10 Crew members assigned to the future USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826), including the Commanding Officer, Captain Heath Johnmeyer, and Chief of the Boat, Master Chief Mark Shipley, visited the District of Columbia as part of a community engagement initiative to honor the boat’s Namesake. Namesake visits provide an opportunity for District of Columbia Sailors to build relationships and develop strong ties between the submarine and the city Washingtonians call home.
During their three-day visit, District of Columbia Sailors toured local and national landmarks including the White House, the U.S. Capitol, and Ben's Chili Bowl - where they enjoyed lunch hosted by Committee Members Admiral(ret) Cecil Haney and Mr. Kerwin Miller, while learning about Ben's history and founding family.
PCU District of Columbia Crew members, ETN2(SS) Conor McLaughlin, MMN2(SS) Adrian Pua, ETN2(SS) Joshua Moline, MMN2(SS) Dominic Grote, LTJG James O’Hara, MMN2(SS) Kevin Kerins, and ETN2(SS) Robert Martinez enjoy Ben’s Chili Bowl’s half smokes, dogs, fries, and milkshakes.
Ben’s Chili Bowl Co-owner Mr. Kamal Ali stopped by to meet the future USS District of Columbia Crew and shared a video detailing the history of Ben’s Chili Bowl, the neighborhood and how it all began. (left to right) Atty Kerwin Miller, Mr. Ali, CAPT Heath Johnmeyer, Commanding Officer, PCU District of Columbia.
The Crew cheered on the Nationals against the Dodgers alongside fellow Washingtonians and also received a guided tour and then explored the history of the District at the DC History Center.
USS District of Columbia Commissioning Committee Member, Mike McCalip (former Fleet Master Chief) hosted members of the PCU District of Columbia (SSBN-826) Crew and fellow Committee members to a game at Nats Park.
To support the District's STEM efforts and the Navy's recruiting efforts, Crew members imparted information on how a submarine operates as well as insights into a career as a Submariner to Naval Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (NJROTC) students during a STEM visit to H.D. Woodson High School.
PCU District of Columbia’s Engineer, LCDR Pete Roemer, demonstrates how a submarine operates to some of H.D. Woodson’s NJROTC students using a working model of SSBN-826 which is the first warship ever named for the District.
Chief of the Boat Mark Shipley answers questions from H.D. Woodson’s NJROTC students during a STEM visit by PCU District of Columbia (SSBN-826) Crew members.
Crew members met with Deputy Mayor Lindsay Appiah and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton providing updates on Crew training and the Boat's construction; Mayor Muriel Bowser and Congresswoman Norton are the USS District of Columbia Co-Sponsors.
Members of the PCU District of Columbia Crew pose with Deputy Mayor Appiah following the presentation of the ship’s plaque (left to right) ETN2(SS) Joshua Moline, ETN2(SS) Conor McLaughlin, LCDR Peter Roemer, Deputy Mayor Lindsay Appiah, LTJG James O’Hara, CAPT Heath Johnmeyer, ETN2(SS) Robert Martinez, CSSCM(SS) Mark Shipley, MMN2(SS) Kevin Kerins, MMN2(SS) Adrian Pua, and MMN2(SS) Dominic Grote.
Deputy Mayor Appiah and Director Charlette Woodard, Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs, presented the Commanding Officer (CO) with a District of Columbia flag which had been flown over the Wilson Building on 14 June 2024. The CO will find a place of honor on the submarine to display the flag and help instill Crew pride in their Namesake for today's Sailors as well as future USS District of Columbia Crews who'll serve onboard throughout the submarine's 42-year Service Life.
CAPT Heath Johnmeyer accepts a District of Columbia flag on behalf of PCU District of Columbia (SSBN-826) from Director Charlette Woodard and Deputy Mayor Lindsay Appiah.
Before meeting with Congresswoman Norton, PCU District of Columbia Crew members had an opportunity to tour the White House and U.S. Capitol.
PCU District of Columbia Crew members pose in front of the original plaster model for the bronze Statue of Freedom which sits atop the Capitol Dome during their tour of the U.S. Capitol. The original model is located in Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitors Center.
PCU Commanding Officer (CO), CAPT Heath Johnmeyer, presents a USS District of Columbia plaque to Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ship’s Co-Sponsor. The CO was accompanied by CSSCM(SS) Mark Shipley, Chief of the Boat (COB), as well as USS District of Columbia Commissioning Committee and Honorary Advisory Council members (left to right) RADM(ret) Dave Goggins, Committee Chair, Atty Kerwin Miller, Esq, ADM(ret) Cecil Haney, and CAPT(ret) Susan Chiaravalle.
The USS District of Columbia is the first Columbia-Class ballistic missile submarine and the first warship and class of ships ever named for the District of Columbia in the Navy's 250-year history. The boat is currently under construction at General Dynamic Corp.'s Electric Boat Shipyard in Groton, Connecticut, where the Crew -- known as a pre-commissioning unit (PCU) -- is based.
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