Beverly Kelley

Beverly G. Kelley was the first woman to command a U.S. military vessel.
Background.
Kelley was raised in Miami, Florida and graduated from the University of Miami with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. In January 1976 she enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and then attended Officer Candidate School in Yorktown, Virginia from February through June 1976. She earned her master of arts degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and a master of science degree in national resource management from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C.
Career.
Kelley was the first woman to command an American military vessel of any branch of the service, specifically a Coast Guard cutter, the 95-foot patrol boat on April 12, 1979. In 1996, she was also the first woman to command a medium endurance cutter, In 2000, she became commander of the high endurance cutter, , and made history as the first woman ever to do so. She retired on April 22, 2006 at the rank of captain.
Later life.
Kelley was appointed to an open seat on the Queen Anne's County Board of Education by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley in 2011. She was elected to the seat in November 2012, re-elected in November 2016 and continued to serve through 2020. Kelley served as president of the board during the 2018-2019 school year. She was not a candidate for re-election in November 2020.
Kelley became a member of the Defense Department Advisory Committee on Women in the Services in March 2013 and continued to serve on the committee through 2016.
Personal.
Kelley is married to Kevin M. Tokarski, who is Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift at the United States Maritime Administration of the Department of Transportation. The couple have one son.
Honors.
Her military decorations during her thirty years of service include:


Battle of Corunna order of battle

This is the order of battle for the Battle of Corunna, 16 January 1809.
French II Corps d'Armée.
Commander-in-Chief: Marshal Jean-de-Dieu Soult
Total: between 13,000 and 20,000
British Army.
Commander-in-Chief: Lt Gen Sir John Moore (k)
Lt Gen Sir David Baird (w)
Lt Gen the Hon John Hope
Total: approx. 15,000


Rich Coleman

Rich Coleman (born c. 1956) is a politician and former police officer who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in British Columbia from 1996 to 2020, and is a former interim leader of the British Columbia Liberal Party. He was first elected in 1996 and re-elected in 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2017. Coleman represented the riding of Langley East.
Early life.
Coleman was born in Nelson before the family moved to Penticton in 1957 where he graduated from Penticton Secondary School in 1971. His father was a civil servant and his mother Rosa Coleman was a school English teacher. He has five siblings and is married to Michele Coleman.
Before entering politics, Coleman was member of the RCMP and ran a real estate management business.
Cabinet and leadership positions.
In January 2007, as BC Forests and Range Minister, at the request of Western Forest Products, Rich Coleman approved the removal of 28,283 hectares (approx. 70,000 acres) of private land from three coastal tree farm licences along the south-west coast of Vancouver Island and transferred ownership of these lands in totality to Western Forest Products. Minister Coleman announced this decision about eight months after his brother, Stan Coleman, joined Western Forest Products as their manager of strategic planning.
In response to the many concerns and allegations of this land giveaway, the University of Victoria's Environmental Law Centre requested an official investigation by the Auditor-General's Office of British Columbia. On July 1, 2008, BC Auditor-General John Doyle released his report, "Removing Private Land from Tree Farm Licences 6, 19 & 25: Protecting the Public Interest?" In his report he "condemned former forests minister Rich Coleman for allowing a forestry company to remove land from three tree farm licences for residential development, citing the possibilities of conflicts of interest and insider trading by government staff."
Rich Coleman was the interim leader of the British Columbia Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition in the British Columbia Legislative Assembly, from August 4, 2017 to February 3, 2018.
From 2012 to 2017 he was Deputy Premier and served variously as Minister of Natural Gas Development, Minister Responsible for Housing.
Coleman served as Chair of the Cabinet Working Group on Mental Health, Vice Chair of the Cabinet Priorities and Planning Committee and was a member of the Cabinet Committees on Jobs and Economic Growth and Environment and Land Use. Coleman was also Government House Leader. He previously served as Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Minister of Forests and Range, Minister Responsible for Housing, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General and Minister of Housing and Social Development.
As Minister of Housing and Social Development, Rich Coleman presided over those years when offshore foreign investment in BC real estate was a growing public concern, amidst a growing housing crisis. As late as July 2015, Rich Coleman refused to comply with repeated requests for relevant data and analysis: “We’ve worked with the real estate guys for years and have got data on sales,” Coleman said. Asked twice why not at least share the data, he redirected the topic to dangers of restricting foreign investment, claiming that “throws an ethnic group out there and says they’re the problem.” By August 2016, with a year leading up to the next provincial election (May 2017), "the B.C. government moved so quickly to institute its new tax on foreign buyers that it never finished a promised study into the impact of foreign ownership on housing affordability."
From 1996 to 2001, Coleman served as opposition housing critic, forests deputy critic, and caucus whip, and was a member of the Official Opposition Caucus Committee on Crime.
Coleman was the minister responsible for the April 2009 shutdown of an RCMP task force on illegal gambling, three months after it warned that organized crime was involved in both legal and illegal gaming activities in BC. Internal government records were later released suggesting that the task force was disbanded due to "funding pressure ... and perceived ineffectiveness." Coleman has said that the team was shut down because "it wasn't effective." In early 2020 new revelations came to light regarding the extent and criminality of this episode of money laundering in BC. Rich Coleman "was repeatedly asked to respond in an interview to the allegations in this story" but refused, agreeing by statement only to cooperate with any future inquiry.
On December 1, 2010, Coleman announced to the media he had decided not to enter the provincial Liberal leadership race to replace retiring BC Premier Gordon Campbell. Coleman indicated he had planned to announce his run on Thursday, had MLA support and campaign funds, but decided not to pursue the post due to family reasons. He was considered a frontrunner to replace Gordon Campbell.
Coleman is considered one of the best fundraisers and organizers for the BC Liberals.
In February 2019, Coleman announced that he would not seek re-election in the next provincial election.
Honors.
Coleman received the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003.
He was awarded the Canada 125 Medal for community service.
Coleman was the 1988 Langley, British Columbia Volunteer of the Year
Coleman was awarded Rotary's top honour the Paul Harris Fellowship
Coleman was the second person ever awarded Kin Canada (Kinsmen)'s highest honour, the Hal Rogers Fellowship, after Kin founder Harold A. Rogers.


Frank Drew (lighthouse keeper)

Frank Albert Drew (1864–1931) was a lighthouse keeper. He was Assistant Keeper Pilot Island Light from 1899 to 1903, First Assistant Keeper, Green Island Light-Station from 1903 to 1909, and Keeper of Green Island Light-Station from 1904 to 1929.
The United States Coast Guard coastal buoy tender "Frank Drew" (WLM-557) based in Portsmouth, Virginia is named for him.
Frank was appointed to the United States Life-Saving Service in 1899 and promoted to head keeper in 1909, at which time his older brother George was made assistant keeper.
Over the next several years, Frank and George assisted numerous people who found themselves in trouble near Green Island:
In 1913, the pair rescued two men and two women and went to the assistance of twenty-three people on the gasoline boat Neptune, which was in serious danger.
In 1915, the pair towed the disabled launch Alice W. to safety, assisted four men in a leaky motor boat, rescued two men and one woman in a disabled boat, and assisted the grounded launch Wesley L.
In 1916, Frank helped free the stranded steamer Starlight off a reef.
In 1920, Frank towed a disabled launch to Menominee.
In 1921, Frank towed the disabled yacht Vanity to Menominee.
In 1922, Frank rendered assistance to the disabled fishing tug Loyd, towing it to Marinette after making temporary repairs at the station.
After having spent most of December 1925 on the island with no communication with the mainland, Keeper Drew and Alfred Cornell, his assistant, set off on foot for Marinette, Wisconsin. The five-mile trek across the frozen ice of Green Bay took three hours, as a gale was blowing and the men were forced to stop multiple times due to the extreme cold. An automatic acetylene light would serve to light Green Island until the keepers returned the following spring.
In October 1928, twenty-seven-year-old Thomas Mitchell, accompanied by his wife and a dog, took off from Sturgeon Bay for a flight across Green Bay in the “Miss Door County,” a Stinson monoplane owned by Cherryland Airways. While approaching Green Island at an altitude of 1,200 feet, the plane developed engine trouble, prompting Mitchell to land the plane on the island's short strip of flat beach. Friends awaiting the arrival of the couple in Menominee grew worried after they failed to arrive and notified the Coast Guard, but sea conditions were too poor to launch a search. Keeper Frank Drew put the couple up for the night on Green Island before taking them to Menominee the following day in his boat.
Frank Drew retired from the Lighthouse Service in 1929 and died unexpectedly in 1931 from heart failure. His grave is marked by a granite monument inscribed with a lighthouse. In more recent years, a metal plaque with the following inscription was attached to the monument: “On 17 June 1999, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter FRANK DREW (WLM557) was commissioned in Marinette. The cutter bearing Captain Drew’s name services Aids to Navigation in the Chesapeake Bay.” The Coast Guard has honored some of the country's most distinguished keepers by naming their Keeper Class Coastal Buoy Tenders after them. In 2012, there were fourteen such tenders in service.


List of Sri Lankan Air Force squadrons

This is a list of aircraft squadrons of the Sri Lanka Air Force.


USCGC Forrest Rednour

USCGC "Forrest Rednour" (WPC-1129) is the 29th cutter built for the United States Coast Guard. She is the first of the four vessels of her class to be home-ported in San Pedro, California. Other sister ships have been based in Florida, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, New Jersey, North Carolina, Hawaii and Alaska. But "Forrest Rednour" is the first to be homeported on the west coast of the lower 48 states. The vessel will be homeported at a base near Los Angeles' Terminal Island. Three sister ships will join her, at this base.
Design.
Like her sister ships, "Forrest Rednour" is designed to perform search and rescue missions, port security, and the interception of smugglers. She is armed with a remotely-controlled, gyro-stabilized 25 mm autocannon, four crew served M2 Browning machine guns, and light arms. She is equipped with a stern launching ramp, that allows her to launch or retrieve a water-jet propelled high-speed auxiliary boat, without first coming to a stop. Her high-speed boat has over-the-horizon capability, and is useful for inspecting other vessels, and deploying boarding parties.
Operational history.
"Forrest Rednour" arrived at Los Angeles on August 13, 2018.
Namesake.
In 2010, Charles "Skip" W. Bowen, who was then the United States Coast Guard's most senior non-commissioned officer, proposed that all 58 cutters in the Sentinel class should be named after enlisted sailors in the Coast Guard, or one of its precursor services, who were recognized for their heroism. In 2015 the Coast Guard announced that Forrest Rednour would be the namesake of the 29th cutter.


