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2008 Almanac Highlights
Navy League Strives to Meet The 'Challenges That Lie Ahead'
The Navy League concluded a productive 2007 with the installation of a new national president during the 105th National Convention in Palm Desert, Calif., in early November. J. Michael “Mike” McGrath was sworn in during the Board of Directors meeting Nov. 3, taking the helm from John A. Panneton, who will now serve as chairman of the Navy League’s National Advisory Council. Formerly the national vice president for Region and Area Presidents’ Liaison, McGrath is a retired naval officer and a Navy League member for nearly 25 years. He has held a number of leadership positions within the organization on the local and national levels. He and his wife, Gloria, are life members of the Mayport, Fla., Council.
Following the convention, McGrath addressed the plans and priorities for his tenure in his first “President’s Message” in the December Seapower. “What I witnessed [at the convention] was a vibrant organization not content to rest on its successes, but eager to face the challenges that lie ahead,” he said. “On the minds of nearly everyone was the largest of those challenges — increasing membership. And that is my No. 1 priority.”
Courting younger people, he said, should be a key to this membership drive. Other areas McGrath said he wanted Navy Leaguers to focus on included increasing local and national corporate affiliates and members, identifying new forms of revenue, bolstering youth service programs and increasing public awareness of Navy League efforts.
Another key decision from the convention — held Oct. 31-Nov. 4 at the Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa, and hosted by the Palms Springs Council — was a move by the Board of Directors to return to two meetings per year, a reversal of the 2006 convention vote to eliminate the winter meeting. The national convention was moved to later in the year for 2007, and business typically conducted at the winter meeting was done during that gathering. The move means that in addition to the national convention, which in 2008 will be held in Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 27-31, there will be an “expanded” board of directors meeting, likely during the spring. The date, scope and structure of the additional meeting are still to be determined.
In other convention business, Corpus Christi, Texas, was selected as the site for the 2009 Navy League National Convention. Several new officers also were elected to spots on the Navy League’s Steering Committee. Pamela K. Ammerman is the new national vice president for Education, Information Technology and Communications. Patricia Du Mont is the new vice president of Public Affairs. And Thomas E. Jaffa is the new vice president of Membership and Marketing.
The remainder of the Steering Committee stayed largely the same. Re-elected national vice presidents were: Al J. Bernard (Region, Area and Council Presidents’ Liaison), Joseph S. Donnell III (Corporate Affairs and Development), James H. Erlinger (Youth Programs), Randy W. Hollstein (Legislative Affairs), Richard C. Macke (Sea Services Liaison), Jackson C. Stevens (International Relations) and John Tozzi (Strategic Planning).
Also re-elected were: J. Robert Bishop, national treasurer; James L. Chapman IV, national judge advocate; and Albert J. Herberger, national corporate secretary. Robert A. Ravitz, former vice president for public relations, was elected to the new position of special assistant to the president for revenue enhancement.
The convention capped a busy, and somewhat extended, tenure for Panneton, who served a few months beyond two years by virtue of the convention being moved from the summer to late October. During his term, the Navy League moved to bolster its international presence and support efforts in recent years by, among other things, establishing a vice president for International Relations and enacting a policy change to permit a non-U.S. citizen to serve as council or area president. And to reinforce this effort on behalf of the 30 Navy League councils based outside the United States, Panneton and his wife, Alice, traveled to Barcelona, Spain, in 2006 for the “Second European Councils Conference,” and went around the world last summer to meet with Navy Leaguers in Italy, South Korea and Guam.
In other Navy League news, the 2-year-old headquarters building in Arlington, Va., continues to add to its tenant list and is now nearly full. In May, the Navy League was presented with an ABBIE award by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce as one of Arlington’s “best businesses.” The Navy League award was one of two “Green ABBIEs” given to environmentally friendly businesses. The building, which opened in August 2005, was the first “green building” in Arlington County, meaning it meets the “Smart Growth” criteria of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. The program advocates the construction of buildings that reduce pollution and are visually attractive, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
During 2007, the Navy League continued to voice support on behalf of the Coast Guard’s Deepwater Program and infrastructure improvement efforts, the Navy’s ongoing transformation, sea service recruitment efforts, and the need to balance fleet size concerns with national security missions and ever-improving capabilities. The Navy League also worked to further its “Grass Roots” Legislative Initiative, which is geared toward increasing the involvement of Navy League regions, areas and councils in legislative affairs. To date, Grass Roots participants have met with approximately 20 percent of the members of Congress, more than 100 in all.
