The Flagship 11.27.2025

As ofOct.1,NavalSupportActivity--Portsmouth

NewU.S.Navyinstallation in Hampton Roads- NavalSupportActivityPortsmouth

BySusanneGreene Norfolk NavalShipyard

PORTSMOUTH,Va.—AsofOct.1,Naval SupportActivity—Portsmouth (NSAP) is nowanestablished installation.Formerly apart of Norfolk NavalShipyard(NNSY), NSAPisnowinalignmentwithothersimilar installations underCommander, Naval InstallationsCommandandensuresNNSY leadershipcan more effectively focus on supporting fleet needs.

As the Navy’s newestinstallation in HamptonRoads,NSAPortsmouthprovides Base Operating Support(BOS) infrastructurefor all tenant commands to include those at Norfolk NavalShipyard,St. Juliens Creek Annex, ScottCenter Annex, St.Helena Annex, and residentsatNew Gosport,and StanleyCourtPublic Private Venturehousing areas. Services previously managed by NNSY that are nowunder NSAPortsmouth include portoperations; emergency

ByKristiRBritt Norfolk NavalShipyard

PORTSMOUTH,Va.—Membersfromthe fourpublicshipyardsandNavalSeaSystems Command (NAVSEA)recently came togetheratNorfolkNavalShipyardinPortsmouth, Virginia to hostaKaizen Improvement Event, focusing on digital initiatives acrosstheshipyards.AJapanesetermmeaning “change for the better”or“continuous improvement,”thiseventwassettoexamine howNAVSEAcan deliver agile softwareto theshipyardsfasterbasedonuserrequested feedbackandtoexamineanythingprohibitingadoptingofthesedigitaltools “Folks from all four navalshipyardsand headquarterscametogethertotackleshared challenges,identifyrootcauses,andprovide actionable solutions thatwill increase agile deliveryandtooladoptionintheyards,”said NAVSEA ExecutiveDirector ChrisMiller who spokeatthe event.“Ourproject sups andmechanics deserveWorld Class! This eventwasagreatexampleofhowcollaborationacrosscommandsyieldseffectiveproblemsolvingandultimatelybetteroutcomes fortheFleet.”

Supported by the NAVSEA Force Improvement Office (FIO), theevent used digital crewboards (DCB)asthe focused usercase.Attendeesworkedtocreateavalue streammapoftheactualcurrentstateofthe software delivery process,mapping out the entirety of theprocess in ordertoidentify wastefor removaland plotted pain points Together, the team performed root cause analysis and left the event with solutions identifiedforcriticalchallenges

“Wetook ahardlook at DCBs andwhat improvements can be made and howthose improvements canpossibly scale to other digital transformation efforts,” said Problem Solving and Improvement (PSI) Lead Jessi Staats.“TheFIO support these events inawaythatnotonlyleadstoimprovements buteducatesattendeesonuseofvariousGet Real—GetBettertoolsets.Thegoalistohave folks get morefamiliarwith these tools to use them on theirown teams for theirown problems.”

Staatscontinued, “Knowledgeofthese toolsisonlyhalfthe battle.NAVSEAFIO alongwith Office for the Chief of Naval

management services; fireand emergency services;forceprotection;explosivesafety; environmentalcompliance;utilities;unaccompaniedand familyhousing; child and youth programs; andMorale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) functions,among others.

NSA Portsmouth’smission is to provide quality customer service whileensuring all regional fleet, fighter,and family readiness objectives aremet. NSAPexecutes theNavy’smission to provide efficient and

cost-effectiveshoreinstallation management services and support. Base Operating Servicesare also providedtothe host command and installation employees supporting andenhancingChief of Naval Operations (CNO) maintenanceavailabilities by performing work converting,overhauling,repairing, conducting nuclear refueling/defueling,and drydockingfor all types of Navy ships

USSArlington change of command 2025

ByLt.Cmdr.CharityEdgar

USSArlington (LPD 24)

NORFOLK,Va. —Capt. Vince Libasci relievedCapt. IanScaliatine as commandingofficerofUSSArlington(LPD24)during aceremonyaboardthe SanAntonio-class amphibious transport dock ship at Naval StationNorfolk,November14,2025

Rear Adm. Neil Koprowski, commander, Expeditionary StrikeGroup Two, presided over the event andservedasthe guest speaker.HerecognizedScaliatineforguiding the crew’s transition from itsfirstdry-dockingselected restrictedavailabilitytoafully certifiedoperationalwarship

“Youhaveharnessedthemotivation,talent and work ethic on board this ship,” said Koprowski,afteroutliningtheship’saccomplishments.“Arlington—witha shipfullof Marines—is ready to fightand win; nowand

inthefuture.

UnderScaliatine’scommand,followingSea Trials andanextensive BasicPhase,Arlington successfully completed UNITAS,the longest-running annual multinationalmaritime exercise in theworld,and participated intheNavy’sflagshipbirthdaycelebrationin Philadelphia.

“Everyone here todayinattendance had somethingtodowithArlington’s success, saidScaliatine,whoacknowledgedtheship’s keystakeholders before thanking the crew “TotheSailors,chiefsandofficersofthisship: Iamsolookingforwardtoseeingwhereyou gointhefuture.”

Scaliatine’snextassignmentwillbechiefof staff at ExpeditionaryStrike Group (ESG) 2, thepositionpreviouslyheldbyLibasci.

AnativeofMelbourne, Florida, Libasci assumed the role of Arlington’stenth commanding officer.Hejoined the Navy in

1994andearnedacommissionin2001following graduation from OldDominion University. He hascompleted eight deployments to U.S. 5th and6th Fleets and his extensivesea duty assignments include command of USS Cole(DDG67).

Libasci recognized Scaliatine’sachievementsaboard Arlington and then addressed thecrew.

“Congratulations on your incredible accomplishmentstothispoint,”saidLibasci.” Ihavenodoubtyou’llcarryonthebesttraditions of ourNavywithstrength,honor and fortitude.Wewillbesuccessful—together.” Commissioned April6,2013, Arlingtonis the eighth SanAntonio-class ship andthird namedafter Arlington County.Itisalso one of threeshipsnamedinhonor of thevictims of Sept. 11, alongside the SanAntonio-class amphibioustransportdockships USSNew York(LPD21)andUSSSomerset(LPD25)

Naval Support Activity Portsmouth Supervisory Captain renders aid while off duty

BySusanneGreene Norfolk Naval Shipyard

Recently, Naval Support Activity (NSA) Portsmouth Supervisory Captain Bryan Ballardassistedapassengerinneedofmedical assistance while on a flight from Washington Dulles National Airport to South Carolina. The patient was in cardiac arrest and, after 19 years in Fire and Emergency Services,Ballard’sexpertisepaidoff

“It was a small plane, I think there were only about 50 people on there, and I could see that the flight attendant had a nervous expression on his face,” said Ballard. “So, I turned around, looked, and I could see a youngerguytryingtogetthiswomanoutof herseatandIwentoverandhelped.”

Another passenger had asked the flight attendant for an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and while waiting, Captain Ballard checked for the distressed passenger’spulseanddidnotdetectone

“WewereprovidedtheAED,Iputthepads onher,Itoldtheotherpassengertoanalyze her with the AED, and the system recommended‘shockadvised,’soweshockedher, andthenIstarteddoingchestcompressions on her,” said Ballard. “And after about two minutes, I checked for a pulse again, and I couldfeelareallyweakpulse,butafterthat, wejustkindoftriedtomaintainherairways soshecouldbreathe.”

The pilots made an emergency landing in South Carolina where first responders boardedtheplaneandrushedthedistressed passenger to a local hospital for further medicalassistance Captain Ballard was commended by NSA-Portsmouth Commanding Officer CaptainR.StephenRamseyforhisdecisive

action and response to a life-threatening medicalemergencywhilehewasoffduty.

“By rendering aid without being called upon, and while off duty, he upheld and elevated the noble tradition of our profession,” said Ramsey in the award citation. “His conduct is in keeping with the finest idealsofvalorandreflectsgreatcreditupon himselfandtheUnitedStatesNavy.” Ballard finds the most rewarding part of

hisjobworkingwiththepublicandhelping people, even during unexpected times like onhisflight.

“When you go on calls or if something happens off duty like it did, try and stay professional,” said Ballard. “Even if you don’tthinkit’stheworstdayoftheirlife the individualyou’reassistingmaythinkit’sthe worstdayoftheirlife.”

Whenhe’soff-duty,Ballardenjoysspend-

ing time with his family and working out Recently, he and members of his family attendedaBaltimoreOriolesbaseballgame “Ilikehangingoutwithmydaughterand going shopping with her too,” said Ballard. “My wife and I also enjoy going to concerts and local sporting events like the Norfolk Tidesbaseballgames.

Naval Station Norfolk’s Chapel hosts Feed the Fleet

NORFOLK, Va

Diving into dual roles: The unique mission of the Navy’s Engineer-Diver

ByTellyB.Myles Supervisor of Shipbuilding Newport News

NEWPORT NEWS, Va When most people think of Navy engineering, they picture technical expertise, shipbuilding, and precision planning. But for a select groupofofficers engineeringisonlyhalfthe story The Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) Diver assignment is one of the Navy’s most uniqueanddemandingcareerpaths—blending rigorous engineering responsibilities withthephysicalandoperationalchallenges ofmilitarydiving EDODiversmustexcelintheengineering communitywhilealsomeetingthestringent physical and qualification standards of the divingcommunity Thoughdivingisconsidered a secondary role, the unpredictable nature of salvage and ship husbandry work often requires short-notice deployments When urgent missions arise—such as the FrancisScottKeyBridgeremoval,preservationoftheUSSArizonaMemorial,oraircraft recovery operations—the Navy calls upon allqualifiedEDODivers regardlessoftheir currentassignment

This year, Lt Cmdr Alexander Wunderlich, a Virginia-class submarine new construction Assistant Project Officer at Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Newport News, answered that calltwice Hisback-to-backoverseasassign-

ments underscore the versatility and value oftheEDODivercommunity Subic Bay, Philippines Oversight and Hands-OnRepair Wunderlich’s first deployment took him to Subic Bay, where he oversaw a privately contracted overhaul of salvage equipment aboard USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52). For an entire month, he served as the sole U.S. governmentrepresentativeonsite Inaddition to ensuring contract compliance, he negotiatedimprovedtermsthatallowedthe project to finish ahead of schedule and 9% underbudget.

