Coast Guard searching for missing cruise ship crewmember 28 miles northwest of Cuba

MIAMI—The Coast Guard is searching for a missing crewmember Saturday from the cruise ship Norwegian Getaway 28 miles northwest of Pinar del Rio, Cuba.

At approximately 3:20 p.m., watchstanders at the Coast Guard 7th District Command Center were notified by the cruise ship that a 33-year-old Filipino crewmember was seen going overboard.

A Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew was diverted to conduct search patterns at 3:30 p.m.

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Coast Guard helicopter crew helps rescue 5-year-old boy in Sleeping Bear Dunes

Photos by Master Chief Petty Officer Alan Haraf, U.S. Coast Guard District 9

First responders from Glen Lake Fire Department in Upper Michigan rescue a 5-year-old boy in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore during a multi-agency search, June 29, 2018. A helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City located the boy after being requested to search from the air. (U.S. Coast Guard photos by Air Station Traverse City)

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — The Coast Guard assisted local agencies in finding a 5-year-old boy who went missing in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Friday.

The name of the boy is not being released by the Coast Guard.

A watchstander at Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan command center in Milwaukee received a request at about 6:30 p.m. local time from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center asking for air assistance in helping the Sleeping Bear Dunes Park Rangers locate a 5-year-old boy. The boy had been reported missing in the park for more than an hour.

The watchstander then coordinated with the Coast Guard’s District Nine command center who requested a crew from Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City to launch aboard an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter.

The aircrew launched about 8:30 p.m. EDT and arrived overhead at the park within ten minutes to commence searching. At about 9:15 p.m., the helicopter crew located the missing boy. A rescue swimmer was lowered to remain with him until first responders from the Glen Lake Fire Department could be directed to the location by the helicopter pilots. Members of the fire department then reunited the boy with his parents. He was listed in good condition.

In addition to the Coast Guard, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Park Rangers and the Glen Lake Fire Department, the Leelanau County Sheriff’s Department was also involved in the search.

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Ornge donates decommissioned helicopter to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum

(Ottawa, Ontario) – In a very special event in Ottawa this week, Ornge donated a decommissioned Sikorsky S-76 to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.  Members of the public and media were invited to attend the donation ceremony as Ornge officially handed over one of the S-76 models which served the Ontario air ambulance program from 1980 to 2016.

“We would like to express our gratitude to Ornge for their generous donation of the Sikorsky S-76, an aircraft with a rich history that provides a significant contribution to Canada’s aviation heritage,” said Christopher Kitzan, Director General, Canada Aviation and Space Museum. “We look forward to including the Sikorsky S-76 in our national program, to enrich the learning experience for all visitors.”
 
Through a national network of more than two dozen academic, industry, government, and national museum partners, the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum engages hundreds of young Canadians in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) disciplines and inspires new generations to pursue opportunities within the mobility field.

The helicopter will be refurbished into a public display by Ottawa-area primary, secondary and post-secondary students, directly supporting the museum’s ongoing efforts to enhance the learning experience for its visitors.

“We know the donation of this aircraft will give countless youth the opportunity to engage with a helicopter that has a long and distinguished history. We hope that some of these young people will someday aspire to work in the field of aviation, possibly even for Ornge, and in turn support our very important mission of serving the people of Ontario.”  Said Rob Giguere, Ornge Chief Operating Officer and Deputy CEO

This particular aircraft, registered as C-GIMB, flew more than 14,000 hours and logged 47,554 landings while in service at Ornge. The retired fleet has since been replaced by the Leonardo AW139 helicopters.

Clearing out space junk, one step at a time

An experimental satellite from Airbus’ SSTL subsidiary will test methods of removing orbital debris

Since the start of the space age, mankind has left its mark on the orbital pathways overhead…and not always for the better. Today, some 7,000 tonnes of artificial debris – a mass equivalent to the Eiffel Tower – orbit the planet.

This detritus, ranging from remnants of defunct or broken-up spacecraft to discarded rocket stages, whizzes by at a dizzying 8 km per second – a speed at which even pieces sized at a few centimetres pose significant hazards to space stations and operational satellites.

