Latest news with #SEAC
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Plan for new reservoir hits clearance hurdle
Chennai: Plans for Chennai's sixth reservoir near Thiruporur encountered a regulatory roadblock, delaying its execution. A state expert committee returned the proposal submitted by water resources department (WRD), asking the department to seek clearance under coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) rules instead of continuing with an application for environmental clearance. At a recent meeting, the state expert appraisal committee (SEAC) reviewed WRD's request to form a 4,375-acre reservoir in Kovalam sub-basin, located between ECR and Old Mahabalipuram Road. The 471-crore project aims to store up to 2.25 tmcft of water annually, helping to augment Chennai's drinking water supply. However, SEAC clarified that since the project does not involve major river valley development, hydroelectric generation or any tunnelling or mining, it does not require environmental clearance under the usual norms. Instead, it falls within the scope of CRZ due to its proximity to the coast. The committee directed the WRD to place the proposal before the Coastal Zone Management Authority for further evaluation, as mandated under CRZ Notification, 2011. The committee also raised concerns about untreated wastewater from nearby villages flowing into the reservoir via natural drains.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Senior enlisted man based in Hawaii will advise Joint Chiefs of Staff
The top enlisted leader at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command at Camp Smith has been tapped to go to the Pentagon to serve as the most senior enlisted service member in the entire U.S. military. The Pentagon announced Tuesday that Fleet Master Chief David Isom, a seasoned combat veteran, has been selected to serve as the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or SEAC. He will be the sixth person to take on the position since it was was created in 2005. Isom enlisted in the Navy in 1987, and after passing SEAL selection went on to serve with the service's most elite special operations units, including Navy Special Warfare Development Group—better known to the general public as SEAL Team Six. His deployments include the Persian Gulf War, tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and—according to his official bio—several deployments across the Pacific and the Horn of Africa. His military awards include four Bronze Star Medals, including two with 'V ' devices for valor ; two Combat Action Ribbons ; and a Presidential Unit Citation. Before serving as the senior enlisted man for Indo-Pacific Command he had already been in Hawaii as the senior enlisted leader for Special Operations Command Pacific. In both roles Isom's duties included traveling the region visiting American bases to talk to troops as well as working to bolster ties with foreign service members from other countries and observing training. At the Pentagon, Isom will replace Marine Sgt. Maj. Troy Black, who is leaving the job after serving as SEAC for two years. Black previously served as the sergeant major of the Marine Corps before he was selected as the SEAC by Army Gen. Mark Milley and continued on as the senior enlisted advisor to Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown, whom President Donald Trump controversially fired from the role of chairman in February along with Navy chief Adm. Lisa Franchetti and other officers serving under the Joint Chiefs. After the firings, Hawaii's U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono charged that 'there is no reasonable justification for these terminations. Instead, the dismissals reveal the President's true intention : installing a group of 'yes men' with fealty to him and not the Constitution or the American people.' Under Trump and his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon is seeing major shake-ups across the board. Hegseth has vowed to rid the military of 'woke ' officers and civilian personnel, and pledged that there will be a new focus on 'lethality.' Though considered the most senior enlisted role in the military, the SEAC doesn't actually lead troops as part of the chain of command but serves as an advisor to the military's most senior officer to serve as a voice to the Pentagon's top leadership addressing the issues of enlisted personnel. In this case, Isom will advise Brown's replacement, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine. Just as Brown's firing was controversial, Trump's appointment of Caine raised eyebrows. Though Caine is a respected officer with extensive experience across the U.S. government, at the time of his nomination he had already retired as a lieutenant general—making him legally ineligible for the role. To make him eligible, Trump had to order that he be both reinstated to active service and promoted to four-star general. Trump has often told a story of meeting Caine in Iraq during his first presidency, describing him as wearing the iconic red MAGA hat of his supporters and expressing personal admiration and loyalty to Trump—which would have violated several military policies if true. The details of the story often differed and shifted when Trump told it at different venues. During his Senate confirmation hearing, Caine told lawmakers 'I went back and listened to those tapes, and I think the president was actually talking about somebody else. I've never worn any political merchandise or said anything to that effect.' When Hirono asked him 'if you wore it, would that constitute partisan political activity by a uniformed officer—yes or no ?' Caine answered, 'I think it probably would, yes.' Caine ultimately was confirmed with 44 Republicans and 16 Democrats voting in favor, though his confirmation was opposed by both Hawaii's Hirono and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz. Isom will be the first sailor to serve as SEAC and is leaving Camp Smith for the Pentagon at a time when the military views the Pacific as its top priority theater of operations amid tensions with China. He would bring extensive experience in the region as well as personal knowledge of and relationships with members of foreign militaries that Pentagon leaders are hoping to strengthen alliances with.
