Defense Logistics Agency Maritime Portsmouth has achieved 14 months without a workplace injury, attributed to a strong safety culture and an all-hands effort. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard-based detachment has seen a steady improvement in OSHA reportable incident statistics, with a significant reduction since before 2018. The employee-led safety council, with representatives from every work area, has been instrumental in this success, fostering communication and safety process improvements. Safety boards displaying the number of days since the last incident have also motivated employees. The safety program involves all levels of employees, with senior leadership actively participating in the safety council's activities. This achievement has increased the efficiency of supply, storage, and distribution processes, ensuring timely material availability to the PNSY and NAVSUP, supporting warfighters.

Defense Supply Center Columbus is advancing its urban forest through the Tree City USA program by planting native trees at the police and fire memorial, reseeding a three-acre prairie, and establishing a sensory food garden at the Child Development Center, with Environmental Chief Nicole Goicochea overseeing these projects.

Defense Supply Center Columbus has been awarded $200,000 from the Department of Defense Legacy Program to convert dry detention basins into constructed wetlands, aiming to improve stormwater management, alleviate flooding, and enhance water quality and biodiversity. The project, advised by U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist Donald Knight and designed by an Army Corps of Engineers team, will also address climate change impacts and support the DOD Climate Action Plan. It is set to be completed in phases, subject to funding availability.

The annual National Defense Industrial Association’s Tactical Wheeled Vehicles Conference in Columbus, Ohio, focused on modernization, innovation, and collaboration in the tactical wheeled vehicle supply chain. Keynote speakers, including Army Brig. Gen. Gail Atkins and Tim Goddette, discussed the challenges of operating in legacy, enduring, and modernization spaces, the shrinking defense industrial base, supply chain complexities, and the importance of small business in innovation. The conference emphasized the need for modernizing while maintaining current force readiness and the role of industry in supporting defense agencies and military services.

The Defense Federal Community Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity hosted its annual LGBTQ Pride Month Special Emphasis Program on June 15 at the Defense Supply Center Columbus, with the theme 'Community, Responsibility and Acceptance.' The event, available in person and via livestream, featured speakers Robert 'Scott' Humphrey, Jiwon Han, and Sarah Winegardner, who discussed the importance of community support, allyship, and acceptance for LGBTQ individuals in the federal workforce. The program highlighted the progress made in LGBTQ representation within the federal government and the significance of visibility and allyship, with personal stories and examples of how to support the LGBTQ community.

The Columbus Veterans Day Parade will take place on November 10, honoring military members and their families. Retired Air Force Col. Tom Moe, Lima Company, and Gold Star families will serve as Grand Marshals. The event will feature a Civil War cannon firing, a military fly-over, and local dignitaries in the reviewing stand. The parade is sponsored by the Military/Veterans Educational Foundation of Ohio, and will conclude with the first appearance of Santa Claus in central Ohio and a Toys for Tots gift collection.

The Defense Federal Community and Federal Women’s Program held a virtual observance for Women’s Equality Day on August 17 at the Defense Supply Center Columbus with Rebecca Beck, director of Accounting Standards and Reporting for Defense Finance and Accounting Service, as the keynote speaker. The event celebrated the achievements of women who overcame gender-based challenges and made significant contributions to society. Historical figures such as Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, and Madam C.J. Walker were highlighted, along with other pioneering women like Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart, and Kamala Harris. Beck emphasized the importance of women empowering each other and sharing their stories to inspire and support one another. The observance also marked the historical significance of Women’s Equality Day, which commemorates the certification of the 19th Constitutional Amendment granting women the right to vote on August 26, 1920.

The article discusses the rise of instant messaging (IM) apps and their differences from other forms of communication like email and social networks. IM apps are highlighted for their direct, personal communication and are contrasted with social networks which are for real-time information sharing. The author emphasizes the privacy and security benefits of IM, including end-to-end encryption and anonymity. The convenience and speed of IM are also noted, as well as the ability to communicate with multiple people simultaneously or with strangers to form new friendships. The article acknowledges potential drawbacks, such as vulnerability to hacking and interception, but concludes that IM apps are likely to remain popular for private and sensitive communications.

Ron Staats, a Vietnam Army veteran from Marion, received community support after his home was destroyed by fire. Over 30 volunteers, including military veterans from Team Rubicon and Team Red, White and Blue, helped clear the site of his trailer. Wendy Anders from the Marion County Veterans Service Office coordinated the effort, which resulted in salvaging Staats' Army uniform and plans for a new trailer on his lot. The organizations aim to bridge the gap between civilians and veterans through service projects.