NEW ORLEANS —— The city of New Orleans hosted Navy Week 2022 and U.S. Naval Meteorology & Oceanography Command (Naval Oceanography) attended with a full static display on the Julia Street  pier next to the Arleigh-Burke-class destroyers USS Farragut and USS Lassen, USCG Cutter Daniel Tarr, and French Naval Vessel La Combattante, April 18-22.
The weeklong series of events kicked-off Monday with a formal press conference attended by the Mayor of New Orleans—RDML Ron Piret, Commander, Naval Meteorology & Oceanography Command—and other U.S. Navy and Coast Guard commanders.

Piret spoke during Monday’s press conference, addressing the history of Naval Oceanography’s presence in the Gulf Coast region.
“We [Naval Oceanography] are honored to be part of New Orleans Navy Week,” he said.

Naval Oceanography has been in the city of New Orleans’ backyard for almost a half-century, headquartered at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi since the 1970s.
“For many of our Sailors and Civilians, New Orleans is their actual home and we take pride in the heritage and culture of the Gulf Coast,” Piret continued.  
During the Navy Week, Naval Oceanography personnel showcased its unmanned systems and capabilities on the Julia Street pier.

Navy Weeks are held to show the American public investments made in their Navy to help increase awareness of the Navy’s role and purpose in national defense.
“This week I hope the city gets an opportunity to meet our incredibly talented Sailors, Scientists, Engineers and Technicians who operate our unmanned systems, such as the Glider and other unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), as well as serving on survey ships, mapping the ocean floor” said Piret.

Guests entered the Julia Street pier, before ship tours, and could visit Naval Oceanography’s static display to learn from subject matter experts on how it supports maritime operations, commercial shipping and tracks ocean trends — vital to coastal cities like New Orleans.

Naval Oceanography’s static display of UUVs on the city’s pier, included: the Littoral Battlespace Sensing-Glider; Remote Environmental Measuring Units (REMUS) 100 capable of diving 100 meters below surface; and IVER3, an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, effectively capturing attention of guests from all demographics.

“It was fulfilling to evoke and witness peaked interest in Meteorology and Oceanography from children and adults, both who have the potential themselves to contribute to our mission if they desired,” said Mr. Bern Staples,  Physical Scientists and Mechanical Engineer from the Naval Oceanographic Office. “The event was rewarding and I am excited to see how we contribute next Navy Week.”
Staples with other Naval Oceanography Sailors and Civilians engaged over 800+ guests attending New Orleans Navy Week, helping prepare a future workforce and inform the public how Naval Oceanography protects their national security and interest.

U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command directs and oversees more than 2,500 globally-distributed military and civilian personnel who collect, process and exploit environmental information to assist Fleet and Joint Commanders in all warfare areas to make better decisions, based on assured environmental information, faster than the adversary.