Aug 27, 2021
USS Arleigh Burke Association Members and Friends,
Due to the recent rise in COVID19 infections throughout the United States, and in particular in the Hampton Roads, Virginia area, which at this juncture would most likely eliminate military participation to include assignment of an Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer for Visit Ship over Columbus Day Weekend Downtown Norfolk at Waterside this year, the Association Board of Directors and the USS Arleigh Burke 30th Commissioning Anniversary Celebration Planning Committee unanimously voted this week to postpone for the second time our 30th Commissioning Anniversary Celebration and Former Crew Reunion. Per our Contingency Plan, the event has been moved from Columbus Day Weekend 2021 to July 4th Weekend 2022.
The new dates include Friday 1 through Tuesday 5 July 2022, with fireworks on Monday July 4th, similar to what we did for both the 20th and 25th Commissioning Anniversary Celebrations. Updated plans and a new schedule of events will be distributed by the end of October 2021.
For those that made payments to Rob Jobrack to attend the 2021 Celebration, he will simply hold your funds for the new dates, unless you would prefer a refund, in which case please drop him a note at Jobrack (at) cox.net.
For those of you that made reservations with the Marriott, your reservation will be automatically moved to reflect the same nights around 1-4 July 2022 . If you no longer plan on attending, please contact the Marriott and cancel your reservation. We will work with the Marriott for anyone who wants to extend their Marriott reservation to include Monday night July 4th.
Once the new Weekend Agenda has been updated and finalized, a new Registration Form will be emailed to all so you can update the events you want to participate in. We hope that everyone who was on track for this year’s Celebration will still be able to attend in 2022. Next year’s date enables us to celebrate USS Arleigh Burke’s 30 years of commissioned service, and in a strange twist of fate, simultaneously celebrate 31 years of commissioned service in honor of Admiral Arleigh Burke renowned nickname “31-knot Burke”!
The Board unanimously agreed that the only prudent course of action at this juncture, out of consideration for everyone’s safety and health, the importance of Navy participation, and the importance of executing a worthy and dignified event, was to delay our 30th Commissioning Anniversary Celebration and Crew Reunion to next year.
It remains our goal to have the best Commissioning Anniversary Celebration and Former Crew Reunion as possible!
My best to all of you for the fall, and we look forward to seeing you in Norfolk over 4th of July Weekend 2022!
Rick.
USS Arleigh Burke Association 