18 May Daily Shipmate

Monday, 18 May 2026

Jeff Eggers ’93 is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Rsquared, where he leads the firm's investment strategy and brings a practitioner's understanding of risk, resilience and organizational performance to every company Rsquared backs. Eggers served as Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs under both the Bush and Obama administrations — one of the very few individuals to hold that trust across two administrations — advising on policy at the nexus of geopolitical risk and strategic decision-making from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2010 through early 2015. President Obama awarded him the Samuel Nelsen Drew Award for distinguished contributions in pursuit of global peace for his work mediating solutions to the crisis in South Asia. Prior to his White House roles, Eggers served 20 years as a U.S. Navy SEAL, deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, northern Africa, and across Asia. From 2016 to 2020, he founded and led the McChrystal Group Leadership Institute as Executive Director, directing research and training in human, team, and organizational performance. He is co-author of the U.S. bestseller Leaders: Myth and Reality, and holds a B.S. from the United States Naval Academy and an M.A. from Oxford University. At Rsquared, Eggers has sourced and invested in Alto Neuroscience (NYSE: ANRO), Wisdo (acquired by Talkspace), Orbital Therapeutics (acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb), Rippl Care (acquired by Harbor Health), Albacore and Resilience. You can hear from this speaker and many more at the 2026 Entrepreneurs Summit.

1968 - 2LT Thomas Weiss ’67, USMC was killed in action in South Vietnam by enemy rifle fire while on patrol near Quang Nam. He was a platoon commander with Company M, Third Battalion, Twenty-Seventh Marines. Thomas was wounded in action in April, and posthumously awarded the Bronze Star. He was born in Washington, D.C., grew up in Havertown, Pennsylvania, and came to the Naval Academy after a year at the University of Pennsylvania; he rowed in high school, at UPenn, and at USNA. He was survived by his parents and three brothers, one of whom was an Army Captain and another a plebe at West Point.

 

1969 - Apollo 10, the last mission launched preparatory to a moon landing, includes naval aviators Captain John W. Young and Commander Eugene A. Cernan. During the mission, Cernan joins Col Thomas P. Stafford ’52, USMC in making a trial descent in a lunar landing vehicle to within 9.5 miles of the lunar surface. (18–26 May)

 

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

Annapolis will be buzzing all week with excitement as the U.S. Naval Academy’s Class of 2026 Commission into the Fleet and the Marine Corps. Planning to attend? Some events require official visitor access, so be sure to check details in advance at the link below.

In this issue of Shipmate Magazine: Meet eight midshipmen who traveled to the Solomon Islands to learn about the service and sacrifice of Marines and sailors who fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943. The 50 Years of Women conference recap and check out the stories from USNA alumnae who share the impact of their multi-generational ties to USNA including Maegen Nix ’94 and her family legacy. Finally, Col John Ripley ’62, USMC (Ret.)'s Navy Cross is being upgraded to the Medal of Honor. We talked to his son Tom who shared his excitement and gratitude with us in Bancroft Hall. All this and more in your May/June Shipmate magazine which is scheduled to arrive in mailboxes around 29 May 2026. Opt in to digital Shipmate and get your issue delivered to your inbox up to two weeks before the print edition hits mailboxes.

From the Podcast Fleet

Commissioning Week is here, and John and Chris are pumped for the Class of 2026. The class of 2029 had a good week last week...Sea Trials...scaling Herndon in 2:17...Plebes no more!! Shout out to Jason Hedberg ’94 and Mikie Sherrill ’94, whose son Lincoln ’29 was the capper. We also chat about a very special season for Navy Women's Lax, whose season ended in the elite 8 with a heartbreaking loss to Maryland. And we give the rundown on the activities that await during Commissioning Week. Our alumni interview this week features Bob Ravener '81, recently honored at our Joint Board meetings last month as one Of our Thriving as Leaders awardees in the Alumni Outstanding Achievement – Professional (AOA-P) category. Ravener’s visionary approach to veteran hiring has led to the employment of over 150,000 veterans across major companies like Home Depot, Starbucks, and Dollar General—each earning the Department of Defense’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Freedom Award under his leadership. We also chat with Angela Domingos '00 this week about how to nominate amazing alums for these awards going forward. That and more on the best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army. Always.

Listen on

Government & Military News

Nearly 4,500 Sailors of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) returned to Naval Station Norfolk the morning of 16 May following a historic and successful 11-month deployment to the U.S. 4th, 5th and 6th Fleets. The aircraft carrier returned with its accompanying destroyers, USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), and USS Mahan (DDG 72). USS Winston Churchill (DDG 81) also returned to its homeport of Naval Station Mayport. Before returning to Norfolk after 326 days, the Gerald R. Ford crew conducted 23 replenishments-at-sea and sailed over 57,713 nautical miles. Embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 logged more than 5,760 flight hours and 12,200 flight launches. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth greeted the Norfolk-based ships upon their return home. Hegseth spoke to the Gerald R. Ford crew over the ship’s announcement system (1MC) recognizing the Sailors for their resilience and toughness throughout the deployment.

