Latest news with #NavyReserve
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fallen soldiers honored at Georgia National Cemetery in Cherokee County
This is the weekend we remember the Americans who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. People gathered at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton on Saturday to honor those who died in battle. All of the headstones in the cemetery are decorated with an American flag. James Walters served in the Navy Reserve. His brother answered the nation's call and he gave it all. 'Never, never, never ever forget to say a prayer for all of those who died in combat,' Walters told Channel 2's Bryan Mims. 'I was three years old when my oldest brother was killed in Korea, 7 August, 1952.' [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Walters says whenever taps is played, he sheds a tear. The ceremony's speaker, Major General Dwayne Wilson of the Georgia National Guard, knows well what sacrifice looks like. To him, it looks like his father, who was killed in Vietnam. 'So I watched my mom and my grandparents live lives in pain without him,' Wilson said. The ceremony was quiet and intimate. The Sons of the American Revolution, dressed in period clothing, fired rifles in tribute. After the ceremony, people quietly walked among the headstones and flags. TRENDING STORIES: Officer who arrested Ximena Arias-Cristobal resigns from department North GA man shoots, kills wife, girlfriend before turning gun on himself, police say Viral food critic Keith Lee awards metro Atlanta pizzeria $50,000 for community engagement [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Buying KC-130Js Key To Navy's Ability To Fight In Pacific: Reserve Boss
The head of the U.S. Navy Reserve says that acquiring new C-130J Hercules aircraft is a top priority, particularly because of the critical organic aerial refueling capacity they could provide in a future Pacific fight. The Navy currently relies on U.S. Air Force tankers to provide aerial refueling support, fleets that are already strained by non-combat demands. Aging Navy Reserve C-130Ts already play key, if largely unsung, air refueling and logistics roles, including supporting deployed carrier strike groups by moving munitions, spare parts, and other cargoes to forward locations on land. Chief of Navy Reserve Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore talked about the importance of new C-130Js, and of timely funding to purchase them, at multiple points during a hearing before members of the House Appropriations Committee yesterday. The Navy Reserve has 16 C-130Ts and 11 KC-130Ts, the latter of which are capable of being used as tankers, according to Naval Air Systems Command's (NAVAIR) website at the time of writing. Five more KC-130Ts are also in service with Navy test and evaluation units. The KC/C-130Ts first began entering Navy and Marine Corps service in the 1980s, and the latter service retired the last of its T variant Hercules aircraft in 2021 after transitioning to the more capable and otherwise improved J model. 'The C-130 is our number one equipment priority, and we are behind … for that recapitalization effort,' Lacore said. 'We started this recap journey in 2024, and we're behind … The plan was to be at 32 [C-130J] aircraft by 2030. We got one in [the budget in Fiscal Year 20]24, two in [Fiscal Year 20]25, and we're super grateful for them. But right now, for the out years, we need to be looking at six per year in order to get us where we need to go.' 'We have 27 aircraft right now, the Tangos, with an average age of 34 years and a mission-capable rate of 40 percent,' Lacore added. With new C-130Js, 'we also anticipate a 75 percent mission-capable rate, which will go a long way,' as well as 'doubling our sortie rate' and 'getting three times the service radius in combat.' With a typical payload, the maximum ranges of the C-130H, from which the C-130T is derived, and the C-130J are 1,208 miles and 2,071 miles, respectively, per the U.S. Air Force. Total weight, including internal fuel, as well as operational considerations and other factors, all affect an aircraft's useful combat radius. The C-130J also has a higher top speed and altitude ceiling than the C-130H or T, which can help extend range, as well as reduce the time required to get from one point to another. It is worth noting that a portion of the Navy's KC/C-130T fleet has received new eight-bladed NP2000 propellers and other upgrades, as have certain Air Force C-130Hs, which do provide more limited performance and fuel efficiency boosts, as you can read more about here. Navy E-2 Hawkeye airborne early warning and control planes and C-2 Greyhound carrier onboard delivery (COD) aircraft also feature NP2000 propellers. At the hearing yesterday, Lacore explicitly highlighted the benefits the J model Hercules aircraft offer when it comes to improving the Navy Reserve's ability to provide aerial refueling support, as well as dispense fuel on the ground at forward locations. She further noted how this could be particularly valuable for future operations across the broad expanses of the Pacific. 