8 May Daily Shipmate

Friday, 8 May 2026

May brings Annapolis to life. Longer days, waterfront energy, and weekends worth planning ahead. Fair Winds is a beautifully restored historic home in downtown, just one block from USNA, Main Street, and the harbor — perfect for gathering with family and friends, with space to relax and walk to everything that matters.

 

Proudly owned by two USNA graduates. Availability is limited — explore dates at fairwindsdta.com.

1995 - In the wake of the most devastating storm to hit the New Orleans area in more than 200 years, a group of Marines and sailors from Marine Forces Reserve demonstrated the quick response synonymous with the Navy/Marine Corps team. Within 24 hours of being called, Marines assisted in the evacuation of 2,500 civilians, and Navy corpsmen treated scores of flood victims.

 

2002 - LCDR William Muscha ’87, USN and 1LT John Wilt ’00, USMC were lost when the T-39 trainers they were aboard collided and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico; all seven men aboard the two aircraft were killed. Bill was an instructor with Training Squadron (VT) 86; John was a student pilot. Bill, from Fargo, North Dakota, was a naval flight officer with two deployments to the Arabian Gulf; he later earned two master’s degrees. He was survived by his wife, six children, as well as his parents and sister. John was son of an Air Force pilot and a native of O’Fallon, Illinois. In high school he was a class officer and on the football, track, and speech teams; he also completed two marathons. He was survived by his parents.

 

Content in “Today in Navy, Marine Corps and USNA Memorial Hall History” is generously provided by our partners and fellow alumni at the Naval History and Heritage Command and the Run to Honor SIG, which supplies the USNA Memorial Hall content. We are grateful for their partnership in preserving and sharing this history, and the Daily Shipmate is proud to serve as a distribution platform. You can learn more or provide feedback through their respective websites hyperlinked above.

Academy & Graduate happenings

Today is the final day of the Great Class Challenge. The leaderboard is tight and every donor matters. Step up, represent your class and finish strong.

On 29 April, David Cattler ’93 returned to Annapolis to address the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation’s Spring 2026 Joint Meeting of the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees at the Fluegel Alumni Center. A distinguished alumnus whose career has spanned more than three decades of service in uniform and across senior national and international security roles, Cattler offered board members a deeply personal and forward‑looking reflection on leadership in an increasingly uncertain world.

Founded in 1944, the Naval Academy Athletic Foundation (formerly Athletic and Scholarship Programs) supports athletic excellence and leader development at the U.S. Naval Academy first by providing need-based funding and mentoring to Foundation preparatory school students followed by, and certainly no less important, by raising philanthropic support for Naval Academy varsity, club, and intramural sports teams through The Fund for Athletic Excellence.

Effective Monday, 11 May 2026, General Public Visitation (GPV) will resume for the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) and Naval Support Activity (NSA) Annapolis. This change will take effect ahead of Commissioning Week 2026, including the Blue Angels Show and Herndon Climb.

While GPV is reinstated, the Trusted Traveler Program remains suspended. Visitors should expect enhanced security measures and possible temporary access controls during highly attended events.

We appreciate your flexibility and cooperation as we support a safe and successful Commissioning Week.

 

For more information about the updated NSAA policy, please visit the following link.

For more information about gate hours and transportation options for USNA Commissioning Week 2026 (16 - 22 May), please visit the link below.

For further inquiries, you may email NSAA at [email protected].

Government & Military News

The bill, introduced by Reps. Eugene Vindman and Pat Ryan, would let Tricare users and VA patients pay whichever cost is lower: the CMS‑negotiated rate or their current program’s price. Only Medicare beneficiaries currently receive CMS pricing. Supporters argue the change would ease financial strain on millions of service‑connected Americans. The measure has backing from several major veterans’ groups but faces uncertainty in a House narrowly controlled by Republicans. CMS estimates similar pricing reforms already save taxpayers about $6 billion annually.

PTDO Under Secretary of the Navy William Toti ’79 emphasized that his role is to ensure continuity, stability, and momentum across the Department of the Navy following recent leadership transitions. He said he is aligned with Acting Secretary Hung Cao ’96 and his priorities, citing Cao’s operational experience and his focus on strengthening naval readiness. Toti described his position as functioning like the Navy’s “executive officer,” responsible for execution, accountability, and driving progress on major initiatives. He underscored commitments to supporting Sailors and Marines, accelerating shipbuilding, improving acquisition processes, and enhancing homeland defense. Toti also stressed that defense industry partners must invest more of their own capital to expand production capacity, while the Navy will provide predictable long‑term contracts to support that growth. He concluded that all organizational adjustments will be guided by the needs of the warfighter and the urgency of emerging global threats.

Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao ’96 visited the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to personally thank Sailors and Marines for completing an exceptionally long and demanding deployment that stretched from the High North to combat operations in South America and the Middle East. He praised their grit, resilience, and service, saying he was proud to call them his shipmates and emphasizing that it is now the Navy’s responsibility to take care of them. Cao highlighted his recent time aboard USS Bainbridge, calling the Arleigh Burke–class destroyer the Fleet’s “workhorse,” and announced funding for two additional DDG‑51 Flight III ships to strengthen maritime dominance. Gerald R. Ford's deployment, which began in June 2025, became the longest modern carrier deployment since the Vietnam War and included participation in conflict with Iran and the capture of Venezuela’s leader. The carrier is expected to return soon.

Local, Education & other academy news

The Navy Football team received formal recognition this week during a visit to the Pentagon. Senior leaders across the military—including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Hung Cao ’96 serving as Acting Secretary of the Navy - met with Landon Robinson, Eli Heidenreich, Blake Horvath, Alex Tezca and Superintendent LtGen Mike Borgschulte ’91, USMC.

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