From the Texas Citrus Fiesta to Boca Chica Beach, the Navy will bring over 70 Sailors for the inaugural Rio Grande Valley Navy Week from Jan. 24-31. The Navy is partnering with the cities of Mission, McAllen, Edinburg and Brownsville to engage with Texas communities through a week-long series of performances, educational events and service projects.

Sailors from USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), the namesake ship of Medal of Honor recipient and Edinburg native Sgt. Alfredo Gonzalez, will honor the memories of “Freddy” and his beloved mother Dolia throughout the Navy Week. There will also be public performances by the Deck Plate Brass Band, the Navy’s New Orleans style music group from Jacksonville, Fla. and the Navy Ceremonial Guard bayonet drill team from Washington, D.C.




The Navy will bring two senior executives to the Rio Grande Valley area.

Austin, Texas native Rear Admiral David Faehnle, Commandant, Naval District Washington, is a career Naval Aviator who has flown 35 combat missions in the F-14 Tomcat and has previously served as the Training Air Wing Four Reserve Commander at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi.

Retired Navy Capt. Mery-Angela Katson, Director of Training and Education Requirements, Chief of Naval Personnel, rose the enlisted ranks and commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer. She redesignated as a Human Resources Officer and later served as the commanding officer of Navy Recruiting District San Antonio. As a Navy Executive Service civilian, she has managed a $23 billion annual budget supporting over 340,000 officers and sailors.

Navy Week public events will be updated on the calendar below.

For more details on Rio Grande Valley Navy Week contact Lt. Winslow Blow at winslow.m.blow.mil@us.navy.mil. Follow Navy Outreach on social media @NavyOutreach on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn and connect using #NavyWeek.