28 Jan AA&F Morning Paper

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

1914 - Operating as part of a multinational force consisting of British, French, and German troops, Marines from the battleship South Carolina (Battleship No. 26) go ashore to maintain order in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, during a revolution in that nation.

1986 - CAPT Michael Smith '67, USN was pilot of the Space Shuttle Challenger when it was destroyed by an explosion. A career aviator, he had completed a combat tour in Vietnam among many other aviation assignments. He was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.

ACADEMY & GRADUATE HAPPENINGS

If you've visited the yard in the last week, you may have noticed that Ramsay Road, the road adjacent to the USNA Columbarium, is now closed to all foot and vehicle traffic for approximately 18 months to fortify the road against flooding. During this time, memorial services normally held at the Columbarium will take place adjacent to Alumni Hall and Worden Field across College Creek from the Columbarium. Following the service, family and friends may accompany the chaplain and Memorial Affairs representative to place the urn in the niche. There will be an ADA-accessible footpath for visitors to the Columbarium during construction on the back side of the Columbarium closest to Sherman Field and the McCain/Larson headstones. Please visit the Naval Academy Memorial Affairs webpage for more information and/or contact Joe Fagan '89, Director, Memorial Affairs for USNA at [email protected].

The body of Quincy native and war hero Capt. Richard Stratton returned home via Logan Airport on Sunday. Stratton passed away on Jan. 18. He was 93 years old. Stratton was one of the longest-serving POWs from the Vietnam War. His body was flown from Florida to Boston and Mayor Thomas P. Koch, Navy representatives, Quincy police, and other officials met the casket on the tarmac at Logan Airport. The Quincy Police Department provided an escort from Logan to Keohane Funeral home. The Quincy community lined Hancock Street near St. Ann Parish and Keohane Funeral home with American flags to pay tribute. Captain Stratton was not a USNA Alumnus, but he was the CO of NAPS (1982-1986), served as the USNA Chief of Staff (1979-1981) and had two sons graduate from USNA ('86 & '87). While the CO of NAPS, his XO was Jim Mattis.

Please join us in wishing a very happy 100 birthday to Charles Mertz III from the great Class of 1948. Mertz celebrated this incredible birthday here in Annapolis with friends and family on 18 January and then officially celebrated the big 1-0-0 last week on 21 January 2025.  Join us as we keep the celebrations and well wishes going by wishing him Happy Birthday in the comments below. From all of us here at USNA AA&F Happy Birthday, Sir!

GOVERNMENT & MILITARY NEWS

President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, has told lawmakers that he opposes the use of race as a factor when evaluating candidates for elite U.S. military academies, according to a document reviewed by Reuters. Hegseth's remarks, which have not been previously reported and which are more explicit than those at his Jan. 14 confirmation hearing, suggest he could quickly move to strike down a policy designed to encourage diversity in the military's officer corps. "I reject the idea that the MSAs (military service academies) should have different standards for individuals with different skin colors," Hegseth said in subsequent written responses to lawmakers.

These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy's deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of Jan. 27, 2025, based on Navy and public data. In cases in which a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.

LOCAL, EDUCATION & OTHER ACADEMY NEWS

Air Force Academy drops 'Diversity and Inclusion Studies' minor. The United States Air Force Academy in Colorado has removed the “Diversity and Inclusion Studies” minor from its official list of “majors and minors.” The minor was available on the website as late as Jan. 9, but as of Jan. 24 is no longer being offered. An archived version of the Diversity and Inclusion Studies minor page states that the program was designed to “[p]repare cadets to lead inclusively within a diverse organization, act responsibly in a diverse society, and meet cross-cultural challenges in a diverse world.”

Capital Gazette

The Navy's efforts to turn the former Naval Academy Dairy Farm in Gambrills into a renewable energy farm recently took a step forward.

 

The project, which the Navy began exploring in February 2024, is now reviewing phase two proposals from potential developers. The next step is to — or to not — select a developer whose proposal will be vetted for its effect on the environment.

 

“There's a plethora of hoops that need to be jumped through before we move forward from the step of exploring proposals,” said Madelyn Flayler, a public affairs officer for Naval Support Activity Annapolis, which oversees the former farm.

 

Under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Navy is required to complete an environmental assessment of the project's impact on natural resources. Once that process is concluded, a developer can sign a lease.

 

There is a possibility that no developer is chosen, and the project is discontinued, according to Flayler.

 

The 857-acre farm operated as a tobacco plantation throughout the 1700s and 1800s. The Navy purchased the farm in 1909 and used it as a dairy farm until 1997. The Navy began leasing the property to Anne Arundel County in 2008, which in turn sublet to farmers and other businesses.

 

As of 2023, the county pays $240,000 a year in rent, according to a county lease document released last March.

 

Federal statute requires that any lease of the former dairy farm maintain its rural and agricultural nature. But the prospective energy plan has drawn criticism from neighbors and agriculture advocates and been a cause of concern for Anne Arundel County Council and County Executive Steuart Pittman.

 

Pittman has been lukewarm in his support of the project, neither opposing nor supporting the Navy's plan in a 2024 statement that his administration reissued Friday. Pittman encouraged NSA Annapolis' commanding officer, Capt. Chris Schwarz, to increase public access to the land and respect the federal mandate that it remain in agricultural use.

 

“We're kind of in this period right now where we don't have any information to share,” Flayler said.

 

Questions left unanswered:

 

Both the number of final proposals and the names of developers remain undisclosed as the details are “procurement sensitive.”

 

The renewable energy source has not been finalized. The request for proposals did not limit developers to one type of energy source like solar panels or wind turbines. Rather, the proposal asked developers to feature renewable energy generation that would help meet the Department of Defense's carbon free electricity goals.