Reflecting the hands-on spirit of an EDO Diver, he also rolled up his sleeves during off-hours—assistingwithweldingandmaintenancealongsidetherepairteam.

“Itwasarduous,butIwashappytoassist Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) 00C,” Wunderlich said. NAVSEA 00C, formally known as the Diving and Salvage Program Division, serves as the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense’s technical authority for diving, salvage, and underwater ship husbandry operations The division oversees diving standards equipment certification, and the execution of complex salvagemissionsworldwide Rota,Spain FillingaCriticalGapinShip Husbandry Later that year, Wunderlich deployed to Rota, Spain. With the primary dive team

diverted to support emergent repairs on USSNimitzinBahrain,heandanotherEDO Diver—Lt. Cmdr Neil Tublin—filled a critical capability gap by performing essential husbandryworkonUSSBulkeley(DDG84).

Wunderlich was not alone in answering the call. Joining him in Rota was Tublin, whose career has focused largely on the acquisition and sustainment of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Combat Systems, and Intelligence (C5I) systems within the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) enterprise NAVWARistheNavy’sleadorganization for delivering advanced informationwarfarecapabilities ensuringthatships submarines andaircraftremainconnected protected,andmission-ready Tublin’spresence highlighted the diversity of expertise withintheEDODivercommunity—officers who may specialize in high-tech systems ashoreyetremainreadytodivewhencalled.

“When the call went out for divers to support in Rota, I was happy to seize the opportunity to help the Navy in a time of need as one of few EDO divers This is why EDO divers exist, Tublin said. “It is imperative that the EDO community continues to support junior officers pursuing the diving path. The only way to be proficient inwartimeistogainexposureduringpeacetime, and opportunities like these simulate whatitmightbelikeifEDOdiversarecalled

intoactioninafutureconflict.”

Using a vehicle-deployed surface-supplied air system and MK-20 diving rigs, the team executed important tasks—including rodmeter replacements—to ensure the destroyerremainedoperationallyready TheValueofDual-MissionOfficers Wunderlich’s dual-mission year highlights how the Navy relies on multi-skilled officers who bridge engineering expertise withoperationalcapability

“It’s demanding work, but incredibly rewarding,” Wunderlich said. “Every missionremindsmewhythisuniquecareer path exists—to solve problems where engineeringanddivingintersect.”

WhethernegotiatingcontractsinthePhilippines or diving in the waters off Spain, their work reflects the Navy’s commitment toreadiness,innovation,andglobalreach.As Tublinemphasized,theonlywaytobeproficient in wartime is to gain exposure during peacetime—makingmissionslikethesevital simulationsoffutureconflict

TheEDODivercommunitymaybesmall, butitsimpactisprofound,withofficerslike Wunderlich and Tublin demonstrating the Navy’s core values of honor, courage, and commitment, both above and below the waterline

TheNavyannouncestheavailabilityofthe Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Home Basing of the MQ-25A Stingray Carrier-Based Unmanned Aircraft System(CBUAS)atNavalStation(NAVSTA) Norfolk,VA Under the Proposed Action, the Navy wouldhomebaseanewEastCoastMQ-25A Stingray CBUAS squadron designed to

Improvements from Page 1

Operations (OPNAV) Office of Warfighting Advantage are really seeking to change the culture where each person and each team has instilled a mindset of always learning honest self-assessment, and a relentless pursuittoself-correct.

FIO Director Sabrina Lemire added, “Buildingonthismindset,theeventcreated anenvironmentwherewecouldseetheGet

enhance aircraft carrier capability and versatility for the Joint Forces Commander through the integration of a persistent, sea-based,multi-missionunmannedaircraft systemintothecarrierairwing

TheProposedActionwouldinvolvefacility construction and renovation between approximatelyfiscalyear(FY)2026andFY 2029 followedbyaphasedoccupancyofthe facilities by aircraft and personnel between FY2031andFY2035

The Draft EA was made available for public review and comment from May 8 through June 7, 2025 During the review

Real-GetBetterbehaviorsinactions:‘Focus on what matters most, ‘act transparently,’ and build learning teams.’ Changing our mindsets and exemplifying these behaviors consistently are non-negotiable when it comes to challenging the status quo and nolongeracceptingthephrase‘we’vealways doneitthatway.’”

Thankstothisevent,participantsstepped away with a better understanding of the process overall and what actions could be taken to improve how it works In addition, participants saw firsthand that they

period,theNavyhostedapublicmeetingon May 20, 2025, in Norfolk, VA Two public commentswerereceived.

Based on the analysis presented in the Final EA, the Navy finds that the proposed action would not significantly impact the quality of the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement willnotbeprepared,andaFONSIhasbeen issued.

The Final EA and FONSI is available on the Navy’s website at https://www.nepa. navy.mil/MQ25-East and at the following regionallibraries:

can make small improvements and build momentumtoimprovepaiddeliveryofDCB updates Withnextstepsinplace,thestakeholders returned to their workplaces ready to take action and improve the way they do business Interested in learning how you can help?

Topersonallyshareyourvoiceincommunicatingchangesyouwishwouldbeincorporatedinthesetools pleasereachouttoErin Smallaterin.r.small.civ@us.navy.miltolearn howyoucanprovidefeedbacktothedevelopmentteamforconsideration.

Mary D. Pretlow Anchor Branch Library, 111 West Ocean View Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23503 and the Tidewater Community CollegeandtheCityofVirginiaBeachJoint

In addition to these events the NAVSEA FIO is also in partnership with the OPNAV Office of Warfighting Advantage to deliver training on problem solving to folks on teams who want to learn more about these proven problem-solving tools for them to use on their own teams If you are interested in learning more about these trainings please visit the FIO Training Page at https://flankspeed.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/ NAVSEA_ForceImprovementOffice/SitePages/Instructor-Led-Training.aspx.

Vice Admiral WayneBaze appointed asthe new NavalInspector General

ByAleshaHernandez

Office of the NavalInspector General

TheOfficeoftheNavalInspectorGeneral welcomedViceAdmiralWayneBazeasthe 43rd NavalInspectorGeneral (NAVIG) Baze,the former Commander of Navy PersonnelCommand/DeputyChiefofNaval Personnel,wasconfirmedasaViceAdmiral bytheSenateonOctober30,2025

In September 2025,then Rear Admiral BazerelinquishedcommandofNavyPersonnel Command (NPC) to Rear Adm. Kevin Kennedy in Millington, Tennessee.During histenuresinceDecember2022,Bazeprioritized supporting warfighting readiness by enacting policies thatsupported Sailors Under his leadership,NPC updatedthe EMPLOYpolicy,providingnon-deployable Sailors with opportunitiesfor continued service.Exceptional FamilyMember Program(EFMP)reformsremovedcategory classificationsandenabledtailoreddetailing basedonfamilyneeds.TheCareerManagement Pillar’s “Full PowerNavy” initiativeincreased retention through targeted outreach.

Vice Adm. Baze,aTexas native, was commissioned in 1990 afterearning aBiology degree from Rice University.A Naval Aviatorsince1992,healsoholdsaMaster’sin

National SecurityAffairs.Read Vice AdmiralBaze’sbiography:[https://www.navy mil/Leadership/Flag-Officer-Biographies/ BioDisplay/Article/3642636/vice-admiralwayne-mouse-baze/](https://www.navy mil/Leadership/Flag-Officer-Biographies/ BioDisplay/Article/3642636/vice-admiralwayne-mouse-baze/).

Prior to Vice Adm. Baze appointment ViceAdm.JohnFullerwastheNavalInspectorGeneral.Fullerretired after38years of dedicatedservicetotheUnitedStatesNavy

The Office ofthe Naval InspectorGeneralwelcomed ViceAdmiralWayne Bazeasthe 43rdNaval InspectorGeneral (NAVIG).Baze,the former CommanderofNavyPersonnel Command/DeputyChiefof NavalPersonnel,wasconfirmed as aViceAdmiral bythe Senate on October30,2025.(PHOTOBY ALESHAHERNANDEZ)

Success at sea: Unmanned surface vessel completes fastest transatlantic crossing

ByMeredithHagen

Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic

ScientistswiththeNavalInformationWarfare Center Atlantic’s Unmanned Naval Innovation Team reached a historic milestone Sept 9 when they recovered a Navy-sponsored unmanned surface vessel named the Lightfish in Troia, Portugal, following its harrowing andcompletelysolo transatlanticcrossing.

This fully autonomous vessel accomplishedthejourneyinjustovertwomonths, nearly 12 days faster than the last known previousattempt.

UNIT engineers launched the Lightfish, a solar-powered, low-profile USV designed for long-endurance missions, on a blazing summerdayfromacommunityboatrampin Sullivan’sIsland,SouthCarolina,attheend ofJune Afterperformingnumeroussystems checksandtakingamomenttochristenthe vessel MichaelGrass,theteam’sleadscientistandprogrammanager,wadedintowaistdeepseawatertosendtheunmannedvessel off on its long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.

