Ten Sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), attended the 10th annual Reagan National Defense Forum (RNDF) at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum in Simi Valley, California, Dec. 1-2.

RNDF brings together leaders and lawmakers in the defense community to discuss policies pertaining to national defense. It was the second time Ronald Reagan Sailors were invited to attend the forum, with four selected as the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Sailors of the Year for their respective paygrades, and another invited to sing the national anthem before the keynote address delivered by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.

Sailors attended panels on topics including polling Americans, the future of warfare, and military recruitment. Among the speakers were Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, and Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Adm. John Aquilino.

For Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Brittney Robinson, Reagan’s FY-23 Senior Sailor of the Year, from Las Vegas, being able to witness those discussions in person put her service in a different light.

“I’m directly impacted by the policies and procedures those lawmakers enact, so seeing them discuss these issues painted a clearer picture for me, and gives a direct purpose to what we do,” said Robinson. “I can take that back to our Sailors onboard. It was incredible to see powerful men and women come together under one roof and continue to push Ronald Reagan’s vision of a stronger, more peaceful future for the nation.”

During their visit to California, Sailors also learned more about their ship’s namesake, President Ronald Reagan, by touring the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum, the Young America’s Foundation Reagan Ranch Center, and Rancho Del Cielo, Reagan’s personal vacation property.

Capt. Daryle Cardone, commanding officer of the Ronald Reagan, discovered a personal connection to the former president during the tour of the Library.

“My favorite part of the tour was the Oval Office, where President Reagan has the sign that says ‘It can be done,’” said Cardone, during an interview with RNDF staff. “I have a similar sign on my desk in my office on the ship, just as a reminder that if you have a positive attitude, you can overcome any obstacle. It’s a reminder to us every day of the tone that he set during his administration.”

Intelligence Specialist 2nd Class Demis Brown, Ronald Reagan’s FY-23 Sailor of the Year, from Memphis, Tennessee, found the experience of visiting Reagan’s vacation home surreal.

“It was nothing like I thought it would be,” said Brown. “When you think of a president owning a ranch, you likely think it’s a big glamorous home with the most expensive things inside, but Reagan’s home was the opposite. It was a smaller home, and for example, Reagan and Nancy Reagan zip-tied two twin beds together to make it a king-sized bed instead of buying one. That showed me who Reagan really was.”

Onboard the USS Ronald Reagan, the former president’s presence can be felt in many spaces throughout the ship, from the movie posters on the mess decks to the interior design of the captain’s in-port cabin. However, the trip brought the Sailors even closer to Reagan.

“The importance of going to RNDF and visiting Reagan’s home is to understand who our namesake was, both the politician and the man,” said Robinson. “We got to see how he still resonates and literally changed the world that we currently live in today.”

Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, 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.