Happy Holidays, Navy Leaguers! Thanksgiving and the religious holidays are a time for family gatherings and celebration of our many freedoms. One group of families that can be left out is the families of deployed military members. Operation Homefront, our partner, matches these families to sponsors through their Adopt a Family Program. If your council wants to support a military family, or you personally want to help out, find your local chapter of Operation Homefront at www.operationhomefront.net. This is the season to share!

Another holiday activity for councils is the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Program and the Dollar Tree Toy Platoon gift collection for Operation Homefront (visit: http://www.dollartree.com/custserv/custserv.jsp?pageName=OperationHomefront). Both programs provide toys to children of active duty members. If you have questions or comments about the information below, please contact the Member Service Center at service@navyleague.org or call 1.800.356.5760. Thanks! Bill Waylett

If you have questions or comments about the information below, please contact the Member Service Center at service@navyleague.org or call 1.800.356.5760. Thanks! Bill Waylett

Featured Sections:
National Convention Report
Legislative Affairs
Membership
Public Relations
Development
Announcements

National Convention Report

The Navy League held our National Convention and Annual Meeting of Members at the Convention Center in Chattanooga, TN, October 26-30, 2011. Here are some highlights from the meeting:

• Phillip Dunmire was elected as National President.
• National Vice Presidents (with portfolio) elected are Pamela Ammerman (Youth), Karen Crawford (Public Affairs & Education), Patricia Du Mont (International Affairs), William Keller (Membership), Richard Kennedy (Corporate Affairs/Development), William Kopper (Finance), Jack Ritter (Legislative Affairs), Robert Sutton (Sea Services & Information Technology), David Todd (Strategic Planning) and George Wardwell (Region, Area & Council Liaison).
• Other officers elected are Nancy Gorell, National Corporate Secretary, Alan Kaplan, National Treasurer, and Robert “Bud” Haemer, National Judge Advocate.
• Region Presidents elected are Thomas W. Hoffman (Caribbean/Mexico), William J. Evanzia (Empire), William E. Dudley (Florida), Bobby V. Ferguson (Great Lakes), Patrick E. Pang (Liberty), R. Glenn Looney (Lone Star), James F. Morgan (Mid-Atlantic), Doyle Wilhite (Midwest), Eleanor Samuels (New England), James M. Lasher (Northwest), Nora Ruebrook (Pacific), Bonnie B. Potter (Pacific Central), Lisa M. Gallinat (Pacific Southwest, Stephen W. Kelly (Rocky Mountain), David J Reilly (South Atlantic Coast) and Thomas J. MaGuire (Southern).
• Daniel Branch was presented the Secretary of the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award by Vice Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mark Ferguson, USN, in recognition of his strong support of the sea services during his tenure as National President.
• The Wounded Warrior Regiment Tribute Reception at the Tennessee Aquarium raised needed funds for this worthy cause.
• Sea Service Awards were presented to deserving members of the sea services.
• Council performance awards were presented at the Hall of Fame Luncheon.
• A partnership with Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) was announced that allows Navy League members to join the credit union and utilize the credit union’s financial products - mortgages, no-fee credit card, auto loans and more.

Events and training/workshops for council leaders attending the Convention included:

• A presentation by Jessica Faller from the office of the Chief of Navy Information on the Navy’s Social Media Policy. The presentation is posted at http://www.slideshare.net/USNavySocialMedia/presentation-to-navy-league-of-the-united-states-national-convention-2011.
• Seminars covering Information Technology, Fundraising/Corporate Relations, Membership & Retention, Legislative Best Practices, Fundraising and Public Affairs & Education.
• An Innovations Exposition, featuring best practices from many of our outstanding councils as well as information about National initiatives and partnerships.
• Council Organization & Training workshops on Legal Affairs, Social Media Usage, Membership Retention and Tax Exemption for councils (new or revoked). The initial draft of a Council Compliance Manual was presented and should be posted on our website by January 31, 2012.

