Section: NAV

Unique homecoming to Vietnam for Academy grad

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00

DANANG, Vietnam (AP) — On the day his side lost the Vietnam War, Hung Ba Le fled his homeland at the age of 5 in a fishing trawler crammed with 400 refugees. Thirty-four years later, he makes an unlikely homecoming — as the commander of a U.S. Navy destroyer. Commander H.B. Le, a 1992 Naval Academy graduate, was scheduled Saturday to pilot the USS Lassen into Danang, home of China Beach, where U.S. troops frequently headed for R&R...

Academy honor cases focus on redemption, not expulsion

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00

Despite its reputation for setting high standards, the Naval Academy rarely dismisses anyone for lying, cheating or stealing, according to thousands of pages of documents obtained by concerned graduates under the federal Freedom of Information Act.

It's a disturbing trend, these graduates contend, because Naval Academy midshipmen, as junior officers, become responsible for weapons systems, national security and the welfare of the young men...

Honor code examples tough to piece together from documents

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00

A group of Naval Academy graduates concerned about what they see as declining honor standards at their alma mater used the federal Freedom of Information Act to obtain more than 2,500 pages of case reports and related documents, which they shared with The Capital.

The attorney who handled the FOIA request, Curt C. Hartman, a 1987 Naval Academy graduate, worked for two years to obtain the documents, which cover the years 2005 to...

Honor has bumpy history at Naval Academy

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00

"Midshipmen are persons of integrity: They stand for that which is right.

They tell the truth and ensure that the full truth is known. They do not lie.

They embrace fairness in all actions. They ensure that work submitted as their own is their own, and that assistance received from any source is authorized and properly documented. They do not cheat.

They respect the property of others and ensure that others are able to ...

Blue and gold stays out of the red

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00

The pack of TV cameras and satellite trucks, the big-name corporate sponsors, a brilliant video scoreboard and all the glitz of the renovated Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium may suggest that these are prosperous times for Navy football.

And win-wise, that stands true. But even the 6-2 team has had its share of economic hardships this year, just like every other college athletic program across the country.

"There are a lot ...

Navy precision skydiving team to drop in on two local high schools, Navy football game

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00

When you see parachutists dropping out of the sky around the area later this week, you are not being invaded. They are friendlies.

The Navy's precision-skydiving team, the Leap Frogs, will perform at South River High School on Thursday af...

USS Annapolis visits academy

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00

The nuclear-powered, fast-attack submarine USS Annapolis visited the Naval Academy this weekend, less than a week after some academy seniors were told they will be assigned to submarine duty instead of their first service choices upon graduation.

The Annapolis' visit coincided with the Naval Academy's homecoming weekend, and an academy spokesman said yesterday that the ship's visit was unrelated to the recent anno...

Naval Academy Chapel restoration complete

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00

Architect Ernest Flagg, who designed the Naval Academy Chapel more than a century ago, no doubt will be smiling down from the sweet hereafter today when the restoration of his masterpiece will be unveiled.

Flagg will have no trouble looking into the chapel from above, as restoration included uncovering the 20-foot diameter oculus, or round skylight, located in the dome. The skylight, situated 121 feet above the chapel floor, has been plastered...

Alumni gather to reminisce during homecoming

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00

Arnold resident Warren Mazanec, a member of the Naval Academy's Class of 1984, said he can't believe he's old enough to see classmates being promoted to admiral.

But one of them, Capt. Charles Rainey, is slated to have his admiral's star pinned on during a promotion ceremony today at the academy, Mazanec said.

"It is making me feel old," said Mazanec, who said he can remember when lieutenant commanders looked li...

Students get a glimpse of Naval Academy as part of birthday celebration

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:00

The boat tossed yesterday, battling waves, rain and sometimes the occasional slip of an inexperienced captain, all while the Statue of Liberty was looming in the distance.

The passengers, students from Annapolis area middle and elementary schools, squealed and giggled as their ship headed straight for a building.

Luckily, this field trip was really a bit closer to home, and no one left dry land to participate. About 400 students from Mil...

Professor alleges academy retaliated against him

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00

A Naval Academy professor who wrote a guest column in The Capital criticizing the academy's minority admissions procedures said he was unfairly denied a raise because he spoke out.

Bruce E. Fleming recently filed a complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, saying academy administrators retaliated against him for writing negatively about diversity efforts.

Academy leadership learned about the complaint by reading a blog post ...

Harvard historian: China will be next superpower

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00

The American appetite for credit is likely to be the undoing of the world's greatest power, a prominent conservative Harvard University historian told several hundred midshipmen last night at the Naval Academy.

Speaking at the 30th annual Bancroft Lecture, economic historian Niall Ferguson warned that China is about to overtake the United States as the world's superpower.

"The U.S. has fatally underestimated its biggest riva...