Official daily newsletter of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation
Wednesday, 4 February 2026
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This week's editions of Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation Morning Paper are brought to you by Otterson Wealth Advisors and Naval Academy graduate Caleb Cronic '11. Otterson Wealth Advisors of Raymond James is not just a team. It's a vast resource of financial knowledge, with each member bringing their unique expertise to your financial success. Caleb Cronic '11, financial advisor and Naval Academy graduate, is a CIMA-certified pro. His strategic prowess is your asset working towards your financial goals. Ready to begin to your journey? Otterson Wealth Advisors … your goals, our expertise.
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Today in Navy, Marine Corps
and USNA Memorial Hall History
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1779 - Captain John Paul Jones assumes command of the ship on whose deck he becomes a legend in the annals of the history of the U.S. Navy. He christens the vessel Bonhomme Richard, the French equivalent of “Poor Richard,” in honor of Benjamin Franklin, author of the popular periodical Poor Richard's Almanac.
1919 - Congress creates two medals for the naval service, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and the Navy Cross, which rank second and third, respectively, behind the Medal of Honor. The criterion for the decorations allows them to be awarded for both combat actions and distinguished service in the line of duty.
1942 - LT Edward Blessman '31, USN was killed in action when USS Marblehead (CL 12) was damaged by Japanese bombers on 4 February 1942 during the Battle of Makassar Strait. He was the ship's senior aviator, and had been aboard since December 1939. Edward's mother died when he was 9-years-old, and his father the following year. It seems he and his brother and sister were raised with their father's sister and her husband in Appleton, Wisconsin, from where he graduated high school. He attended Lawrence College for a year prior to entering the Academy. Blessman was married in 1932; he was survived by his wife as well as his sister and brother. His widow sponsored Blessman's namesake ship, USS Blessman (DE 69).
1958 - The keel for Enterprise (CVAN-65), the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, is laid at Newport News, Virginia.
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Academy & Graduate happenings
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Stars are out in Annapolis this Saturday
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Coming to Annapolis for the weekend? Be ready to cheer on Men's & Women's Indoor Track & Field and Gymnastics as they all battle Army for the Star. Men's Indoor kicks things off from Wesley Brown Field House at 11:00 a.m. Gymnastics looks to defend the Star in their meet vs. Army from Halsey Field House at 2:00 p.m. The day is anchored by Women's Indoor facing Army at 2:30 p.m. from Wesley Brown. Rifle also battles Army for the Star on Saturday from West Point at 9:00 a.m. Navy leads the Star Series 7-4-1 right now. Go Navy. Beat Army. Sing Second. All the information you need about beating Army in the Star Series is available at the link below.
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Perkins '21 removes 35+ D.C. vehicles from “snowcrete”
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Capt Jackson Perkins '21, USMC, is a former Navy football team captain, a rising country music star and now—D.C.'s unofficial snowstorm hero. As many local residents still dig out their vehicles from the ice covered snow that turned parking lots and streets into ice skating rinks, Perkins fired up his truck and has been actively pulling stuck vehicles out of the “snowcrete” from last week and getting his community safely back on the roads. Operating on a "first-come, first-served" basis. Perkins was even featured on Good Morning Washington, sharing how a little grit, horsepower and heart can go a long way. Navy grit meets country soul.
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USNA plays central role as BlackSea's NightTrain Autonomous Vessel reaches milestone with keel laying ceremony
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BlackSea Technologies (President is USNA Alum Bob Pudney '98) marked a key milestone in the development of its NightTrain autonomous surface vessel with a keel-laying ceremony, formally beginning construction of a platform designed to support contested and clandestine logistics operations for the Joint Force. The origin of NightTrain was a creative concept born and proven at the U.S. Naval Academy. USNA Faculty and Midshipmen naval architects and weapons, robotics and controls engineers attended the event held Jan. 30th in Baltimore. “Today, we're celebrating a milestone in innovation for the naval war fighter and over a dozen Midshipman projects since 2021 have worked to develop this concept,” said Professor Jenelle Piepmeier, PhD, Chair of the U.S. Naval Academy Weapons, Robotics, and Control Engineering Department, the sponsor for the ceremony. “This collaboration really showcases the unique strength of a joint military civilian faculty at the United States Naval Academy with direct contribution to the Navy and the warfighter.”
