Scott Rye, director of Black Flag, described passage of the bill “a hollow victory.”

The bill, which bans possession of vaping devices by persons under the age of 21, was sponsored by Alabama State Senator Vivian Davis Figures and had the entirety of the Senate as co-sponsors. It now goes to the Governor for her signature.

“I am truly thankful for the entire Alabama State Legislature for its strong show of support for getting vapes out of the hands of our young people,” said Virginia Guy, executive director of the Drug Education Council. “Vapes not only represent health and addiction hazards for youth, they also have become the drug delivery vehicle of choice. This bill makes it illegal for these young people to be in possession of a vape, no matter what substance, if any, is in the device.”

Guy said that underage vaping is a huge health crisis in our community, with children as young as seven- or eight-years old beginning to vape.

“This is a tremendous first-step to help end underage vaping,” Guy said. “We want parents, educators, coaches and others to have the authority to take away vapes from young people. It allows law enforcement to seize vapes without having to conduct expensive tests to determine whether the device contains an illegal substance. Simple possession constitutes a violation.”

Guy added, “Our purpose is to inform, educate prevent… and also to provide help for those who may already be addicted.” Guy said, “Adults and minor alike need to understand the health risks associated with underage vaping. Please know that my Drug Education Council team will continue our work protecting our children from dangerous and deadly drugs in our community.”

Scott Rye, director of Black Flag Communications, said, “The Alabama State Legislature has come together in a rare show of bipartisan support for the Underage Vaping Bill by unanimously passing this legislation that will keep vaping materials out of the hands of minors and that will contribute directly to the improved health of future generations of Alabamians. With this bill, the state becomes a leader in the fight against underage vaping.”

The charity works to bring hope, help, and healing to minorities and marginalized peoples across the Middle East.

Charity Vice Chairman David Harland, said, “Scott has a tremendous heart for the organisation and has already been a great asset. He is very experienced, having led the US FRRME in its former and successful incarnation and is very engaged with the staff and trustees, notwithstanding geographical distance.”

“This is an unexpected honor, and I regret the circumstances,” Rye said, “but I will endeavor to build upon the legacy of those who have preceded me as chairman. I very much look forward to working closely with David Harland again and with our executive director, Helen Jackson.” The chairmanship became vacant when previous chairman Rob Shotliff resigned due to health concerns.

Mosaic Middle East was founded by the former Archbishop of Canterbury in 2005 to conduct relief and reconciliation work in the Middle East. The charity gave rise to a U.S. affiliate, The American Foundation for Relief & Reconciliation in the Middle East, of which Rye served as chairman from 2014 through 2018, at the height of the self-proclaimed Islamic State caliphate.

ORDER OF ST JOHN

FOR THE FAITH AND IN THE SERVICE OF HUMANITY

The KING has been graciously pleased to sanction the following Promotions in, and Admissions to, the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem with effect from 12 April 2023 the date of His Majesty’s sign-manual.

As Member

Captain (Ret’d) Scott C RYE

“I am both humbled and honored to serve as a Trustee of Mosaic Middle East,” Rye said. “This organization is literally doing God’s work, providing humanitarian assistance, relieving suffering, providing education, vocational training, trauma counseling, small business grants, and so much more to people who have been marginalized by war, genocide, violence, persecution, and poverty. I look forward to working with my fellow Trustees as we seek equity, justice, and reconciliation in the Middle East,” Rye said.

Iin 2009, Rye became a founding trustee of the American Foundation for Relief & Reconciliation in the Middle East, the American off-shoot of Mosaic Middle East. After serving as treasurer of the American nonprofit, he chaired the organization from December 2014 through December 2018, during the height of the so-called Islamic State and its self-declared caliphate. Under his leadership FRRME America transformed from what primarily had been a fund-raising organization that supported the British charity, into a boots-on-the-ground NGO providing humanitarian assistance, including food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, education and more to tens of thousands of displaced persons across the Middle East.

Heather Johnston, founder and executive director of USIEA, said, “Scott Rye’s experience in the Middle East, as both a naval officer and in leading an NGO, makes Black Flag an excellent fit for us. Scott has a heart for our work and will help us tell our story to a whole new audience while highlighting our education efforts on Capitol Hill and in Israel.”

Black Flag director Scott Rye said, “In helping to build strategic partnerships and inform senior U.S. leadership, USIEA is doing important work that matters to this nation and to the people of Israel, including Judea and Samaria. It is a privilege to be working alongside them.”

USIEA is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan educational organization dedicated to educating and serving government leaders who are directly involved in advancing important dialogue between the United States and Israel.

Black Flag Communications is a Florida-based agency specializing in crisis communications, government relations and public relations. In addition, Black Flag provides media training, political consulting and litigation support.

