diff --git a/.cicd/scripts/wrapper_srw_ftest.sh b/.cicd/scripts/wrapper_srw_ftest.sh
index 2ac31016e3..950ceb7a34 100755
--- a/.cicd/scripts/wrapper_srw_ftest.sh
+++ b/.cicd/scripts/wrapper_srw_ftest.sh
@@ -15,17 +15,16 @@ declare arg_1
 if [[ "${SRW_PLATFORM}" == cheyenne ]] || [[ "${SRW_PLATFORM}" == derecho ]]; then
     workflow_cmd=qsub
     arg_1=""
-    check_job="qstat -u ${USER} -r ${job_id}"
 else
     workflow_cmd=sbatch
     arg_1="--parsable"
-    check_job="squeue -u ${USER} -j ${job_id} --noheader"
 fi
 
 # Customize wrapper scripts
 if [[ "${SRW_PLATFORM}" == gaea ]]; then
     sed -i '15i #SBATCH --clusters=c5' ${WORKSPACE}/${SRW_PLATFORM}/.cicd/scripts/${workflow_cmd}_srw_ftest.sh
     sed -i 's|qos=batch|qos=normal|g' ${WORKSPACE}/${SRW_PLATFORM}/.cicd/scripts/${workflow_cmd}_srw_ftest.sh
+    sed -i 's|${JOBSdir}/JREGIONAL_RUN_POST|$USHdir/load_modules_run_task.sh "run_post" ${JOBSdir}/JREGIONAL_RUN_POST|g' ${WORKSPACE}/${SRW_PLATFORM}/ush/wrappers/run_post.sh
 fi
 
 if [[ "${SRW_PLATFORM}" == hera ]]; then
@@ -52,6 +51,11 @@ sleep 10
 # Check for job and exit when done
 while true
 do
+    if [[ "${SRW_PLATFORM}" == derecho ]]; then
+        check_job="qstat -u ${USER} -r ${job_id}"
+    else
+	check_job="squeue -u ${USER} -j ${job_id} --noheader"
+    fi
     job_id_info=$($check_job)
     if [ ! -z "$job_id_info" ]; then
         echo "Job is still running. Check again in two minutes"
diff --git a/Externals.cfg b/Externals.cfg
index 49ea5ffc38..9ed03cd285 100644
--- a/Externals.cfg
+++ b/Externals.cfg
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ protocol = git
 repo_url = https://github.com/ufs-community/ufs-weather-model
 # Specify either a branch name or a hash but not both.
 #branch = develop
-hash = 8518c2c
+hash = 1411b90
 local_path = sorc/ufs-weather-model
 required = True
 
diff --git a/modulefiles/build_hera_gnu.lua b/modulefiles/build_hera_gnu.lua
index 5355895da9..7defa36bbf 100644
--- a/modulefiles/build_hera_gnu.lua
+++ b/modulefiles/build_hera_gnu.lua
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ load(pathJoin("nccmp", os.getenv("nccmp_ver") or "1.9.0.1"))
 load(pathJoin("nco", os.getenv("nco_ver") or "5.0.6"))
 load(pathJoin("openblas", os.getenv("openblas_ver") or "0.3.19"))
 
-setenv("CMAKE_C_COMPILER","mpicc")
-setenv("CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER","mpicxx")
-setenv("CMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER","mpif90")
-setenv("CMAKE_Platform","hera.gnu")
+setenv("CC", "mpicc")
+setenv("CXX", "mpic++")
+setenv("FC", "mpif90")
+setenv("CMAKE_Platform", "hera.gnu")
diff --git a/scripts/exregional_make_orog.sh b/scripts/exregional_make_orog.sh
index 47430a802d..0deac84d49 100755
--- a/scripts/exregional_make_orog.sh
+++ b/scripts/exregional_make_orog.sh
@@ -258,12 +258,9 @@ if [[ ${suites[@]} =~ "${CCPP_PHYS_SUITE}" ]] ; then
   grid_fp_gwd="${FIXlam}/${grid_fn_gwd}"
   ls_fn="geo_em.d01.lat-lon.2.5m.HGT_M.nc"
   ss_fn="HGT.Beljaars_filtered.lat-lon.30s_res.nc"
-  create_symlink_to_file target="${grid_fp_gwd}" symlink="${DATA}/${grid_fn_gwd}" \
-                         relative="TRUE"
-  create_symlink_to_file target="${FIXam}/${ls_fn}" symlink="${DATA}/${ls_fn}" \
-                         relative="TRUE"
-  create_symlink_to_file target="${FIXam}/${ss_fn}" symlink="${DATA}/${ss_fn}" \
-                         relative="TRUE"
+  create_symlink_to_file ${grid_fp_gwd} ${DATA}/${grid_fn_gwd} TRUE
+  create_symlink_to_file ${FIXam}/${ls_fn} ${DATA}/${ls_fn} TRUE
+  create_symlink_to_file ${FIXam}/${ss_fn} ${DATA}/${ss_fn} TRUE
 
