8 Jul Daily Shipmate

Tuesday, Jul 8, 2025

1853 - Commodore Matthew C. Perry, in command of a squadron consisting of the side-wheel steamers Mississippi and Susquehanna and sloops Plymouth and Saratoga, entered Edo (Tokyo) Bay, to establish formal relations between the United States and Japan. Cautious of the West, the Japanese nevertheless accepted a formal letter from President Millard Fillmore.

1982 - ENS Cary Jones '81, USN was lost when the aircraft she was aboard collided with another near Corpus Christi, Texas. She was the first female Naval Aviator to be killed in a plane crash, and the first female Naval Academy graduate to be lost in training or combat. She was survived by her parents, sister, and brother.

Academy & Graduate happenings

Head coaches Kim Lewnes and Aaron Lanzel officially announced that Sophie Compton and Jackson Nguyen have been selected as team captains for the upcoming 2025 Navy cross country season. Compton has competed in 18 events over her first three seasons, earning Second Team All-Patriot League distinction twice (2022, '24) in her Midshipmen career. Nguyen has competed in 17 competitions in his three-year Navy career, including six competitions in 2024. As a junior, he earned First Team All-Patriot League and All-Region.

The Navy football team has been picked to finish tied for fourth with USF and Army in the American by Phil Steele's College Football Preview.  Memphis was picked to finish first, UTSA second and Tulane third. Senior quarterback Blake Horvath, senior running back Alex Tecza, senior snipe Eli Heidenreich and senior nose guard Landon Robinson were named First-Team All-American Conference.  Senior guard Ben Purvis, junior guard Cam Nichols and junior long snapper Rayne Fry were named to the second team.  Senior outside linebackers Luke Pirris and Jaxson Campbell along with senior corner Andrew Duhart were named to the fourth team.

Law360

The Fourth Circuit has tossed an appeal challenging the U.S. Naval Academy's consideration of race in its admissions, deeming it to be moot after a Trump administration executive order spurred the academy to change its policy.

 

The three-judge panel dismissed Students for Fair Admissions Inc.'s appeal on Wednesday, while also vacating a district court's late 2024 judgment and opinion that found the Naval Academy was able to consider race in admissions decisions. The case has been remanded to district court.

 

The order comes on the heels of a mid-June joint motion from the U.S. Department of Justice and SFFA, asking the Fourth Circuit to toss the legal advocacy organization's appeal, as the new admissions policy at the academy rendered it immaterial.

 

SFFA sued the Naval Academy in October 2023, just months after the U.S. Supreme Court's 6-3 decision striking down public and private universities' affirmative action admissions policies in SFFA's cases against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.

 

A little over a year later, in late 2024, a Maryland federal judge found that the Naval Academy could continue to consider race in certain aspects of its admissions process, finding the military had decades of experience dealing with the impacts of not diversifying the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. SFFA soon appealed.

 

Before the appeal could move very far, one of President Donald Trump's early-term executive orders, dubbed "Restoring America's Fighting Force," and a related memorandum from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spurred the Naval Academy to change course.

 

In February 2025, Naval Academy Superintendent Yvette M. Davids changed the school's admissions policy by issuing mandatory instructions to preclude race, ethnicity and sex from being considered as a factor for admission at any point during the admissions process, from qualification to acceptance.

 

Soon after, the Fourth Circuit agreed to hold the appeal in abeyance, and in June, the parties filed the joint motion to dismiss the appeal and vacate the lower court's ruling.

Government & Military News

The Navy has delayed delivery of the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) by nearly two years, now targeting March 2027, due to ongoing issues with the Advanced Arresting Gear and weapons elevator systems. This delay will leave the Navy with only ten carriers for about a year following the planned 2026 retirement of the USS Nimitz. The shift stems in part from a 2020 decision to move from dual-phase to single-phase delivery, allowing integration of F-35C and new radar systems. The next carrier, USS Enterprise (CVN-80), is also delayed to July 2030 due to material shortages and supply chain setbacks.

