News Releases
Thursday, March 11, 2010 - 2010 Annual VSRA Communications Survey

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 - OSHA Norifies 15,00 Workplaces

Monday, March 08, 2010 - Jo-Kell - World Class Supplier

VSRA Member receives important award
Chesapeake, VA (January 18, 2010) - Jo-Kell Inc., a local electrical distribution and engineering company was recognized for their outstanding performance and support of Northrop Grumman Corporation's Socio-Economic Business Programs (SEBP). The award was presented on December 4, 2009 at the company's annual recognition event in Redondo Beach, California. Jo-Kell CEO, Suzy Kelly and President, Marty Kelly were proud to accept the award at the event.
Northrop Grumman annually recognizes companies with the World Class Supplier Award who consistently demonstrate responsiveness and flexibility to help meet Northrop Grumman's needs with a high quality of work, on-time delivery, outstanding cost management and reliable performance.
"It is an to honor to receive this prestigious award from Northrop Grumman", said Jo-Kell CEO Suzy Kelly. "Jo-Kell is grateful to be recognized for the hard work, dedication and commitment of our employees. Our company's primary focus is to provide high-quality products, systems and superior customer service", Kelly added.
Jo-Kell is one of only a few LEAN Certified suppliers for Northrop Grumman Newport News. LEAN incorporates principles of identifying value, eliminating waste and improving processes.
Monday, March 08, 2010 - SCA Weekly Round-Up ... 3/5/2010

SCA Spring General Membership Meeting 2010
April 26-28th, 2010
Washington, DC
The registration form for the Spring General Membership Meeting is now available HERE. Hotel information for the SCA discounted rate is located at the bottom of the form. A list of speakers will be made available as we approach the meeting.
Please contact Brian Elliott at belliott@balljanik.com or at (202) 347-5462 if you have any questions.
National Ship Repair Industry Conference 2010
Thank you to everyone that attended this year's conference and continuing to make this annual event a success. We had a great lineup of Navy Executives on Tuesday and on Wednesday we were able to relay our messages directly to members of Congress. Also, thank you again to all of our sponsors:
Virginia Ship Repair Association
Jacksonville Area Ship Repair Association
Port of San Diego Ship Repair Association
Puget Sound Ship Repair Association
Ship Repair Association of Hawaii
Presentations from Navy Day are available online HERE.
If you have any questions regarding the conference please contact either RDML Joe Carnevale (Ret.) or Brian Elliott.
Please contact Ian Bennitt with any questions.
Offshore Drilling: Interior plans to release comprehensive strategy this month
3/3/210
E&E News PM
Noelle Strub, E&E Reporter
The Obama administration hopes to unveil a comprehensive offshore oil and gas drilling plan by the end of the month, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said today.
The proposal will address a number of pressing issues, including a court-ordered review of the current 2007-2012 five-year plan, a proposal for the next five-year plan that would run from 2012-2017, and whether Interior will proceed with a lease sale next year off Virginia's coast, Salazar said.
"We are working to finalize the documents that are needed to make sure that we have plans that can withstand the force of litigation in the process moving forward," Salazar told reporters on Capitol Hill.
The Bush administration had floated a draft plan days before leaving office that would greatly expand offshore leasing, including multiple sales off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and run from 2010 to 2015, supplanting much of the current program. But Salazar indicated Interior is not likely to pursue that timeline and instead will produce its next plan as scheduled to begin in 2012.
The Interior announcement will also address the court-ordered review of the current 2007-2012 plan.
Interior's 2007-2012 five-year offshore leasing program is undergoing review in response to a court order last April that found deficiencies in one of the environmental analyses underpinning the plan and sent it back to Interior for additional analysis.
The court found that Interior, when preparing the plan, botched its implementation of a requirement under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act that federal officials consider the "relative environmental sensitivity" of different OCS areas and ordered a new evaluation. The court later clarified that the decision applied only to
The offshore proposal will also address whether to move forward with a lease sale planned for 2011 off
During the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, ranking member Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) urged Salazar to move quickly, saying industry will miss out on drilling off the coast of
"I am very, very aware of that fact it is what is driving some very hard work that is under way as we speak," Salazar said.
Monday, 01 March 2010
Monday, March 08, 2010 - VSRA - ASNE DINNER 3/17/2010