   input_redirect_fn="grid_info.dat"
   cat > "${input_redirect_fn}" <<EOF
@@ -405,8 +402,7 @@ cp_vrfy "${raw_orog_fp}" "${filtered_orog_fp}"
 # filtering executable will run) with the same name as the grid file and
 # point it to the actual grid file specified by grid_fp.
 #
-create_symlink_to_file target="${grid_fp}" symlink="${filter_dir}/${grid_fn}" \
-                       relative="TRUE"
+create_symlink_to_file ${grid_fp} ${filter_dir}/${grid_fn} TRUE
 #
 # Create the namelist file (in the filter_dir directory) that the orography
 # filtering executable will read in.
diff --git a/scripts/exregional_run_fcst.sh b/scripts/exregional_run_fcst.sh
index 9e6dc38584..b9f6e3ac32 100755
--- a/scripts/exregional_run_fcst.sh
+++ b/scripts/exregional_run_fcst.sh
@@ -121,8 +121,7 @@ fi
 #target="${FIXlam}/${CRES}${DOT_OR_USCORE}mosaic.halo${NH4}.nc"   # Should this point to this halo4 file or a halo3 file???
 target="${FIXlam}/${CRES}${DOT_OR_USCORE}mosaic.halo${NH3}.nc"   # Should this point to this halo4 file or a halo3 file???
 symlink="grid_spec.nc"
-create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" \
-                       relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
 
 # Symlink to halo-3 grid file with "halo3" stripped from name.
 mosaic_fn="grid_spec.nc"
@@ -130,8 +129,7 @@ grid_fn=$( get_charvar_from_netcdf "${mosaic_fn}" "gridfiles" )
 
 target="${FIXlam}/${grid_fn}"
 symlink="${grid_fn}"
-create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" \
-                       relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
 
 # Symlink to halo-4 grid file with "${CRES}_" stripped from name.
 #
@@ -147,8 +145,7 @@ create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" \
 #
 target="${FIXlam}/${CRES}${DOT_OR_USCORE}grid.tile${TILE_RGNL}.halo${NH4}.nc"
 symlink="grid.tile${TILE_RGNL}.halo${NH4}.nc"
-create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" \
-                       relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
 
 
 #
@@ -165,8 +162,7 @@ fi
 # Symlink to halo-0 orography file with "${CRES}_" and "halo0" stripped from name.
 target="${FIXlam}/${CRES}${DOT_OR_USCORE}oro_data.tile${TILE_RGNL}.halo${NH0}.nc"
 symlink="oro_data.nc"
-create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" \
-                       relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
 #
 # Symlink to halo-4 orography file with "${CRES}_" stripped from name.
 #
@@ -182,8 +178,7 @@ create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" \
 #
 target="${FIXlam}/${CRES}${DOT_OR_USCORE}oro_data.tile${TILE_RGNL}.halo${NH4}.nc"
 symlink="oro_data.tile${TILE_RGNL}.halo${NH4}.nc"
-create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" \
-                       relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
 #
 # If using the FV3_HRRR physics suite, there are two files (that contain 
 # statistics of the orography) that are needed by the gravity wave drag 
@@ -198,8 +193,7 @@ if [[ ${suites[@]} =~ "${CCPP_PHYS_SUITE}" ]] ; then
   for file_id in "${file_ids[@]}"; do
     target="${FIXlam}/${CRES}${DOT_OR_USCORE}oro_data_${file_id}.tile${TILE_RGNL}.halo${NH0}.nc"
     symlink="oro_data_${file_id}.nc"
-    create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" \
-                           relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+    create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
   done
 fi
 #
@@ -238,53 +232,49 @@ if [ "${CPL_AQM}" = "TRUE" ]; then
 
   target="${COMIN}/${NET}.${cycle}${dot_ensmem}.gfs_data.tile${TILE_RGNL}.halo${NH0}.nc"
   symlink="gfs_data.nc"
-  create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+  create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
 
   target="${COMIN}/${NET}.${cycle}${dot_ensmem}.sfc_data.tile${TILE_RGNL}.halo${NH0}.nc"
   symlink="sfc_data.nc"
-  create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink"  relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+  create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
 