The following is a status report on the Navy League’s other principal activities, events and accomplishments during 2007:
Development and Navy League Foundation
The Navy League relies on the generosity of its members to fund annual operations, special programs and events in support of its mission. Through the leadership and patriotism of donors, sponsors, family foundations and Navy League councils, the Navy League received more than $1 million in sponsorships, gifts and bequests in 2007. Carrying the message to the public that a strong, capable maritime force is critical to America’s security and economic prosperity is a key mission of the Navy League, as is supporting U.S. sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and merchant mariners.
Navy League volunteers are at work around the world. They educate elected officials; provide “red carpet” treatment for troops during port calls or homecoming ceremonies; power fund-raising for ship commissionings; support Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC), Navy League Cadet Corps (NLCC) and Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) programs; and give scholarships to the future leaders of America. Financial support to the Navy League helps to ensure this work will continue. In 2007, the Navy League Foundation awarded more than $50,000 in scholarships to American high school seniors who are dependants or descendants of sea service personnel. More information about eligibility requirements and applications can be found at www.navyleague.org/scholarship.
A recent highlight of the Navy League Foundation’s Scholarship Program occurred during the 2007 National Convention, when Greater Los Angeles Women’s Council President Edna P. Ralston presented an endowed scholarship to Panneton. The council endowed a $50,000 Navy League Foundation Scholarship in the name and memory of longtime council member Gladys Ann Smith. It is a lasting testament not only to Smith but also the members of the Greater Los Angeles Women’s Council and all they do on behalf of the men and women of the sea services.
The Gladys Ann Smith Greater Los Angeles Women’s Council Scholarship will be awarded annually to a direct descendent or dependent of a sea service member currently residing in California. It will be in the amount of $2,500 per year for four years. For information on making a gift to the Navy League Foundation, contact the Navy League’s Director of Development by phone at (800) 356-5760 or by e-mail at development@navyleague.org.
The Navy League hosted its first National Tribute to the Sea Services on Sept. 25 to salute some outstanding Americans and organizations whose work supports the men and women of the U.S. sea services and their families, as well as to thank its 2007 sponsors and donors. Inside the gilded Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, Navy Leaguers from as far away as London and Hawaii joined sailors, Marines, Merchant Mariners, Coast Guardsmen and government dignitaries for a reception and the National Tribute Dinner. Keynote remarks were delivered by retired Gen. James L. Jones Jr., former Marine Corps commandant, NATO supreme allied commander, Europe, and commander, U.S. European Command.
Honored were Morgan L. Fitch Jr., Navy League past national president and founder of the NSCC; Arnold Fisher, senior partner of Fisher Brothers as well as honorary chair of the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and Intrepid Museum Foundation; and James Bradley, author of the New York Times best-seller “Flags of Our Fathers,” who was unable to attend. The Navy League also recognized four programs as deserving of the organization’s financial support. The Navy and Coast Guard Professional Reading Programs each received a donation of $25,000, as did the NSCC. The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund was presented with $75,000 and the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund received a donation of $100,000.
Tribute Dinner Chairman Al J. Bernard extended the organization’s thanks to the honorees “for their many years of unselfish support to the men and women of the sea services and their families, and to the future leaders of our nation.” Navy League Corporate Gold members Boeing and General Dynamics sponsored the reception and dinner, respectively. Manitowoc Marine Group sponsored the dessert reception.