Iran’s push to charge merchant shippers for passage through the Strait of Hormuz under threat of violence could spread to other parts of the world, maritime experts said this week. The problem arises if there is any normalization of Iran’s actions in creating a passageway that requires ships to provide their information, including ownerships, and a potential fee to cross, Ian Ralby, a non-resident senior fellow at the Center for Maritime Security, said during a Thursday Lloyd’s List webinar. If Iran maintains its so-called Tehran tollbooth model, there is potential for other countries to be “copycats,” Ralby said. Indonesia made statements about possibly tolling the Strait of Malacca, although the country has since walked those comments back, he said.

BlackSea Technologies recently participated in Arctic Sentry 2026, a NATO enhanced vigilance activity in the High North, demonstrating its Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft in Ramsund, Norway, alongside partners from U.S. 6th Fleet, U.S. Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron 3 (USVRON-3) and the Royal Norwegian Navy. The exercise gave BlackSea’s GARC unmanned surface vessels an opportunity to operate in the far north, demonstrate autonomous surface vessel capabilities in cold weather maritime conditions, integrate with NATO partners and serve as training tools for the next generation of naval warfighters. “Arctic Sentry proves that GARC can operate effectively in dynamic, contested maritime environments north of the Arctic Circle,” said Lunsford Schock, mission director for BlackSea Technologies.

Local, Education & other academy news

At Shipmate magazine, we are taking a fresh approach to the way class, chapter and SIG notes are submitted. Beginning with the July-August 2026 issue, we will be accepting note submissions only through an online portal. We want to ensure all chapter, class and SIG representatives are prepared for the 27 May deadline for the July-August issue. We only have two training sessions left, today (6-7 p.m.) and Wednesday (3-4 p.m.). The submission portal will be live soon and if you haven’t signed up for training, please do today. This effort will provide efficiencies for the magazine's production and modernize the content-collection process. Learn more or sign up for a training session at the link below.

Help recognize the alumni who exemplify leadership, service and achievement. USNA Alumni Association members are invited to nominate fellow members for the 2026 Thriving As Leaders (TAL) Awards by 1 July 2026. Honorees will be announced this October. TAL awards celebrate alumni who advance the mission to “thrive as leaders in and out of uniform” through professional achievement, athletic excellence or volunteer leadership and service. Awards include Alumni Outstanding Achievement (athletic or non athletic) and Volunteer Leadership and Service. Nominations must come from fellow members.

Questions? Contact the Legacy Programs team by emailing Wes Huey '87 or by calling 410- 295-4023.

During a ceremony on 15 May, the top graduate in the Air Force Academy’s first class celebrated the window the new visitor center will open into academy life. “We welcome the opening of this window for the casual, curious drop-in,” said Retired Lt. Gen. Bradley Hosmer. The visitor center focuses on the cadet experience, with exhibits featuring military training, day-to-day life and celebratory moments. When the Air Force Academy base closed to the general public following the terror attacks on 9/11, the school lost constant contact with the general public, he said, and that wasn’t a good thing. Hosmer is hopeful that the center will spark interest among young people who the country would want in its fighting force. The center bears Hosmer’s and his wife Zita’s names, which is an appropriate honor, said Superintendent Gen. Tony Bauernfeind. Hosmer was the first graduate of the academy to serve as its superintendent, and he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service during the Vietnam War. He now lives in New Mexico.

Seventeen cadets from the U.S. Military Academy’s Class of 2026 will attend medical schools nationwide through West Point’s Pre-Medical School Scholarship Program. Endorsed by the Academy’s Medical Program Advisory Committee, these cadets were selected for their exceptional dedication to research, clinical experience, and volunteer service. Upon graduation from medical school, they will contribute to the readiness of our Nation’s Armed Forces as U.S. Army medical officers. Since 2018, West Point has commissioned 148 cadets to medical school, reflecting the Academy’s enduring commitment to developing the next generation of Army physician leaders.

Naval Academy Athletics News & Results

The Navy men's track & field team secured its 12th-consecutive Patriot League outdoor title and 13th overall Saturday afternoon as the two-day league championship concluded at Ingram Field in Annapolis. The Midshipmen dominated the meet and scored 298 points to outdistance second-place Army (199.5) by 98.5 points. Individually, Navy director of track & field Jamie Cook and his staff earned the league's coaching staff-of-the-year award, Nick Simmons earned the Patriot League Field Athlete-of-the-Meet award and Jason Keiser continued his stellar rookie campaign by securing the Patriot League Rookie-of-the-Meet honor. "We came into this weekend knowing we had to fire on all cylinders, and we did just that," Cook said. "Scoring almost 300 points and winning by nearly 100 points is a pretty significant victory. I'm really proud of these men and the way they prepared."

Yesterday's results:

Last weekend's results:

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