The Defense Department honors the contributions of women serving in the military and DOD civilian forces, celebrating the richness and diversity of their achievements in March and throughout the year ..read more

NAVAL BASE CORONADO (Feb. 17, 2024) - The crew of the expeditionary sea base USS John L. Canley (ESB 6) mans the ship during its commissioning ceremony on Naval Base Coronado Feb. 17, 2024. The ship is named for Medal of Honor recipient John Lee Canley, a retired Marine Corps Sergeant Major and Vietnam war veteran. U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Claire M. DuBois USS John L. Canley commissioning recognizes legacy of Vietnam vet, Medal of Honor recipient by Julie Ann Ripley, Naval Surface Force Pacific Fleet CORONADO - With several Medal of Honor recipients in attendance, Expeditionary Sea Base USS John ..read more

SAN DIEGO (Feb. 23, 2024) Culinary Specialist 1st Class John Estes, a native of Alexandria, Minnesota, assigned to Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) shares a smile with his son after the ship pulled into port upon return from deployment. Vinson, flagship of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, returned to its homeport of Naval Air Station North Island, Feb. 23, following a four-month deployment to the Western Pacific. The Carl Vinson strike group deployed with flagship USS Carl Vinson and embarked CSG-1 staff, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 1 staff and the ..read more

Active-duty spouse survey helps DOD shape family policy, programs  by David Vergun, DOD News The biennial Survey of Active-Duty Spouses is now available for the nearly 600,000 Defense Department active-duty spouses to complete. The survey has new, expanded sections on remote work and financial well-being.  It's the only official DOD-wide survey for active-duty spouses. Input collected through this survey will provide the department with a barometer on how to adjust policies and programs to address the needs of military families in the U.S. and abroad, said Lee Kelley, principal director for th ..read more

Researchers set out to tackle voting challenges of military members by Joseph Clark , DOD News Researchers from nonprofit election technology company VotingWorks showcased an early-stage prototype of technology aimed at improving the experience of military absentee voters, Feb. 7. The prototype was presented during the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors conferences in Washington, D.C., last week. It was unveiled midway into a two-year, research project funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to explore methods t ..read more

For service members, access to mental health care streamlined under Brandon Act Jan. 22, 2024 | by C. Todd Lopez Last year, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness signed policy implementing within the Defense Department and across the military services the requirements laid out under the Brandon Act.  Within the DOD and military services, the Brandon Act allows service members to request a mental health evaluation just by making the request to their supervisor ..read more

Navy selects potential master developer for 70.3-acre Navy Old Town Campus SAN DIEGO – The Navy announced today the selection of Manchester Financial Group/Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate (Manchester/Edgemoor) as the potential master developer for the 70.3-acre Naval Base Point Loma Old Town Campus (OTC). The Navy and Manchester/Edgemoor entered into a period of exclusive negotiations for the potential revitalization of OTC, home to Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR). From August 2023 to December 2023, the Navy evaluated proposals received from potential master develo ..read more

The Vietnam War 50th Commemoration celebration is March 29, and is the nation’s opportunity to celebrate the veterans’ and families’ service and sacrifice. We honor all who served on active duty and their families at any time between Nov. 1, 1955 - May 15, 1975, regardless of duty location. Vietnam veterans represented nearly 10 percent of their generation. They fought under challenging conditions, and when their service ended, were not always welcomed when they returned home. President Obama highlighted that one of our country’s most painful times was Vietnam and how we treated our service me ..read more

NSA focuses on talent as pace of technology quickens The National Security Agency’s ability to recruit and retain top talent is key to meeting the demands of the future, agency Director Army Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, said recently. Nakasone said the rapid evolution of technology continues to reshape the national security landscape and how his agency responds to new threats, but people remain central to the NSA’s mission. “A lot of times we think about the incredible technological capabilities and the high-speed computers that are there, but, at the end of the day, what makes us the agency that we ..read more

SECNAV Del Toro names future medical ship USNS Balboa (EMS2) Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced today that a future Bethesda-class expeditionary medical ship will be named USNS Balboa (EMS 2), during a ceremony at Naval Medical Center San Diego, Oct. 27. The future USNS Balboa honors the legacy and commitment of Navy doctors, nurses, corpsmen, and staff of Balboa Naval Hospital in caring for the needs of U.S. Service Members. The name selection follows the tradition of naming expeditionary medical ships after U.S. military hospitals ..read more