 

How much energy will be created by the project is unclear.

 

The project's timeline remains unknown. Flayler said it is reasonable to assume that the project's construction could be years away.

 

What will come of current leases and businesses on the property remains unknown.

 

With the uncertainty, businesses on the former dairy farm have an unclear future.

 

The Anne Arundel County branch of the University of Maryland Extension program's office is located on the property. The program offers agriculture-focused education programs like Anne Arundel County 4-H, the Master Gardener Program and agriculture classes to the local farm community.

 

“If the county no longer holds the lease, then I anticipate that we'll have a lease operation somewhere else,” Dave Myers, the program's agricultural extension educator, said. “We probably won't be part of this property if it becomes a private entity.”

 

As a county entity, Myers said the program faces less uncertainty than other private tenants on the land. De Novo Farm, a horse farm and riding center on the property, has a lease that expires in July 2026. Maryland Sunrise Farm and the Maryland Corn Maze are also tenants. The farms weren't available for comment.

 

“We love the location. I regret the fact that they're going to take this lovely property and maybe put a solar project out there,” Myers said. “I'd rather see agriculture for the county here. … But it's Navy property and the Navy is going to do whatever it wants to do.”

NAVAL ACADEMY ATHLETICS NEWS & RESULTS

The Star Series began 52 years ago (1972) and is a competition between the two academies' varsity sports programs that keeps track of how many times each academy has the most wins in an academic year against the other. Navy has won the Star Series 48 times in the last 52 years. Army leads 9-3. (Navy - M Rugby, M Cross Country, Football; Army - Volleyball, Sprint Football, Golf, M Soccer, W Soccer, W Cross Country, W Rugby, Men's Swim and Dive, Women's Swim and Dive).

REMAINING STAR MATCHUPS

 

15 Feb - Women's Basketball - Annapolis - 11 a.m.

15 Feb - Men's Basketball - Annapolis - 1:30 p.m.

15 Feb - Wrestling - West Point - TBA

15-16 Mar – Baseball – Annapolis - TBA

5 Apr - Women's Outdoor Track & Field - Annapolis - TBA

5 Apr - Men's Outdoor Track & Field - Annapolis - TBA

5 Apr - Women's Tennis - West Point - 10  a.m.

12 Apr - Men's Tennis - West Point - 1 p.m.

12 Apr - W. Lacrosse - West Point - 12:30 p.m.

12 Apr - M. Lacrosse - Annapolis - TBA

USNA AND AA&F EVENTS

FEBRUARY

6 Feb - USNA Ship Selection

15 Feb - Commissioning Week 101, Fluegel

21 Feb - 85th Brigade Boxing Finals

21 Feb - Louisville Chapter + NAPC of Kentucky Roadshow – Louisville, KY (**in support of Navy Men's Gymnastics competing at the Winter Cup Feb 21-23)

22 Feb - Indianapolis Chapter + NAPC of Indiana Roadshow – Fishers, IN)

23 Feb  Cincinnati Chapter + NAPC of Greater Cincinnati Roadshow – West Chester, OH

24 Feb  Columbus Chapter + NAPC of Central Ohio Roadshow – Dublin, OH

27 Feb - Naval Academy Entrepreneurs event, Fluegel, 5 - 9 p.m.

27 Feb - Astronaut Convocation, USNA

 

MARCH

7-16 Mar - USNA Spring Break

12-13 Mar - SACC Atlanta

21 Mar - Distinguished Graduate Award Ceremony and Dinner, USNA (T)

22 Mar - Distinguished Graduate Leadership Panel, Mahan, USNA

22 Mar - Annual Gathering for USNA Women - 1 p.m. @ Hopper Hall

22 Mar - Fencing (club) Alumni Meet - Dahlgren Hall

27-29 Mar - Naval Academy Minority Association, (NAMA) Leadership Forum

30-31 Mar - Volunteer Leader Summit

 

APRIL

5 Apr - Annapolis Cup - USNA v St. John's Croquet Match

5 Apr - Women's Lacrosse Alumni Appreciation Day (Home Game vs. Holy Cross)

10-12 Apr - Class of 1955 - 70th Reunion

11 Apr - Athletic & Scholarship Programs Spring Meeting - Fluegel Alumni Center

11-12 Apr - Men's Soccer Alumni Weekend

12 Apr - Navy Letterwinners Association Army/Navy Men's Lacrosse Tailgate

23 April - Bonds of Gold Ceremony

24 Apr - AA&F Vietnam Legacy of Valor Series Speaker Event - FAC

24-27 Apr - Class of 1970 - 55th Reunion

25 Apr - Council of Class Presidents Spring Meeting, Fluegel, TBD

25 Apr - USNA Dedication Parade, Worden Field

30 Apr - USNA Capstone Day

30 Apr - USNA Foundation Spring Board of Directors Welcome Reception

 

MAY

1 May - USNA Foundation Spring Board of Directors Meeting, Fluegel

6-8 May - Class of 1957 - 70th Reunion

7-9 May - USNA Alumni Association Spring Board of Trustees Meeting, Fluegel

8-9 May - SACC Washington DC

14 May - Class of 2028 Herndon Climb

21 May - Blue Angels CFR Event - Hospital Point, USNA

22 May - Color Parade, Worden Field

22 May - USNA Prizes & Awards, Alumni Hall, 2 p.m.

23 May - Class of 2025 Graduation and Commissioning Ceremony, NMCMS

 

17-18 Jun - Entrepreneur Summit - Fluegel Alumni Center

25 Jun - Athletic & Scholarship Program Pre-I Day Reception, Fluegel

26 Jun - USNA Induction Day, Class of 2029