14 Jan Daily Shipmate

Wednesday, 14 January 2026

The new year is the perfect time to set your course for the months ahead. Fair Winds offers alumni a beautifully restored historic home in downtown Annapolis, just around the corner from Gate 1.

 

Ideal for reunions, family gatherings, fall football weekends or a return visit, Fair Winds blends Navy heritage with modern comfort and is proudly owned and operated by two USNA graduates. Prime weekends fill early- January is the time to lock in key dates at fairwindsdta.com.

1943 - The Casablanca Conference between British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt results in the decision to invade the island of Sicily; the outlining of a Pacific strategy with offensives through the central and southwest Pacific; a decision to send more troops to the China-Burma-India theater; support for a continued bombing campaign in Europe; and a commitment to the policy of “unconditional surrender” of the Axis powers. (14–23 January)

 

1969 - While steaming off Hawaii before deploying to Vietnam, the nuclear-powered carrier Enterprise (CVAN-65) suffers a costly fire when a rocket ignites on the flight deck and triggers explosions in armed aircraft. Though the flames are brought under control in less than an hour, 27 crewmen are dead, 344 are injured, and 14 aircraft are destroyed.

 

1992 - LT Richard McBride '84, USN was lost when the aircraft he was aboard collided with another aircraft and crashed near Corpus Christi, Texas. He was an instructor pilot with Training Squadron (VT) 27. At the time, he was attempting to inspect a suspected malfunction in the landing gear of another aircraft. “Rich” had been an instructor since November 1989. His father, John, was a naval aviator and astronaut; Rich was born in Rhode Island and graduated high school in Texas. He was survived by his wife, daughter, unborn son, parents, brother and sister. His sister-in-law – whom he never met – compiled a few of his letters, which are reproduced on his Virtual Memorial Hall page.

Academy & Graduate happenings

This week, our Alumni Association and Foundation teams have been picking up the phone to say two simple words: thank you.

 

As part of our annual Week of Gratitude this week, we're reaching out to thank the alumni, parents and friends who make the mission of the U.S. Naval Academy possible.

 

We'd love to hear from you, too! Share your story, a favorite memory or what the Academy means to you. Email us at [email protected] or tag @usnaalumni on social media so we can celebrate it with you.

 

#GoNavyThankEveryone

Governor Maura Healey today announced the appointment of Eric Goralnick '95, MD, MS, as Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS). Dr. Goralnick brings over two decades of experience as an emergency physician, United States Navy Veteran, health system leader and nationally recognized expert in health care operations, military-civilian health care partnerships and care for service members, veterans and underserved communities. As Secretary, Dr. Goralnick will oversee access to and provision of state veterans' benefits, ensure the continued delivery of high-quality care at the Massachusetts Veterans' Homes, advance behavioral health and suicide prevention initiatives, support veterans transitioning from military to civilian life, and strengthen collaboration across state agencies, health care systems and community partners. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and has completed advanced training in emergency medicine, public health and healthcare management.

Join us for an evening of networking and connecting with fellow alumni entrepreneurs, business owners, investors and those just interested in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. We will also be hearing from successful business founder, Bill Lehner '99 during the Founder Interview.

 

When: Thursday, 19 February 2026

Time: 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Location: the beautiful Fluegel Alumni Center

(301 King George Street, Annapolis, MD 21402)

Drinks and heavy hors d'oeuvres will be provided.

 

Don't miss out on this opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and grow your entrepreneurial network. We can't wait to see you there!

From the Podcast Fleet

Sing Second Podcast featuring Vet Boats' Terry Moran '87 and a convo with New Director of Alumni Support Services, Tony Spinler '91. Week 2. Let's go. The pod team gets together in person at the Fluegel Alumni Center to bring you the latest updates from USNA, AA&F and more. Connect, Communicate, Support and Anchor? That's what we do. Tony Spinler '91 is big in the SUPPORT game. The new Director of Alumni Support Services joins the boys in studio to talk about his job and what he has in store to help our alums in uniform, out of uniform and in between. And we chat with Terry Moran '87 of Vet Boats. Terry takes us on his journey from Annapolis to the Fleet…and now giving back to Veterans through the therapeutic experience of being on the water. And we continue to feature short interviews with alums running for Trustee positions with the Alumni Association in the East and Central regions. We chat with Clay Davis '94, running in the Central Region. That and more on America's best Alumni Association Podcast. Beat Army!

