WASHINGTON — B.J. Penn, assistant secretary of the Navy for installations and environment, will serve as acting Navy secretary until a successor to Donald Winter is named.

Winter, who stepped down Friday, had agreed to stay on in the Obama administration until March 13, or until a replacement was found.

Penn began his career as a Naval aviator, according to the Navy Web site. He amassed more than 6,500 flight hours in 16 types of aircraft. He was EA-6B Pilot of the Year in 1972, according to the site. Thus far, the White House has not hinted who the nominee might be.

Sailor dies after cycle crash near Salerno, ItalyA U.S. sailor died this past weekend following a motorcycle accident Saturday night on the A3 highway near Salerno, Italy, Navy officials in Naples said Monday.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Terence Phillips, 26, was taken to San Giovanni Hospital in Salerno, where he died Sunday morning as a result of his injuries.

Another sailor sustained wrist and leg injuries in the accident. He was taken to another hospital in Salerno and later transferred Monday morning to the Navy hospital on the support site in Gricignano, where he was in stable condition. A local Italian was also involved in the accident.

Phillips, originally from Paris, Tenn., had been assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa since February 2007. He is survived by his wife, Chisa, and two children, who live in the United States.

The cause of the accident is under investigation by U.S. and Italian officials. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the Naval Support Activity Capodichino.

Some NWA passengers to be tested for TBA passenger on a Northwest Airlines flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to Detroit has been diagnosed with tuberculosis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

Northwest officials say the passenger took Flight 51 to Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus on March 10.

CDC spokeswoman Shelly Diaz told The Associated Press the risk is low that other passengers might contract tuberculosis. She said that health officials were seeking to contact 17 passengers seated near the sick passenger so they can be tested for tuberculosis as a "cautionary move."

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by bacteria that usually attack the lungs, according to the CDC.

600 Mannheim troops to go downrange soonAbout 600 soldiers from Mannheim, Germany-based signal units will deploy in the coming months, according to a 5th Signal Command news release Monday.

The headquarters element of the 7th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade will deploy with about 90 soldiers to Afghanistan this spring for up to 12 months, the release stated. The brigade headquarters will serve as the Joint Network Operations Control Center, which is the single control agency for the management of the joint force communications systems.

The 72nd Expeditionary Signal Battalion will deploy with about 500 soldiers to Iraq this summer for up to 12 months, according to the release. The 72nd will provide communications support to several locations in using Joint Network Node technology.

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