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Sing Second Podcast featuring Entrepreneur, Executive Coach and new author Karla Murphy '12
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Welcome to February and the thick of the dark ages. Hosts Chris Servello '99 and USNA AA&F Executive Communications Director John Schofield preview one of the Naval Academy's signature events, Thursday's Ship Selection Night from Alumni Hall. They also talk about the recent snow storm here in Annapolis that made those dark ages a little darker. And we preview a big weekend for Rifle, Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field and Gymnastics as they compete for the Star against Army. And this week's alumni feature is with Karla Murphy '12. Murphy reps the Eastern North Carolina Chapter, and after a discussion with John at their Founder's Day Dinner in the fall…a conversation started. Murphy is a former Marine, and now an entrepreneur, an executive coach and the author of a new book: Be One of Zero: Why the Obsessed Always Win, A Leadership Operating System to Upgrade the Founder & the Business. Murphy talks about leadership and making that transition out of uniform and making a difference on your own path. Learn more about Murphy and her company Founders Forge and check out her book here — or find out more below in our “Alumni Book Feature.” That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.
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Listen to the sing second podcast on
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Government & Military News
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USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: 2 February 2026
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These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy's deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of 2 February 2026, 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.
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President signs bill to end partial government shutdown
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President Donald Trump signed a roughly $1.2 trillion government funding bill Tuesday that ends the partial federal shutdown that began over the weekend and sets the stage for an intense debate in Congress over Homeland Security funding. The president moved quickly to sign the bill after the House approved it with a 217-214 vote.
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5 out of 6 military branches have elevated GenAI.mil as their go-to enterprise AI platform
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Almost two months after the Pentagon deployed GenAI.mil on government desktops across its sprawling workforce, all but one of the military services have formally declared the asset to be their teams' AI platform of choice. In response to questions from DefenseScoop on Monday, a Pentagon official said that there have been “1.1 million unique users” on GenAI.mil to date. They further confirmed that five of the six military branches have adopted the tool enterprise-wide over legacy systems — noting that it's just “minus the [U.S. Coast Guard] for now.”
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U.S. shoots down Iranian drone approaching aircraft
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A U.S. Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. The drone “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier with “unclear intent” and “continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by U.S. forces operating in international waters,” Central Command spokesman CAPT Tim Hawkins said in a statement Tuesday.
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Local, Education & other academy news
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Alumni Book Feature: Be One of Zero: Why the Obsessed Always Win, A Leadership Operating System to Upgrade the Founder & the Business.
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Become the leader the next stage of your business requires. You built your business for freedom. But now it runs you. In Be One of Zero, former U.S. Marine Corps officer, multi-business owner, and executive coach Karla Murphy '12 introduces a leadership operating system for founders and executives who want to scale without sacrificing their health, relationships, or sanity. This book didn't come from theory or motivation. It came from studying what actually works in high-growth businesses, pressure-testing ideas, and working inside people issues, operational chaos, launches, bugs, and systems in the Marine Corps and across real companies. Be One of Zero closes the gap between what the business needs and how the founder is still operating.
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From typhoons to tech leadership: Wingeart '96 journey to NSWC Dahlgren Division
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Karen Wingeart '96, leads the Maritime Warfare Control Systems Division at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, where her team supports critical Navy warfighting capabilities. Her journey began with a degree in oceanography at USNA and service as a Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) aboard USS Barry. She later transitioned to meteorology and oceanography, forecasting typhoons, then taught at USNA and served in the Navy Reserve, including a deployment to Kuwait. At Dahlgren, Wingeart advanced through engineering and leadership roles, applying her operational experience to systems that enhance fleet readiness and operational safety.
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Naval Academy Athletics News & Results
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Navy Sports Magazine - Catherine Dely - Rifle
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Rifle captain Catherine Dely joins the Navy Sports Magazine Show ahead of Saturday's Star match at Army. The senior is looking to help the Midshipmen capture their fifth-consecutive N-Star against the Black Knights. Check out the video interview above.
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Men's Squash - Franklin and Marshall - Annapolis, Md. - 6 p.m.
Women's Basketball - Lafayette - Annapolis, Md. - 7 p.m.