“Withthelaunchofthissmall,unmanned surfacevessel,we’repushingtheboundaries for what we can do with maritime domain awareness,” Grass said at the launch “No one has been on the water for this long of a journey So it’s a big proof of concept, not only for the reliance and durability for the platformitselfbutfortestingtherigorofthe dataarchitecture.”

These final moments of send-off would be the last time the USV would be touched byhumanhandsformorethan60daysasit expertly and independently traversed the waters between the U.S. and Europe It was headed 4,000 miles away to its final destination of Troia, Portugal, where it arrived safely to much excited fanfare in early September

Although the UNIT crew was physically hands off while the vessel traversed the ocean, the mission was not out of sight Thejourneywasdiligentlymonitoredusing onboardcameras remotesoftwareandrealtimetelemetrybyengineersandvariousfleet watch floors as they maintained distant commandandcontroloftheLightfish.

“The objective is to prove that we can execute command and control of a USV across the Atlantic, where we are crossing not only the body of water, but also crossingareasofresponsibility,”Grassexplained.

“We’re able to demonstrate a follow-thesun command and control approach,” he continued.“Atleasttwiceperday,wewould change command and control and oversight of this vessel between various Navy numbered fleets Every morning and every evening, there was essentially a change of command,andownership,andoversightof this particular vessel for the entirety of the duration.”

The mission was supported by Commander Task Force 66 U.S. 6th Fleet’s premier all-domain task force established in 2024 to accelerate robotic and autonomous systems development, to assist in recovering the Lightfish during Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping using Maritime Uncrewed Systems, a Portuguese-ledmilitaryexercisefocusedonmaritime unmanned systems experimentation,

ByKatieLange Pentagon News

Everymorning,manyofusscourtheinternet on our phones for a bit before popping some breakfast item into the microwave. Then we head to work using GPS and flip onoursunglassesifit’stoobrightout.

Alotofuslikelydidn’trealizethatallthose commonplace conveniences were once innovationsdevelopedbyorforthemilitary In the past century, several inventions created by the War Department for warfighter use have become a part of everyday life for civilians Below are 12 that you may ormaynothaveknownabout

The Wristwatch

Prior to World War I, most men carried pocket watches as their time pieces the few wristwatches that were available were mostlywornbywomenasjewelry Butasthe U.S. joined the war effort it became apparent that the wristwatch initially called the “trench watch” was more practical for soldiers to keep time on the battlefield, where synchronization was crucial for infantrymenandartillerygunners

The U.S. Army Signal Corps’ Engineering&ResearchDivisionoversawthetesting of timepieces and the purchasing of wristwatches whichweredistributedtosoldiers by the Army Quartermaster Corps. Similar versionsweredistributedtoNavysailors Eventually, the civilian world caught on totheconvenience Bytheendofthe1920s, the wristwatch was outselling the pocket watchbyasubstantialmargin,accordingto theNationalWorldWarIIMuseum.

The EpiPen

Whilethiswell-knowndevicefortreating anaphylaxis wasn’t exactly created by the U.S.military,thetechnologytodosowas. In1973,duringtheVietnamWar,theArmy began looking for a way to quickly treat combat troops who were exposed to chemical warfare. The service got a researcher to create an easy-to-use device called an auto-injector a prefilled, spring-loaded syringe or cartridge that could quickly deliverlifesavingantidotesundertheskinin high-stresssituationswhentroopsencounteredweaponizedgases Soonafter,medicalexpertstooknoteand

capabilitydevelopmentandinteroperability

Navy Lt Alexander Varon, officer in charge for unmanned software developmentwithinCTF66,waspresentforLightfish’sarrivalinPortugalandagreedthatthe transitwasamilestoneachievementinUSV enablement.

“Ithinkpeopletendtounderestimatejust how manned unmanned operations are,” Varonsaid.“Notonlyistherealargemanned footprintwhenitcomestothedeployment, the recovery and the care and feeding of these craft, as well as the actual operations, but there is a massive engineering support role, specifically that we’re receiving from NIWC Atlantic over in Charleston, South Carolina,thatishelpingconnectthesedifferent types of craft all into a single ecosystem ofsystems.”

The careful monitoring and remote management of the trip enabled the Lightfish to make a scheduled arrival in Portugal in plenty of time for its participation in REPMUS, one of NATO’s premier annual experimentationevents

REPMUS brings together more than 30 nations NATOcentersofexcellence industry partners and academic institutions to test and demonstrate the latest advancements in unmanned systems The exercise providesavenueforU.S.andalliedforcesto experiment with new capabilities, improve command and control architectures, and acceleratetechnologytransitionfromprototypetofleetuse “BeingabletobringLightfishdirectlyinto

REPMUS following its transatlantic journeyisatremendousforcemultiplier,”Grass said “It allows our engineers to validate real-world endurance while immediately contributingtoNATO’scollaborativeexperimentationenvironment.”

Despitebeingatseaformonths,theLightfish only required a bit of fuel to replenish the onboard generator a few minor repairs andagoodcleaningtobereadyfortheexercise UNIT teammates and helpful military partnershappilysacrificedtheirdryclothes to jump in and welcome the vessel back to shore.

Thenitwasallhandsondecktocomplete inspections and scrape off the dozens of barnacles that had collected on the underside of the Lightfish as it traveled and then loitered for several days off the coast while waitingforitsportcall.

“Lightfish’s successful crossing highlighted not only its durability but also the Navy’s progress in harnessing unmanned systemstoenhancemaritimedomainawareness,” said Eric Stephenson, UNIT lead systemsengineerwithNIWCAtlantic.

The USV journey marks a significant achievement for the Navy’s ongoing efforts to integrate unmanned systems into its broader operational framework. It underscores the potential of a hybrid fleet that includes both manned and unmanned platforms, extending operational reach while reducingriskstosailors

“EverynauticalmilethatLightfishsailed autonomously and every data packet that

realizedthatiftheyfilledthesedeviceswith epinephrine, civilians with life-threatening allergies could carry them to quickly treat themselvesiftheyhadanallergicreaction.

The epinephrine auto-injector which became known by its patented name, EpiPen,wasapprovedbytheFoodandDrug Administration in 1987 Since then, many other medications and treatments now use auto-injectortechnologyforquickandeasy usebycivilians

Bug Spray

During World War II, U.S. troops serving inthejunglesofthePacifictheatergoteaten alivebymosquitoesandotherinsects,many of which carried diseases such as malaria anddenguefever.AccordingtotheNational InstitutesofHealth,in1942alone,theArmy reported that about 1.2 million warfighters sufferedfromoneorbothofthosediseases Conventional treatment methods of the timeweren’tdoingenoughtokeepthebites away,soin1944,theWarDepartmentcollaborated with the Agriculture Department to open a research lab in Florida to develop a new treatment that would better protect

troops It was there in 1946 that the chemical N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide better known as DEET was created as an insecticide By1957 DEEThadbeenregisteredforuse bythegeneralpublic.Sincethen,it’sbecome the world’s most effective and widely used activeingredientinmosquitorepellents

Freeze-Dried Foods

Throughout history people have used dehydration to preserve food. Dehydration uses heat and airflow to remove moisture but it can lose nutrients and alter the food’s taste and texture. When it came to World War II, dehydrated foods weren’t exactly a warfighter favorite, so scientists started to look for ways to make better shelf-stable foods AttheArmylaboratoriesinNatick,Massachusetts now known as the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command SoldierCenter researchersinthe1950srealized that freeze-drying was a better option because it better preserves the food’s structure,nutrientsandtastewhenrehydrated. By the mid-1960s, freeze-dried foods

wastransmittedbackhelpedpushuscloser tooperationalizingaglobalunmannedfleet architecture,” said David Bate, a NIWC AtlanticengineerwithUNIT

“Asdemonstratedhere,USVs,anddrones in general, are proving themselves to be quite an asymmetric threat,” Varon said. “Unmanned assets are [lower cost options that are easier to replace] and we can put themintodangerousenvironmentswithout riskinghumanlife freeingupournational assetsformoreimportantmissiontaskingor giving them longer periods of time to work throughtheirmaintenanceavailabilitiesand stayuptospeed.” USVsalsodon’trequiremuchinthewayof rest Followingitsboundary-breakingtransatlantic adventure, NIWC Atlantic’s LightfishUSVwillspendevenmoretimeatseaas it travels to Africa to participate in another exerciseandthenwillturnrightbackaround to make the long crossing back to Charleston.NIWCAtlanticengineerswillcontinue to study its progress refining autonomy, enduranceanddataintegrationcapabilities forfuturemissions “Lightfish showed us once again, what is possible in the unmanned realm,” Grass said. “Now our job is to continue to build on that momentum integrating lessons learned into the Navy’s unmanned strategy andstrengtheninginteroperabilitywithour NATOpartners.”

were being mass-produced across the military They were lightweight and had excellent shelf-life stability without the need for refrigeration. Studies from the 1970s showedthattroopsactuallypreferredthem tocannedfoods As their military popularity increased, so didcommercialinterest Today,freeze-dried foodsarecommonongrocerystoreshelves, while snacks for camping and backpacking are filled with various freeze-dried items, such as beef stew, pasta dishes and even scrambledeggs

Aviator Sunglasses

In the early years of aviation, pilots wore goggles that were heavy and awkward. So, in the 1930s, Army Air Corps Col. John Macready worked with a company to develop a new type of face wear to help deflectsunlightinthecockpit

By World War II, photos showed warfighters everywhere, including famed Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur, wearing the sunglasses Civilianswantedtogetinonthe lookandclamoredforthem.Overtheyears, the glasses and various off-brand versions became known as aviators They’ve been a popular symbol of “cool” ever since and are stillwornbypilotsaroundtheworld.