   target="${COMIN}/${NET}.${cycle}${dot_ensmem}.gfs_ctrl.nc"
   symlink="gfs_ctrl.nc"
-  create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+  create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
 
   for fhr in $(seq -f "%03g" 0 ${LBC_SPEC_INTVL_HRS} ${FCST_LEN_HRS}); do
     target="${COMIN}/${NET}.${cycle}${dot_ensmem}.gfs_bndy.tile${TILE_RGNL}.f${fhr}.nc"
     symlink="gfs_bndy.tile${TILE_RGNL}.${fhr}.nc"
-    create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+    create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
   done
   target="${COMIN}/${NET}.${cycle}${dot_ensmem}.NEXUS_Expt.nc"
   symlink="NEXUS_Expt.nc"
-  create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+  create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
 
   # create symlink to PT for point source in SRW-AQM
   target="${COMIN}/${NET}.${cycle}${dot_ensmem}.PT.nc"
   if [ -f ${target} ]; then
     symlink="PT.nc"
-    create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+    create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
   fi
 
 else
   target="${INPUT_DATA}/${NET}.${cycle}${dot_ensmem}.gfs_data.tile${TILE_RGNL}.halo${NH0}.nc"
   symlink="gfs_data.nc"
-  create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" \
-                       relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+  create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
 
   target="${INPUT_DATA}/${NET}.${cycle}${dot_ensmem}.sfc_data.tile${TILE_RGNL}.halo${NH0}.nc"
   symlink="sfc_data.nc"
-  create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" \
-                       relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+  create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
 
   target="${INPUT_DATA}/${NET}.${cycle}${dot_ensmem}.gfs_ctrl.nc"
   symlink="gfs_ctrl.nc"
-  create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" \
-                       relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+  create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
 
   for fhr in $(seq -f "%03g" 0 ${LBC_SPEC_INTVL_HRS} ${FCST_LEN_HRS}); do
     target="${INPUT_DATA}/${NET}.${cycle}${dot_ensmem}.gfs_bndy.tile${TILE_RGNL}.f${fhr}.nc"
     symlink="gfs_bndy.tile${TILE_RGNL}.${fhr}.nc"
-    create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" \
-                         relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+    create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
   done
 fi
 #
@@ -335,8 +325,7 @@ for (( i=0; i<${num_symlinks}; i++ )); do
 
   symlink="${DATA}/$symlink"
   target="$FIXam/$target"
-  create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" \
-                         relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+  create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
 
 done
 #
@@ -359,8 +348,7 @@ if [ "${USE_MERRA_CLIMO}" = "TRUE" ]; then
       symlink="${DATA}/${pre_f}.dat"
     fi
     target="${f_nm_path}"
-    create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" \
-                         relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+    create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
   done
 fi
 #
@@ -403,17 +391,11 @@ else
   relative_link_flag="FALSE"
 fi
 
-create_symlink_to_file target="${DATA_TABLE_FP}" \
-                       symlink="${DATA}/${DATA_TABLE_FN}" \
-                       relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+create_symlink_to_file ${DATA_TABLE_FP} ${DATA}/${DATA_TABLE_FN} ${relative_link_flag}
 
-create_symlink_to_file target="${FIELD_TABLE_FP}" \
-                       symlink="${DATA}/${FIELD_TABLE_FN}" \
-                       relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+create_symlink_to_file ${FIELD_TABLE_FP} ${DATA}/${FIELD_TABLE_FN} ${relative_link_flag}
 
-create_symlink_to_file target="${FIELD_DICT_FP}" \
-                       symlink="${DATA}/${FIELD_DICT_FN}" \
-                       relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+create_symlink_to_file ${FIELD_DICT_FP} ${DATA}/${FIELD_DICT_FN} ${relative_link_flag}
 
