Ten Sailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) attended the 11th annual Reagan National Defense Forum (RNDF) at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum in Simi Valley, California, Dec. 6-7.

This year’s event marks the third invitation extended to Sailors from Ronald Reagan to participate, which included the four selected as the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Sailors of the Year for the command, as well as the color guard, national anthem singer and Chaplain who delivered the opening prayer prior to the event’s keynote address by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.

RNDF serves as a platform for prominent leaders and legislators in the defense sector to engage in discussions on policies related to national defense. Key speakers such as Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, participated in panel discussions that the Sailors were able to attend. Panel topics included current impacts in regards to military planning and operations, cybersecurity and the advancements in the technological fields.

During one of the panels, Air-Traffic Controller Airman Nathalie Judkiewicz, Reagan’s FY-24 Bluejacket of the Year, from Binghamton, New York, found a personal connection to one of the speakers.

“Morgan Ortagus spoke about the hardships of being Jewish, and growing up as a Jewish person,” said Jedkiewicz. “I never felt comfortable openly talking about my Jewish heritage until I joined the Navy and as a Jewish woman, I really resonated with her.”

Prior to the event, Ronald Reagan Sailors had the opportunity to learn more about their ship’s namesake, President Ronald Reagan, by touring the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum. Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class Aliana Alvarado Naveira, from Puerto Rico, took a great interest in the exhibit, particularly on the part about Reagan’s nickname.

“My favorite part of the exhibition was learning about the origin story of ‘The Gipper,’” said Alvarado. “I’ve always heard the reference for it but had never heard the story of how Ronald Reagan got this moniker and getting to read it first hand was a full circle experience for me.”

Lt. Cmdr. Mark Beaudet, a chaplain, from Santa Maria, California, had the opportunity to lead this year’s event in the opening prayer, as well as lead the Sailors for the duration of the trip.

“It was a privilege to be able to experience the RNDF with our country’s top leaders and industry partners,” said Beaudet. “To be able to pray for them in this challenging time is something we should continue to do. It also means the world to me to be able to share this time with our Sailors from the Ronald Reagan and to see them shine in what they do on a regular day-to-day basis.”

Aboard the ship, Ronald Reagan’s legacy lives on through historical artifacts, busts depicting the ‘Gipper’ and dedicated spaces designed to preserve and celebrate his legacy, such as the shipboard Ronald Reagan Museum.

“The amount of impact, influence, and accomplishments President Ronald Reagan had on Americans and the world were inspirational and remarkable,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Laurence Palma, Reagan’s FY-24 Senior Sailor of the Year from Honolulu, Hawaii. “This was a great opportunity the enlisted Sailors never really get to experience and I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

Palma added that this year’s event was said to be the biggest in attendance so far.

“The central themes of discussion revolved around President Reagan’s and our ship’s motto ‘Peace through Strength,’” said Palma. “It made me proud to see all the countries and foreign ally leaders and American patriots come together to discuss our national defense strategy in a way that continues Ronald Reagan’s vision for America.”

Ronald Reagan provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, and supports alliances, partnerships and collective maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific region.