Hopewell Valley Veterans Association

05/01/2026

228 years ago in 1798, the U.S. Congress established the Department of the Navy to create a dedicated executive department focused on naval affairs, responding to threats like the Quasi-War with France and the Barbary Pirates off the coast of Africa.

This historic move ensured expert leadership and oversight for all naval operations. It also marked the year the Continental , originally formed in 1775 and disbanded in 1783, were re-established as the United States Marine Corps and placed under the Navy's jurisdiction, solidifying the enduring partnership between the two.

For 228 years, this collaboration has been crucial in ensuring the Marine Corps is the first to fight. It has facilitated the training, equipping, and maintaining of combat-ready forces, continually embodied by the powerful synergy between the Navy and Marine Corps team. Happy 228th Anniversary to the U.S. Department of the Navy!

✍️ (U.S. Marine Corps graphic by Lance Cpl. Matthew Morales)

🖌️ (U.S. Navy painting by Tomiro)

04/22/2026

04/11/2026

Welcome home🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

04/02/2026

04/01/2026

The backbone of the Navy… Happy Birthday Chiefs⚓️⚓️⚓️

03/28/2026

A portion of Mercer Meadows will be closed beginning Monday, 3/30, for the NJ Forest Fire Service to conduct a prescribed burn. Burned areas of the park will remain closed for at least 24-hours after the burn.

The Park Commission will announce when the closed portion of the park re-opens to the public. The dog park, Curlis Woods, and Rosedale Lake will remain open during the burn.

03/27/2026

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service will be conducting a prescribed (controlled) burn in the Washington Crossing State Park and Mercer Meadows within the next few days.

Residents in the surrounding area may see or smell smoke during this time. This is a planned operation used to reduce wildfire risk and maintain forest health.

If you are in doubt about the source of smoke or fire, please call 9-1-1 or 877-WARN-DEP (877-927-6337).

As always, please use caution in the area and avoid interfering with operations.

03/24/2026

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

The ROTC cadets who helped stop the ODU campus gunman were honored for their service and sacrifice: https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/national/military-news/odu-rotc-cadets-awarded-purple-hearts-and-meritorious-service-medals/291-47ddbe70-81c7-4731-b1f4-1133c7c5bf97?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_13News_Now_-_WVEC

03/18/2026

UPDATE March 23:
The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has arrived at Crete, Greece
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UPDATE March 19, 2026 11:30 UTC:
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) likely transiting Suez Canal today.
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UPDATE: Local Greek media reports indicate USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is expected to depart the Red Sea and arrive at Souda Bay, Crete, next week. 🇬🇷⚓️

After battling a 30-hour fire that displaced 600+ sailors, the carrier likely requires pier-side logistics and deep cleaning that cannot be performed at sea. While officially "mission capable," the move suggests a necessary pause for repairs and crew rest.

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🚢 UPDATE: USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) Fire & Operations in the Red Sea
While initial reports described the March 12 fire as a "minor, contained incident," new details from the New York Times and naval personnel reveal a more complex situation on the world's most advanced aircraft carrier.

The Facts:

The Incident: A fire broke out in the ship's main laundry facility (dryer vent) on March 12 while operating in the Northern Red Sea.

Contrary to early statements, sailors battled the blaze for over 30 hours to fully extinguish and clear smoke from ventilation systems.

Over 600 sailors have been displaced from their bunks due to smoke damage and flooding from fire suppression. Many are currently sleeping on floors and tables in common areas.

2 sailors treated for non-life-threatening injuries; dozens monitored for smoke inhalation.

Current Status:

The Pentagon confirms the ship remains fully mission capable. No damage was sustained to the nuclear propulsion plant, flight deck, or weapon systems.

Satellite imagery shows the strike group has moved southward, currently positioned off the coast of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This move is seen as a tactical shift to operate outside the immediate missile range of regional threats.

Despite the hardships and an extended deployment nearing 270 days, the Ford remains the centerpiece of Operation Epic Fury.

The USS Ford is tired but operational. The challenge now is less about the fire itself and more about the morale and logistics of an crew facing record-breaking deployment lengths under combat conditions.

Fury

03/15/2026

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Ariana A. Bouche was just 27 years old when she lost her life serving our country after a KC-135 Stratotanker crashed during a mission in Iraq.

Twenty-seven.

An entire lifetime of dreams, memories, and moments still ahead of her… taken far too soon.

Tonight, somewhere in America, a mother and father are facing the kind of phone call no parent should ever have to receive — the words that their child, their baby, is not coming home.

While most of us were living our everyday lives, Ariana was thousands of miles away wearing the uniform of this nation, flying missions in defense of freedom and protecting people she would never even meet.

She didn’t have to choose that path.

But she did.

That is the kind of courage and selflessness that defines the very best of America.

She was someone’s daughter.
Someone’s friend.
Someone who laughed, loved, and dreamed like the rest of us.

And she chose to serve something greater than herself.

Tonight we remember her sacrifice.
We honor her courage.
And we pray for the family and loved ones she leaves behind.

Rest easy, Lieutenant.

Your watch is over.

A grateful nation salutes you. 🇺🇸