News & Events

As we approach 26 years past graduation and commissioning, reminders abound that many of the great Class of 1996 are still carrying the torch and keeping our nation safe. CAPT Dave Pollard is next in line to assume command of USS GEORGE HW BUSH, and will be heading out to sea shortly after for COMPTUEX And deployment. Congratulations, Dave, we’re all looking forward to reading more about your journey!

https://www.dailypress.com/military/dp-nw-bush-captain-retiring-20220513-wzqrw4ta7re6fl3xeq7s4babk4-story.html?fbclid=IwAR2wB7W9JgH_ujh5kSFDT0MrxRbaZ-tt_P6o_xs-A3NIzbrDh-hIklASNxs

Caught in the news recently: our very own distiller, Brian Facquet! Brian was recently named one of City & State’s Agriculture Power 50. We all know how hard Brian works, and if you follow his business ventures, you’ll know he never stops reaching or improving. The journey has been a joy to follow, and we’re proud that he’s achieved this recognition. From Prohibition Distillery {now Do Good Spirits} social media stream:

“From the very beginning our goal as a distillery was to make the best quality spirits possible. And along the way we received some awards for those spirits. But today, our founder Brian won a different type of award. He was named one of City & State’s Agriculture Power 50 for his progressive position as president of the New York State Distillers Guild.

If you see Brian this week, tell him congrats. Oh, and also let him know how good that headshot looks.”

Full article and media listing – City & State, 12 September 2021

Congratulations! Brian was also featured last week as a guest on Craft Spirits Podcast, where he discusses all things distilling, as well as the impetus for the rebrand from Prohibition Distillery to Do Good Spirits.

 

You can also navigate to this podcast directly from within Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Links to Brian’s bio and business story if you’d like to read more about his work.

 

This Friday, we’ll be talking with Patrick Shearon, founder of supply chain project leadership company, North Sky Leaders. Though his background as a USMC Logistics Officer got him an early start in this field, Patrick attributes much of his success to the principles he learned and practiced at USNA. Join us to learn more about the field of supply chain management, founding a company, and how USNA set him up for success. He’s got an inspirational message as well as client cases to share–you DO NOT want to miss this!

The New ’96 Hour with Patrick Shearon
Topic: Delivering Success through Supply Chain Leadership
Date/Time: September 24 at 1pm ET

Register here. Remember that you’ve got to be *LIVE* with us to get your questions answered. See you then!

The Navy Rugby Alumni Association recently announced this year’s Hall of Fame inductees, which includes 6 players from the men’s and women’s teams, and our own Jen Goddard and Julie Maynard are among them! The Navy Rugby Hall of Fame was established in 2016 with an inaugural class of inductees from the 1960s. Jen and Julie are the first to be honored from the beginning years of the women’s team, and just the second pair of women to be inducted. They will be inducted, along with the rest of the 2021 class, on 10 September. BZ, ladies! This is so awesome, and we are so very proud of you!

Registration is open for the 2021 SAGS, which will be held virtually on 15 June. SAGS is open to all graduates of all five US Service Academies, as well as spouses/partners and guests of attending graduates. This summit will not be recorded, so the only way to participate or hear the dialogue is to do so live/day of event. Join the conference virtually and hear from speakers including Superintendent VADM Sean Buck ’83, USN; Former Superintendent VADM Walter “Ted” Carter ’81, USN (Ret.); VADM John Bird ’71, USN (Ret.); MajGen Charles F. Bolden Jr. ’68, USMC (Ret.); and LtGen Lori Reynolds ’86, USMC. This summit will bring together a diverse group of leaders and experts to share and engage with the audience on the broad topic of today’s extraordinary challenges, needs and opportunities. Learn more and register here.

From Jenn: Hey classmates, I’ve been working on something for my business that I’d love your help with. After 15 years of coaching and training leaders for companies and agencies, I’ve finally launched an open-enrollment program that anyone can join. It’s called Project Arete Leadership, and in the course of 6 months, my faculty, coaches, and I will be teaching leaders how to realize the full potential of their team. It will be a truly transformative experience. I’m offering full scholarships for up to three nonprofit leaders in the inaugural cohort that begins June 23rd. Applications for the scholarships are due on Monday, June 7th. Registration for the event ends June 9th (there are 14 spaces available still).

Here’s the help I’d love from you:

• If you know of a nonprofit leader who might be a good fit for the program, please forward this link to them.
• If you’re interested in sponsoring scholarships for nonprofit leaders, please check out this link, too. I’m committed to this work and am willing to fully fund them myself–and I’d also love the help of other committed leaders and organizations. And the more support we have, the more scholarships we can offer, the more good we can do!

https://www.awakenedleader.com/project-arete-scholarships

You can learn more about the program here: https://www.awakenedleader.com/project-arete-leadership

If you have questions, please get in touch: jenn@worldAWAKE.net

Thanks so much for your support–of me, of our fellow classmates, and of those who want to do good in the world.

What a fitting tribute for a week during which many of us have been simultaneously reminiscing and celebrating the 25th anniversary of our commissioning! On 23 May, Kim Mitchell was recognized by the Library of Congress (LOC) Center for Women Veterans as Woman Veteran of the Week. We are proud of you, Kim!

 

Our own Col. Chris Bopp took command of the new Marine Corps base on Guam on 7 May at the first change-of-command ceremony for Camp Blaz. The installation was commissioned in September and will reportedly receive 5,000 troops in a handoff from Okinawa (III Marine Expeditionary Force) over the next five years. Congratulations, Chris!

Read Stars and Stripes feature article (with photo) here.

Our own CAPT Frank Okata, currently serving over in Italy as Military Sealift Command (MSC) Europe/Africa Commander, made the newswire following a recent four-day exercise with the Tunisian Navy in the Mediterranean. We caught this quote featured yesterday on official U.S. Navy social media. BZ, Frank! Enjoy the rest of your tour over there.

Read the full story here.

 

Happy New Year, ’96! Sharing some gouge on a 501(c)(3) established to honor CAPT Teresa Elders called the The Captain Teresa E. Elders Foundation (CTEEF). The first annual CTEEF Fundraiser started in December with a goal of raising $9,600 by 17 January (goal selected to honor of the upcoming Class of 1996 25th reunion). If you would like to donate, use the Facebook group or donate directly via the foundation website. This charity is a non-profit which distributed donations from friends and family to initiatives that Teresa supported. More details from the foundation:

Mission:
We are a not-for-profit established to further the goals and charities that Teresa supported during her life and to honor those who came before by inspiring those who come after. The foundation provides donations aimed at encouraging women from young to old in family, service, and faith, including programming support, scholarships, and angel donating to ensure others have the opportunities and services that Teresa herself benefited from and that she wanted to help others attain.

Programming:
In 2020, CTEEF grant recipients include:
Nine Girls Ask (for a cure for ovarian cancer)
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
New Jersey Distinguished Young Women (formerly America’s Junior Miss; Teresa was Junior Miss New Jersey in 1992)
First United Methodist Church Chula Vista Children’s Ministry

• USNA Website
• NavySports.com

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Class of 1996