Supercommittee: The Debt-Reduction supercommittee has failed to make a deal on saving $1.5 trillion over 10 years. This triggers $600 billion in automatic Defense budget cuts in 2013. As Department of Defense officials try to find the $600 billion in savings, some Congressmen have publicly pledged to find ways to repeal the trigger. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has been testifying on the Hill and proselytizing to the press about the impacts of the cuts on our national security, causing some Congressional media sources to predict that the defense budget will become a campaign issue in the 2012 elections.

National Defense Authorization Act: This month the Senate took up the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act. The Senate has been struggling over detainee-related language included in the bill. The White House has threatened to veto the bill if the language included in the latest draft is included, while the House leadership has taken a strong stance on preserving the same. The Senate will return to debating the bill after the Thanksgiving recess.

Pizza Brief: November 18, The Navy League supported a pizza brief on the Hill for the Marine Corps Office of Legislative Affairs. Colonel Jeffrey Mosher and Colonel Kevin Kilea spoke about MC Aviation, giving a presentation on the MV-22 Osprey and the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter/STOVL aircraft to House and Senate staffers.

Grassroots Legislative Initiative Update
Legislative Affairs (LA) training will continue in December with Presentation One scheduled for December 6, Presentation Two scheduled for December 13 and Presentation Three scheduled for December 20. All presentations are at 3 p.m. Eastern. You must register for training with your Region Vice President, LA, who will send your name and email address to Bill Waylett, wwaylett@navyleague.org. Presentations are also available in Word for those presenters who do not want to use PowerPoint.

New Membership Benefits: As announced at the Convention, we have new partnerships offering our members benefits. All members should have already received a letter from USAA with an invitation to contact them for quotes:

USAA - USAA provides world-class insurance and financial services, including banking, investments and retirement products to members of the U.S. Military, veterans, and their families. Eligible NLUS members can benefit from USAA’s highly competitive rates, outstanding customer service and dedication to supporting the military community. To learn more about USAA call 866-936-6587 or visit usaa.com/nlus.

PenFed - Navy League members and employees are eligible to join PenFed and apply for any of PenFed's financial products. PenFed is one of the strongest and financially secure financial institutions in the world today with over a million members, and more than $15 billion in assets. They are a member focused organization that strives to offer the most innovative and competitively priced products and interest rates available. When you become a member of PenFed, you will have instant access to an impressive selection of financial and mortgage services. PenFed is proud to serve the Navy League as their preferred financial services provider for credit cards, auto loans and mortgages. To learn more about PenFed's products and rates, visit PenFed.org/NavyLeague or call 800 247-5626.

Every Member get a Member Contest Launched
Sponsor or give a Navy League membership to a friend or family member this Holiday Season, and be entered into a drawing for $500! Each new membership you submit between 10/01/2011 and 12/31/2011 using the contest form from the link below, or submitting a regular paper or online application using priority code 4Q2011, will count as one contest entry. The winner will be announced on Feb. 1, 2012. To use the 2011 Membership Contest form, please click here.

Life Member Rebates
As a reminder to all Councils, Life Member escrow payments are issued after the close of the fourth quarter of the year, and only for life members acquired after April 1, 1984. Councils do not receive escrow payments for Life Members who paid for their Life Membership before April 1, 1984.

Deceased Members and Retention rates
Several Councils have asked if the death of member counts against their retention rate. The answer is no. Reporting the death of a member does not affect the Council’s retention rate.

Member Email Addresses
We continue to have only about ½ of our member’s email addresses. Please ask your members to release their email to us so they can receive important announcements from our Navy League leadership. Remember, in the interest of improved communication, every leader needs to have an email on file with us. We appreciate your cooperation.

Awards Deadlines Approaching. Council Awards are given annually for Newsletters, Websites – Mackie Awards – and for Public Relations. The deadline for submitting your council’s entry is December 31, 2011. Award criteria and the submission process are described on the Navy League website www.navyleague.org/programs/awards.html and in the Navy League Awards Manual, pp. 25-26.

CSOP Update. The Community Service Organization Presentations have all been updated and are posted on the Navy League website at http://www.navyleague.org/councils/csop.html.

Navy League Photo Contest Announced. The 2012 Navy League Photo Contest began on November 1, 2011 and will run until March 31, 2012. Submitted photos should demonstrate council activities that support the mission and goals of the Navy League. We want pictures of Navy Leaguers in action (no “grip & grin” photos, please). Guidelines for submission can be found here.