An experimental spacecraft built by the Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) subsidiary of Airbus and deployed in June 2018 aims to demonstrate innovative debris-removal technologies during the coming months. The spacecraft, named RemoveDEBRIS, was released from the International Space Station and will carry out its Airbus designed-and-built active debris removal experiments, or ADR, in the following nine months.

RemoveDEBRIS, managed by the University of Surrey Space Centre, will test four separate ADR strategies: a capture net, vision-based navigation, a harpoon and a deorbiting drag sail (SSC).

In 1967, there was one man-made object in orbit large enough to be tracked: Sputnik. Fifty years later, there are some 23,000.

Nicolas Chamussy, the head of Airbus Space Systems said: “We have spent many years developing innovative systems to be at the forefront of tackling this growing problem, and to contribute the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals for future generations. We will continue to work closely with teams across the world to make our expertise available to help solve this issue.”

The RemoveDEBRIS satellite’s capture net experiment, developed by Airbus in Bremen, Germany, will see a small cubesat deployed from the main mission craft. After moving away, the cubesat will be targeted by the net and captured at a distance of approximately seven metres. The pair will then naturally deorbit, burning up upon re-entry in the atmosphere. This experiment will take place in September.

The mission’s vision-based navigation (VBN) system, comes from Airbus in Toulouse, France and will be tested in October. Relying on 2D cameras and 3D LIDAR (light detection and ranging) technology, RemoveDEBRIS will precisely track a cubesat deployed from the main spacecraft – observing the target’s rotation and movement away. At the same time, the cubesat will transmit its true position to the main spacecraft, enabling the VBN system’s performance to be measured. This will serve as a precursor to developing orbital rendezvous techniques with space debris. Once the VBN system testing is completed, the cubesat’s trajectory will allow it to deorbit naturally.

Rather than become another piece of space junk itself, the RemoveDEBRIS satellite will re-enter the atmosphere at mission-end.

The RemoveDEBRIS harpoon system, designed by Airbus’ Stevenage, United Kingdom facility, will be launched into a target of spacecraft material fixed to a boom extended from the satellite. Fired at a speed of 20 metres per second, the harpoon will penetrate the target and the experiment will be recorded with high-speed cameras on the spacecraft. The harpoon is slated to be fired in March 2019.

Mindful of the irony inherent in creating a debris-cleaning spacecraft that would itself otherwise become space clutter, RemoveDEBRIS has been designed with a drag sail that will hasten the spacecraft’s demise once its mission is complete. After performing all planned tests, the spacecraft will deploy its drag-inducing sail that will force the craft’s deorbiting in approximately eight weeks – far shorter than the 2.5 years it would require to deorbit naturally. The drag sail concept could be incorporated into future satellites to hasten their destruction via atmospheric re-entry at the end of their operational lifetimes.

RemoveDEBRIS is an international collaboration co-funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Program (FP7). In addition to Airbus and its Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd subsidiary, this first European effort of its kind involves the University of Surrey Space Centre (UK), French-based ArianeGroup, Innovative Solutions In Space (The Netherlands), CSEM (Switzerland); Inria (France) and the Stellenbosch University of South Africa.

Coast Guard suspends search for boater who went missing near Kent Island, Maryland

This animated graphic displays an estimation of multiple search patterns over time as the program displays the most probable search areas. U.S. Coast Guard animation.

BALTIMORE – The U.S. Coast Guard in Baltimore suspended the search Friday for a missing boater who went missing near Kent Island.

Kevin Yates Sr., 41, is believed to have fallen from a 40-foot powerboat Wednesday, somewhere between Kent Island and Herrington Harbor South.

The Coast Guard made the decision to suspend the search after numerous searches with multiple partner agencies since notification. Crews completed 39 searches, providing more than 870 square nautical miles of coverage.

“Our hearts go out to the family; it’s the hardest decision to suspend a search like this,” said Cmdr. Matt Fine, the deputy commander at Sector Maryland-National Capital Region. “I would like to thank the seven port partners that searched with us. With the busy boating season, I just cannot stress enough the importance of everyone onboard wearing life jackets when on the water.”

Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region received a report Wednesday at about 2:45 p.m., that Yates was missing from the 40-foot cabin cruiser. 

The boat owner had gotten underway with Yates, who had gone below deck in transit and when he had not reappeared about an hour later, the owner searched the boat for him.