Men's Basketball at Lafayette - Easton, Pa. - 7 p.m.
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Navy leads 7-4-1 (Army - Volleyball, Men's Soccer, Women's Rugby, Women's Cross Country. Navy - Men's Golf, Men's Cross Country, Sprint Football, Men's Rugby, Men's and Women's Swimming, Football. Tie - Women's Soccer)
Remaining Star Matchups:
7 Feb - Rifle - West Point - 9:00 a.m.
7 Feb - Gymnastics - Annapolis - 2:00 p.m.
7 Feb - M. Indoor Track & Field - Annapolis - TBA
7 Feb - W. Indoor Track & Field - Annapolis - TBA
20 Feb - Wrestling - Annapolis - 7:30 p.m. - Alumni Hall
21 Feb - W. Basketball - West Point - 11:00 a.m.
21 Feb - M. Basketball - West Point - 1:30 p.m.
27-29 Mar - Baseball - West Point - TBA
4 Apr - W. Tennis - Annapolis - 11:00 a.m.
11 Apr - M. Outdoor Track & Field - West Point - TBA
11 Apr - W. Outdoor Track & Field - West Point - TBA
11 Apr - M. Lacrosse - West Point - TBA
11 Apr - W. Lacrosse - Annapolis - 12:00 p.m.
18 Apr - M. Tennis - Annapolis - 1:00 p.m.
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FEBRUARY
- 5 Feb – Class of 2026 Ship Selection, Alumni Hall
- 6 Feb – GSMC Annual Dinner - 6 to 10 p.m. – 21890 Society Hill Rd, Leonardtown, MD 20650
- 11 Feb – GSMC Social & Business Mtg. Brudergarten – 5 to 6 p.m. ET
- 13 Feb - Women's Lacrosse Season Kickoff, Fluegel Alumni Center - 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
- 14 Feb – Commissioning 101, Fluegel
- 17 Feb – Hazing to Harassment to Sexual Assault: Trauma's Impact on Male Survivors - 7 to 8:30 p.m. ET - Register here.
- 19 Feb – USNA Entrepreneurs event – 5 to 8 p.m. – Fluegel Alumni Center
- 19–20 Feb – Service Academy Career Conference – Atlanta
- 20 Feb – Roadshow Visit with Chattanooga Chapter + NAPCs of Middle TN & Eastern TN
- 21 Feb – Roadshow Visit with Knoxville-Oak Ridge Chapter + NAPC of Eastern TN
- 22 Feb – Roadshow Visit with Nashville Chapter + NAPC of Middle TN
- 27 Feb – Brigade Boxing Finals, Alumni Hall
MARCH
- 6 Mar – U.S. Naval Academy Athletic & Scholarship Policy Review Committee Meeting, Bastian
- 7–15 Mar – U.S. Naval Academy Spring Break
- 7 Mar – USNA Glee Club Spring Performance – USS Constitution - 11 a.m.
- 7 Mar – USNA Glee Club Spring Performance – St. Cecilia Parish Church, 18 Belvidere Street, Boston, MA – 7:30 p.m.
- 7 Mar - Naptown Events St. Patrick's Day Parade Hooley - Fluegel Alumni Center - 5 p.m.
- 8 Mar – USNA Glee Club Spring Performance – St Mary / St Catherine of Siena, 46 Winthrop Street, Charlestown, MA – 3 p.m.
- 10 Mar – USNA Glee Club Spring Performance – Naval War College, Spruance Auditorium, 686 Cushing Road, Newport, RI – 7 p.m.
- 12 Mar – USNA Glee Club Spring Performance – St. Ignatius Loyola, 980 Park Avenue, New York, NY – 8 p.m.
- 14 Mar – USNA Glee Club Spring Performance – St. Patrick's Church, 242 S 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA – 7 p.m.