Radar

In 1922, Navy radio engineers Albert Taylor and Leo Young started looking for newradiofrequenciesforcommunications, so they tested a new, high-frequency transmitter and receiver that they set up across the Potomac River from their office at the Naval Aircraft Radio Laboratory in Washington. During the tests Taylor and Young noticedthatasteamershipcruisingtheriver pinged on their equipment more strongly asitgotcloser,thendiminishedasitmoved away The pair wanted to develop the technology further to help detect enemy warships in battle, but unfortunately, their superiors weren’t interested, so the project was shelved. Years later in 1930 Young noticed similareffectswhiletestingaircraftcommunications capabilities He recruited Taylor and a new engineer, Lawrence Hyland, to continue their experiments after finally

getting the Naval Research Laboratory’s consent. In late 1934, when other labs were trying tocreatesimilartechnology,thetrioapplied forandreceivedapatentforwhattheycalled “radio detecting and ranging” radar, for short.Bythespringof1936 itbecameahigh priorityforshipboarduse

In December 1938, the battleship USS New York was the first to be equipped with the latest in radar which could identify aircraft nearly 50 miles away Radar had finally come into its own, and it went on to become a major factor in many naval victories during World War II, including in the battles of Coral Sea, Midway and Guadalcanal.

Inthedecadessince,radarhasspreadinto allfactorsofcivilianlifeaswell,fromtracking weather and monitoring traffic speed to operating automatic doors and clocking pitchesinbaseball.

The Microwave Oven

Thanks to the aforementioned invention of radar, we have the microwave oven something that military engineer Percy Spencer accidentally created shortly after WorldWarIIended.

Spencer was working for a defense contractoronamagnetron,whichproduces

the vibrating electromagnetic waves that make radar possible During one experiment,henoticedthatthedevicehadmelted a candy bar in his pocket. He found that interesting,sohecontinuedhistestingonan eggandpopcorn,discoveringthatthedevice could cook food way faster than a conventionaloven

The company went on to produce and market the first commercial microwave ovenin1947.However,ittookabout20more yearsforittobesmallenoughandaffordable enoughfortheaveragefamilytobuy

Duct Tape

Whileducttapewasn’texactlycreatedby themilitary,itwascreatedforthemilitary

During World War II, Vesta Stoudt, a mother of two Navy sailors, worked in a factory packing munitions for the war effort. The paper-and-wax seals they used on the boxes weren’t very efficient, so she thoughtitmightbebettertouseanewtype of cloth-based tape instead The product was nicknamed “duck tape” because of its water-resistant properties and the fact that it was made from cotton duck cloth, a type ofcanvasfabric.

Stoudt’s supervisors and government inspectors liked her idea, but they never followed through with its implementation. So, Stoudt wrote a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt detailing her idea in the hopes that he would like it. He did like the idea, so he passed it along to the War Production Board, which set the ball in motion to get the product rolled out. Warfightersendeduplovingthetapeandusedit formuchmorethanboxes theyevenused ittobandagewounds.

While there were versions of the tape prior to Stoudt’s discovery, her persistence led to the modern-day version and its commercializationafterthewar.Theproducteventuallybecameknownas“ducttape” whenithitthecivilianmarketbecauseitwas oftenusedtopatchupheatducts

Penicillin

Penicillin was the first commercialized antibiotic to treat infections from surgeriesandwoundsduringWorldWarII.While theBritisharecreditedwithdiscoveringits potential, the U.S. military is the one that realized it would be critical to saving warfighters’lives

During the war, the War Department mobilized resources for the large-scale production that was necessary to get penicillin to the masses, including funding research,coordinatingeffortswithpharmaceutical companies and facilitating clinical trials That effort made it possible to make a widely available treatment that reduced battlefielddeathsfrominfections

Nowadays, penicillin is used to treat commonplace bacterial infections such as strep throat, pneumonia, ear infections staphinfections,Lymediseaseandmore.

Sanitary Pads

They might be a sensitive topic for some but sanitary pads have become an essential part of life for women. However, they weren’t always. Prior to World War I, most women on their menstrual cycle relied on homemade cloth pads, which were inconvenientandmessy

Cotton shortages during the war led a manufacturing company to develop a new productcalledCellucotton whichwasmade ofwoodpulpandwasfivetimesmoreabsorbentthancotton.Itwasalsocheaper When U.S. troops went to war in Europe, they began using Cellucotton to treat wounds, but nurses there also began using it as sanitarynapkins

Afterthewar,thecompanylearnedwhat the nurses were doing, and they decided to redistribute Cellucotton into a commercial product for women everywhere. Sanitary pads were introduced to the public in October 1920 and became hugely popular, making them one of the biggest consumer successstoriesinAmerica GPS

At this point in time very few people would know how to get around without using the satellite-based navigation called Global Positioning System commonly known as GPS It’s now an everyday thing thankstothemilitary

In 1973, the War Department tasked the Air Force with finding a reliable, accurate means of electronic navigation to upgrade warfighterswhowereusingpapermapsand specializedtoolslikesextantsandchronometers Experts decided they could do this withagroupingofsatellites

Thefirstsatellitewaslaunchedin1978for aconstellationknownasNavigationSystem withTimingandRanging NAVSTAR.The system was initially limited to only the U.S. military and select allies, but that changed in 1983 when President Ronald Reagan decided to release it to the public following anincidentinwhichaSouthKoreanairliner was accidentally shot down by Soviet fighterswhenitstrayedoffcourse Investigators determined the tragedy could have been avoided had the pilots had better navigationtools

GPS was first used by the military in combat during the Gulf War in 1990 It took until the mid-1990s for the NAVSTAR constellationtobefullyoperationalwith24 satellitesorbitingEarth.

While the Air Force initially created and maintained GPS, the Navy was responsible for developing time navigation, the precursor of NAVSTAR GPS and its foundational concept. TIMATION, as it was called, was conceivedinthelate1960stoprovideaccurate position and time data to land-based navigators. Using synchronized atomic clocks it measured the time it took a signal totravelfromasatellitetoanavigator

While the Space Force now maintains

GPS for the military, the Coast Guard operatesandmaintainstheNavigationInformationServiceforcivilianGPSusers

The

Internet

The internet was initially known as ARPANET theacronymfortheAdvanced Research Projects Agency Network that createditin1969 Militaryscientistsstarted it to link up with U.S. universities government agencies and defense contractors duringtheColdWar.Itwasatimewhenthe U.S.wantedtobuildoninformationsharing andsharedcomputingpower,butitwanted todosowithoutacentralcommandhubthat adversariescouldpotentiallytarget.

The first message conveyed through ARPANET was sent from a University of California, Los Angeles computer to Stanford University that same year In 1973 the name ARPANET was changed when it was connected to U.S. allies in Norway and the UnitedKingdom.

Nearly 20 years later, in 1991, computer scientistTimBerners-LeecreatedtheWorld Wide Web the collection of documents and files that we access through the internet whileworkingatCERN,theEuropean OrganizationforNuclearResearchinSwitzerland. While this article only includes 12 military-inspiredinnovations,therearesomany morethatciviliansnowuseineverydaylife FromtheJeepandnylonstobloodbanksand ambulances, there are too many to count. However,youcancountonthefactthatthe military’sabilitytoinnovateneverstops

On iberty

Virginia SBDC Network honors BAFO Services

CEO Hillary Boyce as 2025

Virginia Small Business Veteran of the Year

InterviewByYiorgo

SevenVenues,BroadwayinNorfolkseries, continues to bring to Hampton Roads the best in Broadway theatre. That is definitely truewiththeBroadwayNationalTourof‘& Juliet’ coming to Chrysler Hall in Norfolk VirginiaWednesdayDecember3rdthrough Sunday December 7th. In its very unique creative,imaginary,highlyentertainingway, thisamazingmusicalanswersthequestion, whatwouldhappennextifJulietdidnotdie after all in the very famous Shakespearean play,‘RomeoandJuliet.’

Created by the Emmy®-winning writer David West Read from “Schitt’s Creek,” it is a very hilarious incredibly entertaining newmusical,whereJulietgoesonafabulous journey through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, including “Since U BeenGone‚““Roar,”“BabyOneMoreTime,” “Larger Than Life‚“ “That’s The Way It Is,“ and“Can’tStoptheFeeling!” allfromthe genius songwriter/producer Max Martin whowrotemore#1hitsmorethananyother artistthiscentury Yiorgo: With us today is three time JimmyAwardsnomineeandwinnerforthe 2025 Jimmy Awards for performance by an actress, Fabiola Caraballo Quijada. Tell us Fabiola, why should people come to the show? What will they see, hear, and expe-

rience?

FabiolaCaraballoQuijada:Thisshowis justsomuchjoyandpositivity It’sanescape from whatever it is that’s going on in your life It just initially takes you to a different

century butthen,youstartseeingelements thattranscendtime,youstartseeingShakespeareandialogueandcostumes,butthey’re also integrated with modern music. And so you’re just transported to a unique world

that only the world of & Juliet can take you really Throughout the night, your jaw will dropatwhatyou’regonnabeseeingonstage It’s gonna be really nostalgic for all those songs,allthoseincrediblypopularsongsthat we’ve all listened to for decades, and now you’reseeingthembeplayedoutwiththese iconic and some new characters Because you never really know what to expect, I think that’s what’s so fun about going out andseeingourmusical.

Our cast is incredibly talented and amazing at what they do They love to fill their performanceswiththeirownbeststories It giveseverythingthat’shappeningonstageso muchmoredepthandit’ssobeautifulwhen we’reallworkingtogether.We’reallhaving so much fun. It’s really great to see that synergy on stage The visual aspect of this show is incredible. There’s so many colors, brightlightsandglitter Thereissomething in every scene on stage that is bound to cast your eye. Our production team is amazing. Theyarejustsohelpfulandtheyalwayshave the goal in mind to help us convey the story that was originally written out by David West Read and Matt Martin. David West Readwasthewriterandexecutiveproducer of Schitt’s Creek, the very popular sitcom. And,youknow,everythingisjustsohilarious

Page 8

The internationally famous Champions of Magic show makes its triumphant return to Hampton Roads at the Harrison Opera House December 12th, world renown magician Richard Young tells us about it.

