The songs being played on the boom box during the feast dance are sung by Trisha Yearwood.
The Navajo tradition of celebrating a baby's first laugh is called A'wee Chi'deedloh (First Laugh Ceremony), they believe the first time a child laughs it is transcending their spiritual existence into the physical world with the baby's family. The Navajo believe that the spirit of a baby comes from the Diyin Dine'e (Holy People), the Diyin Dine'e are the First People, subjects of the most important legends and stories in Navajo mythology. When a baby is first born it is believed that their spirit still resides with the Holy People until the baby laughs for the first time, the act of laughing is a sign that the baby is making the transition from the spirit world to the physical world. Family and friends will try their best to make a baby laugh, whoever the person is to make the baby laugh holds the honor of planning a ceremony to welcome the baby into the world, this is akin to a Navajo baby shower. The person that makes the baby laugh is responsible for the A'wee Chi'deedloh (First Laugh Ceremony), they become what most cultures call a god-parent, friends and family from all over the tribe attend the First Laugh Ceremony to honor the baby and its family.
Admiral Chegwidden states that SecNav was planning on naming the newest Austin-class amphibious transport after Private Blackhorse. The Austin-class amphibious transport dock was first commissioned in 1965, they are designed to be an amphibious warfare ship they transport and land elements of landing forces for expeditionary warfare. They have a flight deck that can accommodate up to six large helicopters, typically the CH-46 Sea Knight like the one shown at the start of the episode. They also have a well deck on the stern, this deck has a door that opens at the water line and allows for the loading and disembarking of landing craft and amphibious assault vehicles like the LCAC hovercraft and the Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV), which is a tank that floats and doubles as a armored troop transport for landing on beaches. As a transport ship Austin-class warships were lightly armed, they were only armed with point-defense weapons like 25mm Mk-38 chain-gun and two Phalanx CIWS 20mm autocannons. Though there were no Austin-class ships under construction in 1997, the USS Ponce (LPD-15) was the last Austin-class ship built and it was launched in 1970. At the time this episode was filmed the Navy was preparing to retire the Austin-class fleet and replace them with a new transport that was outfitted with the latest electronic warfare technology, the last Austin-class was decommissioned in 2017.
They were replaced by the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, this ship also replaced the old tank landing and amphibious cargo ships. The San Antonio-class was 100 feet longer and could carry three times the weight of the Austin-class, it is the largest most versatile amphibious transport in the world. It can carry the same type of aircraft and landing craft as the Austin-class while also being able to transport tanks and cargo like munitions. Its defensive armament includes two 30mm Bushmaster II close-in guns, four double-barreled Browning M2 .50 turrets and two deck-mounted Rolling Airframe Missile Launchers, each launcher is armed with ten RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles, which are designed for aircraft and missile defense.
They were replaced by the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, this ship also replaced the old tank landing and amphibious cargo ships. The San Antonio-class was 100 feet longer and could carry three times the weight of the Austin-class, it is the largest most versatile amphibious transport in the world. It can carry the same type of aircraft and landing craft as the Austin-class while also being able to transport tanks and cargo like munitions. Its defensive armament includes two 30mm Bushmaster II close-in guns, four double-barreled Browning M2 .50 turrets and two deck-mounted Rolling Airframe Missile Launchers, each launcher is armed with ten RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles, which are designed for aircraft and missile defense.