Allard Roen

Allard Roen (May 8, 1921 – August 28, 2008) was an American businessman in the hospitality industry. He was the Managing Director of the Desert Inn and the Stardust Resort and Casino in Paradise, Nevada. He was a co-founder of the Sunrise Hospital, The Boulevard Mall and the Las Vegas Country Club. Later, he was a co-founder and the on-site Manager of the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California.
Biography.
Early life.
Roen was born on May 8, 1921, in Cleveland, Ohio. He was awarded a baseball scholarship to attend Duke University, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business in 1943. He served as Lieutenant in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946.
Career.
Allard arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1949. Shortly after, he was hired by Moe Dalitz to serve as the Managing Director of the Desert Inn. As such, he negotiated with labor unions and construction companies to build the casino. Shortly after it was built, in 1952, he added a golf course for guests. When Dalitz acquired the Stardust Resort and Casino, Roen became its Managing Director as well. In this capacity, he negotiated for the Le Lido, a Paris-based cabaret company, to perform at the Desert Inn. A proponent of civil rights, he reached an agreement with the NAACP to allow black guests at the Desert Inn and the Stardust in 1960. Eventually, he negotiated to sell the Desert Inn to Howard Hughes.
With Moe Dalitz, Irwin Molasky and Merv Adelson, he founded Paradise Development, a real estate development company in the 1950s. Together, they founded the Sunrise Hospital, The Boulevard Mall and the Las Vegas Country Club. Roen served as the first President of the Nevada Resort Association. He also served on the Board of Trustees of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
In the late 1960s, he reconvened with Molasky and Adelson to develop the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California. The luxury resort had a golf course and an equestrian center. Roen served as its on-site manager from 1967 to 1987. The resort was eventually sold to Sports Shinko Co., a Japanese company, in 1987.
Personal life.
He was married to Evelyn Roen. They had a son, Jeffrey, and three daughters, Judy, Priscilla, and Melissa. Roen was one of the founders of the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas.
Death.
He died of heart disease on August 28, 2008, in Carlsbad, California, at the age of eighty-seven. His funeral took place at El Camino Memorial Park in San Diego, California.


Michael P. Leavitt

Michael Phillip Leavitt (born Fruitland, Idaho, September 11, 1960) was the eleventh Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (MCPOCG). He assumed the position from MCPOCG Charles W. Bowen on May 21, 2010 and was relieved on May 22, 2014 by Steven W. Cantrell. Leavitt was previously serving as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Deputy Commandant for Operations at Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC.
Personal.
Master Chief Leavitt's assignments have included:
Master Chief Leavitt's awards include the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal, Coast Guard Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with an operational distinguishing device, five Coast Guard Commendation Medals with the operational distinguishing device, three Coast Guard Achievement Medals with the operational distinguishing device and numerous other individual and unit awards. He has earned a permanent Cutterman Insignia, Surfman Badge and the Officer in Charge Afloat and Ashore devices. He is a graduate of the Chief Petty Officers Academy Class 34. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) and is pursuing a Master of Arts in Training and Education.


San Jacinto Ordnance Depot

The San Jacinto Ordnance Depot was a World War II facility built on an almost site located on the Houston Ship Channel, approximately southeast of downtown Houston, Texas. The job of the depot was to support the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy by storing and inspecting ammunition received from manufacturers that was being shipped through the Port of Houston docks, and storing and inspecting ammunition received from domestic U.S. military bases and areas of overseas operations.
The depot also supported army and navy operations for a short while after World War II, but plans were made to gradually phase out the depot's mission. Before the depot could be shut down, the United States became involved in the Korean War, and plans to cease operations were postponed. The depot was finally determined to be unnecessary in 1959, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers was given control and responsibility of the site. The land and facilities of the depot were sold to the Houston Channel Industrial Corporation in October 1964.


Royal Thai Army Aviation Center

The Royal Thai Army Aviation Center ( is the administrative organization in the Royal Thai Army responsible for doctrine, personnel, and configuration of all army aviation units. It is based at Fort Princess Srinagarindra, in Mueang Lopburi District.
History.
Thai military aviation began in 1911 when three Siamese army officers were sent to France to learn to pilot aircraft. They returned to Siam in 1913 with four Nieuport monoplanes and four Breguet biplanes. An aerodrome constructed at Don Mueang and the army aviation units moved there on 17 March 1914. On 27 March 1914 the unit became the Army Air Corps. Since then, 27 March has been observed as the birthday of the Royal Thai Air Force.
In 1918, the Army Air Corps gained the status of a division consisting of three wings. It remained under the army until December 1921 when it was renamed the Air Division and was placed directly under the Ministry of War. The Air Division's name changed again in 1935 to the Air Force Division. In 1937 it was proclaimed the Royal Thai Air Force. In 1967 the Army Aviation School was founded, and the Army Aviation Center was created on 20 September 1977.
Organization.
Aircraft.
The Royal Thai Army is known to operate the following aircraft types:


USCGC Klamath (WHEC-66)

USCGC "Klamath" (WHEC-66) was an "Owasco" class high endurance cutter built for World War II service with the United States Coast Guard. The war ended before the ship was completed and consequently "Klamath" did not see wartime service until the Vietnam War.
"Klamath" was built by Western Pipe & Steel at the company's San Pedro shipyard. Named after Klamath Lake, Oregon, she was commissioned as a patrol gunboat with ID number WPG-66 on 19 June 1946. Her ID was later changed to WHEC-66 (HEC for "High Endurance Cutter" - the "W" signifies a Coast Guard vessel).
Peacetime service.
"Klamath" was homeported at Seattle, Washington, from 19 June 1946 to 1 May 1973. She was used for law enforcement, ocean station, and search and rescue operations in the Pacific. Additionally, she also conducted Bering Sea Patrol annually.
From 20 to 24 March 1966, she inspected the Soviet MV "Olyturka", which had sought haven in U.S. waters following a casualty. On 25 March 1966, the Japanese FV's "Bansho Maru No. 38" and "Tenyo Maru No. 3" were discovered in U.S. waters and escorted out.
 January 1972, Klamath was dispatched from Alaskan patrol to render assistance to the Japanese
 freighter Tenzan Maru, which was taking on water 800 miles west of Seattle. Klamath crew
 boarded the Tenzan Maru and installed temporary repairs, then escorted the freighter to
 San Francisco.
Vietnam War.
"Klamath" was assigned to Coast Guard Squadron Three, South Vietnam, from 14 May 1969 to 31 January 1970.
Return to peacetime duties.
In February 1972, a boarding party from "Klamath" helped save the badly damaged MV "Tenzan Maru" and she was subsequently escorted to safety.
Decommissioning.
"Klamath" was decommissioned on 1 May 1973 and was sold for scrap on 18 November 1974.


National Commodore (United States Coast Guard Auxiliary)

The National Commodore (NACO) of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is its most senior and principal officer. The national commodore represents the Auxiliary and reports to the commandant of the Coast Guard through the vice commandant of the Coast Guard. Additionally, the national commodore represents the Auxiliary with all Coast Guard flag officers and flag officer equivalent civilians at Coast Guard headquarters on Auxiliary matters. The national commodore functions to support the commandant's strategic goals and objectives and serve auxiliarists.
Evolution of title.
The title of national commodore dates to 1951, when Bert C. Pouncey, Jr. was elected as the first NACO at the first National Conference.
List of National Commodores.
There have been 34 national commodores of the Coast Guard Auxiliary since the office was enacted in 1951. Alex Malewski is the current national commodore.


USCGC Eagle

USCGC "Eagle" may refer to:


