dry dock
MANAMA, Bahrain - USS New Orleans (LPD 18) entered a dry dock in Bahrain April 25 to continue repair work on the ship’s hull. The Navy signed a firm fixed-price contract with Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard “ASRY” Shipyards in Manama, Bahrain to repair New Orleans.
The repair contract includes planning efforts, material procurement, pre-fabrication and dry dock repair work and is expected to be completed in 10 to 14 days.
The amphibious transport dock was damaged in a collision with USS Hartford (SSN 768) March 20.
The ship dry docked in ASRY Shipyards Graving dock located in Manama, Bahrain. Two commercial vessels are in the graving dock at the same time as New Orleans, Motor Vessel Virginian and Ensco-97. Virginian is a U.S. flagged munitions ship often contracted by the Military Sealift Command. Ensco-97 is a Liberian flagged oil drilling rig owned by U.S. based Ensco International Incorporated.
While New Orleans will be repaired in Bahrain, U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command engineers determined that Hartford will be repaired in the United States. The submarine recently completed sea trials and is underway, making a surface transit back to her homeport of Groton, Conn.
Prior to the submarine’s departure from Bahrain, Master Chief Machinist Mate (SS) Jon Wells relieved Master Chief Electronics’ Technician (SS) Stefan Prevot as “Chief of the Boat,” the senior enlisted Sailor aboard Hartford.

Combat ops in Iraq coming to an end for the British
BAGHDAD — British forces passed military control of the Basra area to U.S. commanders April 30 preparing to exit Iraq after more than six years of war.
The U.S. flag went up over a British base outside Basra, the last main outpost for about 4,000 British forces in southern Iraq who will almost all withdraw by the end of May.
At it maximum, Britain had 46,000 troops in Iraq. The U.S. still has about 130,000 troops in the country, and has been shifting units south before the British leave.
Iraqi soldiers have taken over many front-line roles in the strategic Basra area. This area has been the hub of British military operations.
"Today marks the closing chapter of the combat mission in Iraq," British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in London after meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Miramar Marine found dead was from Virginia
A Marine who was found dead April 23 in his barracks at MCAS Miramar has been identified as Pvt. Jeffrey D. Ghen. Ghen, 21, was a native of Fairfax Station, Va., and enlisted in the Marine Corps in August 2006, a Marine Corps spokesman said. He had been working as a mechanic with the 3rd Marine aircraft wing on the base. The Marine Corps has not released a cause of death and is investigating.

USS John C. Stennis xo relieved
USS JOHN C. STENNIS, At Sea (NNS) -- The executive officer of USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) was relieved of his duties April 29.
Cmdr. David L. Burnham was relieved following non-judicial punishment held by Commander, Carrier Strike Group 3, Rear Adm. Mark A. Vance.
Burnham will report to Commander, Naval Air Forces, in San Diego. Operations Officer Cmdr. Don Glatt will serve temporarily as executive officer.
Burnham reported to Stennis as executive officer Sept. 28, 2007.
Stennis is on a regularly scheduled six-month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean.

Navy Region Southwest saves energy, money with solar project
by Rhonda Stewart
CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- Navy Region Southwest (NRSW) is taking advantage of their greatest natural resource — sunshine. In an effort to fully utilize this abundant resource and to confront accelerating electricity rates, they've installed solar panels on six carports and a helicopter simulation building.
These photovoltaic systems will collectively produce 700,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity.
On the helicopter simulation building at Naval Base Coronado, workers installed a Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) system — the Navy's first. This system is unusual in that its photovoltaic (PV) components do not sit on raised glass panels. Instead, these thin-film panels are integrated into the roof itself.
"The photovoltaics come in big rolls, like rolls of carpet," said Bernard Lindsey, utilities and energy program manager at NRSW. They are heat-welded onto the roofing membrane, where they are part of the watertight roof structure.
"It's just another kind of roof, except that it makes electricity," Lindsey said.
Connecting the system to the building's voltage completes the line from the sun to the roof to the light switches. The BIPV occupies approximately 14,000 square feet of this 50,000 square foot roof.
"It's more efficient to do it this way," said Lindsey. Workers can incorporate photovoltaics as they replace the roof, completing the project in one fell swoop.
With a traditional PV system, the roof would be finished first, and contractors would attach the glass panels and supporting framework later. Non-integrated systems also incur extra work when the roof needs replacing before the panels do. The BIPV is part of the overall roof system warranty.
The roof's efficiency extends to energy use. Building 352, where the new system resides, consumes three million kWh of energy annually. The new system will produce about nine percent of the building's peak summer electrical demand.
NRSW considers its new BIPV system a success.
"It works well; the building occupants are happy and it's making electricity," said Lindsey. "We should do more of them."
Innovative new roofs are not the only items soaking up rays in NRSW. In 2007, the region introduced six new solar carports.
Three naval bases, Coronado, Point Loma and San Diego, added a total of five carports, each generating approximately 80,000 kWh of energy per year. Each of these carports will offset the annual energy consumption of 14 homes.
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake recently built a solar carport as well, to gain renewable energy and offer shade to cars of base personnel. Located in the parking lots of the Combined Bachelor's Housing and the Paradise Community Center, the new carport is estimated to save approximately 230,000 kWh of energy and $56,000 per year. It was part of a $1.4 million project funded by the Department of the Navy Energy Program through the Energy Conservation Investment Program.
NRSW's interest in these projects began two years ago when the region put in place a Renewable Energy Action Plan that provides for significant research, future planning and project development.
NRSW has identified short-, mid- and long-term opportunities to help it meet the federal energy goals, which require 25 percent of electricity at Department of Defense facilities to come from renewable sources by 2025.

