NewsBytes May 29, 2020
In this issue:
FRA NED Participates Event at Ft. McHenry
VA Secretary Confers on VA Response to COVID-19
Navy Wants Ships to Be Free of COVID-19
SecNav Confirmed by Senate
FRA NED Participates in President Trump’s Memorial Day Event at Ft. McHenry
National Executive Director Chris Slawinski attended President Trump’s Memorial Day address at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland. The event honored recent and past fallen military members while likening their contributions to service members currently on the front lines battling the coronavirus. “I stand before you at this noble fortress of American liberty to pay tribute to the immortal souls who fought and died to keep us free. Earlier today, the First Lady and I laid a wreath in their sacred honor at Arlington National Cemetery. Now we come together to salute the flag they gave their lives to so boldly and brilliantly defend. And we pledge, in their cherished memories, that this majestic flag will proudly fly forever.” The President referred to the Coronavirus as “the invisible enemy” on a day when much of the city and the nation remained closed down and the nation’s death toll from the pandemic was nearing 100,000, the nation’s observance of the holiday was subdued. The first lady Melania Trump accompanied the President at the event.
VA Secretary Confers with House MilCon/VA on VA Response to COVID-19
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie appeared before the House Military Construction-VA Appropriations subcommittee to discuss the VA’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic. The secretary noted that out of the 11,500 veterans who tested positive for the virus, more than 9000 have recovered with 1500 currently being treated. The VA has maintained a minimum of a two-week stockpile of critical supplies used for combating the virus. The VA changed its hiring process to meet the demands of the virus, which lead to the hiring of more than 10,000 employees who were able to quickly get to the front lines. The secretary hopes to make the changes in the hiring process permanent because it allowed the VA to rapidly employ and deploy workers. Wilkie claimed that the policies put in place to safeguard employees is, in part, the reason the VA had a very low infection rate among the staff. He vowed that the VA would continue to provide rapid testing for all employees.
The VA has met with the CEO’s of major companies in order to put a plan in place for supplies in case the virus boomerangs. The expansion of telehealth has helped the VA to continue the mission of taking care of veterans even in rural areas through a supply of internet equipped tablets. The VA is assisting state run veterans’ centers manage the onslaught of the virus.
The hearing marks the first in-person appearance by a cabinet-level official at a House hearing since much of the Capitol campus was locked down in mid-March to stem the spread of the virus. Only 25 people were allowed into the hearing. That includes the panel of witnesses as well as up to 11 lawmakers on the appropriations subcommittee.
Navy Wants Ships at Sea to Be Free of COVID-19
After outbreaks of the coronavirus on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and the destroyer USS Kidd while at sea, the Navy developed new standardized operational guidance for the fleet during the pandemic. The guidelines were based on lessons learned from combating the disease. The Navy’s new standards for ships at sea is to now operate as clean “bubbles,” allowing only people aboard who have been medically screened and who adhere to health mitigation measures. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak onboard ships, the DoD Inspector General has initiated an evaluation of Navy’s approach to preventing the spread of infectious diseases aboard its ships and submarines.
SecNav Confirmed by Senate
The U.S. Senate recently confirmed Kenneth J. Braithwaite as Secretary of the Navy. He most recently served as the U.S. ambassador to Norway. He was selected for the top civilian post in the Navy in November and will succeed Richard Spencer. Braithwaite is a former naval aviator and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. During his nomination hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Braithwaite promised to set the proper tone at the top and work to restore the appropriate culture at the Navy.
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