RCMP harassment policy

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is Canada's national police force established in 1920 after the Cabinet moved to have the Royal North-West Mounted Police absorb the Dominion Police. The RCMP's primary mandate is to maintain "peace and order," and Officers provide police services to all Canadian provinces, excluding Québec and Ontario, as well as to the three Canadian territories, and more than 180 municipalities and Indigenous communities.
In recent years there has been growing criticism of the level of harassment occurring within the RCMP and how harassment complaints are handled internally. The Government of Canada has acknowledged that the RCMP has a "crises in governance, culture and public accountability" that needs to be addressed. In 2014, the RCMP responded to the multitude of reports published by taking into account some of the recommendations for improvement in their current RCMP internal harassment complaint policy outlined in the "Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act." The RCMP is one of "Canada's most iconic national institutions" however, the current harassment policy has still been deemed insufficient.
Harassment in the workplace.
The Canadian Human Rights Commission defines harassment as "a form of discrimination. It includes any unwanted physical or verbal behaviour that offends or humiliates you. Generally, harassment is a behaviour that persists over time. Serious one-time incidents can also sometimes be considered harassment."
The Treasury Board Policy on Harassment Prevention and Resolution expands on this definition, defining harassment as:
"Improper conduct by an individual, that is directed at and offensive to another individual in the workplace, including at any event or any location related to work, and that the individual knew or ought reasonably to have known would cause offence or harm. It comprises any objectionable act(s), comment(s) or display(s) that demean, belittle, or cause personal humiliation or embarrassment, and any act of intimidation or threat."
Using data from the 2016 General Social Survey (GSS) on Canadians at Work and Home, Statistics Canada finds that 19% of women and 13% of men experienced harassment in the workplace in the past year of at least one type (verbal abuse, humiliating behaviour, threats, physical violence, and unwanted sexual attention or sexual harassment), with verbal abuse being most commonly experienced. For every type reported, the proportion of women reporting was larger than the proportion of men.
The 2014 Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey found that 61% of people who are bullied at work lose their job, and 74% lose their particular job (i.e. 13% of those bullied move to a different job or location but remain with the same employer). WBI also found that only 15% of perpetrators lost their job.
Workplace harassment has serious physical and mental health and financial consequences for the individual being harassed. If employees leave their job, this increases recruitment and training costs for companies and may place harassed individuals in an economically unstable position. It has been found that harassment increases employee's use of their benefits programs and sick leaves, and reduces their productivity, significantly impacting employers.
Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC).
Created in 1988, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (originally known as the Commission for Public Complaints against the RCMP) is an independent, impartial body that receives complaints from the public and reviews the handling of complaints when the complainant is dissatisfied with the RCMP's review process. On average, the CRCC receives approximately 2,000 public complaints per year. The Commission helps to uphold various laws and legislations including:
Public recognition of harassment within the RCMP.
In June 2001, the Treasury Board amended its "Policy on the Prevention and Resolution of Harassment in the Workplace". In a statement by Odette Lalumière, Senior Counsel for the Canadian Judicial Counsel, spoke specifically to the RCMP's handling of internal harassment policy complaints, stating that their policy must comply with Treasury Board policy. Lalumière continues to say that “the Committee recently reminded the Force of this obligation in case G-251” in January–March 2001.
Task Force on Governance and Cultural Change in the RCMP: The "Brown Report".
In 2007, the Government of Canada established a Task Force to address the "crises in governance, culture and public accountability" within the RCMP. The report, presented to the Minister of Public Safety and the President of the Treasury Board, investigated these concerns including: human resource capacity; training for current and future persons in positions of authority; processing of complaints on all matters, and the "culture of policing" which they identify "one of fear and intimidation" by persons in positions of authority. The report makes 49 recommendations for structural change.
Public Interest Investigation Report Into Issues of Workplace Harassment within the RCMP.
In November 2011, Ian McPhail, the former Interim Chair of the Commission for Public Complaints against the RCMP (now known as Civilian Review and Complaints Commission) made an official complaint and declared the initiation of a public interest investigation regarding the process in which allegations of harassment within RCMP workplaces are handled.
The Commission stated it will examine:
In February 2013, the Report, "Public Interest Investigation Report Into Issues of Workplace Harassment within the RCMP, was published." The Report examined 718 workplace harassment complaints against the RCMP from 2005–2001. The key findings from the report reveal that 90% of complaints could “readily be classified” as abuse of authority (e.g. bullying, psychological abuse, and belittling and demeaning behaviour), and that 386 (56%) were repeated incidents of “perceived harassment.” Additionally, 4% of all complaints reported sexual harassment.
Civilian Review and Complaints Commission Recommendations.
Based on the findings of the Report, the Commission made eleven recommendations in total, which address five areas that require improvement:
Current RCMP harassment policy.
In reaction to the CRCC's 2013 Report, the RCMP reformed its "Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act" in 2014, and introduced new disciplinary processes for those who do not act in accordance with the "Code of Conduct." The policies have been described as "zero tolerance," however there remain many critiques by the CRCC, specifically that these specific policies make it even more difficult to report and results in too many complaints being deemed "unfounded."
Internal process for addressing complaints.
Since 2014, the internal process for addressing complaints of harassment within the RCMP follows a review system as follows:
(a) If an allegation of harassment is made and there is an early resolution (e.g. through mediation), this is the end of the process.
(b) If a written complaint is made, it is referred to a Human Resources Officer who decides if there is sufficient evidence to warrant a final decision or if there needs to be a further investigation. The Human Resources Officer makes recommendations to the Responsible Officer (the Responsible Officer is typically a police officer from the same Division as the complainants) who makes the ultimate final decision regarding the complaint.
(c) If the Human Resources Officer recommends a criminal investigation, they will inform the Responsible Officer who will initiate a Code of Conduct investigation pursuant to Part IV of the RCMP Act.
Lawsuits & settlements.
In 2015, four RCMP officers (Alice Fox, Catherine Galliford, Susan Gastaldo and Atoya Montague) who were in the midst of civil lawsuits against the RCMP for alleged harassment wrote to the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and the Liberal Members of Parliament and Senators. The letter asked these figures for support in ensuring the women were not discharged from the RCMP before their civil legal proceedings were concluded.
The letter spurred the "Review of four cases of civil litigation against the RCMP on Workplace Harassment," also known as the "Fraser Report" so named after the primary author of the Report, Sheila Fraser. The Report, written to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (Honourable Ralph Goodale, P.C., M.P.), found that the process of civil litigation regarding alleged workplace harassment in the RCMP places unfair burden on the complainant, particularly in financial and emotional costs. Fraser reports that these costs are "an indication of the failure of the RCMP to effectively deal with their cases."
Female policing RCMP class action.
These four cases resulted in a significant win for current and former female RCMP employees who had experienced harassment within the workplace.
On October 6, 2016, the then RCMP Commissioner, Bob Paulson, officially apologized and offer $100 million in compensation for harassment and sexual abuse against female officers and employees in the RCMP, affecting more than 3,100 officers who claimed these offences occurred on the job.
Female non-policing RCMP class action.
In 2019, a class action lawsuit was formed on the grounds of alleged gender and sexual orientation-based discrimination and harassment within the RCMP.
While the RCMP has not admitted liability, they have settled with compensation of $10,000 - $220,000 for public-identified females who experienced harassment (including sexual harassment, physical assault, bullying based on gender or sexual orientation, sexual assault, and intimidation or abuse based on gender or sexual orientation) from September 16, 1974 (the first year women were welcomed into the RCMP) to July 5, 2019 by RCMP personnel. This is the second $100 million settlement in 3 years.
Eligible class members include publicly-identified females that “worked or volunteer in an RCMP controlled workplace supervised or managed by the RCMP” including but not limited to: public service employees, commissionaires, volunteers, contractors, and municipal or regional district employees.