'The PACFLT [U.S. Pacific Fleet] commander has already asked us for, you know, to work on organic aerial refueling, and we are doing that with the Tangos, but it's a long haul. They're not all plumbed for that,' Lacore said. As noted, less than half of the aircraft in the existing Navy Reserve C-130 fleet are KC-130T tankers. 'The Juliets will come with that plumbing already established,' Lacore continued. 'We anticipate with that [to be able to provide] at least two times the aerial refueling rate. And if we include ground refueling as well, we're looking at probably eight times our refueling capability in theater, which is which will be a huge win for us in the Pacific.' Navy C-130Js configured tankers, like the current KC-130Ts, will only be able to refuel aircraft using the probe-and-drogue method, at least as presently planned. Probe-and-drogue is the preferred means of aerial refueling for Navy and Marine Corps aircraft. It is also used by aerial refueling-capable U.S. Army and Air Force helicopters, as well as CV-22 Ospreys belong to the latter service. The Air Force prefers the boom method for refueling its fixed-wing aircraft. Lacore further highlighted how the C-130Js will come with more advanced defensive features than are found on the KC/C-130Ts, which will allow the Navy Reserve to operate the aircraft in more dangerous environments. As mentioned, the Navy, overall, currently relies heavily on the Air Force to provide aerial refueling support during combat operations, as well as peacetime training and other activities. The Navy is currently pressing ahead with plans to add new MQ-25 Stingray tanker drones to its carrier air wings. At the same time, the service does not expect to field the MQ-25 in significant numbers until the 2030s. Even then, the uncrewed tankers will not eliminate demand for additional aerial refueling support, especially in a large-scale conflict. After U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released a video showing an Air Force HC-130J Combat King II aircraft refueling a Navy E-2D Hawkeye somewhere in the Middle East, TWZ highlighted the relevance of C-130-based tankers, as well as other smaller aerial refueling aircraft, in a Pacific scenario. The HC-130J is a combat search and rescue (CSAR) aircraft that is also configured to act as a tanker, primarily for CSAR helicopters. As we wrote: 'The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps are both refining new concepts of operations that focus heavily on expeditionary and distributed operations and rapid deployment to remote and/or austere forward locations with minimal support as part of preparations for a potential high-end conflict, especially one against China.' 'The ability to operate from shorter runways and with a lower logistic footprint, as well as being able to get gas once in the air from smaller propeller-driven tankers, or even future drones like the MQ-25 Stingray, would be more relevant than ever in the context of an island-hopping campaign.' A @USNavy E-2D refuels inflight from an @usairforce HC-130 over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 6, 2024 Forward operations at far-flung locations with shorter runways could create additional need for aerial refueling. For instance, tactical jets might need to take off with less fuel to be able to get airborne with a full ordnance load, and then immediately link up with a tanker to top up. Tankers orbiting closer to forward bases could help fast jets low on fuel make it back safely after missions, as well. Navy C-130 tankers would be limited to offloading fuel in flight via the probe-and-drogue method, but this could, in turn, help alleviate operational strain, even during peacetime, on boom-equipped Air Force tankers. In a future large-scale conflict, Navy tactical jets could find themselves at forward bases on land together with their Marine counterparts, and additional tankers could help ease demands on the latter service's KC-130Js. Tankers, in general, are expected to be in extremely high demand during any future high-end fight, and those aircraft will also be targets for enemy forces. All of this further reinforces the value of the Navy providing additional organic aerial refueling support. In addition, Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore said yesterday that new C-130Js will help the Navy Reserve improve its ability to perform its logistics airlift mission, which could also be very relevant in a future conflict in the Pacific region. She pointed out that Navy C-130Ts had already been an important part of the supply chain to get munitions and other materiel to Navy carrier strike groups during recent operations in and around the Red Sea. 