InterviewByYiorgo

For a more unique way to celebrate the holiday season, nothing comes close to the amazing, Champions Of Magic: Holiday Spectacular show at the Harrison Opera House in Norfolk, Virginia on Friday December12th,featuringdazzlingillusions breathtaking, grand-scale, epic magic, and fun,festivesurprisesforthewholefamily. Thisisindeedahigh-energy,highlyinteractive show, full of humor, jaw-dropping magic, and a large dose of holiday cheer. It is a one-of-a-kind lifetime experience that isperfectforeveryonethisholidayseason. Critics are all rejoicing over this magical extravaganza. Broadway World said, “Dazzles audiences with a show like no other!” Heart Radio agrees, “Spectacular familyshow…preparetobeastounded!”And the London Review says, “Mind-twisting, logic-defyingentertainment!”

For tickets go to https://www.sevenvenues.com/events/detail/champions-of-magic For more information, visit csentertainment.ca.

Yiorgo: With us today is Richard Young, one half of the dynamic Young and Strange and Magic Podcaster Tell us Richard, why should people come to your Champions of Magic Show? What will they see, hear and experience? Richard Young: They will escape from the real world for two hours It’s a spectacular, fun show, featuring incredible magic, suitable for all ages, great comedy and lots ofhighqualityproduction,fantasticlighting, pyrotechnics, all of that. But most importantly, the reason is to escape the hideous realitiesoflifeforacoupleofhoursandjust come and have fun and enjoy life That’s what our show is really about. It’s really a celebrationofmagic,funandhappiness

Y: Having seen your amazing, incredible, magical show before, besides the incredible mind blowing magic tricks and grand illusions, I also enjoyed the comradery of all of you working together in unison and in perfect flow. Let’s learn about the other magicians I’ll mention their names and pleasetellusalittlebitaboutthemandwhat

Community

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS, NEWS AND PHOTOS

The Flagship welcomes submissions from ourreaders online. Pleasesubmiteventshere: www.militarynews.com/users/admin/calendar/event/ Pleasesubmitnewsandphotoshere: www.militarynews.com/norfolk-navy-flagship/submit_news/

Virginia SBDC Network honors BAFO Services CEO Hillary

Boyce as 2025 Virginia Small Business Veteran of the Year

PressRelease

NORFOLK,Va TheVirginiaSmallBusinessDevelopmentCenter(SBDC)Network has announced Hillary Boyce, founder and chief executive officer of BAFO Services as the 2025 Virginia Small Business Veteran of the Year The award will be presented to BoyceatHamptonRoadsChamber’sAnnual MeetingonDecember10

A U.S. Army veteran, Service-Disabled Veteran-OwnedandWomen-OwnedSmall Business leader, Boyce has built BAFO Services into a trusted partner for companies competing in the federal marketplace Founded in 2022, BAFO has already supported more than 130 clients across defense, civilian, healthcare and logistics agencies helping small and mid-sized contractors transform complex requirementsintowinningfederalproposals

“My military service taught me the value of mission focus, accountability, and teamwork principles that guide how we serve ourclientstoday,”saidBoyce.“I’mhonored to represent Virginia’s veteran business community and grateful for the support of organizations like the SBDC that empower smallbusinessestoachievebigresults.”

With more than two decades of experience in federal procurement and business development, Boyce and her 50-member team deliver tailored strategies proposal managementandcapturesolutionsrootedin adeepunderstandingoftheFederalAcquisition Regulation (FAR). BAFO’s mission is to empower small contractors with the tools and confidence to grow and compete successfullyinthefederalcontractingarena.

Boyce’s leadership extends far beyond the boardroom. She serves on the Boards of Women in Defense (WID) and AFCEA Hampton Roads volunteers with HerShelter and the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank, andmentorstransitioningservicemembers through The Honor Foundation, a specializedprogramsupportingU.S.SpecialOperationsveterans

Her dedication to mentorship and advocacy has earned her national recognition, includingtheAFCEAInternationalLeadershipAward(2025),MilitarySpouseHeroes at Home Finalist (2025), and AFCEA Small Business Person of the Year (2021). These honors reflect not only her professional

excellence but her lifelong commitment to serviceandcommunityimpact.

AformerU.S.ArmyEngineerwhoserved with the 3rd Infantry Division, Boyce brings the discipline and purpose of her military experience to every client engagement.BeforelaunchingBAFOServices she worked in key roles supporting wounded soldiers, survivors and service members throughtheU.S.ArmyCasualtyandMortuary Affairs Operations and the U.S. Army PhysicalDisabilityAgency

TheVirginiaSmallBusinessVeteranofthe YearAwardrecognizesoutstandingveteran entrepreneurs who exemplify leadership, community service and business success TheawardispartofVirginiaSBDC’smission to celebrate and support the Commonwealth’sveteran-ownedbusinesses helpingthemlaunch,growandthrive.

TolearnmoreaboutBAFOServices,visit wwwbafoservices.com. For more information about the Virginia SBDC Veteran Programs visit www.virginiasbdc.org/ programs/veterans

Editor’s Note: Hillary Boyce was one of the incredible honorees in Flagship’s 2025 Heroes at Home Military Spouse Awards!

See promo below. To learn more visit: https://www.militarynews.com/norfolk-navy-flagship/news/heroes_at_home/ congratulations-to-our-2025-heroes-athome-military-spouse-award-winners/article_e70f48e9-0af0-4979-9cd4-6a639e9fb6ff html.

About the Virginia SBDC Network: The Virginia SBDC Network is the most extensive business assistance program in the Commonwealth, providing no-cost, confidentialconsulting,training,andresourcesto helpsmallbusinessesstart,grow,andthrive. Hosted by George Mason University and fundedinpartthroughacooperativeagreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Network serves communities across Virginia through a partnership of 27 localSBDCoffices

About BAFO Services LLC: BAFO Services is a strategic consulting firm that supports government contractors with tailored business development, capture strategy, and proposal services As a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), BAFO Services

ABOVE:Veteran and CEO Hillary Boycewith herhusbandJason Knapp CW04 U.S.Navy

LEFT: Hillaryproudlyserved in the U.S.Army.(COURTESYPHOTOS)

is committed to helping clients win and growgovernmentcontractswithprecision, insight,andintegrity FoundedbyU.S.Army veteran and military spouse Hillary Boyce, BAFO Services offers over two decades of expertise in procurement, execution, and management of federal contracts Learn moreathttps://bafoservices.com.

closes 2025 with Tidings of Destruction in Norfolk

BySamSaunders

VirginiaChampionshipWrestlingreturns totheNorfolkMasonicTempleonSaturday, Dec.6,2025.TheeventwillbethefinalVCW showoftheyear Frontrowseatsaresoldout, but general admission tickets are available onlineatSimpleTix.com Doorsopenat6:30 p.m. with bell time at 7:30 p.m. The Norfolk MasonicTempleislocatedat7001GranbySt, Norfolk, VA 23505 The headline match will be a Virginia Heavyweight Championship defensebyRexLawlessagainstKidKash.

Lawless has successfully retained the top championship of VCW three times since winningitatLibertyLotteryinJuly Hismost recentdefensewasaThreeWayvictoryover Chris Slade and Breaux Keller on Saturday, Nov.15 KidKashisarguablyhisbiggestthreat todate,though.KashisaformerWWECruiserweightChampion,ECWWorldTelevision Champion and TNA X Division Champion withnearly40yearsofprofessionalwrestling experience Can Kash end the reign of the dominantVirginiaHeavyweightChampion?

Commander King won the VCW Liberty ChampionshipnearlyoneyearagoatTidings of Destruction in the Tidings of Destruction Derby,andhehasovercomeanyandallchallengerssince However,atitlematchagainst LDJ on Saturday, Oct. 18 in Fredericksburg

ended in controversy. It appeared that LDJ defeated King to win the championship, but therefereereversedthedecisionanddisqualified King, preventing a title change. Due to the inconclusive end of their last encounter a rematch for the Liberty Championship betweenKingandLDJhasbeenmadeofficial for Tidings of Destruction. If Commander King can leave with the championship, he willofficiallyreachonefullyearaschampion

Also on Saturday, Oct. 18, “Greek God” Papadonand“Mr.Xcellence”BrandonScott met in their first singles match in VCW. The contestendedina15-minutetimelimitdraw, with Papadon refusing to restart the match. ThetwoformerVirginiaHeavyweightChampions will meet in a rematch at Tidings of Destruction, but this time, Papadon will be accompanied to the ring by his new associate, Mr George Pantas Both wrestlers had successful years, with Papadon winning the Liberty Lottery in July and Scott winning theDirtyMoneyCupinNovember Onlyone manwillendtheyearwithavictory though. Co-host of Coast Live on WTKR Channel 3, Chandler Nunnally will be the special guest ringannouncerforthismatch. Benjamin Banks and “Diamond Victor Griff are multiple-time VCW Tag Team ChampionsastheGoldenPinkySociety,but conflictwithintheteamhaspreventedthem

fromrecentsuccess.TensionsreachedaboilingpointwhenBankswasfoundunconscious outside of the Kroc Center on Saturday, Oct. 4, and Griff’s elbow pad was found next to Banks The Golden Pinky Society’s planned tag team match against Commander King andBigACstilltookplace butGriffwrestled withouthisinjuredpartner Banksattempted to join the match, but King pinned Griff before Banks could reach the ring After the match,BanksshovedGrifftothegroundand accusedhimofbeinghisattacker Inresponse to Banks’ accusations against Griff, a singles match between the Golden Pinky Society membershasbeensanctionedforTidingsof Destruction.

