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Souda Bay, Greece. (April 19, 2024): In an oil spill disaster, seconds count for Navy authorities trying to limit the ecological damage. In this photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Delaney S. Jensen, Petty Officer 2nd Class Sean Sweetay and Seaman Apprentice Tencing Wang Po practice deploying an oil boom during a spill prevention and response training exercise. These highly skilled Sailors deploy a variety of “booms” that use different methods to corral and contain a spill. These booms use mooring systems, such as anchors or landlines, which can be maneuvered to close off sensitive habitat or to divert the oil away. The three booms at their disposal are:
The Hard boom: This is a floating piece of plastic that contains floats on top and weights on the bottom to form a “skirt” under the water. If the currents or winds are not too strong, the Hard boom can collect and divert oil spills away from coastal areas.
The next tool available to oil spill responders is the Sorbent boom. This device looks like a huge log made out of cloth material that absorbs oil. The Sorbent booms don't have the "skirt" that Hard booms have so they can't contain oil for very long.
The third collection device is the Fire boom, a series of metal plates that form the “skirt” and designed to corral the oil long enough to be lit on fire and burned off. This “burning in place" of an oil slick is controversial due to its potential effects on wildlife. For this reason, Fire booms are seldom used and only during ideal conditions when the weather is relatively calm.
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Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. (April 17, 2024): In a solemn and dignified ceremony, Senior Airmen Allen Aragon, left, and Anthony Harvey fold the U.S. flag to pay homage to the sacrifices of the 27th Bombardment Group who fought in the World War II Battle of Bataan.
The 27th Bomb Group was one of several air units dispatched to the Philippines in a final effort to build up its defenses against a Japanese invasion. They were one of the last units to arrive in Manila before the Japanese attacked on December 8, 1941. The speed of the Japanese assault forced the planes belonging to the 27th Bomb Group to divert to Australia, leaving the rest of the group on the Philippines to fight as infantry, something for which they were not trained.
Members of the group fought alongside other U.S. and Filipino troops who held on for three months despite a desperate lack of supplies. Eventually, they were forced to surrender and had to endure the infamous Bataan Death March. In one of the most horrific war crimes committed during the war, over 80,000 American and Filipino troops were forced to march sixty-five miles in searing heat resulting in the deaths of thousands of POWs.
After fighting in the Philippines and Java in 1941-42, the unit was sent to North Africa where it eventually became the 27th Fighter Group that flew missions in Sicily and Italy.
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Fort Moore, Georgia. (April 14, 2024): U.S. Army Rangers want to know who the best of the best is. In this photo by Specialist Justin Yarborough, 1st Lieutenant. Collin Johnson, assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment, climbs across a rope to hit the Ranger tab on day three of the Best Ranger Competition. For three days, teams of Rangers are pitted against each other as they compete for this coveted title. Army Rangers are one of the world’s premier direct action special forces.
During the French and Indian War, Ranger units recruited tough frontiersmen to help battle native tribes and their European allies. These groups of expert woodsmen and sharpshooters were used for scouting missions and direct raids to harass the enemy.
In World War II, six Ranger battalions were formed that modeled the British Special Air Services. They were made famous during the bitter fighting on D-Day when they scaled the cliffs at Omaha Beach to destroy German gun emplacements. After the invasion, the Rangers adopted the slogan “Rangers lead the way.”
Since World War II, the Rangers fought in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Today, the 75th Ranger Regiment primarily conducts direct action raids in hostile environments to kill or capture high-value targets. Their other missions include seizing airfields, recovering personnel, and conducting special reconnaissance.
To become a Ranger, candidates must pass a 62-day course in small unit tactics and leadership that is one of the most challenging in the world. The goal is to develop warfighting skills for close quarter combat and direct fire battles. The course has three training phases: Benning, Mountain, and Swamp. The Benning and Mountain Phases are held in Georgia while the Swamp Phase is conducted in the coastal regions of North Florida.
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“The first day, everyone is yelling at me. I don’t know what I’m doing. They just shaved my head.” USMC Recruit.
Camp Clark, Nevada, Missouri. (April 12, 2024): These random thoughts from a terrified young recruit are typical of the shock they experienced when entering Basic training. Their angst is often shared by their family members as they too adjust to their role in their loved one’s career. The Marine Corps understands this anxiety and has created a program to help recruits, and their families, prepare for entry into the Corps.
Officially called “Poolees,” the program is for recruits who have signed up but have yet to begin training. Many are still in high school and may spend months in the delayed entry program. The Marines now require Poolees to participate in activities each month including physical training, learning basic customs and traditions, and they also get a chance to meet with Drill Instructors on what to expect.
It is also an excellent opportunity for parents to learn more about Basic training and it allows Drill Instructors to answer any questions or concerns they may have. The Marines even sponsor “Poolees Family Nights” where parents of recent boot camp graduates and those with children currently in boot camp can lend support and share information with Poolees parents.
The result is recruits who are better physically and mentally prepared for Basic training and whose parents have been thoroughly briefed on every aspect of what is come.
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East China Sea. (April 21, 2024): Test anxiety is an unpleasant fact for U.S. Sailors seeking promotion, and for good reason. In this photo by Seaman Apprentice Aaron Haro Gonzalez, Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt take the Navy-wide advancement exam which will likely decide whether they will advance in their careers. Sailors compete against each other in the same “rate” or profession and for the few promotable slots available which makes the examination all that more critical.
To be eligible to take the exam, Sailors must meet all the necessary requirements and be recommended by their commanding officer for promotion. The test is standardized to provide an unbiased tool to help rank qualified candidates for promotion. The exam consists of 175 questions related to a Sailor’s duties and responsibilities and the results are part of the formula used by the Navy to promote the very best.
For these Sailors, test anxiety is an unpleasant fact as they compete to advance in their careers.
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Atlantic Ocean. (April 11, 2024): Most parents are fearful when their teenager drives the family car, let alone a multi-billion-dollar warship at sea. In this photo by MC2 Jesse Turner, Seaman Aleeke Johnson and Seaman Ijiah Corbett, assigned to the amphibious transport dock USS New York, participate in helmsman training on the ship's bridge. Sailors like these are given the remarkable role of guiding their ship’s course and speed as young as nineteen. They are responsible for steering and adjusting the ship’s course while applying their expertise to navigate ever-changing inshore waters. The crew depends on the helmsman to guarantee the ship will stay on course no matter the weather conditions.
Sailors receive hundreds of hours of hands-on bridge training guided by a veteran helmsman with years’ experience before they can take the helm. Candidates for Master Helmsman are required to “take the wheel” during multiple “evolutions” or deployments to their area of responsibility. During these voyages, these young people learn to maneuver in tricky waters and under the unique scenarios they would encounter in combat.
So, the next time your teenager asks for the keys…