The House has approved a fiscal 2026 VA budget bill that includes amendments allowing VA doctors to recommend medical cannabis and plan for psychedelic-assisted therapy in states where such treatments are legal. While federal law still prohibits prescribing these substances, the bill, led by Reps. Brian Mast and Jack Bergman, would let VA physicians discuss cannabis as a treatment option and prepare the agency's infrastructure for future psychedelic therapies. Supporters, including HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., emphasized the promise these alternatives show for veterans suffering from trauma when traditional treatments fail.

Local, Education & other academy news

As modern warfare grows more complex, West Point continues its transformation to develop leaders who can think, adapt, and innovate across all domains. This next phase includes the realignment of programs and faculty into three strategically focused departments. First, the newly launched Aerospace Engineering major will integrate with Mechanical Engineering, forming the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The Department will offer more integrated design and research opportunities to equip leaders with a deeper understanding of complex, multi-domain systems on the ground and in the air. Second, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering will focus on equipping graduates to lead in a variety of roles, from designing resilient infrastructure to creatively overcoming challenges affecting human health and military readiness.

USNA and AA&F Events

July

9 Jul - Hampton Roads Chapter - Chapter event with Navy Offensive Coordinator Drew Cronic  and Midshipmen Meet & Greet Social. 5:00pm - 7:00pm - Rocky Mountain Room, Blue Moon TapHouse - Waterside District. More Info

14-16 Jul - YP visit to Yorktown, VA

18 Jul - Plebe Summer Formal Parade

25 Jul - Plebe SummerFormal parade

25 Jul - Hampton Roads Chapter/NAPC of Hampton Roads Roadshow - Blue Moon Taphouse, Norfolk - 5:30 p.m.

26 Jul - VA Peninsula Chapter Roadshow - Revolution Golf & Grille, Williamsburg - 12 p.m.

26 Jul - Richmond Chapter/NAPC of Central Virginia Roadshow - Capital Ale House, Glen Allen - 5:30 p.m.

27 Jul - NAPC of SW Virginia Roadshow - Macado's, Roanoke - 12 p.m.

27 Jul - Central VA Chapter/NAPC of Central Virginia Roadshow - Three Notch'd Brewery, Charlottesville - 5:30 p.m.

 

AUGUST

1 Aug - Plebe Summer Formal Parade

1-3 Aug - Seattle Sea Fair

4-10 Aug - Sioux Falls, South Dakota Navy Week

6 Aug - Hampton Roads Chapter Midshipmen Summer Cruise Meet and Greet - Norfolk - 5:00pm - 7 p.m. - Rocky Mountain Room, Blue Moon TapHouse - Waterside District - More Info

7 Aug - Class of 2029 Plebe Parent Mixer, Fluegel

8-10 Aug - Plebe Parents Weekend

9 Aug - Plebe Parents Weekend Formal Parade

9 Aug - Blue & Gold kick-off BBQ - N/MCMS

15 Aug - 2 for 7 Signing - Class of 2027

18 Aug - USNA Classes begin

18-24 Aug - Columbus, Ohio Navy Week

21-22 Aug - SACC San Diego

22 Aug - Friends of Navy Sailing Starting Gun Reception: Severn Sailing Association - 6 p.m.

23 Aug - Friends of Navy Sailing Supe brief, race and Sail Navy Banquet

24 Aug - Annapolis 10 Miler - Run to Honor is a charity partner

25-31 Aug - Springfield, Missouri Navy Week

28 Aug - Navy Football Brotherhood Weekend Kickoff Dinner w/ Football Coaching Staff

28-31 Aug - Class of 2010 15th Reunion

28-31 Aug - Class of 1960 65th Reunion

29 Aug - Navy Football Brotherhood Fallen Brothers Golf Classic & Evening Social

30 Aug - Navy Football Brotherhood Weekend Tailgater, NMCMS

30 Aug - A&SP/NAAA Trustee Appreciation Pre-Game Breakfast – Navy vs. VMI

30 Aug - Navy vs VMI, NMCMS, Annapolis, MD

 

