Bobby Jones

ATLien, Navy Football Alum, USNA ‘01, SWO, Go NAVY, Braves, Falcons, United, Hawks, Dream, Dawgs and Leeds United.

[Bobby Jones @brj42]

You know you are getting old when all the stadiums of your youth are gone...Atlanta Fulton County, the Omni, Turner Field and finally @GeorgiaDome #DomeMemories https://t.co/dBkzYi4Yfx

[WSB-TV Sports Zone @WSBTVsports]

Check this out! The @GeorgiaDome by the numbers #DomeMemories
- 289 HS football games
- 256 Falcons games
- 152 college football games
- 74 Hawks games
- 57 band competitions
- 35 concerts
- 11 soccer matches
- 3 Olympic events
- 2 Super Bowls

[Bobby Jones @brj42]

If you chose to use the term “like never seen before” as your drinking game que during President Trump’s speech, congratulations you are dead from alcohol poisoning.

[Veterans For Responsible Leadership @VetsForRL]

The most anti-veteran administration in US History. They think we’re fraudsters. They are doing everything they can to reduce benefits and disability compensation. But somehow there is endless money for reckless foreign wars. Absolutely shameful.

[Veterans For Responsible Leadership @VetsForRL]

This is an appreciation post for the US Women’s Hockey Team. You do not deserve to be ridiculed by our misogynistic asshole President and his pathetic drunk FBI Director. You are true champions and America is so proud of you! 🇺🇸

[Veterans For Responsible Leadership @VetsForRL]

🚨 “The judge called the defense secretary’s actions a threat to “the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees.” 🚨

[Veterans For Responsible Leadership @VetsForRL]

It won’t be long until piece of shit @PeteHegseth tries to erase this fact from all DOD websites.

[Bobby Jones @brj42]

Thank You.

[AFRICAN & BLACK HISTORY @AfricanArchives]

THE GOLDEN THIRTEEN

In 1944, the Navy gave 16 Black men 8 weeks to complete 16 weeks of training. All 16 passed with some of the highest scores recorded in Navy training. The Navy commissioned only 13. Three men who passed were denied commissions—no reason given. This is their story.

In 1944, as World War II raged across the globe, the United States Navy remained strictly segregated. Black sailors were largely confined to menial roles—cooks, stewards, and laborers—regardless of their intelligence or leadership ability. Against this backdrop of institutional racism, a quiet but historic challenge unfolded at Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Illinois. It would produce a group later known as the Golden Thirteen.

That year, the Navy selected 16 highly qualified Black enlisted men for an experimental officer training program. From the start, the odds were stacked against them. While white officer candidates received 16 weeks of instruction, these men were ordered to complete the same curriculum in just 8 weeks. They were given no textbooks, little formal instruction, and no assurance that passing would lead to commissions. Instead, they were expected to teach themselves navigation, seamanship, naval law, engineering, and leadership—under intense scrutiny.

Despite these conditions, all 16 men passed. Their scores were not merely adequate; they were exceptionally high, surpassing many other officer classes. Their performance left no doubt about their capability or readiness to lead. Yet when results were announced, the Navy commissioned only 13 of them, making them the first Black commissioned officers in U.S. Navy history.

The remaining three men, who had also passed, were denied commissions without explanation. No deficiencies were cited. Their exclusion underscored a harsh reality: even excellence could not fully overcome racism.

The Golden Thirteen went on to serve with distinction, though often in segregated units and without authority over white sailors. Still, their very presence as officers shattered a barrier that had existed since the Navy’s founding. Their achievement helped expose the lie of racial inferiority and helped pave the way for the Navy’s desegregation in 1948.

For decades, their story was largely ignored. There were no parades, no immediate honors. Yet their legacy endures. The Golden Thirteen proved that leadership, intelligence, and courage are not bound by race—and that progress is often forced into existence by undeniable excellence.

They were given half the time, fewer resources, and no guarantees.
They passed anyway.
And in doing so, they changed the U.S. Navy forever.

If you love our content and would like to support the page, you can buy us a coffee here: https://t.co/K1AhtZuOFs

[Veterans For Responsible Leadership @VetsForRL]

An Ode to NATO:

For most US veterans, the NATO alliance is something we hold dearly and cherish with everything we have. The last 80 years for the western world has been the safest and most prosperous in human history and a big part of that is thanks to the NATO alliance.

For anyone that has ever served with our brothers and sisters from our NATO allied countries, we know that they are some of the most professional and dedicated warriors in the entire world. The only time Article 5 (an attack on one is an attack on all) in the NATO treaty has ever been invoked was after the 9/11 attacks on America. After the attacks, there were soldiers deployed from every one of our allied countries to fight and die with the US in Afghanistan and then Iraq. They fought in defense of American values and the American way of life and for that we will never be able to say thank you enough.

For most veterans, we each have a unique story about how the NATO alliance has impacted our service and our lives. For me, as an 82nd Airborne veteran that served in the Global Response Force Brigade, I remember doing countless training missions with paratrooper units from our NATO allied countries. We would have a moving ceremony when the training was complete where we would exchange jump wings with the country that we did a jump with. I still hold the German jump wings that I have near and dear to my heart.

VFRL has already heard from numerous other members about how much the NATO alliance meant to them and why what President Trump has been doing to destroy the greatest alliance the world has ever known is angering them so much. Please keep sending us your stories because we love reading them and we want you to know that we feel your outrage too.

Being in the military we know how important taking care of your friends and allies is to strategic success. But other than that, it is just the right and moral thing to do. Honor, integrity, and selfless service is what is supposed to make this country great and President Trump is spitting in the face of all of that. He is a draft dodger and the entire Trump family has never served a day in uniform in their entire lives and it shows.

In these troubled times, it is important to reach out to any NATO ally you may still keep in contact with or put on your social media about how grateful we are to them because we want them to know that there are still millions of Americans that are disgusted by the way that President Trump is treating them. It is only going to make America weaker and more isolated from the rest of the world. 

We can no longer claim in this moment to be the leader of the free world, but that is why it is so crucial to keep fighting and keep trying to elect principled leaders in the midterms that will respect and strengthen our alliances and prove to the rest of the world that America is better than this. 

As the NATO motto goes, "We are NATO and we are stronger together."

[Veterans For Responsible Leadership @VetsForRL]

Statement from Veterans For Responsible Leadership
January 24, 2026:

Today, Veterans For Responsible Leadership mourns the killing of Alex Pretti, a Minnesota resident, U.S. citizen, and healthcare professional who served veterans through his work as a nurse with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Mr. Pretti dedicated his life to caring for others — including those who once wore this nation’s uniform — and his death at the hands of federal immigration agents is a tragedy that should never have occurred.

This incident highlights a deeply disturbing trend: the misuse of ICE agents as a de-facto paramilitary or secret police force operating inside American communities. These agents are being deployed without sufficient training, transparency, or coordination with local authorities, creating fear rather than safety. It is a betrayal of American values and constitutional norms.

We understand the anger and grief this has sparked in Minnesota and beyond. Those emotions are real and justified. But we urge calm. Violence and chaos only deepen the harm. The path forward is peaceful protest, civic action, and sustained public pressure — the very tools that have strengthened this democracy for generations.

We call on Americans to contact their Members of Congress and demand accountability, oversight, and immediate reform of federal enforcement practices that endanger civilian lives. Federal power must never be used to terrorize the people it exists to serve.

As veterans, we swore an oath to defend the Constitution — not a political agenda, not fear, and not unchecked authority. We honor Alex Pretti’s service by demanding a country worthy of it.

[Amy McGrath @AmyMcGrathKY]

I’m honored by this endorsement from Veterans for Responsible Leadership and grateful to Bobby Jones for his leadership. Veterans understand what real service looks like, and I’ll always fight to live up to those values for Kentucky.

[Bobby Jones @brj42]

@GeorgeJDaniel @RossDellenger Not true. The Army Navy game is not considered a conference game for American championship consideration

[Mason Home Builder @bankertobuilder]

This young Electrician in training has a bright future.

Once in a generation talent.

I contacted the trade school to see if I could recruit him immediately.

When you’re this good, there’s no need to finish school.

He starts Monday.

[Bill Wagner @BWagner_CapGaz]

Drew Cronic turns down offer to become head coach at Alabama-Birmingham to remain as offensive coordinator for @NavyFB. Cronic confirmed the news about @UAB_FB to the Capital Gazette on Saturday.
https://t.co/KUxjhdSVKo

[Bobby Jones @brj42]

@redzone_cfb @Turtlebean44 @mtsuruinedme @CSG_UNT @SSN_USF @ecu_CSG @CSG_Memphis @CSG_Tulane @CSG_Navy @SSN_UTSA @SSN_Army @SSN_Temple @CsgFAU That makes no sense. Navy beat South Florida, who you have ranked above them. They are the only ones to play a team as good as Notre Dame in the entire conference and the only loss they have in conference was on the road to North Texas who should be rated above them at #1

[FOX College Football @CFBONFOX]

We've made it through Week 9, and these six teams are still perfect 💯

Repost if your team is on the list 🙌

[Joe Wright 🇺🇸⚓️🏴‍☠️ @realjoewright]

Here’s the thing - he’s a straight-A student at the Naval Academy. That’s inexplicable for a normal midshipman. Academics there are HARD. All technical STEM stuff, no fluff. And he’s an FBS football player which is like a full time job. Just give him the trophy.

[College Football Zone @CollegeFBonX]

Only 6 unbeaten teams remain!

RT if you see your team here!

[FOX College Football @CFBONFOX]

ONLY SIX UNDEFEATED TEAMS REMAIN 💯

Repost if your team is still perfect 🙌

[Bobby Jones @brj42]

@SunshineLoveDa1 @RedditCFB It’s obvious you have not watched Navy play this year

[RedditCFB @RedditCFB]

6 undefeated FBS teams remain after week 8.