Prizes for the Photo Contest are:
1st Prize - Airfare and hotel paid to attend the 2012 Navy League National Convention in Honolulu, HI
2nd Prize - $250 expenditure at the Navy League Ship’s Store
3rd Prize - $100 expenditure at the Navy League Ship’s Store
Honorable Mention - $50 expenditure at the Navy League Ship’s Store

Navy Week
The Navy Week events in 2011 are completed; councils that participated report their community visibility has improved from their involvement. The 2012 Calendar for America will be posted at http://www.navy.mil/navco/display.asp?page=cfa.html. The Calendar for America includes all Navy Outreach activities, including Navy Weeks, Blue Angel Demonstration Flights at air shows, and the War of 1812 Events that begin in New Orleans, LA on April 16-22 (more below)...

Navy Week events are conducted to raise awareness and bring the Navy to communities across America. Navy Week is also an excellent opportunity for your council to raise visibility in your community by getting involved with the planning and execution of a local Navy Week. Each Navy Week has a coordinator who wants local council assistance and guidance.

Centennial of Naval Aviation Events
The birth of Naval Aviation is recognized on May 1, 1911, the date of the contract to purchase the Navy’s first aircraft. The final event in the Centennial Celebration will be in Washington, DC, the Centennial Closing Gala, on December 1, 2011.

War of 1812 Bicentennial Events
The Navy League is the official partner (with the Navy History and Heritage Command, the Naval Historical Foundation, the International Council of Air Shows and Operation Sail - OpSail 2012) for the War of 1812 Bicentennial. Council planning should be completed now to take full advantage of this public education and membership recruiting opportunity!

Upcoming events in 2012 that include NLUS participation in the US:

• April 17-23, New Orleans
• May 23-30, New York City
• June 2-12, Norfolk, Virginia
• June 13-19, Baltimore, Maryland and Annapolis, Maryland
• June 29 – July 6, Boston
• August 8-13, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• August 15-20, Chicago
• August 22-27, Toledo, Ohio
• August 27 – September 4, Cleveland, Ohio
• September 5-10, Detroit, Michigan
• September 12-17, Buffalo, New York

For more information on these bicentennial events, go to http://www.history.navy.mil/commemorations/1812/1812-index.htm.

For local events, go to http://www.visit1812.com/. There are no local events planned for the remainder of 2011.

Harris Connect
The Navy League of the United States has once again partnered with the award-winning, distinguished firm Harris Connect to fundraise for vital NLUS programs and initiatives. They have raised millions of dollars for other non-profit organizations similar to our own, and, in this economy, the Navy League needs to leverage all the support it can. Former CNO Admiral Vern Clark as well as former Secretary of the Navy Gordon England, both passionate Navy Leaguers, have endorsed this partnered outreach. Our mission focus is crucially hinged on the amount of money we can raise to support national and local directives. If you are contacted next month by a Harris representative on our behalf, please give them your consideration. We anticipate a long-term partnership with this extremely successful organization.

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from IRAs. Congress has renewed the QCD provisions for 2010 and 2011. Under these provisions, IRA owners, age 70-1/2 and up, may make tax-free distributions from their IRAs of up to $100,000 to qualified charities (such as the Navy League). These distributions can be used to satisfy mandatory minimum distributions from individual IRAs for tax years 2010 and 2011. You only have six weeks left to take advantage of this tax provision; please act soon! For more information or to arrange a distribution, contact Mike Carter, Director of Development, mcarter@navyleague.org, or call 1-800-356-5760, X1585.

President’s Circle Membership
President Branch set a goal of 125 members in the President’s Circle by YE 2011; currently, there are 110 members in good standing. Members of the President’s Circle contribute $1000 to National for general use as the National President determines. Members also receive VIP status at Navy League events, including special receptions at most National events and invitations to Ship Commissioning Ceremonies. Applications can be made online, or by contacting Mike Carter, Director of Development, mcarter@navyleague.org, or call 1-800-357-5760, X1585.

