Surface Line Week 2025 Kicks Off with Surface Warrior Ball, Highlights Combat Readiness and Teamwork
02 June 2025
Naval Station Norfolk --
Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic (SURFLANT) officially kicked off Surface Line Week (SLW) 2025 during the Surface Warrior Ball held May 31 at the Hilton Norfolk The Main in Norfolk, Virginia. The event marked the beginning of the weeklong competition with the judging of the first event in the SLW centerpiece competition.
SLW 2025, held June 2-6, brings together Sailors from across the waterfront to compete in events that promote professional development, physical fitness, and technical excellence—critical elements in maintaining a combat-ready surface force.
“Surface Line Week is more than just friendly competition,” said Lt. Cmdr. Brianna Mitchell, SLW 2025’s project manager. “It highlights the dedication and skill of our Sailors, whether they are competing in an athletic event or an event that showcases what it means to be a surface warrior. Events like damage control olympics, seamanship olympics, and marksmanship demonstrate the operational readiness of our teams, whether responding to high-end conflict or humanitarian assistance. Athletic events are ways to display camaraderie and espirt de corps throughout the week.”
Events include:
- Readiness in Action: Sailors will demonstrate seamanship skills during the Seamanship Olympics at Maritime Skills Training Center Atlantic and weapons proficiency during the Firearms Training Simulator (FATS) Range Challenge.
- Surface Warrior Culture on Display: Events such as the Anchor Scholarship Golf Tournament and the Damage Control Olympics at the Farrier Firefighting School reflect the Navy’s core values of honor, courage and commitment, while emphasizing damage control skills and community engagement.
- Forging Warrior Toughness: Athletic events and technical challenges foster resilience and reinforce mental and physical toughness.
- Strength in Connectedness: The week underscores collaboration with joint, interagency and international partners to strengthen maritime partnerships and interoperability.
“It was a blast coming out here this morning,” said Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Brian Luevanos, a Sailor assigned to USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29). “Getting to spend time off the ship with my shipmates playing a team sport really helps build our camaraderie as a command.”
Surface Line Week 2025 will conclude with an awards ceremony at Capt. Slade Cutter Park, June 6, recognizing top-performing Sailors and teams. The ceremony will highlight the professionalism, resilience and warfighting spirit of the surface force.
COMNAVSURFLANT mans, trains and equips assigned surface forces and shore activities, ensuring a capable force for conducting prompt and sustained operations in support of United States national interests. The SURFLANT force is composed of 77 ships and 31 shore commands.
For more COMNAV SURFLANT news and photos, visit Facebook.com/SURFLANT, www.surflant.usff.navy.mil.