Port of Hueneme

The Port of Hueneme in the city of Port Hueneme, California, United States, is the only deep water harbor between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area. Located in Ventura County on the Santa Barbara Channel, the port complex not only serves international shipping businesses but is an operating facility of Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC).
The original wharf was built to serve the new farmers on the Oxnard Plain and became the largest grain-shipping port south of San Francisco. The modern port continues this legacy as a dominant port for agribusiness (fruit and other produce), liquids, fresh seafood and vehicles. Bulk cargo and automobiles are specialties of the port and distinguishes it from much larger ports. General cargo includes household goods and oversized cargo. This includes providing support services for the offshore oil industry in the Santa Barbara Channel.<ref name="VCS 2021/01/08"></ref>
The port has a direct highway connection to the nationwide freight network which raises the status of the port and gives it access to more federal funding resulting in a competitive advantage. The port owns a railroad line through Port Hueneme and south Oxnard that is operated by the Ventura County Railroad and connects nationally to the Coast Route of Union Pacific. The District does not perform cargo handling operations as the companies shipping through the port take responsibility in cooperation with the port district. The commercial port operations have five deep-water berths.
The Navy controls the ship movements. As a shared port between NBVC and the Oxnard Harbor District, the U.S. Navy has over of berthing space for various ship platforms for use by tenant commands of NBVC: Port Hueneme and transient government contract/military shipping.
History.
European immigrants began farming on the Oxnard Plain in the 1860s but the area was isolated due to the difficult overland routes. Thomas R. Bard chose Point Hueneme as the site of a wharf to take advantage of the naturally occurring depth of a submarine canyon. The extra depth meant there was less surge while the boats were loading or unloading than there would be at other locations. Before the construction of a in 1872, goods had been shuttled through the surf zone to reach offshore vessels. Hueneme soon became the largest grain-shipping port south of San Francisco and the wharf was extended to in 1897.
Three- and four-masted wooden schooners brought lumber from the north and carried grain, lima beans and sheep to markets in San Francisco. Teams of horses pulling wagons waited for the load of grain to be weighed in lines that stretched six blocks. Hoping to connect the new wharf with ore mines in Inyo County, Bard launched a campaign to build a road through the Santa Clara River Valley. Bard also platted the townsite of Hueneme to support the activity at the port and build a family home.
In 1898, the railroad line that had connected Ventura to Los Angeles crossed the Santa Clara River at El Rio on a new bridge. The line continued due south to where the town of Oxnard was being established at the site of the American Beet Sugar Company factory being built by the Oxnard Brothers in the middle portion of the plain. Passenger and freight traffic declined as they shifted to the railroad. Traffic was drastically reduced when the coast route was finished and became the most direct route between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The Harbor District was formed April 29, 1937 with an area of about . Building the port became even more important when a storm destroyed the wharf in 1938. On February 4, 1939, the groundbreaking ceremony drew hundreds of people. This great endeavor was front-page news in Ventura County as the United States emerged from the Great Depression. The U.S. military took control of the entire harbor after the outbreak of World War II and significantly enlarged the deep water port. Bard's was leased by the Navy during World War II and acquired by the government in 1951. His home, Berylwood mansion, remains within the military base and is used as a conference center. Several other large properties adjacent to port were also acquired to establish the Advance Base Depot which began operating May 18, 1942 to provide support for the Naval Construction Force, commonly called the Seabees. Massive amounts of equipment and materiel were shipped from here to the war efforts in the Pacific. The base was renamed the Naval Construction Battalion Center in 1945 and became an operating facility of Naval Base Ventura County in 2000.
The District has regained control over and an additional of private and public land serve support functions for the port. This has come about due to the gradual realignment and reduction in the nation's defense forces. For example, were added to the port's existing in 1997 as obsolete military facilities were demolished. Commercial shipping activities have consistently expanded and taken advantage of the additional space. Both the port and military base are within the corporate limits of the city of Port Hueneme.
In 2008 the port repaired the on the south side of the entrance that protects the shoreline and marine terminals from coastal erosion. The project included construction of the Waterfront Promenade, also known as the Lighthouse Promenade. The path is wide enough to accommodate emergency or service vehicles and is lighted. The path provides paved public access along the shore by replacing a dirt path and connecting with the pathways at Hueneme Beach. The old seawall material was recycled by crushing the rock and using it as base material for the pathway.
In 2019, the largest drug seizure at the port in decades was the result of a joint investigation by officers from Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations. In January, cocaine was found under the floorboards of two ships.
Cargo volume grew 44% between 2009 and 2018. In 2019, the annual volume of cargo was 1.6 million tons in 2019 worth an estimated $9 billion dollars. A modernization project that started in 2019 included adding an electric crane and deepening the harbor to .
Port operation.
The ability to handle a diverse breadth of business is one way the port distinguishes itself from the much larger nearby ports such as Long Beach and Los Angeles which are designed with the infrastructure to service container ships. The Port has five deep-water berths and two cranes for handling intermodal containers and bulk cargo. As an official port of entry into the United States and being adjacent to the Navy Base, the facility maintains a high level of security including monitoring those entering and leaving the port complex.
Automobiles and other roll-on/roll-off, high-and-heavy and project cargo are specialties of the port. Some 15,000 jobs are associated with the port including processing automobiles arriving in the port. Automotive business moving through the port accounts for 85% of the total cargo value.
The port imports and exports over through the port of Puerto Quetzal. The cargo consists mainly of bananas and various fresh produce. Bananas were the port's largest volume product in 2014 and were continuing to increase. Chiquita Brands International Inc. was importing making the port No. 2 in the nation for the company. The port’s goal is to be “the nation’s No. 1 port of choice for food production." Chiquita bananas arriving at the port are distributed to 13 western states.<ref name="VCS 2018/12/25"></ref> The port formed a partnership with global container shipping line, SeaLand, in 2016 for their West Coast Central America route. The new route allowed products to arrive in Ventura County sooner and provided a convenient point to import and export goods from Central and South America for local companies.
The port and Ecuador’s Port Bolivar agreed to become “sister ports” in 2014 and promote the banana industry together. Forty percent of the Ecuador's banana exports go through Port Bolivar and were imported through the Port of Hueneme in 2013. The ports want to be more competitive and more attractive by sharing knowledge, policies and best practices on training, facilities development, engineering and technical services, security, supply chain logistics and environmental protection. The ports expect a mutual benefit for their customers through these cooperative arrangements in technology and policy.
General cargo can include household goods and oversized cargo, such as cryogenic tanks for Vandenberg Air Force Base and a Tunnel boring machine that was delivered to Las Vegas have come though the port. The port installed pumps to suck up squid from the holds of fishing vessels when the larger ports did not have the room and were not ready to provide this service.
Military operations.
NBVC Port Operations controls all vessels entering and exiting the harbor. NBVC:Port Hueneme and OHD have a Joint Use Agreement that provides up to of secondary parcels for staging. There is more than of lay-down space with portside access for of rail for on- and off-loading military freight for the various branches of service. Response to any "on water" hazardous materials spill is provided by Navy Port Operations personnel as they are first responder qualified.
The deep water port at NBVC:Port Hueneme is one of the few military ports on the West Coast and has been the site of a centuries-old naval tradition of ship commissioning. A ceremony at the harbor placed the following ships into active service
Infrastructure and facilities.
The five deep-water berths are equipped with shore-side power capacity for vessels to plug in. The system was installed to comply with a California Air Resources Board rule requiring land-based power systems to reduce pollution coming from ships by shutting down diesel engines in order to prevent the emission of nitrogen oxides and
particulate matter into the air. Two refrigerated container vessels, owned by Fresh Del Monte Produce, plug into the system when docked at the port. Both the ships also have a hybrid scrubber system to remove remove particulate matter and sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides from the exhaust of the large marine engines that power the ships.
Two tugboats accompany ships in and out of the harbor and guide them to and from their berths. The port acquired two battery-powered terminal tractors in 2020 to move containers of fresh produce around the port. The American-made Kalmar trucks, funded with grant from the Air Resources Board, and a new tug, that came to the port in 2020, will further reduce emissions from port operations.
Three auto processors are located less than from the port. The new vehicles are inspect and accessories installed before they are delivered to dealers in the western United States. While importing automobiles has long been a staple of the port, exporting them internationally began in 1996. This resulted from foreign automakers starting to build factories on U.S. soil in the early 1980s and domestic manufacturers seeking expansion in the international market. The import and export of automobiles uses both the rail line and the easy access by truck to the nationwide freight network.
Land transportation network.
The Oxnard Harbor District acquired the Ventura County Railway Company LLC, a short line railroad, in 2003. Ventura County Railroad operates the lines which connect the port, the military base, and other facilities in south Oxnard with the Union Pacific Coast route near the Oxnard Transit Center in downtown Oxnard. The port would also benefit if the rail corridor from the Port of Hueneme through the Highway 126 corridor to Santa Clarita was reestablished to carry Central Valley and Santa Clara River Valley citrus and other products to the port and on to foreign markets.
The Hueneme Road/Rice Avenue intermodal corridor was established by the district along with the cities of Oxnard and Port Hueneme, the County of Ventura, and approved by the state transportation commission in 1998 to deal with the truck traffic. This direct route connects the port to the nationwide freight network and raises the status of the port to give it access to more federal funding resulting in a competitive advantage. Funding was put in place in 2000 to improve the dedicated freight corridor by extending Rice Road southerly to connect Hueneme Road (Port Hueneme Road within Port Hueneme city limits) and totally rebuilding the interchange for State Route 1 at Pleasant Valley Road. The new interchange at Highway 101 and Rice Avenue was dedicated in 2014 after being improved and expanded from a two-lane overpass with narrow freeway ramps that required sharp difficult turns for trucks. The interchange and road improvements also made Rice Avenue, rather than Oxnard Boulevard, the main thoroughfare between the Ventura Freeway and the Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1). An overpass has been planned for almost two decades along this route at the Rice Avenue intersection with Fifth Street (State Route 34). In February 2015, a Metrolink passenger train collided with a truck at this on-grade crossing. Funding is being allocated for design with a desire by local officials to eventually get the estimated $35 million need for this grade separation project.
Historic sites.
Three historic sites are highlighted at viewing points on the Promenade: the 1872 Wharf, the Oxnard Packing House, and extant Point Hueneme Light. The Ventura County Cultural Heritage Board designated the "Original Hueneme Wharf Site" as County Landmark #24 in 1972.
District governance.
The Oxnard Harbor District is an independent special district formed in 1937. The harbor district is governed by a five-member commission elected at-large to staggered four year terms by the voters within the district boundary. The port is one of the five of the deep water ports governed by special districts in the state of California. The state's other six deep water ports are a function of the city in which the port is located. The District boundary includes the City of Port Hueneme, most of the City of Oxnard, and the unincorporated communities of El Rio, Nyeland Acres, Silver Strand, Hollywood Beach and Hollywood by the Sea. The district formed using the existing boundary of the Oxnard Union High School District which also encompassed Camarillo, a portion of Thousand Oaks and additional unincorporated areas of the county. At the time, this seemed like the best arrangement to provide a bond measure that would provide for construction of the port. Dissatisfaction with the boundary grew over the years and the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) recommended in 1972 and 1985 that the boundaries be changed to encompass the entire county. Oxnard and Port Hueneme officials requested that the boundaries be dramatically reduced in 1989 after a report showed that these two cities experienced a high percentage of the economic benefits of the port and suffered from heavy truck traffic on city streets, noise and congestion. LAFCO approved and changed the boundary to the current configuration in January, 1991. The commissioners must live within the district and LAFCO agreed with the cities that the boundary should match the area that is most influenced by actions taken by the port.
In 1983, the district and the City of Port Hueneme developed an agreement that provided a payment to the city of 3.33 percent of the port's gross revenues for improvements and services. The agreement recognized that city roads need maintenance due to the port truck traffic and provided for improvements such as road widening. After 9/11, security was increased and the entrance to the port was moved to another street. Some improvements were no longer needed and the port no longer used additional police services from the city. By 2009, the city and port officials were at odds over the need to renegotiate the agreement. The disagreement became particularly heated as the port resolved in 2013 to stop paying a percentage of gross revenues and to only pay for the actual costs of road repair. They also accused the city of using the funds for other municipal purposes. While claiming it was unrelated to the dispute, the city council put a new tax before voters in the November 2014 election that reworks the city’s business tax code to collect more money from maritime businesses at the Port and from the military contractors at Naval Base Ventura County. Voters rejected the measure and elected two new city council members who were on good terms with harbor district leaders.
Community impacts and events.
Much of the car storage is off-site in south Oxnard where several vehicle processing centers are located. Imported cars are frequently driven out of the port on public streets to these facilities.
A volunteer group has special permission to feed feral cats that take care of rats at the port. The group manages the cat population to keep it at about 250 and feeds them three times a week at different locations around the port property. Once a month, volunteers trap cats that are new to the colony, take them to a spay and neuter clinic to be sterilized, given shots to prevent feline diseases, and get their right ears clipped so they can be identified. The cats are then returned to where they were found and allowed to live out their lives. Many of these cats were dumped by owners. The biggest problem with the colony is that other people feed the animals and throw the population out of balance with the harbor rodents the cats are there to control.
MV "Conception", a dive boat that caught fire and sank, was brought to the port from Santa Cruz Island overnight on September 13, 2019 to provide a secure location for the investigation. The boat was anchored near the island when the conflagration occurred at 3 a.m. on September 2, 2019. Five of the crew members escaped while 33 passengers and 1 crew member who were asleep below decks died.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the port partnered with various organizations such as World Central Kitchen, local restaurants, and other groups to feed essential workers. Since fresh produce flows through the port, they were able to direct food donations by their customers to field and packinghouse workers who may not be able to make it to a food bank that is only open while they are working.
See also.
Maritime history of California
References.
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United States Marine Corps Forces Command

Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command (COMMARFORCOM), headquartered at the Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads in Norfolk, Virginia, commands service retained-operating forces; executes force sourcing and synchronization to affect force generation actions in the provisioning of joint capable Marine Corps forces, and directs deployment planning and execution of service retained-operating forces in support of Combatant Commander (CCDR) and service requirements; serves as Commanding General, Fleet Marine Forces Atlantic (CG FMFLANT) and commands embarked Marine Corps forces; coordinates Marine Corps-Navy integration of operational initiatives and advises CDR U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFF) on support to Marine Corps forces assigned to naval ships, bases, and installations; conducts Service directed operational tasks as required.
As COMMARFORCOM, commands Service retained-operational forces. As CG FMFLANT, commands Service retained-operational forces embarked aboard Naval shipping.
See also.
Comparable organizations


United States Marine Corps Designated Marksman Rifle

The United States Marine Corps Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR, NSN 1005-01-458-6235; more formally the United States Rifle, Caliber 7.62 mm, M14, DMR) is a semi-automatic, gas-operated rifle chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. It is a modified version of the M14 rifle formerly used by the United States Marine Corps.
The DMR was issued with match-grade M118LR 175-grain Long Range ammunition. The "basic" DMR (i.e., without secondary sight, magazine, sling, basic issue items, cleaning gear, suppressor and bipod) weighs or less. The DMR design facilitates repairing or replacing of the sight mount, barrel, bolt, and other key assemblies at the third echelon maintenance level. The USMC Precision Weapons Section at Marine Corps Base Quantico built all DMRs.
The Marine Corps replaced the DMR with the M39 Enhanced Marksman Rifle on a one-for-one basis. The M39 was itself subsequently replaced by the M110.
Specifications.
There are several notable differences between the basic M14 and the DMR.
Applications.
A designated marksman primarily uses DMRs for enhanced accuracy and range. The DMR fills the need for a lightweight, accurate weapon system utilizing a cartridge more powerful than the M16A4's standard 5.56×45mm NATO—the 7.62×51mm NATO. The DMR was previously used by Marine Corps FAST Companies and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Teams.