- 11–15 Mar – AA&F Engagement Roadshows – St. Louis Chapter + NAPCs of Greater St. Louis, Eastern MO and So IL; KC Metro Chapter + NAPC of Kansas & Missouri; Wichita Chapter + NAPC of Kansas & Missouri; Omaha Chapter + NAPC of Nebraska; NAPC of Iowa
- 13 Mar – Alumni Association Travel Showcase
- 16 Mar – Beyond Commissioning Event, location TBD
- 23 Mar – Beyond Commissioning Event, location TBD
- 27 Mar – Council of Annual Giving Spring Meeting, TBD
- 27 Mar – U.S. Naval Academy Athletic & Scholarship Executive Committee Meeting, Bastian
APRIL
- 10 Apr – Athletic & Scholarship Program, Spring Trustee Mtg, NMCMS
- 10 Apr – U.S. Naval Academy Spring Formal Parade, Worden Field
- 10 April – USNA Glee Club and Pipes and Drums Salute to America's 250th with Dallas Symphony Orchestra in Dallas, TX – 7:30 p.m.
- 11 April – USNA Glee Club and Pipes and Drums Salute to America's 250th with Dallas Symphony Orchestra in Dallas, TX – 7:30 p.m.
- 12 April – USNA Glee Club and Pipes and Drums Salute to America's 250th with Dallas Symphony Orchestra in Dallas, TX – 2 p.m.
- 16–19 Apr – 50 Years of Women at USNA Celebration Conference and Gala, Fluegel Alumni Center
- 17 Apr – U.S. Naval Academy Spring Formal Parade, Worden Field
- 18 Apr – Annapolis Cup Navy Croquet vs St Johns, St Johns College
- 19-22 Apr - Sea Air and Space Expo - Washington, DC
- 22 Apr - Bonds of Gold Ceremony - FAC
- 23 - 26 Apr - AA&F Engagement Roadshows - Arizona Chapter + NAPC of Arizona (Phoenix); Southern Arizona Chapter + NAPC of Arizona (Tucson); Northern Arizona Chapter + NAPC of Arizona (Flagstaff); New Mexico Chapter (Albuquerque); Intermountain Chapter + NAPC of Utah (SLC)
- 24 Apr – U.S. Naval Academy Dedication Parade, Worden Field
- 24 Apr – Council of Annual Giving Spring Meeting
- 24–26 Apr – Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show
- 26 Apr – Navy SEAL Foundation Annapolis Frogman Swim – Severn River – 8:30 a.m.
- 28 Apr – Council of Class Presidents Spring Meeting
- 29 Apr – AA & FDN Board of Directors & Trustees Joint Session
- 29 Apr – AA&FDN Board of Directors & Trustee Welcome Reception
- 29 Apr – USNA Capstone Senior Project Day, Various Locations
- 30 Apr – U.S. Naval Academy Foundation Spring Board of Directors Meeting, Fluegel Alumni Center
- 30 Apr – U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustees Committee Meeting, Fluegel Alumni Center
- 30 Apr – U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustees Welcome Dinner
MAY
- 1 May – U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustees Spring Meeting
- 4-8 May - Naval Academy Great Class Challenge
- 7–8 May – Service Academy Career Conference, Washington, DC
- 11–12 May – Class of 2029 Sea Trials
- 13 May – Class of 2029 Herndon Climb
- 15 May – Class of 2026 1/C Out-Processing, Alumni Hall
- 16 May – Class of 2027 Ring Dance, Dahlgren
- 17–22 May – U.S. Naval Academy Class of 2026 Commissioning Week
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- 19 May – USMC Select Ceremony & Awards
- 19 May – Glee Club Concert, Main Chapel
- 20 May – Blue Angels Flight Show, Hospital Point
- 21 May – Class of 2026 Color Parade, Worden Field
- 21 May – Prizes & Awards Ceremony, Alumni Hall
- 21 May – President Circle Sip Sip Soiree, Fluegel
- 22 May – Class of 2026 Graduation & Commissioning, NMCMS
- 25 May - Run to Honor Reading of the names (Link) and multiple Memorial Day Run to Honor Events across the country (Link)
JUNE
- 17–18 Jun – USNA Entrepreneurs Summit 2026, Fluegel Alumni Center
- 24–25 Jun – Class of 2030 I-Day Processing, TBD
- 25 Jun – Class of 2030 I-Day Picnic, TBD
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USNA AA&F resources & Links
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The Daily Shipmate is a news product intended to share news about the Naval Academy, the Naval Services and our members. We are apolitical as an organization and will strive to bring forward relevant news on a wide variety of issues. Just because we include an article does not mean we endorse its content, author, or news organization.
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