Military monitors H1-N1 virus, focuses on protecting force
by Donna Miles
WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is monitoring the H1-N1 virus situation closely, with its primary focus on protecting the military population, a senior Pentagon official said April 27. As the Department of Health and Human Services leads the U.S. effort, the military is posturing itself to respond if required, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters Monday.
“We certainly have a number of contingency plans for dealing with health incidences like this, because our primary goal is preservation of the fighting force,” he said. “So we obviously have plans and take measures to ensure that we can preserve the fighting strength of the military in the event that there should be a greater crisis with respect to a health situation like this.”
Two prescription anti-viral drugs, relenza and tamiflu, already are standard stock at U.S. military treatment facilities, and larger quantities are stockpiled at several sites in the United States and overseas, Whitman said. President Barack Obama told the National Academy of Sciences today the emerging incidence of swine flu in the United States “is obviously a cause for concern and requires a heightened state of alert, but it’s not a cause for alarm.”

Operation Purple Summer Camps accepting applications
The National Military Family Association is now accepting applications for its popular Operation Purple Summer Camps. Each camp is “purple” and open to children of any uniformed service member, active duty or reserve component.
This year the National Military Family Association will host more than 9,000 military children at Operation Purple camps in 62 locations in 37 states and territories: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, the Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Information about specific camp locations is available at http://www.operationpurple.org/. Registration will be open until midnight EDT April 20th. Priority is given to military children with a parent deployed or deploying anytime between September 2008 and December 2009 and have not had the opportunity to attend an Operation Purple camp in the past. Camps are free to all participants thanks to support from the Sierra Club and the Sierra Club Foundation.
The National Military Family Association understands these are trying times for our youngest heroes. Operation Purple camps bring together kids in similar situations and teach them coping skills to better deal with their feelings. At the same time, camp helps build their confidence by introducing new experiences like learning to be stewards of the environment.
The National Military Family Association is the leading nonprofit organization committed to improving the lives of military families. Our 40 years of service and accomplishments have made us a trusted resource for families and the Nation’s leaders. As the only non profit organization that represents the families of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Association protects benefits vital to all families, including those of the deployed, wounded, and fallen. For more information, visit http://www.nmfa.org/.
For more information or to apply online, visit www.operationpurple.org/.

Three more ships on their way to new homeport, San Diego!
Three of the eight mine countermeasure ships will continue the transfer from 2nd Fleet's Area of Responsibility to 3rd Fleet.
The three ships will depart Naval Station Ingleside's waterfront and begin a month-long journey to their new homeport in San Diego.
USS Champion (MCM 4), USS Devastator (MCM 6) and USS Pioneer (MCM 9) are set to leave for a permanent change of duty station in accordance with the Department of Defense Base Relocation and Closure Commission's directed closure of Naval Station Ingleside. One of the three remaining ships will set sail once maintenance and upgrades are complete. Two other MCM ships will be heavy lifted.
This is the second phase of ships moving to San Diego. USS Warrior (MCM 10) and USS Chief (MCM 14) arrived at their new homeport at Naval Base San Diego April 17.
The moves are part of the consolidation of mine warfare surface assets in to align resources, consolidate expertise and increase cost savings in maintenance, training and operations.
In addition to the MCM ships changing homeports, other mine warfare commands moving to the West Coast include: MCM Crews, MCM Class Squadron, MCM Squadron 1, MCM Squadron 3, Mobile Mine Assembly Group and Mobile Mine Assembly Unit 15.