Latest news with #AchievementMedal
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Navy relieves admiral in charge of unmanned systems office
The Navy relieved the executive officer for unmanned and small combatants programs on Tuesday, the service said. Dr. Brett Seidel, acting assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development & acquisition, dismissed Rear Adm. Kevin Smith as program executive officer for the Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants 'due to a loss of confidence based on a complaint substantiated by an Office of the Naval Inspector General investigation,' according to a release. 'The Navy maintains the highest standards for leaders and holds them accountable when those standards are not met,' the release said. Navy relieves CO of Navy Information Operations Command Colorado The release did not provide additional details on Smith's dismissal or the nature of the complaint. The term 'loss of confidence' is a common refrain attached to the departure of a senior military leader. On June 1, 2023, Smith was appointed the program executive officer for the Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants, an acquisition authority within Naval Sea Systems Command that helps design, develop and create 'unmanned maritime systems, mine warfare systems, special warfare systems, expeditionary warfare systems and small surface combatants,' according to the service. His awards include three Legion of Merit awards, six Meritorious Service Medals, two Navy Commendation Medals and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Smith has been temporarily reassigned to the staff of Naval Sea Systems Command, according to the release. Melissa Kirkendall, executive director for the Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants, has temporarily assumed Smith's duties.
CBS News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Vice President JD Vance to deliver speech at 2025 U.S. Naval Academy graduation in Maryland
Vice President JD Vance will deliver a speech at the U.S. Naval Academy's 2025 graduation and commissioning ceremony in Maryland, leaders announced. The ceremony will be held on May 23 at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. The ceremony will be closed to the public, but will be available through a live stream. Vice President Vance's military history After high school, Vance enlisted in the Marine Corps and served as a military journalist for four years. He was awarded the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, according to Naval Academy leaders. Prior to his career in politics, Vance graduated from Ohio State University and Yale Law School and was a venture capitalist. Latest at the Naval Academy The Naval Academy's class of 2025 includes about 1,000 midshipmen. They received their service assignments in November 2024. A total of 787 were assigned to the Navy, and another 262 were assigned to the Marine Corps, according to school leaders. In early April, the Naval Academy announced its 91st Commandant of Midshipmen. Graduate Capt. Gilbert Clark, Jr., will serve in the role, which is similar to a dean of students at other universities. Leaders said Capt. Clark will replace the current commandant, Capt. Walter Allman III, during a ceremony in June. The academy made headlines after 400 items were pulled from its library at the direction of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in April. Hegseth's office ordered the school to get rid of volumes that promote diversity, equity and inclusion in a move aimed at purging DEI content from federal agencies. Some of those purged items focused on topics like gender identity, sexuality and race.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Navy fires commander of Colorado-based Information Operations Command
Navy Cmdr. Christopher Johnson was relieved on Thursday as commanding officer of Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Colorado, the service has announced. Officially, Johnson was fired 'due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command,' a Navy news release says. No specific information about why he was relieved has been publicly released. 'The Navy maintains the highest standards for commanding officers and holds them accountable when those standards are not met,' the news release says. All of the military branches use the euphemism 'loss of confidence' to avoid providing the exact reasons why commanding officers and senior enlisted leaders. The vague phrase covers all sorts of reasons, including problems at work and personal issues. Johnson, who assumed command at NIOC Colorado in May 2023, has been temporarily reassigned to U.S. Fleet Cyber Command. He was commissioned through Officer Candidate School and later completed two deployments in support of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, according to his Navy biography. His military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various campaign, unit and service awards. Those 'Hegseth bodyguards' are actually there for the Air Force's 'Doomsday' plane Army wants junior officers to fix quality-of-life issues that drive soldiers out '100% OPSEC' apparently means texting military plans to a reporter Ranger School's new fitness test is tougher than ever, but nixes sit-ups This photo of Air Force special ops pool training is chaos. There's a reason for that.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former FBI Chief Joins The Willis Law Group's Domestic and International Fraud Team
DALLAS, January 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Charles Dayoub comes to The Willis Law Group P.L.L.C. with over 18 years of diverse legal experience and more than a decade of executive leadership. Most recently, he served as an attorney at Perdue Brandon Fielder Collins & Mott, LLP, where he specialized in government receivables and regulatory compliance. Prior to joining The Wills Law Group, Charles was the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Kansas City Field Office. Prior to that, he had served as the section chief in the Counterintelligence Division at FBI headquarters. Charles began his law enforcement career as a special agent in 2005, when he was assigned to the El Paso Field Office in Texas, investigating counterterrorism as a member of the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). He also served on the El Paso SWAT team. In 2008, he joined the JTTF in the Washington Field Office. In 2011, Dayoub was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Counterterrorism Division at FBI headquarters, where he oversaw international terrorism originating in the Horn of Africa. He was promoted in 2013 to supervisory special agent of a JTTF squad in the Philadelphia Field Office. In 2015, he was picked to lead the Newtown Square Resident Agency of the Philadelphia Field Office. As the supervisory senior resident agent, he supervised multiple programs, including white-collar crime, violent crime, crimes against children, and health care fraud. His experience is invaluable as a Partner in our domestic and international fraud sector that operates throughout the world. "We are thrilled to welcome Charles Dayoub to The Willis Law Group," said Kirk Willis, founder of the firm, "His unique combination of high-level federal law enforcement experience and legal expertise will bring invaluable insight to our clients and strengthen our firm's capabilities." During his tenure with the FBI, Mr. Dayoub served in several senior executive positions, including Section Chief of Counterintelligence and Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge of the Cyber Branch in Washington, DC. His expertise spans cybersecurity, white-collar crime, regulatory compliance, and complex investigations. As a Marine Corps veteran, he also served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, receiving multiple commendations including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Mr. Dayoub earned his Juris Doctorate magna cum laude from Texas Tech Law School, where he received numerous academic honors including the Board of Regents Scholarship and Jurisprudence Awards in Criminal Procedure and Constitutional Law. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Baylor University and has completed the Harvard National Preparedness Leadership Initiative Program. "I am excited to join the Willis Law Group where I hope to leverage my previous government and legal experience to make a meaningful impact for our clients and community," Charles Dayoub said. About The Willis Law Group P.L.L.C. The Willis Law Group is a distinguished national law firm with over 100 well-respected lawyers providing client-centric services across 15 offices throughout 6 states. The firm combines large-firm expertise with small-firm personal attention, employing a unique "Precision Litigation™" approach that targets essential aspects of each case for effective resolution. With a focus on putting clients first, the firm's experienced trial lawyers work to achieve optimal results whether in the conference room or the courtroom. The Willis Law Group's commitment to understanding clients' objectives, coupled with their deep knowledge of evolving legislation, enables them to provide efficient, results-driven legal services. The firm is on the forefront of protecting our clients' assets and also specialize in a national anti-fraud campaign for our client base. Charles joins forces with our many former criminal prosecutors and our former military intelligence officer William Clay, Esq. For more information about The Willis Law Group and its services, please visit or contact Valerie Harris at vharris@ or 214-736-9433. View source version on Contacts Valerie Harrisvharris@ 214-736-9433 Sign in to access your portfolio