The 2008 Tribute Dinner is scheduled for Dec. 2. Sea-Air-Space Exposition
The Navy League Sea-Air-Space Exposition (SAS) is the largest maritime exposition in the world. It provides a forum for the exchange of technical and professional information between industry and the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security. For more than 40 years, the Navy League has hosted SAS in Washington, providing members of the sea services and DoD employees the chance to see first hand the technology they work on or support. Such direct dialogue also fosters better understanding of user requirements and provider issues. It is this opportunity for interaction that has made SAS the signature maritime event in the nation.
With its theme of “Sea Power to Secure Victory,” SAS 2007 featured more than 150 exhibits showcasing the latest military hardware and technologies, and presented dozens of seminars and briefings on such topical issues as globalization and its impact on maritime strategy, the continuing Navy shipbuilding turmoil, procurement and acquisition priorities, and greater collaboration among the U.S. sea services. During the three-day program, held April 3-5, more than 10,000 people attended and participated in the professional seminars. SAS 2007 also drew staff members of House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over defense affairs, as well as a number of foreign military, industry and diplomatic officials. Prior to the April 3 opening ceremony, Richard C. Macke, Navy League vice president for Sea Services Liaison, met with a Taiwanese Navy delegation headed by Vice. Adm. Hai-An Chiang, deputy naval commander-in-chief.
A large group of foreign military officers also visited SAS on opening day. About 50 students from the National Defense University’s International Fellows Class of 2007, which featured officers from every continent — save for Antarctica — were in attendance, including a number from Africa, the former Soviet Bloc and, for the first time, Bosnia-Herzegovina. SAS 2007 drew top decision-makers of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and U.S.-flag Merchant Marine. For the first time, it featured a “day host” each day from one of the sea services: Adm. John B. Nathman, then-commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, during the first day and Vice Adm. Vivien Crea, vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, on day two. Gen. Robert Magnus, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, was scheduled for the final day, but was unable to attend.
The 2007 SAS also introduced additional program-specific “floor speakers” at a separate space on the exhibit hall floor following the various professional development seminars that were held each day. Representing a variety of Navy program executive offices and Marine Corps Systems Command, the speakers offered remarks and addressed questions from the media and attendees with regard to their areas of interest, which included carriers, tactical aircraft, submarines, integrated warfare systems and Navy Enterprise Resource Planning, as well as Marine Corps combat equipment and support services. Guest speakers during the SAS luncheons were Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter, Assistant Secretary of Defense Gordon R. England and Adm. Edmund Giambastiani, then-vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Among the sea service leaders who participated in panel discussions at the 2007 SAS were: Adm. Mike Mullen, then-chief of naval operations and current chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Adm. Thad Allen, Coast Guard commandant; Magnus; Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton; Vice Adm. John Morgan, deputy chief of naval operations for information, plans and strategy; Adm. Harry Urlich III, then-commander, Naval Forces Europe; Nathman; Karl Walling, a professor at the Naval War College; Crea; Roger Rufe, director of operations coordination at the Department of Homeland Security; Rear Adm. Kendall Card, director of command and control systems at Northern Command; Vice Adm. Evan Chanik, commander, Second Fleet; Allison Stiller, deputy assistant Navy secretary for shipbuilding; Coast Guard Rear. Adm. Gary Blore, then-program executive officer for Deepwater; Phillip Teel, president of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding; Al Krekich, president of BAE Systems ship repair sector; Delores Etter, then-assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition; Vice Adm. Paul Sullivan, commander, Naval Sea Systems Command; Vice Adm. David Venlet, commander, Naval Air Systems Command; Brig. Gen. Michael Brogan, commander, Marine Corps Systems Command; and Rear Adm. Michael Bachmann, commander, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command.
More than 1,000 military and civilian guests enjoyed the April 4 black-tie reception and banquet. The Navy League presented its Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz Award to Dr. J.P. “Jack” London, chairman of the board, CEO and president of CACI International Inc. London was honored for his 35 years of leadership and service in support of U.S. maritime forces. The 2007 SAS was hosted by the National Capital Council, and chaired by Charlie McCullough. The revenue generated by SAS supports a multitude of Navy League programs in support of the sea services, including public, community and congressional education efforts, and many award and recognition programs.
