Richmond will host the city’s first ever Navy Week beginning on Monday, bringing sailors to participate in education and community outreach events throughout the city, including the Dominion Riverrock Festival.
Richmond Navy Week brings sailors from across the fleet to the area to emphasize the importance of the Navy to Richmond, the state of Virginia, and the nation.
Participating Navy organizations include U.S. Fleet Forces Band, USS Constitution, Maritime Expeditionary Security Force 2, U.S. Navy Fleet Weather Center, Navy Operational Support Command Richmond, U.S. Fleet Forces Environmental, Navy Talent Acquisition Group Richmond, Navy History and Heritage Command, and the first of its class, nuclear-powered, cruise missile attack submarine, USS Virginia (SSN -774).
The Navy’s senior executive host is Rear Admiral Adam Kijek, Director, Operations and Plans (OPNAV N3) Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Rear Adm. Kijek is a native of Richmond and a graduate of the Benedictine College Preparatory.
During Richmond Navy Week, he will participate in community engagements, meet with students, and speak with local businesses, civic, education, and government leaders. In addition, Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth, Director of Intelligence (J2) will meet with the senior leadership of Dominion Energy and the Virginia War Memorial.
“I am excited to represent the Navy and engage with the city of Richmond,” said Kijek. “My experiences growing up in Richmond instilled a sense of pride, responsibility, and a deep appreciation for the rich traditions of the RVA community. I am honored to share my Naval Journey during this homecoming and talk about the Navy’s mission and how it is important to Richmond. My military journey and core values were built upon the foundation of my studies at Benedictine College Preparatory.”
Navy Weeks are a series of outreach events coordinated by the Navy Office of Community Outreach designed to give Americans an opportunity to learn about the Navy, its people, and its importance to national security and prosperity. Since 2005, the Navy Week program has served as the Navy’s flagship outreach effort into areas of the country without a significant Navy presence, providing the public a firsthand look at why the Navy matters to cities like Richmond.
“We are excited to bring Navy Week to Richmond,” said NAVCO’s director, Cmdr. John Fage. “Navy Weeks give us the opportunity to help connect Americans to their Navy. We are looking forward to safely and responsibly building those connections in the Richmond area and showing everyone why their Navy is so important.”
Throughout the week, sailors will participate in various community events across the area, including engaging with students across multiple high schools and volunteering with the Southside Boys and Girls Club, Feed More Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity. Residents will also enjoy free live music by the U.S. Fleet Forces New Orleans Brass Band at venues throughout the week.
Richmond Navy Week is one of 14 Navy Weeks in 2022, which brings a variety of assets, equipment, and personnel to a single city for a weeklong series of engagements designed to bring America’s Navy closer to the people it protects. Each year, the program reaches more than 140 million people — about half the U.S. population.
Story by Lt. Joel Borrelli-Boudreau, U.S. Navy Navy Office of Community Outreach
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