'The C-130 Tango Hercules, operated exclusively by the Reserve, is the Navy's only long-range intertheater airlift [asset] for oversized cargo. This capability is in high demand from Fleet commanders, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, playing a critical role in the contested logistics necessary to sustain a maritime fight,' Lacore explained. 'Last year, Navy Reserve airlift transported more than 80,000 passengers and 20 million pounds of cargo, sustaining carrier strike groups in every theater, delivering salvage teams, resupplying critical munitions, and providing repair parts to keep F-35 flying in the Pacific and Aegis destroyers on station in the Red Sea.' 'Over the past few months, Reserve C-130 crews transported thousands of pounds of ordnance into the Red Sea fight, keeping our ships on station' so they could continue 'intercepting Houthi missiles, conducting precision strikes, and safeguarding global commerce,' she added. New C-130Js are 'critical to ensuring that we can effectively and safely carry out the critical intertheater logistics missions for the fleet.' The Air Force also currently provides the bulk of all fixed-wing airlift capacity across the U.S. military, something that would also be in high demand for moving personnel and material across the Pacific during a future conflict in the region. Overall, the Navy Reserve's continued push to replace its KC/C-130Ts with new C-130Js is not just about modernization, but reflects the service's growing view that those aircraft will play a critical role in any future fight in the Pacific. In the meantime, the aging T variants will continue providing already important aerial refueling and airlift support. Contact the author: joe@
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who's running for Albuquerque mayor? Here's what we know.
Feb. 7—There are 270 days until the mayoral election, and so far one person has filed to run. Mayling Armijo, former deputy county manager for Sandoval County, is the first candidate listed on the City Clerk's website. If elected, she would become the first female mayor of the city. "I'm not a politician. I want the job. I want to fix this, I want to do this. I'm very passionate about the city," Armijo told the Journal on Monday. "Moving away is not an option. Fixing it is." While the mayor's race is technically nonpartisan, Armijo said she identifies as a moderate Democrat. Armijo worked as director of economic development for Bernalillo County and served in the Navy Reserve for 14 years with one deployment. She will challenge incumbent Tim Keller, who is vying to become the first Albuquerque mayor elected to three consecutive terms. Keller has not filed yet. "Mayor Keller is focused on running the city and will likely get to filing in March," Staci Drangmeister, a spokesperson for the mayor, said in a statement. Like Keller, Eddie Aragon is planning to file in March. The local conservative radio show host ran for the city's highest office in 2021, coming in third with 18% of the vote, as Keller cruised to reelection with 56%. Aragon told the Journal that he only got 18% of the vote because he entered the race so late and wasn't taken seriously by the media. "I brought a lot of energy. There were lines out the door. I believe that I got way more than 20%," Aragon said, adding that his vision for the city is the same as it was in 2021. Aragon won't be the only Republican-leaning candidate in the race. Eddie Varela, a 72-year-old retired firefighter who served as a deputy chief and union president, told the Journal he is running for the job. "I was born and raised here. It's been good to me, and I remember the days when it was a beautiful city, and I think we can do that again," Varela said in an interview last month. He also has yet to file. The Regular Local Election, which also includes the seats in City Council Districts 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, is slated for Nov. 4. The deadline for candidates to file is Aug. 26.