VCWTagTeamChampionsNice&Smooth recently retained their titles in Alexandria on Saturday, Nov. 15 against Myron Malone andAlexDivine,withallfourmenreceiving astandingovation.Thematchwasthethirdstraight defense by “Too Nice” Trace Parker and“Smooth”TomMitchellsincecapturing the championship at Liberty Lottery. One of thosevictoriescameoverTheHelminFredericksburg, but The Helm impressed VCW officialsenoughtoearnarematchatTidings of Destruction. If The Helm can manage to defeatNice&Smooth,theywillwintheVCW TagTeamChampionshipforthefirsttimein theircareer

“The Hoss of all Hosses” Devantes has struggled to maintain momentum since losingtheVirginiaHeavyweightChampionshiptoRexLawlessinaThreeWaymatchat LibertyLottery Afterabriefhiatus Devantes returned in October and defeated Big AC but he was unsuccessful in the Dirty Money Cup Four Way in November At Tidings of Destruction, Devantes has a chance to get back on track when he faces Big AC once again, and Big AC has the opportunity to avengehisrecentloss The Boar, Myron Malone, “Sunshine” DannyGrandview,ChaseEmery,RyanZukko andTechnoaresettocompeteintheannual TidingsofDestructionDerby.TheTidingsof Destruction Derby is a one-fall match with no count-outs and no disqualifications The BoarisaformerVirginiaHeavyweightChampion,buthehasbeenunabletoregainthetitle sincelosingitovertwoyearsago.Malonehas earned numerous victories in 2025, but his attempts to dethrone Commander King for the Liberty Championship were unsuccessful. Grandview, Zukko, and Techno are still relatively new to VCW, and Dec. 6 will be Emery’sVCWdebut.AwinintheTidingsof Destruction Derby would give any of the six competitorsawaveofmomentuminto2026

it’s like working with them. Let’s start with LibertyLarsen.

RY: Liberty is magic royalty. She is truly from a magic dynasty Her family created theworldfamousMagicCastleinLosAngeles Libertyisafourthgenerationmagician a really special individual with a fantastic sense of humor and an amazing voice. She isatotallyuniqueperformerintheworld.

Y:HowaboutFernandoVelsco?

RY: Fernando lives in Los Angeles, but he’s originally from Mexico He’s a fairly dramatic performer and the thing that’s really exciting about Fernando this year is that he’s doing lots of completely new thingsintheshow Heisnotanescapeartist anymore. He is a little bit more spooky and thatkindofthing

Y: And now, your true partner in crime, Sam. What can you tell us about Sam Strange?

RY: Obviously Strange is my sidekick. We’re a magic duo, performing magic together for as long as we can remember and our passion really is comedy and grand scaleillusions Sothat’swhatwebringtothe show.We’vegotsomeofourreallypolished routines, but then also there’s lots of new materialaswell.

Y: For those not familiar with it, tell us about Champions of Magic. How was it created? When did you get involved and so on?

RY: Actually for those coming to the show,attheverybeginningoftheshowthis year thereisatwominutevideothatbrings everyoneuptodateaboutthehistoryofthe show,whereit’scomefromandsomeamazingimages Itreallyhasalotofhistorynow. The show started in 2013 in England, we all started as kids really and we’ve toured, wetouredintheUKforfouryearsandnow since 2017, we’re traveling across North America.Andyouknow,what’slovelyabout it? It’s not run by a big massive entertainmentcompany.It’sverymuchafamilybusiness It’s16people,wealltraveltogetherand it’s a bit like a circus really, or a pirate ship We’re all just mucking and making it work every day. And obviously it’s very challenging, touring, going into different venues, differentsizesanddifferentauditoriums It’s alovelyfamilybusinessandwejustwanted to make it work, you know, and just wanted todothisasajob That’salwaysthemission. And we are very lucky that we still do it to thisday.

Y: What is one of your favorite acts that you do by yourself or as a team, since you work closely together with Sam, that you can’t wait to perform for the crowd night afternightfromthisparticularshow?

RY: That’s such a good question Well, this year is really exciting because we’ve never changed more of the show than we have this year Probably about 75% of the show is new And so what that means is at the minute we’re having very long days Like right now there’s a production meetinggoingonbecausewe’rechangingthings every day. So there’s so much new stuff I gettoperformacardtrickonthebigscreen, which weirdly I’ve actually never done before on a big screen in a magic show. So it’sallpuresleightofhand.

We’ve got a brilliant new routine where wegetakidoutoftheaudienceandtheywin thelotteryeverynight,whichisreallygoing down well. We fire 100 ping pong balls into theaudiencefromamassivegun Andsothat createsareallygreatatmosphere.We’vealso gotanewscenewithliterallylikealittleplay. It’s like a holiday scene of the Champions of Magic at a Christmas party There’s so muchofitattheminute,it’shardtogiveyou just one particular answer because we’ve changed so much of the show. It’s all very excitingatthemoment.

Y: How about when you’re not on the stage and you’re on the sides watching one of the other magicians. Which act of theirs do you enjoy watching when you’re not on thestage?

RY: Oh, that’s really a great question. Liberty does this beautiful routine at the momentaboutherfamilyhistoryandabout obviously growing up as a fourth generation magician. It’s so authentic because it is all based absolutely in truth and I think our worldattheminute,itreallycravesauthenticity rather than fictional things So yeah, that’sdefinitelymyfavoritepartoftheshow towatchatthemomentthatI’mnotinvolved in.

Y:Nowlet’slearnaboutyou.Wherewere you born and what or who made you fall in lovewithmagic?

RY: I was born in Oxford, England and when I was 8 years old I got a magic kit for Christmasfrommygodmotherasagiftand I learned a couple of tricks out of it My mumanddadplayedalong,pretendedIwas good,whichofcoursewasrubbish,andthey pretended they didn’t know how the tricks were done, which they did. And that was really important and it was just very, very encouraging As a kid I wasn’t very good at sports I’m not very tall, so I was quite a shy kid, kind of looking for something to help mestandout.That’sthemostwonderfulgift that magic has given me really, you know, thatkindofcleardirectioninlife

The real life changing moment for me was when I was 10 years old, I saw David CopperfieldwhenhetouredtheUK There’s nodoubtinmymindthatDavidCopperfield isthegreatestmagicianofalltime Andthat set me on my path I knew exactly what I wanted to do I mean, that’s so rare, for a 10 year old kid to know exactly what they wanttodo ButIdid.Thatwasit,that’swhat Iwanttotryanddo DavidisthereasonIdo what I do today. If I hadn’t seen him when I was 10, I don’t think I would be doing this today.

Y:Whoaresomeofyourothermagicians thatyoueitherlookeduptooryoustudied?

RY: Growing up in England, of course it was Paul Daniels I’m not sure if that name is famous in America really, but you know, growingupasakidinEngland,PaulDaniels wasontelevisionalot Andthenintheearly 2000s, of course was the birth of Derrick Brown, who is just the most extraordinary force in magic. And yeah obviously Strange and I being a double act Penn and Teller I was never really massively into the street magic stuff Never really got into that.Ialwayslovedstageperformersandso Copperfield, Penn and Teller, Paul Daniels, RickDerren,theyhavebeenhugeinfluences onmeandencouragedmetopushonandgo forexcellence

Y:Let’slearnalittlebitaboutyourfriendship with Sam Strange. How did you guys meet and go from competitors to to partners?

RY: Strange and I met in our early 20s We both grew up in Oxford, so it’s just a complete coincidence that we were two magicians in Oxford growing up We didn’t know of each other until our early twenties when we were both trying to get work at corporate banquets and doing close up magic. And so we met and from there we put on our first show. Being close up magicians can be a little bit draining at times Reallyhardwork.You’reperformingmagic in really inconvenient places most of the time And so we desperately wanted to get on a stage We were very fortunate in 2011 whenwedidtheEdinburghFestival,which is the biggest arts festival in Europe That’s wherewemettheproducerofChampionsof Magic,Alexwhoatthetimehewasa20year oldkidandthat’swhereourjourneybegan.

Y: You and Strange have been blessed to be on Penn and Teller’s TV show ‘Fool Us’ onthreeseparate,magicaloccasionsthatIof course saw on TV Can you talk about those

incredibleexperiences?

RY: Yes indeed You know we were very lucky Theyearwas2011andwewereinthe very first season of it, which was filmed in England.Andatthetime,obviouslyyoujust hadtoapplyforit.Infact,weweresoearlyin theprocessthatwefilmedonthesecondday thattheyeverfilmedthatTVshow.Iremembersittingwiththeproducersandtheywere talkingtousaboutthingsthathadn’tworked verywellandthingstheyneededtochange Andpleasedon’targuewithPennandTeller Pleasebegracious,graceful,iftheyfigureout your trick, all that kind of stuff So we were very early in the process I mean, it really launched us in England. It gave us such a greatheadstart. The producers of the show have been very kind. Every few years Andrew Golder the producer he’s the nicest guy he’ll get in touch, and ask if we’ve been working on anything new We’ve been on it twice since then, three times in total. The last time we did it was last summer And that was such a great experience They trusted us, you know,whichwasjustamazingtoletushave the creative freedom to do our shtick and ourcomedy,itwasextraordinary Normally whenyoudoTVprojects they’revery very controlling It’sabitfrustrating Peoplewho don’t know anything about magic will start telling you how to do magic. They’re TV people,butAndrewandhisteamtrustedus and pretty much let us do what we wanted. And the last clip, which came out last summer, is a thing where I basically identified that no one had ever failed three times And so I chatted with Andrew about that. I said that the show is all about who’s fooled them three times, who’s fooled them four times I’mlike,noone’severgonetheoppositedirection.Andhejustlovedit.Andsowe came up with the idea of the trophy at the end that we awarded to ourselves, saying, wefailedtofoolPennandTellerthreetimes Actually, Teller in particular absolutely loved it. He spoke to us in the hallway after wefinishedfilmingandsaid,“Thankyouso muchforrememberingthatit’sanentertainmentshow.”Weendedupwithawonderful clipthat’sentertainingandshowcaseswhat youdobest,entertain.