After realizing he was no longer aboard, he called a friend on shore, who called the Coast Guard. The reporting source stated that Yates had likely fallen overboard between Kent Narrows and Herring Bay.

Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region command center launched search crews aboard boats, cutters, helicopters and coordinated search efforts with the Maryland Natural Resources Police, the Maryland State Police, Anne Arundel County Fire Department and Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

The on-scene weather, at the time of the incident, was reported as 25 knot winds, 4-to-5-foot seas and a water temperature of 75 degrees.

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Coast Guard rescues St. Thomas man 6 miles southwest of Turks and Caicos

Images: U.S. Coast Guard District 7, Air Station Clearwater.

A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater rescue swimmer talks with the survivor, of the sunken 36-foot sailing vessel Wings, Friday, June 29, 2018 approximately 6 miles southwest of Big Sand Cay, Turks and Caicos. The Coast Guard 7th District Command Center received a 406 megahertz emergency position indicating radio beacon alert from the 36-foot sailing vessel Wings with one person aboard and rescued the mariner.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard rescued a mariner Friday from a sinking sailing vessel 6 miles southwest of Big Sand Cay, Turks and Caicos.

Rescued was Robert Petersen, 66, from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

At approximately 9:30 a.m. watchstanders at Coast Guard 7th District Command Center received a 406 megahertz emergency position indicating radio beacon alert from the 36-foot sailing vessel "Wings" with one mariner aboard. Watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew, currently deployed in the Bahamas.

The Jayhawk crew located the sailing vessel, hoisted Petersen and transported him to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos at 11:53 a.m. with no reported injuries.

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LOCKHEED MARTIN SE ADJUDICA EL CONTRATO PARA CONSTRUIR AVIONES F-16 BLOCK 70 PARA BAHREIN

La primera unidad del avión Block 70 del mundo se construirá en Greenville, Carolina del Sur

FORT WORTH, Texas, / PRNewswire / - Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) ha recibido un contrato de 1,12 mil millones de dólares del gobierno de los EE.UU. Para producir 16 nuevos aviones F-16 Block 70 para la Royal Air Force de Bahrein.

Éste representará la primera venta del bloque 70 del F-16, y el primer programa de producción del ya mítico caza que se realizará en Greenville, Carolina del Sur .

El Reino de Bahrein es el primer cliente en adquirir el F-16 Block 70, la configuración del F-16 más moderna y avanzada.

"Valoramos nuestra larga relación con el Reino de Bahrein y esperamos comenzar las actividades de producción de su primer avión Block 70 en nuestras instalaciones de Greenville ", Susan Ouzts, vicepresidenta del Programa F-16 de Lockheed Martin. "Esta venta destaca la importante y creciente demanda que observamos en todo el mundo para la producción de los nuevos F-16".

Lockheed Martin espera que este contrato genere entre 150 y 200 nuevos empleos en Greenville. La producción del F-16 también incluye cientos de puestos de trabajo de ingeniería, ventas, mantenimiento y atención al cliente de Lockheed Martin en EE.UU. además de miles de empleos indirectos (proveedores) en el país. La cadena de suministro del F-16 cuenta actualmente con el respaldo de 450 proveedores estadounidenses en 42 Estados.

El F-16 Block 70 monta una nueva suite de aviónica avanzada, un radar Active Actually Electronically Scanned Array, cockpit modernizado, armamento avanzado, tanques de combustible más capaces, Automatic  Ground Collision Avoidance System, un sistema automático de prevención de colisión en tierra, un motor más avanzado y una vida útil extendida de todo el conjunto, que es líder en la industria, de 12.000 horas.

El F-16 continúa demostrando ser el caza multirole más exitoso y probado en combate del mundo. Hasta la fecha, 284 clientes de todo el mundo han adquirido 4.604 F-16. Aproximadamente 3.000  hoy F-16 vuelan en la actualidad dentro de las flotas de 25 fuerzas aéreas, por supuesto incluida la USAF.

Hungary orders 20 H145Ms

H145M with HForce weapon system

Donauwörth, The Hungarian Ministry of Defence has ordered 20 H145M military helicopters equipped with the innovative HForce weapon management in the frame of the military modernisation programme Zrinyi 2026. Together with the helicopters, Airbus will provide an extensive training and support package.

