Those of us who are former crewmembers of the Big J served on her with immense pride while she was on active duty. As a New Jersey resident, the prospect of having my former ship become a museum here in her namesake state was exciting, only topped by the actual experience of taking the tours with the amazingly well-trained and knowledgeable volunteers. Each year seems to bring new areas available for tours, allowing me and other former crew to relive memories and take pride in what we and our nation accomplished when these behomoths were built. The fact that this ship is still here widening the eyes of tourists in amazement is a tribute to the volunteers and staff of the Battleship New Jersey. I've toured the others around the country as well, and this one's the best!