MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE
LOCATIONS
LAND
MARITIME
23 Feb 09. HMS ENDURANCE: Damage Assessment. The Armed Forces’ Minister said (23 Feb 09) that work has already been undertaken to assess HMS ENDURANCE’s material state but that further investigations are to take place when the ship returns to the UK (on or about 20 Mar 09). A full assessment of the ship’s condition is due to be completed by 31 May 09.
Comment: HMS ENDURANCE’s difficulties started with an engine room flooding in the Magellan Strait on 16 Dec 08. Despite the damage, ‘Warship World’ (March 2009) and other informed sources say that the Ice Patrol Ship is to be repaired and returned to duty. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 09/11, 09 Mar 09)
12 Mar 09. Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter announced March 12 that the fourth littoral combat ship (LCS) will be named USS Coronado. The announcement continues the practice of naming the agile LCS vessels after American mid-sized cities, small towns and communities. The ship is named in honor of the patriotic citizens of Coronado, Calif. Home to Naval Air Base North Island (NASNI) and Naval Amphibious Base (NAB), Coronado has been home to the Navy since 1917. More than 90 tenant commands reside at NASNI, including the Naval Aviation Depot, the largest aerospace employer in San Diego. The base is homeport to two aircraft carriers, USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). NAB Coronado has approximately 5,000 personnel and more than 30 tenant commands including Naval Surface Force Pacific and Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Pacific. The base is also home to Naval Special Warfare Command including several SEAL (Sea, Air, Land) and special boat teams, and the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training center.
PLANT CLOSURES, JOB LOSSES AND STRIKES
13 Mar 09. The 74th Secretary of the Navy, Donald C. Winter, resigned his office today as planned. Winter had agreed to remain in office until March 13, 2009, to ease the transition of the Department of Defense. “As I relinquish my duties as Secretary of the Navy, I count myself blessed for having had the opportunity to serve as your Secretary,” Winter said in a message to the Navy and Marine Corps. “No period in my professional life can compare to the experiences that I have had in this position.” Winter became the Secretary of the Navy on Jan. 3, 2006. During his tenure, Winter focused on three priorities: prosecuting the war against terrorist enemies in Iraq and Afghanistan; taking care of wounded Sailors, Marines and their families; and building the future fleet. Additionally, he carried out far-reaching acquisition reforms, with an emphasis on rebuilding an acquisition corps of professionals within the department, demanding accountability, and insisting on a systems engineering approach to acquisitions. Under Winter’s leadership, the Department of the Navy strove to maintain a balance of environmental stewardship while preserving the professional training requirements of the Navy and Marine Corps. The importance of these efforts was recognized by the Supreme Court in a precedent setting opinion. Winter also enhanced the Navy’s role in missile defense, codified policies to leverage special operations capabilities in the Navy and Marine Corps, and increased the department’s focus on intelligence collection and analysis. “Every time I meet with Sailors and Marines, I come away impressed by the tremendous capability and flexibility of our warfighters to accomplish the mission, no matter what the challenge,” he said. “I am honored to have served you as your Secretary. Thank you for your service to our nation.”
09 Mar 09. More than three times as many foreign information technology workers, from outside the European Union, came to work in the UK last year than during the dotcom boom, in spite of the economic downturn, according to figures released on Monday. The influx has coincided with thousands of Britis