“We are honoured to be of service – once more – to the Hungarian Ministry of Defence whom we today welcome as a new customer for our H145M helicopters. With this new order, we are fostering our excellent and trustful relationship with the Hungarian Armed Forces after their acquisition of two A319 military troop transporters last year. Team Airbus is grateful for the continued trust and confidence that the Hungarian government has placed in our products”, said Tom Enders, Chief Executive Officer of Airbus.

With a maximum take-off weight of 3.7 tonnes, the H145M can be used for a wide range of tasks, including troop transport, utility, surveillance, air rescue, armed reconnaissance and medical evacuation. The Hungarian fleet will be equipped with a fast roping system, highperformance camera, fire support equipment, ballistic protection as well as an electronic countermeasures system to support the most demanding operational requirements. The HForce system, developed by Airbus Helicopters, will allow Hungary to equip and operate their aircraft with a large set of ballistic or guided air-to-ground and air-to-air weapons.

The H145M is a tried-and-tested light twin-engine helicopter that was first delivered in 2015 to the German Armed Forces and has since been ordered by Thailand and the Republic of Serbia. The programme’s maturity allows Airbus Helicopters to execute orders on cost and on schedule. Mission readiness of the H145Ms already in service is above 95 percent.

Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145M is equipped with full authority digital engine control (FADEC). In addition, the helicopter is equipped with the Helionix digital avionics suite which includes a high-performance 4-axis autopilot, increasing safety and reducing pilot workload. Its particularly low acoustic footprint makes the H145M the quietest helicopter in its class.

Northrop Grumman Begins Full-Rate Production of F-35 Lightning II Center Fuselage

PALMDALE, Calif. – June 29, 2018 – Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) center fuselage of the F-35 Lightning II recently entered full-rate production. This milestone marks the beginning of a 1.5-day production interval (PI) meaning a center fuselage will be produced every day and a half.

Northrop Grumman quality team performs final inspection of an F-35 center fuselage produced by the company at its Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence.

“Our customers and warfighters deserve the best,” said Frank Carus, vice president and F-35 program manager, Northrop Grumman. “Every efficiency, every minute, and every dollar we save reduces costs and speeds up the F-35’s availability to the warfighter. Achieving this pace is a testament to our employees, suppliers and teammates’ commitment to quality and affordability.”

Carus also noted that the 400th F-35 center fuselage was completed and delivered to Lockheed Martin last month and production of the 500th F-35 center fuselage began last week.

“This pace of military aircraft production has not been seen in decades,” said Kevin Mickey, sector vice president and general manager, military aircraft systems, Northrop Grumman. “Our revolutionary approach on the integrated assembly line pairs advanced technology with data-driven analytics to manufacture advanced aircraft while delivering top quality products on time, and often ahead of schedule.”

A core structure of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft, the center fuselage is produced on Northrop Grumman's integrated assembly line (IAL) at its Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence. The IAL is a state-of-the-art facility supported by technologies exclusive to or pioneered by Northrop Grumman bringing together robotics, autonomous systems, virtual 3D and predictive automation to the forefront of center fuselage production.

“As we prepare for full rate production of the F-35, many of our teammates and suppliers are now transitioning to full rate, aligning their production lead times with the F-35 final assembly that supports increased warfighter demand,” said Eric Branyan, vice president of F-35 supply chain at Lockheed Martin. “Northrop Grumman plays a critical role in the F-35 enterprise and we look forward to continuing to reduce costs, improve efficiencies and deliver transformational F-35 capabilities for the men and women in uniform.”

Northrop Grumman plays a key role in the development and production of the F-35 weapons system. In addition to producing the jet's center fuselage and wing skins for the aircraft, the company develops, produces and maintains several sensor systems, avionics, mission systems and mission-planning software,  pilot and maintainer training systems courseware, electronic warfare simulation test capability, and  low-observable technologies.

PHI Air Medical Takes to The Sky, Always Prepared and Always Alert

“Dispatch Air Medical.” After hearing those three words, a crew of highly talented pilots and medical personnel are up in a Bell 407 in minutes. With over 65 bases all over the United States, PHI Air Medical utilizes a skilled team to transport over 30,000 patients a year. In Texas, they are known for their company standard of always carrying liquid plasma and warm red blood cells on every aircraft for transfusions.

