U.S. SecDef confirms additional Coast Guard cutter ​​​​​​​

In a July 29 release from the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin confirmed a further Coast Guard cutter for the Pacific region in 2024, after traveling to the Indo-Pacific region. The cutter would “further maritime domain awareness and training in the region to address maritime security priorities including illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing,” the release said.

The Coast Guard’s Pacific commander said in February that a first “medium endurance cutter” would be moved to the Pacific in 2024 to grow the Coast Guard’s presence in the region, according to USNI news. It’s homeport was not confirmed.

In its unfunded priorities list for Congress for fiscal 2024 (above and beyond the budget request) the U.S. Coast Guard included a line item for $400 million to fund the acquisition of four more Fast Response Cutters, specifically for the Pacific region. Guam and Hawaii both have three such cutters.

Contractor bags base housing contract
Core Tech International Corp. was awarded a $216.88 million firm-fixed-price contract for the design and construction (design-build) for the replacement of housing at Andersen Air Force Base.
Work is expected to be completed by October 2026. The contract was competitively procured via the SAM.gov website, with three proposals received and was awarded by Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific.

And also:

The Northern Marianas Public School System will receive $311,939 from the U.S. Department of Education for a “Chamorro and Refaluwasch language immersion program,” according to a release from the Office of Gregorio “Kilili” Camacho Sablan, the NMI’s delegate to Congress. The funding will support indigenous language instruction in 14 school classrooms, as well as the continuing development of curriculum to foster preservation of the Chamorro and Refaluwasch cultures.

The Pacific Association of Radiation Survivors applauded the Senate’s adoption July 28 of an amendment to the Senate’s fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act that will include Radiation Exposure Compensation Act coverage for Guam Downwinders.

“This is an issue that the members of PARS, with the leadership of Mr. Robert Celestial, have been working on for decades and will expand medical care to those on Guam who suffer from cancer and heart disease caused by radiation, when Guam was exposed from 1946 – 1962,” PARS said in a release the same day.

For your diary:

Aug. 29: The Saipan Chamber of Commerce is offering General Industry Safety training, to include Basic Occupational and Health Safety Administration Standard Key Concepts from 9 a.m. to noon. For $50 for Chamber members and $60 for non-members. Bulk discount applies. Call (670) 234-7150 or email r.buenaventura@saipanchamber.org.

Sept. 23: The Guam Chapter of the American Red Cross has confirmed its annual Red Ball will take place on Sept. 23 at the Dusit Guam Resort. The event was rescheduled due to Typhoon Mawar.

According to Chita A. Blaise, CEO of the Chapter, the event will be chaired by the trio of Marcos Fong, chairman of the board and board members Annmarie Muna and Lucy M. Alcorn. mbj