Listen on

Government & Military News

The Pentagon has finalized guidance to replace traditional height-and-weight tables with a waist-to-height ratio for measuring service members' body composition across the U.S. military. Under the new method, a service member's waist must measure less than 55% of their height to pass initial screening; those above that threshold undergo further body-fat evaluation and possible remedial fitness programs. Twice-annual measurements will be required, and failure to meet standards may affect promotions or trigger administrative action. Officials say the ratio better reflects health risks like heart disease and aims to bring more fairness to military fitness assessments.

The U.S. Navy recently conducted a second successful demonstration of AI-enabled autonomy designed to support next-generation Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). Held 11 December at the Point Mugu Sea Range in California, the test focused on improving manned-unmanned teaming — letting autonomous aircraft operate alongside crewed fighters to extend carrier air wing reach. Using AI software from Shield AI, two BQM-177A aerial targets flew autonomously within a simulated environment alongside a virtual F/A-18, showing how unmanned systems could perform mission tasks and respond to threats. The event advances interoperability and lays groundwork for future integration of autonomous capabilities across the Fleet.

Local, Education & other academy news

Eric Hofmann, a registered architect and project manager with NAVFAC Washington's Public Works Department (PWD) Annapolis, has been selected as the command's Project Manager of the Year. The recognition honors Hofmann's exceptional leadership in managing more than 20 projects valued at some $140 million while pioneering innovative approaches to project delivery at the U.S. Naval Academy. Hofmann's most notable achievement came through his management of the Bancroft Hall Swing Space Berthing project, where he compressed the timeline from one year to just four months while maintaining quality and safety standards. In a strategic move that maximized efficiency, Hofmann combined three separate Bancroft Hall projects—Repair and Paint Rotunda, Memorial Hall and Smoke Hall—into a single contract. Beyond traditional project management, Hofmann has pioneered the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to extract specification data during design development, significantly improving accuracy while reducing time-consuming manual processes.

Meet Kelly Dizon, a Senior Accountant on the Finance Investment Team, who supports the enterprise's accounting and finance functions while assisting with special projects and driving process improvements and efficiencies, particularly in investment accounting, reconciliations and balance sheet reviews. She began her career as an electrical engineer after earning her BSEE from Virginia Tech and later transitioned into finance by earning an MBA in Finance from GWU, allowing her to blend her technical background with finance and accounting in project management and leadership roles across the telecommunications and distribution industries. Her experience includes project management, transactional and general ledger accounting, and oversight of AP, remittance processing and billing operations. Dizon joined USNA AA&F because the role aligned perfectly with her diverse background and her desire to learn non-profit accounting and reporting. She looks forward to working with a great team, gaining new knowledge and identifying opportunities to improve systems and processes. Outside of work, she enjoys travel and unique experiences, having already seen two full solar eclipses, and hopes to visit Europe next, starting with Italy. Originally from the Northeast and now a long-time Maryland resident, Dizon also feels a strong personal connection to USNA, with both her father and father-in-law having served in the Navy.

Naval Academy Athletics News & Results

Four Navy Midshipmen earned Patriot League Indoor Track & Field weekly honors, the league announced on 13 January. Zoie Tesi was named Women's Field Athlete of the Week after winning both the high jump — setting a new school record (1.78 m) — and the triple jump. Sophie Richter and Justin Mumford took Women's and Men's Track Athlete of the Week honors, respectively, with Richter winning the 400 m and helping the 4×400 m relay, and Mumford winning the 3,000 m. Ben Marks earned Men's Rookie of the Week for his 800 m victory. The Midshipmen will host the Wesley A. Brown Invitational next.

Women's Basketball vs American - Annapolis - 7:00 p.m.

None

USNA and AA&F Events