Today, PHI Air Medical operates a fleet of Bell 407s, which have always been a choice aircraft for healthcare emergency services. A 61 in/155 cm bi-fold door allows for efficient patient loading especially when it’s vital. The third seat in the aircraft allows a patient family member, field surgeon or additional medical personnel to fly with the crew. The aircraft is also known for its reliability and performance especially in hot conditions, which it has proven with continuous successful operations in these type of environments, including during Texas summers where temperatures can reach more than 110 degrees. With reoccurring summertime injuries, such as drowning and dehydration, PHI personnel feel very confident in the aircraft and its ability to help them deliver patients to nearby medical facilities and hospitals. 

Established in 1981, PHI Air Medical has built a robust legacy of aviation safety - and they have the facts to prove it. PHI flies more flight hours than any other civilian company in the world. Their current safety record is 0.78 occurrences for 100,000 flight hours versus an industry average of 4.78 occurrences for 100,000 flight hours. The healthcare emergency medical service provider also achieved an industry first by becoming the first company to receive the Vision Zero Aviation Safety Award in 2007 and the only air medical company to win it a second time in 2016. To add further safety measures to flights, the crew operates in flight with night vision goggles, satellite tracking, terrain awareness, auto-pilot, terrain awareness and line monitoring.

PHI’s Bell 407 crew consists of two medical personnel - one flight nurse and one paramedic - and a pilot. From treating a rural agriculture accident to transporting high-risk maternity patients, medical personnel are required to have extensive medical knowledge to handle any injury and condition the North Texas community throws their way. In addition, PHI crews follow strict standardized and engineered airway guidelines to ensure patient safety and outcomes. PHI’s pilots can land in fields as well as on the sides of highways, dirt or concrete surfaces and hospital helipads. Every team member knows their role well and operates with patient and aircraft safety at the top of their mind.

Bell Completes 100th Delivery of the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X

On Tuesday, June 26, Bell completed its 100th delivery of the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X to Hunt Companies for corporate travel. Bell revealed its first customer delivery for the Bell 505 at HAI Heli-Expo 2017 and continues to receive international interest. Before the delivery, Mirabel facility employees gathered around the aircraft to commemorate this milestone.

Behind every aircraft delivery is a team of dedicated engineers and employees, designing and building a premium quality aircraft. From the testing of gear boxes to painting a fresh coat of color, every employee at our facilities plays an important role in aircraft development and exceptional quality continuity. Bell Textron President, Cynthia Garneau and Executive Vice President of Integrated Operations, Paul Watts recognized this fact by congratulating the Mirabel facility for this achievement.

In the past few months, the Bell 505 made an appearance at Black Sea Aerospace and Defense in Bucharest, Romania, flew through scenic Alaska and even showed famous Manchester United striker, Ruud Van Nistelrooy around Cambodia. With customer deliveries happening worldwide from Mexico to Poland and Czech Republic to New Zealand, the aircraft continues to complete significant missions on global scale.

To hear more news about the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X, follow Bell on all social channels!

Airbus BelugaXL rolls out of paintshop

The first BelugaXL oversize cargo airlifter shows off its special beluga whale-inspired livery, which was selected by Airbus employees, after rolling out of the paint shop

Transport aircraft unveils special livery chosen by Airbus employees

The first BelugaXL has rolled out of the paintshop unveiling a special livery making it look like a Beluga Whale. The livery was one of six choices submitted to Airbus employees through a poll where 20,000 people participated. With 40% votes in favour, the smiley livery won.

The BelugaXL will now undertake gound tests before first flight planned in summer 2018.

The decision to build the BelugaXL was taken in November 2014 to address the transport and ramp-up capacity requirements for Airbus beyond 2019. The new oversize air transporters are based on the A330-200 Freighter, with a large re-use of existing components and equipments. The first of five BelugaXLs will fly in summer 2018 and enter into service in 2019. 

Coast Guard, good Samaritan rescue 5 after boat capsizes

Video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ashley Johnson, U.S. Coast Guard District 7

An Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules air crew spots five boaters in the water clinging to debris after their boat capsized 22 miles west of Anclote Island, Florida, June 28, 2018. A Station Sand Key 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew transported the boaters to shore with no reported injuries.

SAND KEY, Fla. — The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan rescued five boaters Thursday after their 30-foot boat capsized 22 miles west of Anclote Key.

