10 Feb AA&F Morning Paper

Monday, February 10, 2025

1862 - Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles directs Commander David Dixon Porter to assign 22 sailing vessels and seven steamers to outfit the Mortar Squadron for use in suppressing fire from Forts Jackson and St. Philip at the entrance to New Orleans.

1966 - LT Gary Hopps '59, USN was killed in action when his A-1 Skyraider was shot down over North Vietnam. He left the Naval Academy in 1956 and graduated Dennison University in 1960. It was his fifth combat flight; he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

ACADEMY & GRADUATE HAPPENINGS

Skippered by an alumna and boasting a former Navy Football player as the Navigator, USS Marinette (LCS 25) visited Annapolis Feb 4th-Feb 10th. Homeported in Mayport, Fl., Marinette is a Freedom-Class Littoral Combat Ship. The ship was moored pierside at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility. Commander Janet Broome '06 is the Commanding Officer. Lt Bryan Hammond '19 is the Ship's Navigator. He played fullback at Navy and was the winner of the Vice Admiral William P. Mack Award in 2017. The Admiral Mack Award is presented to the most improved player during spring football drills as voted on by the coaching staff. Hammond was just the second fullback to win the award in the 42 years it has been given out and the first since Bert Pangrazio in 1988. Hammond, Broome and fellow graduate LTJG Ryan Mier provided the Alumni Association & Foundation staff a tour of the ship. Following the tour, the ship's wardroom joined the AA&F staff at the Fluegel Alumni Center for a Happy Hour.

The Army-Navy priority ticket request window for Athletic Excellence donors (All Trustees) will be between February 10th and March 10th. The 2025 Army-Navy game will be played on December 13th at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD. Based on significant demand in 2024, we expect to sell out of Army-Navy tickets by late spring. We encourage you to put in your Army-Navy requests during this period to be set for 2025. Please note, we will not be able to guarantee requests made after the priority window. For reference, below are the qualifying Athletic Excellence donation levels and the corresponding number of Club request limits:

 

$2,500 PMP: 4 Club ticket requests

$5,000 Fleet Club: 6 Club ticket requests

$10,000 Rip Miller Society: 8 Club ticket requests

$25,000 FONA: 10 Club ticket requests

$50,000 AD Circle: 12 Club ticket requests

Contact Tim Ford and his team for any questions.

The Navy Curling team visited Maine for the “College Crash” at Belfast Curling Club, Jan 31-Feb where the USNA team played Penn State. While there, the team caught up with Peter Fitzgerald '81 and his wife, Susan.

GOVERNMENT & MILITARY NEWS

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth today reiterated his core priorities for the Defense Department during a town hall meeting with service members and DOD civilians at the Pentagon. As outlined in his Jan. 27, 2025, message to the force, Hegseth said he intends to spend the next four years working with the Defense Department to revive the warrior ethos and restore trust in the military, rebuild it by matching threats to capabilities and reestablish deterrence by defending the homeland.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday chided past celebrations of the U.S. military's diversity in a broad address to Pentagon staff in which he also promised a tougher approach to NATO and accountability over the war in Afghanistan. "I think the single dumbest phrase in military history is our diversity is our strength," Hegseth told an audience of several hundred people, gathered in the Pentagon auditorium, adding under his watch "we will treat everyone with fairness." Hegseth, a veteran and former Fox News personality, has moved quickly to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at the Pentagon, arguing that they are divisive.

The U.S. Navy's amphibious fleet is in crisis, with a government report revealing that only half of its 32 amphibious warships are in “satisfactory” condition. Aging vessels, canceled maintenance, and costly repairs are delaying Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) deployments, undermining military readiness. Some ships have been neglected for years, while critical missions in the Pacific and Middle East have suffered from shortages. While new shipbuilding efforts are underway, delays and rising costs threaten future capabilities.

LOCAL, EDUCATION & OTHER ACADEMY NEWS

Super Lawyers® has released its 2024 attorney lists across various regions of the United States. This year, 169 Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani attorneys have been selected, with 51 named to Super Lawyers and 118 named to Rising Stars. Jamar Q. Green '06 is a seasoned and accomplished litigator with a wealth of diverse legal experience. Known for his exceptional advocacy skills, strategic acumen, and unwavering dedication to advancing his clients' interests, Jamar has established an impressive track record of success in both civil and criminal matters.

Hundreds of people attended Maryland Rep. Sarah Elfreth's Instagram live virtual meeting on Friday afternoon, seeking answers to questions about the government's deferred resignation offer and other changes to federal agencies. The meeting came a day after a federal judge temporarily paused President Donald Trump's administration's plan to reshape the federal workforce. Other members of Maryland's congressional delegation, including Reps. Glenn Ivey and Steny Hoyer, hosted a similar meeting Thursday night. Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said the union is urging federal workers to take action. The group represents thousands of employees, including those who work for the Department of Defense, U.S. Naval Academy, Education Department, Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency, among others.

NAVAL ACADEMY ATHLETICS NEWS & RESULTS

Women's Lacrosse v Saint Joseph's - W 16-9

 

Men's Tennis v FDU - W 6-1

Men's Squash v Virginia - L 9-0

Men's Tennis v Villanova - W 6-1

Men's Lacrosse v Iona - W 22-9

Men's Basketball at Lafayette - L 61-51

Women's Basketball v Lafayette - L 61-60

Men's Squash at Franklin and Marshall - W 5-4

Women's Tennis v Virginia Tech - L 7-0

 

Men's Squash v MIT - L 7-2

Women's Tennis v Villanova - W 4-3

Women's Tennis v Delaware - L 6-1

USNA AND AA&F EVENTS

FEBRUARY

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

7 Mar - A&SP Policy Review Committee Meeting - FAC (Bastian Conference Room)

12-13 Mar - SACC Atlanta

21 Mar -  A&SP Executive Committee Meeting - FAC (Bastian Conference Room)

21 Mar - Distinguished Graduate Award Ceremony and Dinner, USNA

22 Mar - Distinguished Graduate Leadership Panel, Mahan, USNA

22 Mar - Annual Gathering for USNA Women - Location TBD

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

26 Mar - Alumni Mentoring Program (AMP) Class of 2025 enrollment

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

30-31 Mar - Volunteer Leader Summit

 

APRIL

5 Apr - Annapolis Cup - USNA-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 - Akerson Tower

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 BOD meeting, Fluegel

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

7-9 May - USNA Alumni Association Spring BOT 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 Naval Academy Graduation and Commissioning Ceremony, NMCMS

 

17-18 Jun - Entrepreneur Summit - Fluegel

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

26 Jun - USNA Induction Day, Class of 2029