 if [ ${WRITE_DOPOST} = "TRUE" ]; then
   cp_vrfy ${PARMdir}/upp/nam_micro_lookup.dat ./eta_micro_lookup.dat
@@ -581,7 +563,7 @@ for the current cycle's (cdate) run directory (DATA) failed:
     rm_vrfy "${file_id}"
     target="${DATA}/RESTART/${rst_yyyymmdd}.${rst_hh}0000.${file_id}"
     symlink="${file_id}"
-    create_symlink_to_file target="$target" symlink="$symlink" relative="${relative_link_flag}"
+    create_symlink_to_file $target $symlink ${relative_link_flag}
   done
   cd_vrfy ${DATA}   
 fi
@@ -818,9 +800,7 @@ if [ ${WRITE_DOPOST} = "TRUE" ]; then
       if [ $RUN_ENVIR != "nco" ]; then
         basetime=$( $DATE_UTIL --date "$yyyymmdd $hh" +%y%j%H%M )
         symlink_suffix="_${basetime}f${fhr}${post_mn}"
-        create_symlink_to_file target="${post_renamed_fn}" \
-                         symlink="${FID}${symlink_suffix}" \
-	                 relative="TRUE"
+	create_symlink_to_file ${post_renamed_fn} ${FID}${symlink_suffix} TRUE
       fi
       # DBN alert
       if [ $SENDDBN = "TRUE" ]; then
diff --git a/scripts/exregional_run_post.sh b/scripts/exregional_run_post.sh
index 60f87c3eaf..ab3377e6b4 100755
--- a/scripts/exregional_run_post.sh
+++ b/scripts/exregional_run_post.sh
@@ -284,9 +284,7 @@ for fid in "${fids[@]}"; do
   post_renamed_fn="${NET}.${cycle}${dot_ensmem}.${fid}.${post_renamed_fn_suffix}"
   mv_vrfy ${DATA_FHR}/${post_orig_fn} ${post_renamed_fn}
   if [ $RUN_ENVIR != "nco" ]; then
-    create_symlink_to_file target="${post_renamed_fn}" \
-                         symlink="${FID}${symlink_suffix}" \
-                         relative="TRUE"
+    create_symlink_to_file ${post_renamed_fn} ${FID}${symlink_suffix} TRUE
   fi
   # DBN alert
   if [ $SENDDBN = "TRUE" ]; then
diff --git a/ush/bash_utils/create_symlink_to_file.sh b/ush/bash_utils/create_symlink_to_file.sh
index 38099ffb8e..dd25cfa2fd 100644
--- a/ush/bash_utils/create_symlink_to_file.sh
+++ b/ush/bash_utils/create_symlink_to_file.sh
@@ -16,78 +16,20 @@ function create_symlink_to_file() {
 #
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
-# Save current shell options (in a global array).  Then set new options
-# for this script/function.
-#
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-#
-  { save_shell_opts; . ${USHdir}/preamble.sh; } > /dev/null 2>&1
-#
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-#
-# Get the full path to the file in which this script/function is located 
-# (scrfunc_fp), the name of that file (scrfunc_fn), and the directory in
-# which the file is located (scrfunc_dir).
-#
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-#
-  local scrfunc_fp=$( $READLINK -f "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )
-  local scrfunc_fn=$( basename "${scrfunc_fp}" )
-  local scrfunc_dir=$( dirname "${scrfunc_fp}" )
-#
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-#
-# Get the name of this function.
-#
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-#
-  local func_name="${FUNCNAME[0]}"
-#
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-#
 # Specify the set of valid argument names for this script/function.  Then
 # process the arguments provided to this script/function (which should
 # consist of a set of name-value pairs of the form arg1="value1", etc).
 #
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
-  local valid_args=( \
-"target" \
-"symlink" \
-"relative" \
-  )
-  process_args valid_args "$@"
-#
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-#
-# For debugging purposes, print out values of arguments passed to this
-# script.  Note that these will be printed out only if VERBOSE is set to
-# TRUE.
-#
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-#
-  print_input_args valid_args
-#
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-#
-# Verify that the required arguments to this function have been specified.
-# If not, print out an error message and exit.
-#
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-#
-  if [ -z "${target}" ]; then
-    print_err_msg_exit "\
-The argument \"target\" specifying the target of the symbolic link that
-this function will create was not specified in the call to this function:
-  target = \"$target\""
-  fi
+if [[ $# -lt 2 ]]; then
+  usage
+  print_err_msg_exit "Function create_symlink_to_file() requires at least two arguments"
+fi
 
-  if [ -z "${symlink}" ]; then
-    print_err_msg_exit "\
-The argument \"symlink\" specifying the symbolic link that this function
-will create was not specified in the call to this function:
-  symlink = \"$symlink\""
-  fi
+target=$1
+symlink=$2
+relative=${3:-TRUE}
 #
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
@@ -106,8 +48,6 @@ will create was not specified in the call to this function:
 #
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
-  relative=${relative:-"TRUE"}
-
   valid_vals_relative=("TRUE" "true" "YES" "yes" "FALSE" "false" "NO" "no")
   check_var_valid_value "relative" "valid_vals_relative"
 #
@@ -148,16 +88,7 @@ not exist or is not a file:
 #
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
-  ln_vrfy -sf ${relative_flag} "$target" "$symlink"
-#
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-#
-# Restore the shell options saved at the beginning of this script/func-
-# tion.
-#
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-#
-  { restore_shell_opts; } > /dev/null 2>&1
+ln -sf ${relative_flag} "$target" "$symlink"
 
 }