Rescued were Carollwood natives Jason Holmes, 42, and David C. O'Neal; Todd Mack, 53, from Hudson, Michael Redding, 68, from Temple Terrace, and Jeff Kennedy, 60.

At 10:05 a.m., an Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules airplane crew on a training flight spotted five boaters clinging to debris and immediately deployed a life raft. Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast via VHF-FM radio channel 16. A good Samaritan aboard the "Two Georges", a charter fishing boat from Tarpon Springs, responded to the broadcast and rescued the boaters from the water.

Mack, one of the rescued boaters, said when the boat started sinking the men began throwing life jackets, coolers and safety gear in the water. "Most importantly we had an EPIRB."

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons send boaters' positions to rescue personnel once activated in an emergency. 

Coast Guard District Seven watchstanders received the EPIRB signal, but the Hercules crew had already spotted the five boaters in the water.

"It was a wonderful sight," said Mack, who saw the Hercules crew about 15 minutes after entering the water.

A Coast Guard Station Sand Key 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew was launched. The boatcrew transferred the boaters from the Two Georges to the RB-M and transported them back to the station with no reported injuries.

"Readily accessible safety equipment is so important," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew Whitaker, a Station Sand Key crewmember who transported the boaters to shore. "We recommend all boaters have a registered EPIRB, and know where all their equipment is in case of an emergency."

HC-130 Hercules, ©U.S. Coast Guard

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Self-proclaimed "quiet person in the corner" makes big impact, receives Coast Guard leadership award

Photos by U.S. Coast Guard District 5

Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Elizabeth Haworth, auxiliary division member aboard Cutter Northland in Portsmouth, Virginia, receives the Coast Guard's MCPO Pearl Faurie Leadership Award at the 2018 Joint Women's Leadership Symposium in San Diego, June 21, 2018. Haworth was honored for her hard work, mentorship, and volunteerism on and off Cutter Northland.

"Petty Officer 2nd Class Elizabeth Haworth!"

Applause rumbled to life at the San Diego Convention Center and heads turned as one woman rose and approached the stage, wading through a patchwork of white, khaki and blue military uniforms.

With all 1,200 attendees of the 2018 Joint Women's Leadership Symposium watching, Elizabeth Haworth climbed the stairs to accept the MCPO Pearl Faurie Leadership Award, a distinction that had taken her by complete surprise only a couple weeks prior.

"To be honest, I didn't know I was even put in for it," said Haworth, a machinery technician aboard Coast Guard Cutter Northland. "I'm not the type to do things and look for recognition."

The crowd continued to recognize the Coast Guardsman with claps and cheers as she shook presenter Rear Adm. William Kelly's hand, grasped her plaque and smiled into cameras' flashing strobes.

"I wasn't nervous, really," said Haworth. "I just like to take in all around me and appreciate what I have."

Haworth's shipmates aboard Cutter Northland said it is largely her humble, giving attitude that earned her the award, which is annually bestowed on one enlisted Coast Guard female who demonstrates exceptional leadership on and off the job.

"MK2 Haworth leads from the front," said Ensign Caleb Tvrdy, head of the cutter's auxiliary division and Haworth's supervisor. "She delegates well to the division and honestly runs the daily operations."

Daily operations for Haworth and her six-person team include monitoring, maintaining and repairing the chill water system, fueling systems, emergency diesel generator, and other vital shipboard auxiliary systems. At times, the workload aboard the 34-year-old cutter transcends routine maintenance and demands more from Haworth and her crew.

"Engineering as a whole has our work cut out for us since these boats are so old," said Tvrdy. "Machinery is constantly breaking down and we work long hours to keep the ship operational."

"We need to know a lot about many different pieces of equipment," Haworth agreed. "Being on different platforms and units, I try to absorb as much information as possible to better help the Coast Guard and my future units."

Haworth said she acquired hands-on skills and sensibilities from her mother, who taught her how to lay tile, install drywall, replace dishwashers and make other household repairs. The Savannah, Georgia, native put her versatile skillset to good use on a larger scale during the Northland's Eastern Pacific patrol in 2017. 