Y: Speaking of entertainment, I understand, you like me, also love professional wrestling as well. Who were some of your favoritesgrowingup?

RY:Ohyesindeed,I’veattendedacouple of WrestleManias I was at the Royal Rumble in January as well. I went to the Royal Rumble in Indianapolis. I remember the very first event I ever watched was theRoyalRumblein1990 Thatwaswonby Hogan. And then I attended SummerSlam 92inLondonatWembleyStadium,andthat wasit.Thatwasmesetforlifethenbecause thatwassuchanunbelievableevent.80,000 people there and I was only eight years old. So I’ve been a fan forever I was also the perfectage 15 16whentheWWF/Attitude Era came along I was just so into it from 1999 to 2004 I attended WrestleMania 19 inSeattle Thatwasmyveryfirstevertripto America AndIwenttoWrestleMania20at MadisonSquareGarden.Imean,atthetime I just had a normal job I worked in a shop andmeandmyfriend Iwouldliterallysave up all of my money we would work all over Christmas take every shift that was available so that we could go to WrestleMania in March or April at that time So I’ve been obsessedwithit. My girlfriend, who’s American actually, she’sfromDetroit,shelikesitaswell,sowe went to Smackdown in Toledo a few weeks agobecauseit’snottoofarfromDetroit,only like45minutes.Prowrestling,WWE holds aspecialplaceinmyheart andithasbeena biginfluenceonourmagicaswell.Fromthe production side of things, the silliness, the entertainment,it’sdefinitelybeenabigpart ofthewaywe’veapproachedmagic. There was a British wrestler about 20

years ago called Alex Shane I don’t know if you ever heard that name He ran a British wrestling federation called the SWA for a fewyears ItwasverysuccessfulinEngland. Iheardhiminaninterviewonce,andhewas like, when I was growing up, I loved magic. AndIreachedouttohimandIwaslike,this is ridiculous Like, you know, what are the chances of that? It’s the same for me I love wrestlingandmagic.Andwemet.Hecame to Champions of Magic in England and we basically realized we both had the same childhood. Like, we both loved magic and wrestling.Hebecameawrestler Ibecamea magician.Hewasalsoabout6foot5,sothere wasnowayIwasevergonnabeawrestler Y: That was such a great story Speaking aboutyourpodcast,canyoutellusaboutit? Whathavebeensomeofyourfavoriteguests there and, and how can people follow you there?

RY: It’s on Spotify and Apple, and it’s a hobby. I get to chat to great people and it’s opened so many doors for me that you just wouldn’texpectwhereI’vejustmetpeople. I built it up over many years and it got to a pointwhereImanagedtositdownwithmy childhood hero David Copperfield in his museuminLasVegasandinterviewhimfor two hours and the first time we ever really properlymet.Andyouknow,I’mverylucky now to be able to call him a friend. We keep in touch and it’s just wild to think that as a 10 year old kid I saw him in Birmingham as akidandwasinspiredtodoit.Thenallthese yearslater,throughmypodcastIgottomeet himandnowwe’vesortofgottoknoweach other a little bit. So yeah, he’s amazing I’ve been doing the podcast for about 11 years nowandIjusthavealotoffunwithit.Idon’t take it too seriously And it’s like my magic hobby,whichisgreat.

Y: How about a wow, pinch me moment ortwothatyoupersonallygottoexperience thankstomagic?

RY:Oh, I think it’s one big thing Coming toAmericaasaBrit,comingacrossthepond, doing magic in this country, never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that would be possible So I think that’s it. And luckily, you know, we’ve been touring out here since 2017 I’m literally right now in Cleveland. Tonight we’re gonna go to a theater in Playhouse Square and we’re gonna do a show And next week we’re in Washington D.C. I mean, this is just pinching me stuff, youknow,it’slike,howamI,thiskidfroma smalltowninEnglandendedupinAmerica playing all these major theaters in all these major cities It’s just astonishing and it’s all thankstomagic.

Yiorgo is an arts, entertainment and sports writer A stage, TV and movie actor, he is also a sports entertainer, educator, motivational speaker, writer, storyteller and columnist.

Fall’s final hoorah! Recipes to use up those holiday leftovers and savor the final flavors of autumn

Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Recipe By U.S. Department of Agriculture

Source: Food Hero, Oregon State University Cooperative Extension Service

Welcome the flavors of fall with these pumpkin ricotta stuffed shells! Rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, pumpkin adds a nutritious twist to traditional stuffed shells.

Servings: 12 | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Prep Time: 20 minutes

„ 6 ounces jumbo pasta shells (about 12 jumbo pasta shells)

„ 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese, part skim

„ 3/4 cup pumpkin

„ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic, minced)

„ 2 tablespoons basil

„ 1/4 teaspoon sage, dried

„ 1/2 teaspoon salt

„ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

„ 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

„ 1 cup spaghetti sauce (low sodium)

Preheat oven to 350 °F.

Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain and place each on a baking sheet to cool.

In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, pumpkin, spices, and all but

1 tablespoon of the cheese. Reserve the 1 tablespoon cheese for topping.

Spread pasta sauce in the bottom of a baking dish that holds all the shells in a single layer. Fill each shell with about 3 tablespoons of pumpkin mixture and place shells close together on top of the sauce.

Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake for 15 minutes more.

Notes: Freeze unused pumpkin and add to soup, chili or pancake recipes.

‘Leftovers’ Broccoli & Potato Soup

Recipe By U.S. Department of Agriculture

Source: USDA, MyPlate

A tasty and made-from-scratch soup that comes together quickly with the help of leftover mashed potatoes.

Yield: 4

„ 4 cups broccoli (chopped)

„ 1 small onion (chopped)

„ 4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable broth, low-sodium)

„ 1 cup evaporated milk (non-fat)

„ 1 cup potatoes (mashed, leftover or instant)

„ 1/4 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)

„ salt (to taste)

„ black pepper (to taste)

Combine broccoli, onion, and broth in large sauce pan.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add milk to soup. Slowly stir in mashed potatoes. Cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly and thickened. Season with salt and pepper; stir in a little more milk or water if soup starts to become too thick.

Ladle into serving bowls. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon cheese over each serving.

Sweet Potato Harvest Salad

Recipe By U.S. Department of Agriculture

Source: Created by Brighter Bites, a member of the MyPlate National Strategic Partnership Program

This salad has all of the warmth, sweetness, and crunch in a salad to keep you wanting more! This dish goes well in a lunchbox with a sandwich or pairs perfectly with a grilled chicken breast. This salad is kid-tested and mom-approved!

Makes: 4 cups | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Prep Time: 10 minutes

„ 4 cups sweet potatoes, diced (about 2-3 sweet potatoes)

„ 1 cup red apple, diced

„ 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

„ 4 tablespoons unsalted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

„ 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

„ 2 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

„ 1/4 teaspoon salt

„ 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 °F.

Drizzle diced sweet potatoes with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and roast in the oven on a baking sheet for 10 minutes.

Once sweet potatoes are cooked, remove from the oven and allow them to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sweet potato, apples, pomegranate seeds, and pepitas.

Whisk the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl.

Once mixed, add to sweet potato mixture and toss until the salad is lightly coated.

Apple-Sage Wild Rice Stuffing

Recipe By U.S. Department of Agriculture

Source: “Meeting Your MyPlate Goals on a Budget” MyPlate National Strategic Partners Toolkit

This tasty wild rice dish starts with sautéed celery and onions mixed with sweet apples and cranberries. This combination, topped with toasted pecans, sage and a hint of heat makes a flavorful addition to any meal.

Servings: 12 | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Preparation Time: 25 minutes

„ 4 ounces chopped pecans (unsalted)

„ 4 teaspoons canola oil (divided)

„ 1 1/2 cups diced celery

„ 1 1/2 cups diced onions

„ 1 medium red apple, such as Jonathan or Gala (halved, cored, and diced, about 1 1/2 cup total)

„ 2 cups hot cooked brown rice

„ 1 cup hot cooked wild rice

„ 1/2 cup dried cranberries

„ 1 medium jalapeno pepper (seeded (if desired) and finely chopped OR 1/4 tsp dried pepper flakes)

„ 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage (or 1 1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage)

„ 3/4 teaspoon salt

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pecans and cook 2-3 minutes or until beginning to brown, stirring frequently. Set aside on separate plate.

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium heat. Cook the celery and onion 8 minutes or until beginning to lightly brown on edge, stirring occasionally. Add the apples and cook 4 minutes or until tender crisp. Stir in the pecans and the remaining ingredients and cook 3-4 minutes or until the rice mixture is heated, stirring occasionally.

Notes: Use any of your favorite nuts in place of pecans. Or, leave them out if someone is allergic.

andthemusicisjustincredible,thewaythat it just cleverly messes in with the story and the characters It’s just unbelievable what’s goingononstageeverynight.

Y: Tell us about your character of Juliet, herfunctionorpurposeinthemusical.

FCQ:Julietisayounggirltryingtofigure things out, who decides to move on after losing her Romeo. She actually sees that as an opportunity to do something new with her life, trying these things and becoming a betterpersonthanshewasbefore.Soit’sall about new beginnings for her. She’s young and she has so much positivity and optimism. She’s always looking ahead at what couldcometowardsher,allthegoodthings. She’s always in search of a new adventure, and she always sees the good in people, whichisreallygreat.IreallyrelatetoJuliet. We’re both young, we’re both embarking on scary journeys, but we’ve got amazing people by our side who are willing to make mistakesalongsideusandjusthavesomuch fun, help us and teach us lessons It’s really greathowwhenIamonstage,Iamdirectly relating and translating my story through Juliet’s. And I think it’s something that the entireaudiencecanfeel.