The 2008 SAS will be held March 18-20 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington. Corporate Affairs
The Navy League is very proud of its partnership with industry. Its corporate members are responsible for providing the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine with the tools, resources and supplies to win wars and keep the nation’s ports secure, protect our interests overseas and provide a safe environment for commerce to flourish. Navy League Corporate Members comprise different cornerstones of industry, including multinational manufacturers, companies focusing on specialty technology, service providers and consultants. The Navy League Corporate Program provides a way for these companies to demonstrate support of the U.S. sea services, and opportunities to network with U.S. and allied defense industry leaders, senior decision-makers on Capitol Hill, and the departments of defense and homeland security.
Throughout the year, the Navy League strives to provide members with many opportunities to engage the sea service community by sponsoring a variety of forums and special events, including the SAS Exposition, “Special Topic Breakfast” Series and exclusive events for Gold Members. The Navy League’s premier program on behalf of industry members is SAS. More than 60 percent of Navy League corporate members participate in SAS each year. The exposition offers the perfect opportunity for the defense community and industry to work together by exhibiting innovative goods and services, exchanging ideas and developing sea power solutions.
The “Special Topic Breakfast” series also is a popular benefit of membership. Featuring a distinguished speaker from senior military and civilian program offices, these “not-for-attribution” forums give industry the latest information and insights on sea service acquisition priorities and developments. In 2007, breakfast speakers included Ulrich, Connaughton and Rear Adm. Alan B. Hicks, program director, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, Missile Defense Agency. Last year marked the first time that programs were hosted on both coasts in an attempt to expand forums outside of Washington. Panneton hosted a dinner for Corporate Gold members featuring Winter. Fourteen senior industry leaders attended and engaged in a lively and candid conversation with the Navy secretary. The event provided an intimate forum for Winter and industry to discuss current and future issues as well as defense priorities.
The Navy League offers three levels of industry membership participation. Foremost is the Corporate Gold Membership level, followed by the regular Corporate level and then Business Associate. As of December 2007, there were 20 Corporate Gold members, 162 Corporate members and 32 Business Associate members. Corporate Gold members were: Accenture, ATK, AT&T Government Solutions, BAE Systems, Boeing Co., Booz Allen Hamilton, Curtiss-Wright, DRS Technologies Inc., DynCorp International, EDS Corp., the Embassy of Canada, General Atomics, General Dynamics Corp., Honeywell, KBR, Lockheed Martin Corp., Maersk Line Ltd., Northrop Grumman Corp., Raytheon Co. and Wells Fargo Worldwide Banking.
Legislative Affairs
In 2007, the Navy League Office of Legislative Affairs (NLOLA) engaged in a variety of outreach initiatives in support of sea service priorities. One of two spheres of the Navy League legislative activity is a multifaceted Capitol Hill presence, maintained primarily by the national vice president for Legislative Affairs, Randy Hollstein, and the staff legislative director, John Fleet. The other sphere is support of the ongoing nationwide Grassroots Legislative Initiative (GLI) that is being executed by Navy League members designated by their respective councils and areas.
Key Players: In addition to the national vice president, the other key membership element is the Legislative Affairs Committee, chaired by Jim Bras and advised by Tom Dwyer. The committee comprises all the region vice presidents for Legislative Affairs, who are the vital link with Navy League councils and areas on grassroots legislative matters. Each region vice president is tasked with guiding council and area designees toward achieving the GLI’s target of direct constituent contact with 60 percent of all members of Congress on a select force-structure message. To this end, the region vice presidents report monthly to the national vice president and Legislative Affairs Committee chairman on related progress. Several regions, including Lone Star, Rocky Mountain and South Atlantic, either reached or remained at impressive levels of success in reaching their congressional delegations.