USA Today
07-02-2025
- General
- USA Today
Mobile native and Navy reservist served during the presidential inauguration
Mobile native and Navy reservist served during the presidential inauguration Show Caption Hide Caption Watch airman's surprise photobomb bring younger brother to happy tears Easton Gunsell, 13, of Flushing, Michigan was stunned when his airman big brother surprised him by photobombing a family picture after a year away. USA TODAY Intelligence Specialist Third Class Charles J. Cartee, Jr., a Mobile, Ala. native and Navy reservist who drills out of Navy Reserve Center Gulfport, never thought when he joined the Navy Reserve that he might be shaking the hand of the future president of the United States. This is one of the many highlights of an early career in the Navy Reserve of this Intelligence Analyst who serves onboard the Twenty Second Naval Construction Regiment in Gulfport, Mississippi. A 2019 graduate of Alma Bryant High School, he initially entered military service when he joined the U.S. Army as an infantryman in combat deployments to Iraq and Syria. Desiring to attend college under the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, he separated from active duty and joined the Navy Reserve in 2022. He graduated from Intelligence Specialist 'A' School in 2023 and now is scheduled to begin pursuing a degree in aeronautical engineering at Embry Riddle University in July 2025. Cartee grew up in a rural area near Irvington, Alabama and understood the value of hard work and persistence in achieving his goals. Noting that he had several family members who had served in the military, he felt it was his responsibility to carry on his family's tradition and serve as a role model to his younger brothers. These values have inspired big dreams for Cartee, who currently works in his civilian capacity as a hydraulics technician for the Airbus Aerospace Company manufacturing facility in Mobile. In the future, he desires to earn his commercial pilot's license, and he views the military as a feasible conduit for achieving the training and qualifications necessary to achieve what would normally be a very expensive endeavor to achieve in the civilian world. 'I have wanted to fly aircraft since I was 12 years old, though I have earned a private license through my owns means. The several additional licenses necessary to fly commercially are incredibly expensive,' Cartee said. 'That is always something that has been out of my reach, but after I got my Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, I was able to fully pay for everything to make my dream attainable.' Cartee's most recent assignment was in support of the 2025 Presidential Inauguration Navy Liaison Team in Washington, D.C. He served on the executive driving detail and was responsible for escorting Very Important Persons (VIPs) to various inauguration events. During one of the pre-inauguration events, a wreath laying ceremony, he had the opportunity to meet and speak with the future Secretary of Defense, Mr. Pete Hegseth, and he even had the opportunity to shake hands with President Donald Trump. This unique and star-studded experience was one of several accomplishments of a short but consequential Navy Reserve career. His previous experience as an Infantry Team Leader in 190 combat missions prepared him to understand the warfighter's perspective and has made him a top-quality intelligence specialist. Reflecting on his proudest achievement, Cartee discusses his critical support to the Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 133 Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Integrated Exercise (NIEX) as the only intelligence specialist. Having taken the orders on short notice, he prepared over 20 intelligence products from scratch, produced an Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield for a graded evolution, and provided 15 briefs to the unit's senior leadership and assessors with poise and confidence. Cartee is grateful for the mentors who shaped him as a young man in his hometown, especially Chief Warrant Officer Three (Retired) Adam Bryant, who was Cartee's high school instructor. He motivated him to consider the military and its abundant opportunities for upward mobility for those who choose to serve. Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore, chief of the Navy Reserve and commander, Navy Reserve Force, highlights the importance of Reserve Sailors like Cartee as warfighters when she said, 'Our Sailors, operational units, and readiness units of action are our weapons system. We are prepared for the mission, ready to fight and win decisively on Day One.' Cartee's service in both the Army and the Navy Reserve testify to the degree of readiness expected of a citizen Sailor. He explained, 'We have a famous saying in the Army, that a Soldier (or Sailor) should be prepared to go to war in 72 hours. This mindset is still applicable to me, in that if I were told to have my things packed by Monday for deployment, I would have no objections. I signed up as an intelligence specialist so if I am needed tomorrow, I am needed tomorrow. I took an oath for a reason.' Cartee's story is an excellent example of a citizen Sailor's passion for serving his country while balancing the demands of a civilian career and future educational aspirations. On inspiring others by his example, he said, 'The world is your oyster, you just have to crack it.'