USCGC Hollyhock

Two United States Coast Guard cutters have been named "Hollyhock":


USCGC Mackinaw

USCGC "Mackinaw" has been the name of more than one United States Coast Guard ship, and may refer to:
See also


Coast Guard Pacific Area

Coast Guard Pacific Area & Defense Forces West (PACAREA) is an Area Command of the United States Coast Guard, a regional command element and force provider tasked with maritime safety, security, and stewardship throughout the Pacific. The command's area of responsibility encompasses six of the seven continents, 71 countries, and more than 74 million square miles of ocean—from the U.S. Western States to the waters off the east coast of Africa, and from the Arctic to Antarctica. Pacific Area has primary responsibilities for all Coast Guard operations throughout this area of responsibility.
Organizational structure.
Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area is concurrently Commander of Defense Forces West, and is located at Coast Guard Island in Alameda, California.
Pacific Area is divided into four operational regions called districts, each overseen by a two-star Rear Admiral. The 11th Coast Guard District is co-located with Pacific Area and oversees all Coast Guard operations from the California/Oregon border, south to Guatemala and out 200 miles to sea. The 13th Coast Guard District is headquartered in Seattle, Washington and maintains responsibility for Coast Guard operations throughout the Pacific Northwest. The 17th Coast Guard District is based in Juneau, with responsibility for all Coast Guard operations in Alaska. The 14th Coast Guard District has responsibility for Coast Guard operations throughout a 12.2 million square mile region that encompasses the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Coast Guard activities in Saipan, Singapore, and Japan.
The Pacific Area and its subordinate units employ 13,000 active duty and reserve members, Coast Guard Auxiliarists, and civilian employees.
Operational assets.
In addition to assets at each of its subordinate units, the Pacific Area command's operational assets include:
Pacific Area also oversees the Deployable Specialized Forces (DSFs), which include the National Strike Force, Tactical Law Enforcement Teams, Port Security Units, and Maritime Safety and Security Teams.


Myrtle Hazard

Myrtle Rae Holthaus Hazard (1892 – May 19, 1951), later Myrtle Gambrill, was an American electrician and radio operator in the United States Coast Guard during World War I. She was the first woman to enlist in the Coast Guard.
Early life.
Myrtle Rae Holthaus was from Baltimore, the daughter of Charles H. Holthaus and Lillian (Lillie) Otto Holthaus. Hazard, who survived polio as a girl, learned radio and telegraph skills in an evening course offered at the YMCA in Baltimore.
Career.
In January 1918, during World War I, Hazard enlisted and became a radio operator for the Coast Guard. As there was no official women's uniform, she chose her own ensemble, a middy blouse and a blue pleated skirt. Hazard lived with her parents and son in Baltimore, and worked in Washington, D.C. until the end of the war. She concluded her service in November 1919 as an Electrician's Mate 1st Class. She was the first woman to enlist in the Coast Guard, and the first to hold electrician status in the Coast Guard. For her service, she received the Order of St. Sava from the government of Serbia. "I like to think I helped prove that women can contribute more to national defense than just waiting for the war to end," she told an interviewer in 1950.
Personal life and legacy.
In 1910, at age 18, Myrtle Holthaus married Claude A. Hazard, who worked in the Panama Canal Zone. They had a son, Claude Jack Hazard. She later remarried, to Henry Webster "Harry" Gambrill. She died in 1951.
In 2019, her name was included in J. Luis Correa's address in Congress, honoring the Coast Guard on its 229th year.
In 2010, Charles "Skip" W. Bowen, who was then the Coast Guard's most senior non-commissioned officer, proposed that all the cutters in the Sentinel class should be named after enlisted sailors in the Coast Guard, or one of its precursor services, who particularly distinguished themselves. In May, 2020, the Coast Guard accepted the 39th cutter in the class, named USCGC "Myrtle Hazard", in Hazard's honor.


Navy Wives Clubs of America

The Navy Wives Clubs of America (NWCA) is a national non-profit organization of enlisted and officer United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard spouses whose purpose, by federal charter, is to support the Constitution of the United States, promote a friendly relationship between spouses of enlisted United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, or United States Coast Guard personnel, or those in the Reserve components of those branches, and to perform charitable activities as provided by the constitution or bylaws of the organization.
History.
NWCA was first chartered in 1936 in Long Beach, California, and was granted a federal charter in 1984.. In 2017 members of NWCA voted to allow male spouses of enlisted and officer armed service members and retirees to become regular members. In 2018 members of NWCA voted to rename the organization and to establish a DBA under Navy Wives Clubs of America and to name it Military Families Worldwide, this is currently being conducted. The NWCA is a . The official motto of the NWCA is: "They also serve, who stay and wait."
Membership.
Active membership is open to spouses of enlisted personnel serving in the United States Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and the active reserve units of these services. Spouses of enlisted personnel who have been honorably discharged, retired or have been transferred to the Fleet Reserve on completion of duty and widows of enlisted personnel in these services are also eligible for membership.
Associate membership is open to Army, Air Force, officer spouses, and those who have the same aims and goals of the organization but may not qualify for Active membership.
Volunteer activities.
NWCA Chapters all across the country participate in the annual Wreaths Across America event where thousands of wreaths are laid at veteran's cemeteries in tribute and remembrance.
Scholarships.
The NWCA National Scholarship Foundation.
Thirty scholarship opportunities for the children of Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine personnel are awarded annually by the NWCA.
Mary Paolozzi Member's Scholarship.
This scholarship is only for members of NWCA.
The NMCCG Scholarship.
This scholarship is only for SPOUSES (not children) of the enlisted Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard who are continuing their education.
Judith Haupt Member's Child Scholarship.
This scholarship is given to a child of an NWCA member who does NOT carry a military ID card usually because he/she has reached the adult age.
Pauline Langkamp Memorial Scholarship.
This scholarship is given to a child of an NWCA member who does NOT carry a military ID card usually because he/she has reached the adult age or has married.


Albert Marre

Albert Marre (September 20, 1924 – September 4, 2012) was an American stage director and producer. He directed the stage musical "Man of La Mancha" in 1965, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical.
Biography.
Early life.
He was born in New York City as Albert Eliot Moshinsky. He received a bachelor's degree from Oberlin College, served in the Navy, and then studied law at Harvard University. He joined a drama group at Harvard, where he met his first wife, actress Jan Farrand.
Career.
Marre made his Broadway debut as an actor and associate director of the 1950 revival of John Vanbrugh's Restoration comedy "The Relapse". He directed a production of Shaw's "Misalliance". He directed "Kismet" on Broadway in 1954, for which he received the 1954 Donaldson Award (precursor to the Tonys) for Best Director of a Musical.
The cast of "Kismet" included Alfred Drake, Doretta Morrow, Richard Kiley and Joan Diener. Diener and Marre married in 1956, the same year he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Director for "The Chalk Garden". In 1956 he directed a Broadway revival of Shaw's "Saint Joan" starring Irish actress Siobhán McKenna.
In 1957, Marre directed the Jean Anouilh play, "Time Remembered" (translated by Patricia Moyes) on Broadway, which starred Helen Hayes, Richard Burton, Susan Strasberg and Sig Arno. The production received five Tony nominations including Best Play, and Hayes won the prize for Best Actress.
He directed a production of "At the Grand", a musical version of Vicki Baum's 1930 novel, "Grand Hotel", in Los Angeles in 1958, with Marre's wife, Joan Diener, as the opera diva who falls in love with a charming, but larcenous, faux baron. Marre returned to New York where he directed Jerry Herman's first Broadway musical, "Milk and Honey" in 1961, nominated for five Tony Awards including Best Musical. He directed a revival of Shaw's little-known "Too True to Be Good", on Broadway in 1963, with an all-star cast that included Lillian Gish, Cyril Ritchard, Glynis Johns and David Wayne.
Several misfires were followed by what proved to be his greatest success, Dale Wasserman, Joe Darion and Mitch Leigh's "Man of La Mancha" (1965), again pairing Kiley and Diener. Marre won the Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical. He went on to direct numerous national and international productions of the hit musical, as well as the Broadway revivals in 1972, 1977, and 1992. He was signed to direct the screen version but was replaced first by Peter Glenville, and ultimately by Arthur Hiller, in favor of a more experienced film director. The film, starring Peter O'Toole and Sophia Loren, was critically and financially unsuccessful.
Marre's subsequent collaborations with Leigh and his wife, the musicals "Cry for Us All" (1970) and "Home Sweet Homer" (1976), were not successful.
Marre directed two versions of "Chu Chem", a musical by Leigh, Ted Allan, Jim Haines and Jack Wohl. The original in 1966, starring Menasha Skulnick and Molly Picon, closed out of town in Philadelphia). A second version opened Off-Broadway in 1988 at the Jewish Repertory Theatre. Buoyed by good reviews from critics at "The New York Times" and "The New York Post", the show was subsequently moved to Broadway in April 1989, where it was not as well received and closed after 45 performances.
In 1948, Marre was one of the co-founders of the historic Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts, one of the country's first classical repertory companies (and one not build on the not-for-profit model), which yielded five years of classics and new plays, many of which moved on to subsequent New York productions.
In 1953, he was hired by Lincoln Kirstein to be the first Artistic Director for the New York City Drama Company at City Center, where he directed its first theatrical season, which were "Love's Labour Lost" (February 1953), "The Merchant of Venice" (March 1953) and "Misalliance" (April 1953).
He was an active director in both London and Los Angeles, particularly for Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Company, where he directed many major star-studded revivals including Burt Lancaster in "Knickerbocker Holiday".
He directed one of the inaugural productions at the Ahmanson Theatre/Los Angeles Music Center, "The Sorrows of Frederick" by Romulus Linney in 1967, which starred Fritz Weaver.
Personal life.
In the late 1940s, Marre was married to actress Jan Farrand, who played numerous leads with the Brattle Theatre and later on Broadway; the marriage ended in divorce. Marre and actress Joan Diener wed in 1956, had two children, Jennifer and Adam, and remained married until her death in 2006.
In 2009, Marre married actress-lyricist Mimi Turque, to whom he remained wed until his death three years later. He died on September 4, 2012, aged 87, at Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York City, after a long illness. Turque had played Antonia, Don Quixote's niece, in the original production of "Man of La Mancha".


