Fort Worth to host Navy Week in April

For those looking forward to something exciting this year, here’s the good news! Navy Week is returning to the city of Fort Worth after seven years. On the second week of April, 50 to 75 Sailors from diverse backgrounds and job specialties will be here to inform, educate, and inspire the locals.  

Navy Week is a program created by the U.S. Navy with a mission to connect Americans to their Navy. Each year, the Navy brings the program to up to 15 cities throughout the country who don’t have a significant Naval presence. Since its inception in 2005, over 300 Navy Weeks have been completed in 95 cities. 

“Through partnerships with amazing organizations in the city of Fort Worth, sailors are able to integrate within the community to build long-lasting relationships while giving back to the citizens of Fort Worth,” said Ensign Jordyn Diomede, Navy Week Lead Planner. “While in the city, our Navy team will inform and educate the community about who their Navy is and what their
Navy does.” 

A series of events are planned from April 8-14, in collaboration with local organizations. The first day of Fort Worth Navy Week is scheduled to include engagements at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and the Fort Worth Botanic Garden in support of their solar eclipse events. 

A special proclamation ceremony at the Fort Worth Stockyards will be organized on the same day, to follow the cattle drive at 11:30am. U.S. Navy Gold Star families and Vietnam War veterans will be recognized, and a swear-in ceremony for the newest future Sailors will be held. 

Rear Adm. Keith Hash, a native of Garland, will be in Fort Worth on April 8 and 10 to engage with senior leadership at organizations across Fort Worth.

“We are thrilled to bring the Navy to Fort Worth,” said the Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO) director, Cmdr. Anthony Falvo. 

“Though our Navy is deployed around the world and around the clock, the Navy Week program allows us to showcase our Navy in places that don’t enjoy an everyday naval presence. Most importantly, it allows us to highlight our most important asset — the highly skilled men and women of the United States Navy who ensure our warfighting advantage to preserve our American way of life.”

Locals in and around Fort Worth are excited as Navy Week comes as an excellent opportunity for them to get out into the city, where they’ll find Navy Sailors eager to inform and educate them about their Navy. All public events can be found at outreach.navy.mil/Navy-Weeks/Fort-Worth-2024/. NAVCO invites locals to also join the Navy team on April 12 as they bring their Navy assets to the Fort Worth Aviation Museum for a Navy Day.

“Our mission is to connect with the heartbeat of each community, and we strive to make a lasting impact on the Sailors, partners, and community members,” said NAVCO Navy Week program manager Lt. Caroline Ready.

“We coordinate with corporations, civic, and community service organizations, local government, educational institutions, media, and veterans to give the community as many opportunities as possible to engage with their Navy,”
she added.

Over the week, the Navy team will volunteer with non-profit organizations, visit schools and local veterans, and provide demonstrations and performances at various events throughout the city.

The Navy wants to ensure that Americans across the entire U.S. have the opportunity to know their Navy and learn about their Navy’s capabilities to protect the freedom of navigation across the world. 

“With 90% of international commerce traveling by sea, it is imperative to have a fighting force capable of defending that freedom,” Diomede said.

“Fort Worth Navy Week is my first Navy Week as a lead planner, and I couldn’t be happier for the opportunity to show this great city its Navy,” Diomede said. “In the few short months I have been planning this Navy Week so far, I have had the opportunity to meet some of the incredible and passionate people of the Fort Worth area. It gives me great pleasure to plan this Navy Week, and I look forward to this amazing week filled with fun and rewarding experiences for all.”