While inspecting the reverse osmosis plant, she noticed water intruding into the high-pressure water pump's oil, which immediately rendered the cutter unsafe to sail. While this type of casualty is typically contracted out for repair, Haworth rebuilt the pump and replaced all the water seals herself, saving the Coast Guard $5,000 and allowing the Northland to remain fully functional.

"I love getting dirty and repairing equipment," said Haworth. "Knowing that I had a part in getting a vital piece of equipment up and running is amazing and rewarding."

Streamlining her team's workflow and optimizing their efforts is another of Haworth's ongoing goals. She learned and adopted a new task-tracking tool which enabled the auxiliary division to surpass maintenance completion levels of 90 percent, then helped the rest of the cutter's divisions implement the tracking tool, too.

Learning new procedures and teaching them to her shipmates comes naturally to Haworth, who obtained a bachelor's degree in early childhood education before joining the Coast Guard in 2011.

"You are only as good as the people around you, and I try to teach everyone else around me all that I know," said Haworth. "That's how I try to live my life every day."

She has made it her personal calling to help newly-assigned Northland crewmen get acclimated and qualified, regardless of their rank or level of experience. She said she finds it rewarding to set others up for success and ease the stress that comes with tackling a new job.

"MK2 Haworth was one of my go-to resources as I was learning all about the systems on board," said Tvrdy. "She helped me tremendously in my qualification process."

The contributions she makes to the unit extend far beyond making crucial repairs and familiarizing her co-workers with the ship's internal systems.

In her pursuit to empower and enrich the lives of her co-workers, she took on the role of the unit's Leadership Diversity Advisory Council president and established monthly training sessions, meals and activities to recognize different cultures.

"I love making others aware of the all the diversity we have on the cutter and in our world," Haworth said.

She also set up multiple events for the crew, including a "speed mentoring" session during which mentees shifted from mentor to mentor, receiving condensed helpings of advice and insight on everything from Coast Guard career paths to balancing work and personal life.

One of the ways in which Haworth said she finds balance in her life is through frequent volunteering.

Whenever Cutter Northland ties up to a pier, whether it is at home in Portsmouth, Virginia, or at a far-flung foreign port, Haworth's desire to help others does not dwindle upon descending the cutter's ramp.

"I try to do as much volunteering as possible, but it is hard with the schedule of a 270-foot cutter," she said. "I am fortunate to do what I can and give back to the community. I think giving something is better than doing nothing at all."

At home in Hampton Roads, Haworth often channels her machinery technician skills into projects to benefit the community. She has volunteered at a local children's hospice doing yardwork and maintenance, constructed props for a local civic league's haunted house, and built doghouses for Norfolk Police Department's K-9 units.

Much farther from home, she led a group of 50 volunteers in cleaning and painting the aged buildings and leading educational activities at a local orphanage in Panama City, Panama. 

The U.S. Embassy in Panama recognized her efforts and praised the Northland crew's community outreach as the most effective ever conducted by a U.S. military ship.

Since that initial visit, Haworth has repeatedly rallied her shipmates to gather and send toys and clothing to the Panamanian orphanage.

"MK2 Haworth is a very hands-on, caring leader," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Aaron Nye, one of Haworth's subordinates on the Northland. "She goes out of her way to check up on people and their personal lives."

But Haworth said she doesn't see her actions as anything extraordinary.

Even while standing on the stage in San Diego and accepted a prestigious award for her positive impact on the Coast Guard and beyond, Haworth considered herself "the quiet person in the corner" just trying to do her best every day.

"I go above and beyond because that's what I was taught at an early age by my family," she said. "I love what I do and hope I will always have an opportunity to be a mentor and role model."

Her Northland co-workers said they are glad to have this chance to officially celebrate their teammate's accomplishments.

"I am very proud of MK2 Haworth for getting this award and am grateful that I have had the opportunity to serve with and under her," said Nye.

"She really deserves the award because she showed me how to become a leader," said Fireman Apprentice Wilfredo Vergara, another of Haworth's subordinates. "I aspire to be like her."

When the time comes for her to leave her Northland team, Haworth said she would like to revisit her educational roots once more as an MK class "A" school instructor and help mold future Coast Guard machinery technicians.

"I would like to pass on my knowledge to the next generation of MKs," she exclaimed. "Afterwards, the sky is the limit! I want to break down barriers, and who knows - I may be the first female master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard someday."

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