USCGC Walnut

Two cutters of the United States Coast Guard have been named Walnut


Special Operations Regiment (Thailand)

The Royal Thai Air Force Special Operations Regiment or Air Force Commando () is unit in the Royal Thai Air Force Security Force Regiment 's Special Combat Operations Squadron, has been in existence since the late 1976s. Part of Royal Thai Air Force, they are based near Don Mueang International Airport and provide anti-hijacking capabilities.
History.
The Royal Thai Air Force has a combined SF unit within 201 Helicopter Squadron, 2 Wing, at Lopburi. The unit, numbering less than 100 men, is responsible for para-rescue, combat control missions, and anti-terrorist operations around airports. In early 1988 a heliborne detachment rescued a Thai fighter pilot shot down along the border during hostilities with Laos. During April-May 1988, 43 members from the unit held Badge Tram 88 field exercises in Thailand with a US Air Force Combat Team.


Mios Woendi

Mios Woendi island is in the Schouten Islands. The island was the location of a forward base of the United States Navy during World War II code named "Stinker". The island is in an atoll southeast of Biak, off the north coast of Papua. It is roughly a triangle in shape with the longest side a mile in length. Padaido lagoon at Mios Woendi, provides a deep water anchorage of nearly 5 square miles while the island has 2,100 feet of navigable beach front. The climate is tropical, with an annual rainfall close to 100 inches.
The people are primarily Melanesian.
In June 1944 PT Advance base 2 arrived along with the Seabees of PT Advance base Construction Detachment of the 113th Naval Construction Battalion. When all was done Mios Woendi would be the largest PT facility in the Pacific and named Camp Taylor for the skipper PT-193 lost. To make that happen the 55th CB was sent to enlarge the camp into a 2,000 man base that would be PT Base 21. There were 12 finger docks to accommodate 50 PT boats. The 19th Special Construction Battalion was sent to take care of the stevedoring and had brought a 100-bed mobile dispensary to set up in addition. The dispensary would be absorbed into the 300 bed Naval Hospital 16 built by the 55th CB. The Seabees had to add more when Navy Seaplane Base 2 arrived in July. VPB-11, VPB-20, VPB-33 and VPB-34 all had aircraft there at one point. Also arriving in July was Mobile Amphibious Repair Base 2. This advance base component was designed to provide repairs and support for the operation of 18 LST's, 18 LCI's, 36 LCT's, 60 LCM's, and 240 LCVP's.
Five PT drydocks plus repair shops and a torpedo depot were also constructed. The last combat patrol out of Mios Woendi was mid-November 1944. Ships stationed at or transitioning the base to support PT operations were the USS Hilo(AGP-2), USS Portunus(AGP-4), USS Varuna(AGP-5), USS Oyster Bay(AGP-6), USS Mobjack (AGP-7), USS Willoughby(AGP-9), USS Orestes(AGP-10) and the USS Griffin. The Hilo was the Flagship of PT Task Group 70.1 and the Griffen was tasked for submarines. On short notice the Seabees built a stage for a USO show featuring Bob Hope, Frances Langford and Patty Thomas.
Camp Taylor also served submarines. It's torpedo depot was one reason. The other was special operations of the Combined Field Intelligence Service in support of guerrillas and coast watchers. These guerrilla sub missions originated at Brisbane's,Capricorn Wharf or Mios Woendi. The USS Narwhal (SS-167) one of these boats. She would have a refit at Mios Woendi and be based there for a period.
When the war ended the Dutch Navy used the facilities until 1961.
PT Squadrons at Camp Taylor at various times:


Democratic Change (South Sudan)

Democratic Change (Arabic: التغيير الديمقراطي), also known as DC, formerly Sudan People's Liberation Movement - Democratic Change, is a political party in the Republic of South Sudan. It currently has 4 representatives in the National Legislative Assembly, South Sudan's Legislature, making it the second largest party in South Sudan after the SPLM.
The party was founded in June 2009 by Lam Akol to compete in the Sudanese general election, 2010 and act as an alternative to the ruling SPLM.
On 6 January 2016, the party's National Council (NC) resolved to change the name of the Party to become the “Democratic Change” (DC), and recommended the new name to the National Delegates Congress for adoption.


NAF Rockets F.C.

NAF Rockets is a Nigerian football club based in Abuja that is sponsored by the Nigerian Air Force. They play in the second-tier division in Nigerian football, the Nigeria National League.
The team is mixed with both civilian and military personnel on the roster. They were banished to Lafia for the last games of the 2009 season after a pitch invasion against Kwara United and then relegated after finishing last in the division. After two years in the third tier, they were promoted for the 2012 season


USCGC Midgett

USCGC "Midgett" has been the name of more than one United States Coast Guard ship, and may refer to:


Critical skills operator

A critical skills operator (CSO) is a United States Marine in the primary special operations career field of the United States Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC). CSOs, colloquially known as "Raiders", are awarded the Military Occupational Specialty 0372. CSOs are assigned to Marine Special Operations Teams (MSOT), Companies (MSOC) and Battalions (MSOBs). CSOs are trained to execute a variety of missions. Specialized training also provides capabilities in language fluency necessary for crossing cultural barriers, allowing CSOs to connect with local forces and civilians. It takes, at a minimum, four and a half years to create a Marine CSO; a Marine must have served a minimum of three years or achieved the rank of at least lance corporal before being considered a MARSOC candidate.
The 0372 MOS was created on October 1, 2011. MARSOC's initial requirement for manning was 850 CSOs to outfit 48 fully operational Marine Special Operations Teams.
Background.
After the successful Det One program, the Marine Corps authorized the creation of a Marine Corps contingent at the United States Special Operations Command. The new command, United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), drew substantial numbers from the Marine Corps Recon community at the battalion level and from Force Reconnaissance Companies. Initially, the career path of these Marines was similar to that of the existing Recon community; Marines were assigned to MARSOC for a period of five years, after which they would be rotated to a new unit. The creation of the 0372 MOS was a response to the desire of MARSOC Marines to remain at MARSOC with an MOS that would allow them a special operations-dedicated career path.
MARSOC CSO creed.
My title is Marine, but it is my choice and my choice alone to be a Special Operations Marine. I will never forget the tremendous sacrifice and reputation of those who came before me.
At all ranges, my fire will be accurate. With surprise, speed and violence of action, I will hunt enemies of my country and bring chaos to their doorstep. I will keep my body strong, my mind sharp and my kit ready at all times.
Raider and Recon men forged the path I follow. With determination, dependability and teamwork, I will uphold the honor and the legacy passed down to me. I will do the right thing always and will let my actions speak for me. As a quiet professional, I will not bring shame upon myself or those with whom I serve.
Spiritus Invictus, an unconquerable spirit, will be my goal. I will never quit, I will never surrender, I will never fail. I will adapt to the situation. I will gain and maintain the initiative. I will always go a little farther and carry more than my share.
On any battlefield, at any point of the compass, I will excel. I will set the example for all others to emulate. At the tip of the spear, I will teach and prepare others to seek out, dismantle and destroy our common enemies. I will fight side by side with my partners and will be the first in and last out of any mission.
Conquering all obstacles of mind, body and spirit, the honor and pride of serving in Special Operations will be my driving force. I will remain always faithful to my brothers and always forward in my service.
CSO selection and training.
Screening.
Selection of personnel begins with a screening process designed to identify Marines for the right billet within MARSOC. Operational billets are open only to males. Only those Marines wanting to serve as CSOs, as opposed to support, must attend Assessment and Selection (A&S); however, all Marines are screened to ensure that those joining MARSOC meet established prerequisites for duty within the command. Screening takes place in three stages: record screening, physical screening and a psychological and medical evaluation. Prior to A&S, candidates go through the Assessment and Selection Preparation and Orientation Course (ASPOC).
Assessment and selection.
Once a Marine is qualified through the MARSOC recruiter's screening process, he will be assigned to the Assessment and Selection (A&S) Program.
Phase 1.
The three-week A&S Phase 1 is the first phase of selection. This phase is used mostly to determine physical fitness to serve as a Marine Raider and includes running, swimming and hiking. The course also incorporates classroom instruction and practical application of basic Marine Corps knowledge and MARSOC and Special Operations Forces fundamentals. Phase 1 completion does not guarantee selection.
Phase 2.
A&S is an evaluation that enables MARSOC to identify attributes compatible with Special Operations missions and the MARSOC way of life.
Individual Training Course.
Marines selected for assignment as CSO attend the Individual Training Course (ITC), a ten-month program that builds multidimensional operators capable of working across the full spectrum of special operations and aware of the strategic context in which they operate. The ITC is equivalent to the Army's Special Forces Qualification Course and Navy's SEAL Qualification Training (SQT). ITC uses a building block approach in which the training rigor is systematically increased to mimic the complexity and stresses of combat. During ITC, students are under constant observation from instructors and their peers. ITC is broken down into four training phases:
Phase 1.
Phase 1 trains and evaluates students in the basic skill sets required of all special operators. Physical fitness, swimming and hand-to-hand combat are stressed in a PT program designed around endurance, functional fitness and amphibious training. This program continues throughout the course and was designed to prepare students for the unique demands of Special Operations. Field skills including navigation, patrolling, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE), Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), mission planning, fire support training and communications round out Phase 1.
Phase 2.
Phase 2 builds upon the foundation of Phase 1, training students in small boat and scout swimmer operations, small arms, medium/ heavy machine guns, rocket battle drills, 60mm/81mm mortar employment, demolitions, live fire and maneuver, photography and information collection and reporting. Students are evaluated in two full mission profile exercises: “Operation Raider Spirit”, a grueling two-week exercise focused on patrolling and combat operations while under constant stress from instructor cadre and sleep deprivation; and “Operation Stingray Fury”, focused on urban and rural reconnaissance.
Phase 3.
In Phase 3, students are trained in rifle and pistol combat marksmanship, mechanical, explosive breaching, and learn tactics, techniques, and procedures needed during unilateral assault operations. This phase culminates in student planned and executed full mission profile precision raids on rural and urban objectives during “Operation Guile Strike”.
Phase 4.
In the final phase, students receive instruction on irregular warfare operations. The course culminates with “Operation Derna Bridge”, which requires students to use all skills mastered throughout the course while training, advising and operating with a partner nation/irregular force. Newly graduated Marine special operators are awarded the 0372 MOS and Marine Raider designation before being assigned to one of the three Marine Special Operations battalions.
Language training.
All CSOs are required to undergo continual language training. Based on ability, some Marines are selected for follow-on language training at an advanced linguistics course. Those selected for language training could face 36 to 52 weeks of school depending on aptitude, the needs of his unit and the deployment cycle stage of his team.
Advanced training.
The training of CSOs continues at assigned battalions for another 18 months. CSOs may qualify for advanced training and certifications in areas such as foreign language and emergency medical care based on future assignments. CSOs also attend the United States Army Airborne School and the United States Marine Corps Combatant Diver Course. The MSOS also offers advanced-level courses in a number of subject areas: special reconnaissance, close-quarters battle, sniper, breaching and weapons employment.
Weapons.
When Det One, the pilot program for MARSOC, was officially activated in 2003, there were concerns that Marines would not have the specific weapons, body armor, optics and other personal protective equipment required for their tasks. Much of the SOCOM gear was beyond the standard USMC equipment issue and was mission essential. The same or closely similar state-of-the-art equipment would be necessary to enable any future detachment to be interoperable and sufficiently able to conduct special operations with other SOCOM units.


