DVIDS – News – First Fleet Week Miami in Review

MIAMI — The glistening beaches, vibrant music, and the aroma of delicious food filled the air as the city of Miami welcomed more than 5,000 Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen to venture into the city for the first ever Fleet Week Miami, May 5-12, 2024.

Fleet Week is a U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard tradition where major U.S. cities host Marines, Sailors, and Coast Guardsmen for one week of community-wide events. Fleet Week Miami, in its first year, served as an opportunity for residents and visitors to meet with service members, foster community relationships, and view the latest capabilities of today’s maritime services.

“Our Sailors were excited for the opportunity to showcase the Navy and all its capacities in the city we all live and work in,” said Cmdr. Johnny Lykins, commanding officer of Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Miami. “The U.S. Navy was excited to be in Miami for this first fleet week to help celebrate our shared naval heritage. Showcasing our military technology and the dedication of our service members is always a thrill.

This fleet week paved the way for us to establish relationships that hadn’t existed and to strengthen the ones that were already established.”

More than 13,000 visitors engaged with service members during various

demonstrations and ship tours during the week-long event.

Participating ships and units included the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5); the guided-missile cruisers, USS Normandy (CG 60) and USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), as well as the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Seneca (WMEC 906). Additional commands included Navy Region Southeast, Expeditionary Strike Group TWO, NTAG Miami, Navy Operational Support Center West Palm Beach, Navy Operational Support Center Miami, Naval History and Heritage Command, and Navy Region Southeast Band.

The inaugural fleet week hosted at the Port of Miami, brought 13 general and flag officers, the Secretary of the Navy, and Assistant Secretary of the Navy, in addition to the thousands of service members who participated in more than 100 engagements across Miami-Dade County.

“Since the announcement in July 2023, we had ten months to plan and execute the first-ever Fleet Week Miami,” said Arwen Fitzgerald, director, Miami Fleet Week and public affairs director for Navy Region Southeast. “To pull off an undertaking of this scale, Navy Region Southeast received crucial support from Expeditionary Strike Group Two, Navy Public Affairs Support Element East, Navy Talent Acquisition Group Miami, Naval Air Forces Atlantic, the U.S. Marine Corps, PortMiami, Miami-Dade County, and South Florida Navy Days. In addition to four in-person planning conferences, we held numerous weekly virtual meetings, amounting to over 100,000 man-hours of planning, ensuring every detail was meticulously executed for the event.”

Fleet weeks also support recruiting efforts. Introducing citizens to the Navy’s capabilities, opportunities, and culture, not only tells the service’s story but may also spark interest in a commitment to service. 

The recruiters’ involvement in this year’s fleet week resulted in high visibility for NTAG Miami Sailors and future Sailors. The command received a welcome from Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, engaged in 21 school visits, and conducted a reenlistment ceremony presided by Adm. David Caudle, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command during a Miami Marlins baseball game.

An additional highlight for NTAG Miami, was the oath of enlistment of their 31 future Sailors. The oath of enlistment was administered by the Secretary of the Navy, the honorable Carlos del Toro, aboard the USS Leyte Gulf.

“We were excited to be able to put our military assets on display for the citizens of Miami-Dade County,” said Lykins. “It is always a pleasure to work side-by-side with our fellow sea services but engaging with our local community truly brought it home. We hope that by including our newest enlistees, it inspires them as they embark on their careers.”

Notable Miami-Dade County community pillars who supported Fleet Week Miami include Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Port of Miami Director Hydi Webb, and music industry icons Emilio and Gloria Estefan. Miami-Dade County Public School Superintendent Jose L. Dotres, Ph.D, shared his gratitude.

“Thank you to the U.S. Navy, and especially Secretary of the Navy, for bringing Fleet Week Miami to our beautiful city and schools,” said Dotres. “It was a remarkable experience to be aboard the USS Harry S. Truman and see first-hand the commitment of these world-class Sailors and Marines to our nation. We hope Fleet Week becomes a tradition in Miami.”

NTAG Miami, has 38 recruiting locations throughout South Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, with the combined mission to recruit the highest caliber Sailors to meet the needs of the Fleet.

For a list of upcoming Navy Fleet Weeks and more events across the nation, go to