VSRA is partnering with the American Society of Naval Engineers to co-sponsor a dinner on Wednesday, March 17th, 2010, beginning at 6:00 PM. The dinner will be held at the Springhill Suites on Newtown Road, Norfolk.
The speaker will be Peggy Harrell, Assistant Deputy Commander, Regional Maintenance Centers, Naval Sea Systems Command (SEA 04Y). Details of the dinner, as well as the speakers bio, can be see on the VSRA - ASNE March Dinner Flyer.
Register at http://www.asne-tw.org/. This will certainly be very well attended, so make your reservations early.
Monday, February 22, 2010 - SCA Weekly Round-Up ... 2/19/2010

SCA Spring General Membership Meeting 2010
April 26-28th, 2010
Washington, DC
The registration form for the Spring General Membership Meeting is now available HERE. Hotel information for the SCA discounted rate is located at the bottom of the form. Locations and a list of speakers will be made available as we approach the meeting.
Please contact Brian Elliott at belliott@balljanik.com or at (202) 347-5462 if you have any questions.
Sen. Reid's new plan is to focus on popular provisions aimed at boosting job creation, including a new tax break negotiated with Republicans for companies that hire unemployed workers and for small businesses that purchase new equipment. It also would renew highway programs and help states and local governments finance large infrastructure projects.
News from RDML Carnevale...
A draft solicitation for services in support of U.S. ships bought, leased or transferred in FMS programs was floated late last year:.. Read more HERE.
A couple of interesting articles in Inside the Navy. The first is one... Read more HERE.
Monday, February 08, 2010 - DOD Releases Important Funding Proposals
DOD Releases Defense Reviews, 2011 Budget Proposal, and 2010 War Funding Supplemental Request President Barack Obama today sent to Congress a proposed defense budget of $708 billion for fiscal 2011. The budget request for the Department of Defense (DoD) includes $549 billion in discretionary budget authority to fund base defense programs and $159 billion to support overseas contingency operations (OCO), primarily in Afghanistan and Iraq. This proposal continues the reform agenda established in last year's DoD budget request and builds on the initiatives identified by the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) and 2010 Ballistic Missile Defense Review (BMDR). The QDR examines DoD strategies and priorities. It assesses the threats and challenges that the nation faces and re-balances DoD's strategies, capabilities, and forces to ensure the U.S. military has the flexibility to address today's conflicts and tomorrow's threats. The BMDR evaluates the ballistic missile threat to the U.S. and its allies and articulates policy. It determines the appropriate role of ballistic missile defense in the country's national security and military strategies. "The fiscal 2011 budget request builds on the reforms begun in last year's defense budget," said Defense Secretary Robert Gates. "These substantial changes to allocate defense dollars more wisely and reform the department's processes were broadened and deepened by the analysis and conclusions contained in the Quadrennial Defense Review." The fiscal 2011 base budget request represents an increase of $18 billion over the $531 billion enacted for fiscal 2010. This is an increase of 3.4 percent, or 1.8 percent real growth after adjusting for inflation. The DoD needs modest real growth to maintain, train, and equip the forces that sustain our wartime efforts. The fiscal 2011 OCO request will provide additional resources needed to sustain U.S. forces in Operation Enduring Freedom – in Afghanistan and elsewhere – and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Included are funds for pay and benefits, logistics and other support, force protection, continuing efforts to counteract improvised explosive devices, as well as funding to fully support the buildup in Afghanistan and to carry out a responsible drawdown in Iraq. "The choices made and priorities set in these budget requests and strategic defense reviews reflect America's commitment to succeed in the wars we are in while making the investments necessary to prepare for threats on or beyond the horizon," said Gates. Also accompanying the 2011 budget proposal is a fiscal 2010 supplemental request of $33 billion to support the added costs of the President's new strategy in Afghanistan and strengthen U.S. force levels with approximately 30,000 additional troops. "To make sure we have the resources needed to support our troops deploying to the Afghanistan theater, I will be asking the Congress to enact the supplemental by spring 2010," said Gates. Key highlights of the proposed DoD budget are outlined in the attached summary and charts. For more information and to view the entire fiscal 2011 budget proposal, please visit http://www.budget.mil and download the "FY 2011 Budget Request Overview Book." Transcripts from applicable budget and strategic defense review briefings can also be viewed at www.defense.gov/transcripts. |
U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) |
Thursday, January 07, 2010 - Navy Force Structure Study Released

The Congressional Research Service has released a new report to congress entitled "Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress." The study's author is Ronald O'Rourke, Specialist in Naval Affairs.
Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans

Organization Information