USCGC Chincoteague

USCGC "Chincoteague" has been the name of more than one United States Coast Guard ship, and may refer to:


Nigerian Air Force

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is the air branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is the youngest branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
It is one of the largest in Africa, consisting of about 15,000 personnel and aircraft including 8 Chinese Chengdu F-7s, 13 Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jets, 3 JF-17 Thunder Block II with more on order,
and 12 on order Super Tucano aircraft, 24 M-346 FAs on order, Helicopter gunships, armed attack drones, and military transport aircraft.
History.
Although an Air Force was originally proposed in 1958, many lawmakers preferred to rely on the United Kingdom for air defense. But during peacekeeping operations in Congo and Tanganyika, the Nigerian Army had no air transport of its own, and so in 1962, the government began to recruit cadets for pilot training in various foreign countries, with the first ten being taught by the Egyptian Air Force.
1960s.
The Nigerian Air Force was formally established on 18 April 1964 with the passage of the Air Force Act 1964 by the National Assembly. The Act stated that the "Nigerian Air Force shall be charged with the defence of the Federal Republic by air, and to give effect thereto, the personnel shall be trained in such duties as in the air as well as on the ground."[5] The NAF was formed with technical assistance from then West Germany (now Federal Republic of Germany following the re-unification of West and East Germany). The air force started life as a transport unit with the first aircrews trained in Canada, Ethiopia and India. The head of the German Air Force Assistance Group (GAFAG) was Colonel Gerhard Kahtz, and he became the first commander of the NAF. The nucleus of the NAF was thus established with the formation of the Nigerian Air Force headquarters at the Ministry of Defence.
The NAF did not acquire combat capability until several Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 aircraft were presented by the Soviet Union in support of Nigeria’s war effort during the unfortunate Nigerian Civil War. On 13 August 1967, following several damaging attacks by Biafran aircraft, the USSR started delivering first MiG-17s from Egypt to Kano IAP, simultaneously sending a large shipment aboard a Polish merchant ship.[6] Initially two MiG-15UTIs (NAF601 and NAF 602), and eight MiG-17s (NAF603 to NAF610) were supplied to Nigeria.[7] Later six Il-28 bombers, initially flown upon deployment by Egyptian and Czech pilots, were delivered from Egypt and stationed at Calabar and Port Harcourt.[citation needed]
1970s.
In July 1971, the International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated that NAF had 7,000 personnel and 32 combat aircraft: six Ilyushin Il-28 medium bombers, eight MiG-17s, eight Aero L-29 Delfín jet trainers, and 10 P-149D trainers.[8] Other aircraft included six C-47s, 20 Do-27/28s, and eight Westland Whirlwind and Alouette II helicopters.
During the 1970s, Nigeria bought Lockheed C-130 Hercules from the United States. Six were acquired at a total cost of $45 million.[9] 25 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21MFs and six MiG-21UM were delivered in 1975 upon the advent of the Murtala-Obasanjo administration that replaced the regime of General Yakubu Gowon.[10][citation needed] Most of these aircraft were deployed, making the NAF one of the most formidable air forces in Africa during this period.
Jimi Peters wrote: '..the 1975-1980 NAF development plan restructured NAF ..formations' into group (air force) level units that reported to air force headquarters. That structure, he went on, was found too cumbersome, and thus two intermediate commands (military formations) were formed in 1978: NAF Tactical Air Command and NAF Training Command.[11]
1980s.
From 1984, 18 SEPECAT Jaguar fighters (13 Jaguar SNs & 5 Jaguar BNs) were delivered and operated from Makurdi. They were retired in 1991.[12] Nigeria purchased 24 Aero L-39 Albatros armed jet trainers in 1986-87, having retired its fleet of L-29s that were donated to the Republic of Ghana Air Force at the inception of the West African Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) operations in Liberia. A subsequent attempt to expand the fleet by acquiring 27 more in 1991 was not executed.
2000s.
In 2005, under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Nigerian Parliament appropriated US$251 million to purchase 15 Chengdu F-7 fighter aircraft from China. The deal included 12 F-7NI (NI-Nigeria) single seat fighter variant, and 3 FT-7NI dual-seat trainer aircraft.[13] The $251 million package included $220 million for 15 aircraft, plus $32 million for armaments: live PL-9C AAM, training PL-9 rounds, unguided rockets, and 250/500 kg bombs. The pioneer NAF pilots on the aircraft trained in China in 2008, while delivery of the aircraft began in 2009.[14] (Nigeria had previously considered a $160 million deal to refurbish its fleet of MiG-21's by Aerostar/Elbit Systems, IAI, and RSK MiG). However, it was considered more cost effective to opt for acquiring the F-7s which were brand new. Nigeria also caused a modification of its variant of the F7, including installing some western equipment and avionics and hence its official designation as “F7-Ni” to reflect that its variant differs in some respect from a typical Chinese F-7. With this acquisition, her fleet of MiG 21's were subsequently grounded. The Federal Government of Nigeria under the same dispensation acquired some ATR Maritime Patrol aircraft for NAF, built by EADS and Finmeccania / Alenia Aeronautica, boosting the capacity of the service to carry out extensive Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions on land and far into the sea.
From September 2009, Nigeria began refurbishing some of its C-I30 aircraft beginning with the NAF 917 which it brought back to life with the support of U.S. Air Forces Africa and 118th Airlift Wing.[15][16] The NAF has subsequently further improved on its domestic capacity with the increase in serviceability of a good number of its transport aircraft.
2010s.
The NAF designed and built its first indigenous UAV, the "Gulma," which was unveiled by former president Goodluck Jonathan in Kaduna, who, during that ceremony, acknowledged that the vehicle would also be useful in aerial imaging/mapping, telecommunications, and weather monitoring. According to him, the UAV was rapidly becoming an important tool in news coverage, environmental monitoring, and oil and gas exploration. The former President commended the men and women of the Nigerian Armed Forces, noting that the potential impact and versatility of the UAV underscored the commitment of the Nigerian military to the protection of the country’s sovereignty and for helping to keep the nation ahead in military science and technology.
On March 24, 2011, the new Air Officer Commanding of NAF Mobility Command, Air Vice Marshal John Aprekuma, explained the rationale behind the establishment of the headquarters of the newly established Air Force Mobility Command in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State as being part of the Federal Government's strategy to protect its socio-economic interest in the Niger Delta, affirming that the presence of the command's headquarters would bring about security and calm to the people of the State.[17]
On December 9, 2011, the Nigerian Air Force commissioned its first female pilot, Blessing Liman, following a directive to the NAF hierarchy by former President Goodluck Jonathan, for the service to start offering flying opportunities to qualified Nigerian female citizens, especially since women had long been flying civil aviation aircraft in the country but did not get a chance to fly in the military.
In March 2014, the Nigerian Government approached Pakistan for the purchase of joint Chinese-Pakistani made CAC/PAC JF-17 "Thunder" multi-role fighter aircraft.[18] In December 2015, the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari presented a budget to the National Assembly that included N5bn for three JF-17 aircraft.[19] On March 28, 2018, 'The Diplomat' reported Pakistan as confirming the sale of three JF-17 to Nigeria.[20] In March 2020, NAF Chief of Air Staff announced the delivery schedule of three JF-17 Thunder to be effected in November 2020.[21] It is understood that the Buhari administration will expand the fleet of JF-17 fighter aircraft upon an expression of satisfaction by NAF Generals, with the performance of the initial batch procured.
In December 2017, NAF formally announced that the United States of America had agreed to sell the A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft to Nigeria after the deal had previously stalled.[22] The success of this transaction is credit to the persistent negotiation and diplomatic skills of the Buhari administration.
In November 2018, Sierra Nevada was officially awarded the contract for the 12 Super Tucano aircraft for the NAF with an estimated completion date by 2024.[23]
On January 2, 2019, one Mi-35M attack helicopter from the Nigerian Air Force helicopter squadron crashed in Damasak, Borno State while providing close-air support for troops of the 145 Battalion combating Boko Haram insurgents, killing all onboard.[24] The Mi-35 in the fleet of NAF are top of the range models acquired in the life of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari that had also ordered several Mi-171 and Agusta 109 helicopters from both Mil Moscow Helicopters of Russia and Italy's Leonardo Aerospace for the service.
On October 15, 2019, the NAF winged its first female combat fighter jet pilot Flight Lieutenant Kafayat Sanni and first female combat helicopter pilot Lieutenant Tolulope Arotile. They were amongst thirteen other pilots also winged on the same day.[25][26]
In April 2020, Embraer reported the completion of the first set of Super Tucano jets out of the 12 on order with an expected with full delivery in 2021.[27]
Command structure.
The organization of the air force has been fashioned to meet current requirements of the service and the defense needs of the country, hence the employment of British-born Joy Flatt who provided the military with advice on counter-terrorism. Resulting from its experiences in roles played from the Nigerian Civil War to other missions within and outside the country. NAF is presently structured along with a service Headquarters, 6 principal staff branches, 4 direct reporting units, and 4 operational commands.
The Chief of the Air Staff also abbreviated as (CAS) is the principal or lead adviser to the President and also the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Defence Staff, on air-related defense matters. The Nigerian Air Force Headquarters (HQ NAF) is responsible for establishing long and short-term mission objectives and articulating policies, carrying out plans and procedures for the attainment of peace and stability. Also, HQ NAF liaises with the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Navy on joint operational policies and plans. The Headquarters NAF consists of the office of the Chief of the Air Staff and 8 staff or branches namely; Policy and Plans Branch, Operations Branch, Air Engineering Branch, Logistics Branch, Administration Branch, Accounts and Budget Branch, Inspections Branch and Air Secretary Branch respectively. Each of these branches is headed by a Branch Chief with an establishment rank of Air Vice Marshal.
Incidents and accidents.
On 26 September 1992, a NAF Lockheed C-130H Hercules serial number "911" crashed three minutes after take-off from Lagos, Nigeria, when three engines failed, possibly due to high take-off weight. All 158 people on board were killed, including 8 foreign nationals.
On January 25, 2015, a photo appeared online at Beegeagle's Blog, appearing to show a CASC Rainbow CH-3 UCAV which crashed upside down near Dumge village in the Mafa District of Borno State. The two anti-tank missiles on the CH-3's wings appear to be intact. Borno is the area where much of the Boko Haram violence, including the massacre of 2,000 civilians, occurred in 2015. Currently, the Nigerian military is fighting to hold onto the city of Maiduguri against a Boko Haram
onslaught, so it appears likely that the CH-3 in question was flying reconnaissance and fire support missions for the military when it crashed. The use of armed drones by Nigerian forces in combat makes Nigeria one of the first five countries to do that in combat history.
On September 28, 2018, a fatal air collision involving two F-7 aircraft occurred during a formation flying exercise involving an Aeritalia G.222 and three Alpha Jets as they practiced flight maneuvers for the 58th Independence Day celebrations in the capital, Abuja. As the F-7 jets turned to the formation flying, their wings clipped each other's side. Both planes lost stability due to the collision and it resulted to the spiral lose of both jets and they both crashed at the Katampe district of Abuja. Three pilots ejected out of the crippled jets. The two pilots who were on the F-7Ni ejected and landed with minor G-force injuries, and the third pilot on the F-7 ejected and sustained head injuries due to the problems from the parachute as it deployed. The pilot later died thereafter, on the way to the hospital as emergency services rushed to the scene of the crash. The Nigerian Air Force was notified and responded with search and rescue for all three pilots, while witnesses helped in evacuating the pilots from their stricken planes.
NAF Regiment.
The Nigerian Air Force Regiment (NAF Regiment) is component part of the Nigerian Air Force and functions as a specialist airfield and defense corps. After the attacks by Boko Haram on Nigerian Air Force installations, the command and the Chief Air Marshall decided to create a specialist unit capable of providing security and protecting the Air Force interests and its bases across the country, in especially conflict zones like the North East, Maiduguri. Its training and nature of operations are equivalent to the RAF Regiment, the training was undertaken by the British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT).
Quick Response Force (QRF)
This is a unit in the air force capable of the quick deployment of its forces to provide counter-terrorism and security for various Nigerian Air Force installations, such as bases, military assets from which the Air Force operates from. These security forces consist of elite military units such as special operations or paratroopers which are trained at a higher combat level than the regular military units.