SEPTEMBER

4 Sep - Distinguished Graduate Award (DGA) Medal Ceremony - Alumni Hall, 4:30 p.m.

4-6 Sep - Class of 2000 25th Reunion

6 Sep - Navy Football vs University of Alabama Birmingham, NMCMS, Annapolis, MD

13 Sep - Navy Football vs Tulsa, Tulsa, OK

14 Sep - Annapolis Travis Manion 9/11 Heroes Run

15-21 Sep - Wichita Falls, Texas Navy Week

18-19 Sep - McMullen Naval History Symposium - USNA

18-21 Sep - Class of 1985 - 40th Reunion

22-28 Sep - Hartford, CT Navy Week

25-27 Sep - Class of 2020 5th Reunion

26 Sep - Council of Annual Giving meeting - Fluegel Alumni Center

27 Sep - Navy Football vs Rice, NMCMS, Annapolis, MD

 

OCTOBER

1-22 Oct - Class of '75 Gulf to Goat Charity Bike Ride

2 Oct - President Circle Welcome Reception, Fluegel

2-4 Oct - President Circle Weekend

2-5 Oct - Class of 2015 10th Reunion

2-5 Oct - Class of 1995 30th Reunion

2-5 Oct - Class of 1990 35th Reunion

4 Oct - Navy Football vs Air Force, NMCMS, Annapolis, MD

9-16 Oct - Celebrating The Navy and Marine Corps' 250th Anniversary - Philadelphia

10 Oct - USNA Founder's Day

10 Oct - Army-Navy Cup XIV. Soccer doubleheader vs Army at Subaru Park, Philadelphia. Women's Match - 4 p.m., Men's Match at 7 p.m.

11 Oct - Navy Football @ Temple, Lincoln Financial Stadium, Philadelphia, PA

13 Oct - U.S. Navy Birthday

13 Oct - Surface Navy Museum Grand Opening - Battleship Iowa - Los Angeles

23-26 Oct - Class of 2005 20th Reunion

23-26 Oct - Class of 1975 50th Reunion

23-26 Oct - Class of 1965 60th Reunion

25 Oct - Navy Football vs Florida Atlantic, NMCMS, Annapolis, MD

25 Oct - United States Naval Academy Homecoming

25 Oct - Welcome Home Event, Fluegel Alumni Center

25-31 - Eugene, Oregon Navy Week

 

NOVEMBER

1 Nov - Navy @ North Texas, DATCU Stadium, Denton TX

5-6 Nov - US Naval Academy Foundation Fall Board of Directors Reception/Meeting

6-9 Nov - Class of 1980 45th Reunion

8 Nov - Navy @ Notre Dame, Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN - 7:30 p.m.

10 Nov - Marine Corps Birthday

10-16  Nov - Santa Fe, New Mexico Navy Week.

14 Nov - Run to Honor's annual pre-Honor Our Fallen Heroes Gathering - 6:30p.m. - Register

14 Nov - US Naval Academy Athletic & Scholarship Program Fall Meeting, NMCMS

15 Nov - Navy vs University of South Florida, NMCMS

15 Nov - Honor Our Fallen Heroes - Location TBD

17 Nov - Council of Class Presidents Fall meeting, Fluegel

18-19 Nov - US Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustee Fall Meeting, Fluegel

19-20 Nov - SACC Chicago

27 Nov - Navy Football @ University of Memphis, Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN

 

DECEMBER

5/6 Dec - American Athletic Conference Football Championship Game, TBD

6 Dec - Distinguished Graduate Selection Committee Meeting, Fluegel, TBD

13 Dec - Army - Navy, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD