USS Wisconsin SSBN 827 Association Celebrates Dr. Kelly Geurts as Ship’s Sponsor for Historic Keel Laying Ceremony

August 27, 2025

NORTH KINGSTOWN, Rhode Island. — The USS Wisconsin SSBN 827 Association proudly announces Dr. Kelly Geurts, an esteemed Honorary Board Director and Ship’s Sponsor will preside over the official Keel Laying Ceremony for WISCONSIN (SSBN 827) on Aug. 27, 2025, at General Dynamics Electric Boat’s Quonset Point facility in Rhode Island.

The event symbolizes the official start of construction for the U.S. Navy’s newest ballistic missile submarine, highlighting the legacy of the Silent Service and Wisconsin’s maritime heritage.

"It's a profound honor to serve as our Ship’s Sponsor," Dr. Geurts said. "This submarine will embody the resilience and dedication of our Sailors, and I am deeply committed to supporting her future crews and their families throughout their journey."

Dr. Geurts, a retired educator with a distinguished 32-year career, is renowned for her dedication to inclusion, arts integration, and educational access. Her community service, coupled with her experience as a military spouse, deepens her connection to this milestone event. During the Keel Laying ceremony, the Ship’s Sponsor will authenticate the keel by welding her initials onto a metal plate. The plate with her initials will then be permanently affixed to the ship and Dr. Geurts will proclaim the keel to be “truly and fairly laid.”

Grace Stanke, Miss America 2023, Miss Wisconsin 2022 and Honorary USS Wisconsin SSBN 827 Association Board Director, will read Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ Proclamation of August 27, 2025 as “USS WISCONSIN SSBN 827 Day” at the Keel Laying ceremony.

The USS Wisconsin SSBN 827 Association connects Wisconsin citizens to their namesake submarine, promoting naval history, educational initiatives, and the Silent Service’s vital mission. Dr. Geurts’ selection underscores the Association’s commitment to building enduring ties between the Navy and Wisconsin communities.

"We are delighted that Dr. Geurts, a core member of our Association and passionate supporter of our mission, is serving as the Keel Authenticator,” said CAPT Jim Harvey, USN (Ret), Association President. "Her life's work in education and advocacy reflects the values of our Association."

The ceremony, occurring symbolically on the submarine’s hull number date of 8/27, marks a critical milestone as the submarine moves from design to physical construction. The Association hosted a Meet the Sponsor Social the evening of Aug. 26 at the Submarine Force Library & Museum in Groton, Connecticut, and is sponsoring Keel Laying Watch Parties across Wisconsin and in Virginia.

As WISCONSIN (SSBN 827) takes shape, the Association remains dedicated to honoring submariners, celebrating Wisconsin’s naval heritage and shipbuilding legacy, and inspiring future generations.

About the USS Wisconsin SSBN 827 Association:

The USS Wisconsin SSBN 827 Association supports the future crews and families of WISCONSIN (SSBN 827), promotes Wisconsin’s naval legacy, raises awareness of the Silent Service’s critical role, fosters STEM education, and strengthens community connections. Learn more at http://www.usswisconsinsub.org/.

Contact:

CAPT Kathy DiMaggio, USN (Ret), Secretary

USS Wisconsin SSBN 827 Association
Email: dimaggio.kathy@usswisconsinsub.org

 Lisa Phillips, Vice President

USS Wisconsin SSBN 827 Association
Email: phillips.lisa@usswisconsinsub.org

Press release (pdf): 20250827 Keel Laying Press Release USS Wisconsin SSBN 827 Association

Warship legacy continues

The first casting of the future submarine USS WISCONSIN (SSBN 827)

A Historic Moment for Wisconsin and the U.S. Navy

This week marks a proud milestone as construction symbolically begins on WISCONSIN (SSBN 827) – a $9 billion COLUMBIA Class ballistic missile submarine that will carry Wisconsin’s name into the next era of national defense.

Slated to be one of the largest and most advanced submarines ever built, WISCONSIN (SSBN 827) will serve as a critical component of America’s strategic nuclear deterrence fleet. WISCONSIN (SSBN 827) will continue Wisconsin’s deep naval history and maritime legacy – from the battleship USS Wisconsin (BB-64) of World War II to the more than 300 Wisconsin based businesses supporting the design, development and manufacturing of the COLUMBIA Class submarines today.

We invite you to read this in-depth article from the Wisconsin State Journal to learn more about this historic project and to celebrate the USS Wisconsin SSBN 827 Association’s role in forging this new chapter in naval history.

#USSWisconsin #SSBN827 #ColumbiaClass #USNavy #WisconsinPride #Veterans #NavalHeritage

Barry Adams of the Wisconsin State Journal talks about the Ship’s Sponsor and the upcoming Keel Laying for WISCONSIN (SSBN 827)

Wisconsin has a strong connection to a new submarine

Warship legacy continues (pdf)

Observing USS Wisconsin (SSBN 827) Day August 24, 2024

Wisconsin Inflatable Submarine 827 (WIS 827) rests high at The Highground

 Neillsville, WI (August 24, 2024) – In anticipation of USS Wisconsin (SSBN 827) Day, a group of veterans and citizens gathered at The Highground to read Governor Evers’ proclamation.  Along with them, the USS Wisconsin SSBN 827 Association’s 50-foot inflatable replica of the future USS Wisconsin, fondly known as WIS 827, was displayed overlooking Wisconsin at The Highground Veterans Memorial Park. 

 “Connecting the future submarine WISCONSIN with the citizens of Wisconsin is our goal,” said CAPT Jim Harvey, USN (ret), President of USS Wisconsin SSBN 827 Association. “The Highground Veterans Memorial Park whose mission is to ‘Honor, Educate and Heal, our Veterans,’ is a most beautiful setting and central to all in Wisconsin – and we thank them for allowing WIS 827 to visit and supporting all veterans.”