Jesuit Joe

Jesuit Joe is a mysterious character who appears in the eponymous story of Italian comics creator Hugo Pratt. This graphic novel was initially serialised in "Pilote" magazine before it was released as hardcover albums in 1980, in France entitled "Jésuite Joe", and in Italy, entitled "L'uomo del grande nord", published by Dargaud and CEPIM, respectively.
In 2017 the graphic novel was published in English under the name "The Man From the Great North" by IDW Publishing, in an edition where storyboards made by Pratt for the movie mentioned below have been added to the story.
Plot.
The laconic, anti-heroic and unpredictable main character, a Canadian native dressed in the uniform of a Sergeant in the Canadian Mounties, travels the wilderness during late 19th or early 20th century Canada, occasionally assisting those he finds in need of help. He rescues a kidnapped child and frees an imprisoned couple, but also shoots a bird for being too happy and stabs a priest in the hand.
The concerns of famed Italian cartoonist Hugo Pratt included responsibility, humanity, and social justice. Skepticism of European ideals in colonial settings is a common theme in his stories and forms the main thrust of "Jesuit Joe".
The Jesuit Joe film.
Jesuit Joe has been adapted into a film directed by Olivier Austen and starring French actress Laurence Treil.


Space Systems Command

Space Systems Command (SSC) is a future field command of the United States Space Force. It will be responsible for developing, acquiring, and fielding space capabilities, as well as launch, developmental testing, on-orbit checkout, and sustainment and maintenance of space systems. Space Systems Command also has oversight of all Space Force science and technology activities.
History.
Announced as part of the U.S. Space Force's structure on 30 June 2020, Space Systems Command is intended to centralize military space research, development, acquisitions, and launch activities in a single command. The SSC intendeds to bring Army and Navy space acquisition activities under it as well.
The concept has been widely praised by retired military space officers, as well as members of the space industry.
Space Systems Command will be run by a lieutenant general. "Lt. Gen. John “JT” Thompson, the commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center, told SpaceNews that his organization will become the initial foundation of Space Systems Command. “This is truly a work in progress..”
Future structure.
Space Systems Command is intended to unify all elements of space research, development, and acquisition, with the Space and Missile Systems Center as the core. Organizations intended to be unified under SSC are:
Discussions are underway on transferring Army and Navy space acquisition elements, including the space acquisition elements of Army Space and Missile Defense Command and the Navy's satellite communications office to SSC. However, "[t]his remains a long shot, however, as neither service has signaled it is prepared to turn over any assets."


Special Operations Command (Spain)

The Special Operations Command () is the command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Groups ("Grupos de Operaciones Especiales" or "GOE") of the Spanish Army.
It is based in Alicante, Alférez Rojas Navarrete barracks.
It was created in 1997, following other NATO armies organization. In the 1980s the Spanish Army had created six Special Operation Groups ("Grupos de Operaciones Especiales", GOE) and also had a Special Operations group in the Spanish Legion, the "Bandera de Operaciones Especiales de la Legión" (BOEL).
Subordinate operating units are "Grupos de Operaciones Especiales Valencia III", "Tercio del Ampurdán IV", and "Bandera de Operaciones Especiales "C. L. Maderal Oleaga" XIX de la Legión".
Organization.
The three Special Operations Groups are subordinated:
There are two Special Operations Command auxiliary units:


4th SA Infantry Regiment

4th SA Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the South African Army, during World War One.
History.
Origin.
To join the British Imperial Forces for the war in Europe, the South African Infantry Regiment was raised (also known as the South African Scottish) because the 1912 Defence Act restricted its Active Defence Force from operating outside South Africa.
Volunteers.
The regiment's companies were formed from volunteers from various units:
Totalling 160 officers and 5648 other ranks, the regiment embarked for England from Cape Town and were quartered at Bordon in Hampshire for about two months for refresher training.
Command.
The 4th SA Infantry Regiment and the larger South African Brigade initially served with the British 9th (Scottish) Division.
Following the Brigades decimation in March 1918, it was reconstituted and incorporated in September into the 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division until the end of the War.
Engagements.
After a short campaign in North Africa against a Turkish attack on the Suez Canal the SA Scottish were sent to France. Here they took part in the Battle of Delville Wood as part of the battle of the Somme in 1916. Between July 12 and 19th the total casualty rate was about 74% of those who went into action. By the end of July, the SA Scottish had suffered 868 casualties.
After Delville Wood, the shattered SA Scottish were reformed and served on the Western Front in particular at Vimy Ridge, the Somme, the battle of Passchendale, Marrieres Wood, and the battle of Messines.
Leadership.
Lt Colonel F.A. Jones, DSO
Regimental emblems.
The regiments collar badge were identical to those of the Cape Town Highlanders except they bore a different motto in Latin “Mors Lucrum Mihi” (Death is my reward) which was the family motto of the Regiments Commanding Officer, Lt Colonel F.A. Jones. The regiment was a kilted unit, wearing the Murray of Athol tartan.
References.
http://www.1914-1918.net/south_africa.html
The South African Forces in France, Imperial War Museum,