New York Post
28-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
SEAL Team Six alum named advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff: DoD
A former member of SEAL Team Six has been named the highest ranking enlisted official and an advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, military officials announced Tuesday. Navy Fleet Master Chief David Isom, once a member of Navy Special Warfare Development Group commonly called SEAL Team Six, will become the sixth Senior Enlisted Advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to the Department of Defense. The SEAC position was created in 2005 and is considered the most senior enlisted leader, according to Task and Purpose. Advertisement Navy Fleet Master Chief David Isom is the new Senior Enlisted Advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Department of Defense announced Tuesday. U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Anthony J. Rivera Master Chief Isom has a long resume of active duty service including combat and operational deployments in Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and other stints through the Pacific and the Horn of Africa, according to his official biography. The career soldier also deployed with SEAL Team 1 during his illustrious career, according to that biography. Advertisement During his service career, Isom won four Bronze Star Medals, including two with distinction for valor, two Combat Action Ribbons, and a Presidential Unity Citation, Task and Purpose reported. 'Master Chief Isom's assignments have included a full range of duties in Sea, Air, Land (SEAL) Teams at Theater Special Operations Commands and across the joint environment,' the newly minted SEAC's biography read. Isom won four Bronze Star Medals during his combat career that included tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Marine Corps/Cpl. Dean Gurule Most recently, Isom has served as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader for US Indo-Pacific Command. Advertisement Isom joined the Navy in 1987, inspired by his Korean War Army veteran father and a love of the ocean that he discovered while surfing off the coast of his native North Carolina, he revealed in an interview in 2022. The decorated SEAL revealed that he was promoted to the rank of Chief Petty Officer around the time of September 11th, 2001, and was soon deployed to the Middle East. After losing 'teammates' while fighting in Afghanistan in Iraq, Isom said he learned, 'the key role of leaders and caring for people and developing other leaders,' according to that interview. Master Chief Isom is replacing current SEAC Troy E. Black, the DoD said in the release.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Navy SEAL Team 6 operator will be the military's new top enlisted leader
Navy Fleet Master Chief David Isom, a former member of Navy Special Warfare Development Group, or DEVGRU — commonly referred to as SEAL Team Six — has been selected to serve as the U.S. military's next top enlisted leader, defense officials announced on Tuesday. Currently serving as the command senior enlisted leader for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Isom will become the sixth service member to serve as the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or SEAC, since the position was created in 2005. Although the SEAC is considered the U.S. military's most senior enlisted leader, the job involves serving as an advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff rather than as a direct supervisor within a chain of command. Isom enlisted in the Navy in 1987, and after passing Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training, or BUD/S, he went on to deploy with units that include DEVGRU, Naval Special Warfare Group 10, Special Reconnaissance Team 2, and SEAL Team 1, according to his official biography. 'His combat and operational deployments include Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as deployments throughout the Pacific and the Horn of Africa,' his biography says. Isom's military awards include four Bronze Star Medals, including two with 'V' devices for valor; two Combat Action Ribbons; and a Presidential Unit Citation, according to his service record. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, selected Isom to be the next SEAC following two rounds of interviews, a Joint Staff spokesperson told Task & Purpose on Tuesday. Isom will replace Marine Sgt. Maj. Troy Black, who is leaving the job after serving as SEAC for two years. The change of office is tentatively scheduled for mid-to-late June. Black previously served as the sergeant major of the Marine Corps before he was selected as the SEAC by Army Gen. Mark Milley, and he initially served as the senior enlisted advisor to Air Force Gen. Charles 'CQ' Brown Jr., whom President Donald Trump fired as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in February. 18 Army Rangers suspended for allegedly firing blanks at Florida beach Hegseth announces accountability review of Afghanistan withdrawal Coast Guard rescue swimmers saved a worker stuck in hardening concrete after roof collapse This National Guard unit went completely analog to simulate a cyber attack Fewer reenlistment options for soldiers amid high Army retention
The Star
27-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Sabahan lecturer leads US-based Southeast Asia Council