Announcements

1. Seapower. The November edition of Seapower can be found online by visiting www.seapowermagazine.org and clicking on the cover of the current issue, featuring Sea Services Program Review, a Special Report. President Dunmire asks Navy League members to get active in public education as our sea services face damaging budget cuts, which are explored in the Special Report. Undersecretary of the Navy Robert O. Work also provides insight on the budget battle risks in an interview. Council and Navy League News include the presentation of the 7th annual Sea Services Award by the National Capitol Council to Representative Todd Akin of Missouri, the Vice Admiral Robert F. Batchelder award winners for supply excellence, and individual council efforts to honor sea service ships, units and leaders.

Want to introduce your local high school students and others in your community to the Navy League? You can do that by giving the gift of a subscription to Seapower to your local school and public libraries. Many councils have taken advantage of this great value. A one-year subscription for schools and libraries cost just $25! Contact Editor-in-Chief Amy Wittman for more information at awittman@navyleague.org.

2. IRS Notices and Assistance

Reinstatement of Exemption after Automatic Revocation

a. Is your council on the list of organizations revoked for failure to file a required information return or notice for three consecutive years? If so, the IRS has provided guidance for any council that wants it’s tax-exempt status reinstated. Learn all about automatic revocation of exemption and how to apply for reinstatement on IRS.gov.

Councils seeking reinstatement can either reapply to join the NLUS Group Exemption, or file an application for exemption with the IRS and pay a user fee.

Please Note: Certain small organizations who were eligible to file the Form 990-N for 2007, 2008 and 2009 and who file for reinstatement before December 31, 2012 may qualify for a reduced user fee of $100 under a transitional relief program. Consult Notice 2011-43 to see if your organization may qualify for a reduced user fee.

Reminder: Certain organizations do not have to apply for tax exemption but still have a filing requirement. These include section 501(c)(3) organizations whose gross receipts in each taxable year are normally not more than $5,000 as well as organizations exempt under other Code Sections, such as 501(c)(4).

Most small tax-exempt organizations, other than churches and certain church-related organizations, whose gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2010 ($25,000 before December 31, 2010) have an annual reporting requirement. For tax years beginning after December 31, 2007, organizations are required to file an annual electronic notice, Form 990-N, Electronic Notice (e-Postcard) for Tax-Exempt Organizations not Required To File Form 990 or 990-EZ.

If you have never filed, please contact Customer Account Services at 1-877-829-5500 (a toll-free number) and ask that an account be established for the organization to allow filing of the e-Postcard.

b. Filing a Form 990N for previous years. You can file a Form 990-N "e-Postcard" for a prior year. However, you must file through one of the IRS approved e-file service providers rather than through the link to the filing system on IRS.gov. For example, if the organization’s tax year ended on December 31, 2009, and you attempt to file your 2009 e-Postcard after the close of your 2010 tax year (December 31, 2010), you cannot file for 2010 unless you file through an approved e-file service provider. While there is no penalty for late filing an e-Postcard, your tax-exempt status will be automatically revoked if you don't file for three consecutive years.

Please note: The requirement to file Form 990-N is an annual requirement.

c. The IRS has issued Tips for Contributors: The top things the IRS wants every taxpayer to know before deducting charitable contributions. Go to http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=106990,00.html to download the tips.

3. New Council Charters. The following councils were chartered in the past month:
North Dakota Chartered October 16, 2011 by Dan Branch
Pahrump Valley, NV Chartered November 10, 2011 by Phil Dunmire http://pvtimes.com/news/pahrump-navy-league-chapter-receives-charter

4. Upcoming Dates, Deadlines and Events
Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor Day - Fly the flag at half-staff
Dec. 15 Bill of Rights Day - Fly the flag
Dec.20 Hanukkah begins at sundown
Dec. 25 Christmas Day - Fly the flag
Dec. 26 First day of Kwanzaa
Dec. 31 New Year’s Eve

In November we support morale-enhancing efforts for service members and their families. Celebrate Military Family Appreciation Week activities in your community.

The NLUS Council Alert is prepared by Bill Waylett, Sr. Dir. for Regional Activities
wwaylett@navyleague.org or 703-528-1775

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