“NOW, THEREFORE, I, Tony Evers, Governor of the State of Wisconsin, do hereby proclaim August 27, 2024 as USS WISCONSIN (SSBN 827) DAY throughout the State of Wisconsin and I commend this observance across our state and to all our state’s residents, and request a “Minute of Recognition” on August 27, 2024, at 8:27 a.m., or 0827 military time, in acknowledgement.”

SSBN 827 is a ballistic missile submarine, under construction with anticipated Keel Laying Ceremony in 2025, and scheduled to join the fleet in the early 2030s as the second boat of the Columbia Class submarines. She will be the third United States Navy vessel named after the Badger State. The previous two were battleships that served collectively during World War I, World War II, Korea, the Cold War, and the Persian Gulf War.  Other Navy ships are named for cities in Wisconsin, including USS Green Bay (LPD 20) homeported in San Diego, CA, the future USS Beloit (LCS 29) and USS Milwaukee (LCS-5).

Wisconsin Inflatable Submarine 827 is an 1/11 scale model of the future USS Wisconsin submarine and was built using scaled down specifications of the actual submarine’s design.  “She might not have 16 ballistic missiles or a crew of 155 Sailors, but WIS 827 is a perfect representation of the future submarine and a very physical reminder to the citizens of Wisconsin of the great honor bestowed on our state with the naming of the USS Wisconsin (SSBN 827).”

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About the USS Wisconsin Association

To help support the exceptional men and women who will one day operate and maintain the future nuclear- powered ballistic missile submarine, USS Wisconsin, a group of Navy Veterans and Wisconsinites formed a tax exempt, not-for-profit organization incorporated in the State of Wisconsin in 2021. Their mission is to build and maintain a proud and active relationship with the citizens of Wisconsin and the Blue and Gold crews and families of SSBN 827 Wisconsin. Their objectives include:

• Encourage, advocate, and generate statewide support for the future USS Wisconsin (SSBN 827) throughout the life of this submarine and to educate the citizens of Wisconsin about their namesake submarine.

• Support the morale, well-being and recreation of the Blue and Gold crews and their families.

• Educate the crews about the beauty of Wisconsin and the heritage of previous vessels commissioned as USS Wisconsin.

• Support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education for Wisconsin students by applying nuclear submarine operation principles as a focal point.

Additional information about the USS Wisconsin SSBN 827 Association can be found at www.usswisconsinsub.org.

Patrol Report for WIS 827 Deployment to Green Bay, WI on Friday 14 June 2024.

Thanks to Randy Engness, Commander of the USSVI West Lake Superior Base, we were invited to display WIS 827 at the WI VFW Convention at the Tundra Lodge & Water Park Resort in Green Bay, WI on Friday 14 June 2024.  

WI Veteran special events such as this VFW Convention is an ideal venue to build veteran alliances and supporters.

Gardie LaMarche, with me as his “naviguessor,” arrived in Green Bay on Thursday afternoon, after a stop at The Highground Veterans Memorial Park, near Neillsville, WI, for a meet & greet and tour.  We attended an VFW Awards Ceremony that evening and were introduced to the WI VFW leadership and several former submariners.

On Friday morning, we set up WIS 827 out in front of the Tundra Lodge main entrance next to a water and wildlife feature. We connected the WIS 827 inflation blower to a water feature 120 VAC electrical box at about 0730 and started getting visitor attention of the approximately 250 VFW convention attendees and arriving lodge guests.

At the VFW Convention morning break we had a number of attendees come out to observe WIS 827 and they discussed doing group photos during their convention noon break.

At about 1030 we lost power to our inflation blower from the water feature pedestal outlet.

We immediately went to the lodge front desk and asked to get their maintenance personnel to check to see about restoration of electrical power since we could not determine if we tripped their 120 VAC breaker or if there was a timer controller.  After waiting more than 15 minutes with no lodge assistance, we shifted power to our portable Honda Inverter.  However, after about 20 more minutes we lost the inflation blower again with the Honda Inverter still operating.  We assumed that our inflation blower was failing since we had experienced two independent episodes of inflation blower failure.

We contacted Steve Eisenhauer, former submariner, since Randy Engness was in a working group, to report our WIS 827 casualty and apologized for our “pulling off station” due to a material issue.

While driving back from Green Bay to my farm near Boyceville, I contacted our WIS 827 “Intermediate Maintenance Facility (IMF)” in Burnsville, MN to determine if they had an inflation blower in stock, which they confirmed a few minutes later.  Gardie dropped me off at the farm and I then drove to Landmark Creations facility and picked up a replacement inflation blower.  

Coming back out the twin cities going east on a late Friday afternoon , with construction lane closures over the Interstate 94 St. Croix  River bridge at Hudson, WI was an “adventure!

Changed out WIS 827 inflation blower at “oh-dark-thirty” in preparation for a 0530 “underway” Saturday 15 June for the Deke Slayton Air Fest at La Crosse Regional Airport (KLSE).

WIS 827 Greets Blue Angels in La Crosse, WI on 15 & 16 June 2024

With help from the Naval Sea Cadets of the La Crosse, WI Council of the Navy League, especially Tom Sweeney, Wisconsin Inflatable Submarine (WIS) 827 was displayed at the Deke Slayton Airfest 2024 with performances of the Blue Angels in the background! WIS 827 is only a 1/11th scale model of the future USS Wisconsin (SSBN 827) and enjoyed by the crowd.

Blue Angel diamond formation

Fat Albert

LCDR Tom Sweeney, U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, La Crosse

Future submariners