Dr Vilashini Somiah, 41, had just wrapped up her classes at Universiti Malaya (UM) in Kuala Lumpur and was deep in conversation with one of her research assistants. It was all part and parcel of her packed schedule - now even fuller following her appointment as the first South-East Asia-based scholar elected Chair of the Southeast Asia Council (SEAC) under the Association for Asian Studies (AAS). As a senior lecturer in the Gender Studies programme at the varsity's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, she balances her academic responsibilities with a growing role on the international stage. The AAS is a non-profit, non-political professional association dedicated to the study of Asia. Over 60 years old, the scholarly organisation is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the United States. Vilashini (second from right) proudly showcases her Sabahan heritage in traditional Sinuangga attire while pitching for the 2023 Wellcome Discovery Grant in London. Kota Kinabalu, Sabah-born Vilashini admits that news of her being elected as the chair came as a surprise. "Honestly, I never expected to be selected as SEAC Chair. I have always worked away from the spotlight, so this appointment feels both surreal and affirming. Coming from Borneo - often overlooked even within South-East Asia - I never imagined helping to shape regional discourse. But this shows the power of persistence and community," she says during an interview recently. "Scholars from the periphery can, and must, lead. I am deeply grateful to those who supported me - from the friends who first voted me onto the council to the members who elected me Chair. Being entrusted with a leadership role in AAS is something I carry with a lot of responsibility, and of course, hope," says Vilashini, whose term runs till 2028. The Sabahan anthropologist, who is of Indian and Sino-Kadazan parentage, sees her role as both administrative and advocacy-driven. While much of the work happens behind the scenes, it's rooted in a deeper commitment to representation and equity. Vilashini (second from left) with several Malaysian students at the Harvard University Asia Center in Massachusetts, the United States. "Part of the job involves coordinating the council's work, shaping the AAS annual conference programme, and ensuring South-East Asia stays visible and dynamic in Asian studies. It is mostly behind-the-scenes governance - organising meetings, managing agendas, drafting policies and liaising across time zones. "It's not glamorous, but it puts me in rooms where I can advocate for more equitable representation and help ensure marginalised voices from Malaysia and the region are heard and supported. For me, it is not just administrative - it is about opening doors and lifting others into spaces where representation is still lacking," explains Vilashini, who holds a PhD in South-East Asian Studies from the National University of Singapore. Earlier this year, she was also appointed a Harvard University Asia Center associate in Massachusetts, US. With so many hats to wear – lecturer, researcher and council chair – one can only wonder how the jovial woman manages it all. "I don't sleep lah," she says with a laugh. "When I need a break, I just unwind with some good Indian food. I won't lie, it's been an ambitious few years. Sometimes the weight of it all does scare me. But I've worked hard for these opportunities, and I do love the work. That makes a difference. "I am not a parent, which means I have got more time than many of my peers, and I try to use that privilege wisely. I never want to look back and feel I squandered the chance to learn, to contribute, to grow. That's what keeps me going - the knowing that this all means something," says Vilashini, who grew up in Penampang, KK. Advocating change Over the past 15 years, Vilashini has produced nearly 50 publications, many of which have been research based such as journal articles, books and reports. They include Unmoored Boundaries: Bajau Laut And Mobility Perspectives In Maritime Southeast Asia (2025), The Sea Is Indigenous 'Land' Too (2022), and Discovering From The Margins: Migrant Mothers And Covid-19 Vaccines In Sabah (2023). She is also the author of the book Irregular Migrants And The Sea At The Borders Of Sabah, Malaysia: Pelagic Alliance . Vilashini credits her mixed heritage and upbringing in Sabah for shaping her scholarly lens, particularly her focus on Bornean women, migration and identity. Her eyes beam with enthusiasm as she speaks about issues close to her heart. "I am very proud of my Tamil heritage, but Sabah is in my bones. It is a place of layered identities, fluid borders, and daily negotiations of belonging. Growing up mixed and multilingual, aware of both privilege and precarity, taught me to listen, to honour complexity, and to push against binaries. 'There's a data vacuum in Malaysia. We want to create spaces where underrepresented voices are heard,' says Vilashini. Photo: The Star/Low Lay Phon "I think when you grow up in a place where so many live in-between - between areas and territories, between identities, between rights - you internalise the struggles of being seen and acknowledged. "But I have watched communities from both sides of my family survive invisibility and thrive in spite of it. That kind of everyday resilience shapes how I approach my writing and research. It is never about extracting stories but it's about bearing witness and returning the gaze with respect," says Vilashini, the older of two siblings. She hopes her new role can open more doors for more Malaysian scholars - especially those who are indigenous, disabled, or from rural and remote communities - take up space in global academia. "Their work is often brilliant and rooted in lived realities, but it is still underrepresented. I also hope SEAC can foster true intergenerational collaboration, where senior scholars offer real support through access, funding and mentorship that lasts," shares Vilashini, who was a former participant of The Star 's BRATS Young Journalist Programme. Last year, Vilashini and her husband, lecturer Benjamin Loh, co-founded The Datum Initiative (TDI) - a grassroots effort to equip marginalised communities with ethical, accessible data skills."TDI was born from years of working with people who had powerful stories but lacked the tools to protect or use their data. We want to change that," she says. "There's a data vacuum in Malaysia. We keep recycling the same policy debates because we have excluded voices from the margins. I want to create spaces where underrepresented scholars and communities can shape the narrative - and be heard." She is especially excited about upcoming TDI projects on data competency for women with disabilities and indigenous communities aimed at building a nationwide network of empowered advocates. "It is still small, but change is happening. Alongside that, I am also working on a feminist autoethnography and a new project on gendered space in rural Borneo. Personally, I am learning to be more present - and to trust that even small efforts can ripple outward," she concludes.