Black Flag Communications Director Scott Rye said, “Ship commissionings are always a fun time, but they take a lot of hard work behind the scenes by a dedicated team in order to have what otherwise appears to be an effortless and precise event. As a naval officer, I worked the commissionings of the last boomer submarine placed in service, USS LOUISIANA, in Kings Bay, Georgia; the guided-missile destroyer USS MAHAN, in Tampa; the amphibious assault ship, USS BONHOMME RICHARD, in Pensacola; the guided missile destroyer USS WILLIAM LAWRENCE in Mobile; and the guided missile destroyer USS JOHN FINN in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. I handled public affairs for the commissioning of the very first Independence -class littoral combat ship, USS INDEPENDENCE (LCS-2) in Mobile, so it’s nice to come full-circle and be working the commissioning of the Navy’s newest LCS, especially given that the ship will be commissioned in the city that it was built in and named for, which is extremely rare in the naval service.”

Black Flag will coordinate efforts with the Navy’s Supervisor of Shipbuilding and Repair; Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Austal USA; the Alabama State Port Authority; the City of Mobile; and the USS Mobile Commissioning Committee.

Black Flag Communications is a Florida-based agency specializing in crisis communications, government relations and public relations. In addition, Black Flag provides media training, political consulting and litigation work.

Rye will join reporters from the Washington Post and Foreign Policy magazine on the panel. Last March, Rye joined former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and former Navy Vice Chief of Information Rear Admiral W. Kent Davis, USN (Ret.), to discuss joint task force public affairs at the two-week course, which is designed for one- and two-star flag and general officers from all of the uniformed services. The program is tailored to provide future theater combatant commanders, service component and Joint Task Force commanders with a broad perspective of the strategic and operational levels of war.

“I’m honored to be asked back to speak to these senior military officials,” Rye said. “The dynamics will be different this time given that members of the media will be on the panel as well.”

As a naval officer, Rye served as chief of the Media Operations Center, Multi-National Force–Iraq, and director of Public Affairs for Combined Joint Interagency Task Force–Syria. In addition, during his deployment in Iraq, Rye was assigned to the Joint Interagency Personnel Recovery Task Force. He recently served as acting Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Pacific Fleet, during a period of critical activity in the Indo-Pacific theater.

Black Flag Communications is a Florida-based agency specializing in crisis communications, government relations and public relations. In addition, Black Flag provides media training, political consulting and litigation support.

The event is being hosted by the Alabama State Port Authority at the Port of Mobile, Alabama.

Rye will join journalist, author and motivational speaker Drexel Gilbert as the two lead a workshop on crisis communications and how best to communicate with the public and the media during and in the immediate aftermath of a crisis.

“This is an excellent opportunity to provide some tools for professional communicators’ use in the event of a crisis, whether it’s a crisis of confidence, an ethical breach or a natural or man-made disaster,” Rye said. “I’m really looking forward to sharing the podium with my colleague and friend, Drexel Gilbert. We’ve worked together for clients, but this is the first time that we’ve worked together in a presentation. Drexel is a pro’s pro.”

Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., the American Association of Port Authorities represents more than 130 public port authorities in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America. For more than a century, the AAPA has promoted the common interests of the port community and provided critical industry leadership on security, trade, transportation, infrastructure, environmental and other issues related to port development and operations.

Black Flag Communications is a Florida-based agency specializing in crisis communications, government relations and public relations. In addition, Black Flag provides media training, political consulting and litigation support.

Presenting the check on behalf of Maersk, APM Terminals and Damco employees worldwide was Brian Harold, managing director, and Wendy Robertson, general manager, APM Terminals in Mobile. American Red Cross Regional Philanthropy Officer Danielle Warren accepted the check, which will go to Red Cross chapters across the Gulf Coast.

The initiative was set in motion by Maersk Line of North America, headquartered in Florham Park, N.J. Black Flag Communications served as liaison between Maersk and the American Red Cross to establish a donations page where Maersk colleagues could donate to relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma or to general hurricane relief in the wake of one of the most destructive hurricane seasons on record.

“Maersk North America’s efforts quickly were recognized as ‘best practices,’ with Maersk Latin America coming to us for help in setting up a similar effort with the Red Cross in Mexico following the devastating Mexico City earthquake last month,” said Black Flag Communications Director Scott Rye. “It was truly heartening to see colleagues from around the world respond.” Maersk matched the donations given by employees of Maersk, APM Terminals and Damco.

Maersk Line, APM Terminals and Damco all are part of A.P. Moller-Maersk’s Transport & Logistics Division. Maersk Line is the world’s largest container shipping company with 639 ships sailing every major trade lane. APM Terminals provides port and inland infrastructure, including 73 ports and terminals in 36 countries. Damco is a world leading provider of freight forwarding and supply chain management services.

Black Flag Communications is a Florida-based agency specializing in crisis communications, government relations and public relations. In addition, Black Flag provides media training, political consulting and litigation support.