Y:Speakingoffeelings,howdoesitfeelto besingingsuchiconicsongsintheshowand doyouhaveaparticularfavorite,maybethat meanssomethingspecialtoyou?

FCQ: Oh, my gosh, it’s so incredible I grew up with every single one of these songs Iplayedthevideogame,JustDancea lot growing up on video game consoles and Nintendo and I still remember the dance moves to some of these songs that I’m singing It’s just really crazy I love being able to singthemonstage.SometimesIevenforget thattheyarenotwrittenforJuliet.Theyfeel soonpointwithwhat’sgoingoninthestory and what the character is feeling I feel like they’re written just for me And I think one of my favorite songs to sing is definitely the finale It’sfilledwithsomuchempowerment andthenumberitselfonstageisaspectacle and I love seeing the audience’s reactions, asthenumbergoeson.Thewholeenergyin theauditorium,theychangethroughoutthis song,andit’sinsanehowonepieceofmusic candosomuch.

Y: How do you prepare yourself each day, both vocally and physically for such a demandingshow?

FCQ: I am still perfecting my routine It’s only been about a little less than three months that I have been on tour Before every single performance, I’ll make sure to warm up my body I do a lot of stretches, dynamicwarmupswithmybody AndIalso dolotsofvocalwarmups,andIhavetomake sure to take care of my voice, before shows, duringshowsandalsoaftershows.Mypost showroutineincludes:lotsofsteamingand just basically not really talking for the rest of the day, making sure to take nice, warm showers and I drink a lot of water during theday,lotsandlotsofwaterandtea,things

to keep me hydrated, and I’m eating a lot of refreshing and anti-inflammatory foods during the day. It’s really great when I go on stage It’s good to feel good when you’re performing.

Y: Can you tell us about your addition process? How did you find out about it, the sides you read, songs you sang, dances, all ofthat?

FCQ: So, after I won the Jimmy Awards inJuneofthisyear Iwasofferedacallback for & Juliet. I had previously sent in a self tape for the Broadway casting that was happening back in February, back when I didn’tknowthatmylifewasgonnachange the way it did So they remembered my self tape and after the Jimmy Awards, they called me back. I auditioned in New York. Ididsomesceneswiththenurseandsome other scenes with Francois, a new character that comes along And, you know, they weresofun AndIthinkaboutthewaythat I did those scenes then, and the way that I dothemnow,specificallyoneofthescenes that they asked me to do was, the scene rightbeforewar,whereI’msayingmyvows, ofwhatIpromisedtomyselftobeconfident and be empowered, not let anybody bring medown,andIthinkabouthowIdidthose scenes back then. How different it is now that I’ve had time with the show and the story really means something to me and I knowthecontextandI’vegotmyresearch, but the way that my heart plays into that scene, it’s insane to think of how time has changed that for me

Y:Howdoesitfeeltobe18andinyourfirst nationaltour?Whatisthatlike?

FCQ: Well, it’s really crazy If you asked me back in May of this year I would have thoughtIwouldhavebeenincollege.Never in a million years would I think that this opportunity would have come knocking at my door, but it did, and it was impossible to pass up It gets wild, really, but I feel like I’mlearningatmyownpacehere.I’mbeing challenged,butI’vealwayslikedtobechallenged.I’malwayslookingforexcellencein myperformance,andI’malwayslookingfor opportunities to improve And that’s what everyshowis Everyshowisanopportunity todothingsdifferentlyanddothingsbetter SoI’mlearningjustsomuchaboutthecountry that we’re living in and the people that are here, the cultures, all of that. I’m doing a lot of self discovery, too I think this is the waythatIwasmeanttolearnaboutmycraft andaboutmyworld

Y: What is your favorite part of the show thatyouareinandyougettodoeverynight, and the second part is what’s your favorite partoftheshowthatyouarenotin,butyou lovetoeitherwatchfromthesidesormaybe singintheback?

FCQ:Oh,thatwasagreatquestion.Thank you. I love performing KeSha’s “Blow”, the iconic2000snightclubanthem.Weareina Parisiannightclub,andJulietandherfriends are just having so much fun. It’s visually stunning and the musical arrangement is alsogenius It’sjustsofuntosing Butoneof myfavoritenumbersthatI’mnotin,Ireally wish I was in more of Bon Jovi’s, “It’s My

Life”.It’ssuchgreatchoreography.Youwill catch me following along on stage during that dance And it’s just so fun. I wish I was onstagewiththem,butIjoinedthemalittle bitlateron,but,youknow,it’saveryunique spark that every different number is in this musical.

Y: So now let’s learn about you, where were you born, life growing up, coming to America,yourloveformusicandthisbeautiful,wonderfullineofworkthatyouareprivilegedandblessedtodo

FCQ:Yes,youaresoright,privilegedand blessed to do Well, I was born in Venezuela. I left when I was only five years old. My mom and I immigrated here. My mom is an engineer, she received work in Tyler, Texas, and that’s where I grew up. I lived in Tyler for 12 years I went to high school, graduated high school there, and that’s where my beginnings really came up I did theatre at our community theatre, middle and high school. Tyler is just about an hour andahalfawayeastofDallas,somostofthe artisticopportunitiesthatweregiventome were through ‘Broadway Dallas’, a regional awardsprogram.TheybringtouringBroadway shows to Dallas They sent me to the Jimmy Awards three years in a row, and they became my family really I’ve grown so much. I think I owe all of my growth to ‘Broadway Dallas’ and the High School MusicalTheaterAwardsprogramthatIwas alsoinvolvedwith.Aftermyfirstyearatthe Jimmy’s in 2023, I really discovered that I wanted to do theatre professionally I felt like that’s what was calling out to my heart. Ikeptonworkingreallyhardatit.Afterthat, Isaid,“Thisisgonnabemyfocusfromnow on.” I really worked hard and I looked for every single opportunity to improve and gainexperience Iwasfinallyabletowinthe JimmyAwardthisyear,andallroadsleadto wherewearenow.

Y: Again, super congratulations on being the2025winnerfortheJimmyAwards Can you tell us about the process, participating andthenfinallywinning?

FCQ: Yes, it’s a very strenuous process It takes lots of steps building up on one another First, you have to get a role in your high school musical and then you have to be nominated for that regional awards program. There’s about 55 in the entire country and mine was ‘Broadway Dallas.’ I hadtobenominated,thenIhadtocompete against other nominees, I had to win the awards, go to the Jimmy’s and go through so many auditions It’s a screening process that keeps cutting down and narrowing It’s definitely a lot of believing in yourself I think that’s what really got me through. It’s having my eye on that vision, on that goal that I really wanted, and knowing that Iwasgoingtodoeverythinginmypowerto make that happen. Some things are out of mycontrol,butIwasgoingtodoeverything that I could and I was going to try to step overeverythingthatwasn’tinmycontrolto reallygettowhereIwanted. What’sbeautifulabouttheJimmyAwards is that you advance through not only the character that you played in high school,

so you have that to take with you, a character that is familiar that you’ve done at your school with your friends in your hometown that is propelling you forward in your audition process, but you also have your artistry They ask you to also sing a song thatyouchoose,andthat’salsowhatbrings you forward in the audition process That speakstoyourindividualartistry,howindependent you are as a creative and it really buildsonthecreativityandtheimagination thatwehaveasyoungartists alwayschanging, always learning and that’s what it’s all about.Don’tstopbelieving Y: Can you tell us about a pinch me, wow moment or two that you can’t believe this little princess from Venezuela who came to Americaandyougottoexperienceit?

FCQ: Wow, well, there have been a lot of pinch me moments That’s a great way to pinch me Obviously one of my first, was becoming a finalist at the Jimmy Awards in 2024 I honestly would have never thoughtthatsomethinglikethatcouldhave happenedtome Ifwe’retalkingspecifically about being on tour, one of my actual firsts was,whenwewererehearsinginNewYork for ‘& Juliet’ for a week or two at this point. We were rehearsing ‘Roar’ and the choreography to ‘Roar.’ This is I believe the most iconicnumberintheshow,ithasanincredible visual aspect to it. The music is iconic. The character arc and the story is just very beautiful, so it’s very well renowned. And I justcouldn’tbelievethatIwasinNewYork City rehearsing for this number, that I was going to be able to call my own in a couple of weeks We had to stop rehearsal because Ijustgotaflushofemotion,ofdisbeliefthat I can’t believe that this is happening to me Like, this is insane I was in a fetal position, on the floor looking back thinking this is insane That’soneofthosepivotalmoments thatshiftedmymindsetfromthisfeelslikea dream,tothisismylife.

Y:Anypartingwordstoourreaders?

FCQ: I always like to end my interviews with a little personal reflection. I am very blessedtobebringingJulietthroughoutthe country becauseherstoryisjustsoimportant,it’ssoupliftingforsomanypeople.And the stories of many of the characters in this musical are so touching to so many people in so many different ways, and everyone deservestoseeandhearthesestories I hope that my story about me and about Juliet, the importance of pushing forward, that you can be an immigrant, you can be different and as long as you do believe in yourself there is a way to climb up and that hard work pays off. There’s just so many lessons that I hope that my story can help to inspire young performers and even performers everywhere. People in general, immigrants like me, you know, everything is possible, and I want to be a testament to them.

Yiorgo is an arts entertainment and sports writer A stage TV and movie actor he is also a sports entertainer educator motivational speaker, writer, storyteller and columnist.