NLOLA also periodically solicits input from the Legislative Advisory Board on the salience of the annual legislative agenda and related national president’s letters to Congress on developments at critical stages of action on annual authorizing and appropriating legislation. Members of the advisory board bring a significant depth of government relations and industry experience. The resonance of national president’s letters that evolve from this monitoring of the annual legislative process is enhanced by the parallel championing of the underlying letter message by the region vice presidents, who are encouraged to rally their respective councils to advocate on the same issues in the dual capacity of Navy League member and congressional constituent with their own House and Senate members.
Nonpartisan Advocacy: In keeping with the Navy League’s 501(c)(3) status, NLOLA advocacy activities are neither partisan nor conducted to influence elections or political matters. They are undertaken for the sake of promoting the legislative branch’s awareness of the sea services’ current and future mission requirements. Somewhat distinct from the issue focus of most peer organizations, NLOLA monitors and addresses the impact of legislation primarily on the operational capabilities and readiness of the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine. NLOLA’s broader advocacy effort also is enabled through its limited membership in The Military Coalition, a consortium of 35 veterans’ and military support organizations. Coalition representatives meet monthly to share information, raise individual concerns and identify consensus on various legislative initiatives, mostly in the realm of policy affecting personnel and their families.
Visibility in Washington: Perhaps the most mission-relevant and tangible element of NLOLA’s presence on Capitol Hill is sponsorship and promotion of numerous programs and policy briefs for congressional staff. The topics and presenters are coordinated by the respective service congressional liaison offices. NLOLA concurrently promotes the briefs via direct contact with the defense-focused legislative staff members in all 540 congressional member offices and relevant committees. In 2007, NLOLA sponsored more than 25 such briefings. The setting enables NLOLA to personalize its awareness advocacy effort, as well as promote Hill awareness of Navy League functions such as council unit adoptions and SAS. The briefings typically draw
40-75 House and Senate staffers. Other initiatives include coffee discussions and evening receptions hosted in tandem with the Navy-Marine Corps and Coast Guard Caucuses, which provide informal but close-quarter audiences for senior service leaders with members of Congress. Of particular note among such receptions was the first presentation of the Big Stick Award for excellence in legislative stewardship, a bipartisan honor given in the spring to U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Public Relations The 2007 SAS Exposition was the main opportunity to generate media coverage for the Navy League, the sea services and defense industry partners. Approximately 100 print and broadcast media representatives attended SAS 2007. The media room credential and information areas were staffed by Navy League volunteers and communications department personnel during the three-day symposium.
The Office of Public Relations worked closely with exhibitors and the sea services to provide journalists with information about programs and initiatives. Navy League public relations staff prepared advisories, news releases and worked with several defense industry and exhibiting government agencies’ public relations representatives to coordinate media briefings on new programs, initiatives, equipment and technology. Several SAS exhibitors held news conferences and briefings in the SAS media conference room. The Navy Leaguer, the Navy League’s national newsletter for members and councils, provides news about council activities around the world. It was reformatted for 2007 with a new layout and organization. The newsletters continue to be published in hard copy and an online edition was added in 2007.
The public relations efforts of the headquarters staff continued to be complemented by the efforts of Navy League councils. During 2007, Navy League public relations also publicized the National Tribute Dinner, and the director traveled to the Navy Community Outreach Calendar for America planning conference, an invaluable networking opportunity with Navy Reserve public affairs officers in communities across the country. Additionally, the department created a new Navy League promotional video that includes footage and photos from councils around the world. Other PR efforts include hiring a Web manager, revamping the Navy League Web site and the implementation of a new content management program. During the 2007 National Convention in Palm Desert, public relations efforts were successful in obtaining local print and broadcast coverage of the activities. The Naval Media Center provided videographers for the event as well.
Innovation is the watch-word for Navy League public relations as the staff continues to improve, expand and develop the key marketing strategies and tools, such as the Navy Leaguer and the Web site, to bring national and international attention to the Navy League’s efforts in supporting the sea services.
Membership Navy League Headquarters installed a new membership database in 2007 that provides improved reporting capabilities and makes member information more easily available across departmental lines. Improvements continue to be made to the Online Community, which provides the Navy League’s more than 250 councils access to their member rosters, mailing labels, council-unique newsletter pages and event calendars.
Councils around the world continue to show their support for the sea services through more than 250 ship, submarine, squadron, base and unit adoptions; local scholarship programs; fund-raising for ship commissioning ceremonies; and various recognition programs for Coast Guardsman, Sailor and Marine of the Quarter and Year. In addition, many councils have adopted Naval Sea Cadet Corps and Navy League Cadet Corps divisions and squadrons around the country, providing funds, material, time and adult leadership.
National Publications The Navy League’s official publication, Seapower, continued to report on developments of interest to the sea services; highlight groundbreaking advances in programs, strategy, materiel and manpower; and examine issues that hold promise, or could be cause for concern, for the future. In addition, Seapower’s Almanac issue remains the world’s most widely used reference publication about the sea services.
Several months before the Blackwater controversy erupted after a shooting incident in Iraq that killed nearly 20 people and sparked headlines around the world, Seapower called attention to the private security contractors who are operating in ever-increasing numbers in the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq. The July cover story, “Hold Them Accountable,” by correspondent Amy Klamper, reported on the relative lack of government oversight or regulation of these contractors and how this problem is likely to grow as more inherently military functions continue to be outsourced. Klamper also followed up her 2006 cover story, “Double Whammy” — which was singled out by Navy and Marine Corps leadership for its insight into the security clearance problems faced by service members who have fallen victim to payday loan debt — in September with “Lending Loopholes.” Her new report showed that while Congress and the Department of Defense have stepped up their efforts to protect against predatory lenders, consumer advocates say new regulations being put into place have been so watered down they will do little to stop those who prey on military borrowers.
Other Seapower cover stories and special reports highlighted the Marine Corps’ efforts to grow the force by some 22,000 Marines during the next five years; the increased maritime activity and position jockeying in the Arctic region by Canada, Russia, Denmark, the United States and others; the Coast Guard’s efforts to get its beleaguered Deepwater acquisition program back on track; a new era of robot technology that may make it possible for machines to fight in concert with each other, and with humans; the strengths, weaknesses and potential impact of the U.S. sea services’ new “Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower;” as well as the strategic implications of the Navy’s new Global Fleet Stations initiative and the Maritime Administration’s new port strategy. Seapower also showcased sea service leadership in 2007, with in-depth features and interviews with top commanders and high-ranking officials. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway was on the cover of the September issue and Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton was the interview subject in the February issue.
Other interview and feature subjects included: Rear Adm. Donald K. Bullard, commander, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command; Jay M. Cohen, undersecretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security; Vice Adm. Robert B. Murrett, director, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency; Adm. Gary Roughead, then-commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command and current chief of naval operations; Maj. Gen. Dennis J. Hejlik; commander, Marine Corps Special Operations Command; Rear Adm. Ronald Rábago, Coast Guard program executive officer and director of Acquisition Programs; Vice Adm. H. Denby Starling II, commander, Naval Network Warfare Command; Vice Adm. David J. Venlet, commander, Naval Air Systems Command; and Brig. Gen. George J. Allen, director for Command, Control, Communication and Computers and chief information officer of the Marine Corps.
Seapower underwent a change of command in July, when editor in chief Richard C. Barnard retired after more than four years at the helm of the magazine. Amy L. Wittman came onboard as the new editor in chief prior to Barnard’s departure, after having previously been deputy managing editor at Defense News. Seapower also continued to provide a digital edition of the magazine, through the Navy League Web site.
Regional Activities
The Navy League continued to expand the services available through the Regional Activities Department in 2007. Council, area and region leaders can now choose from 26 workshops (an increase of seven) and 21 guides (an increase of three) that provide direction and proven ideas for improving their operations. The training workshops cover a broad spectrum of council operations, including management and governance, membership recruiting and retention, strategic planning, fund-raising, grant writing and electronic communications. Workshops are available at no cost and can be scheduled through headquarters at a mutually agreeable time and place. All workshops and council guides are posted on the Navy League Web site under “Navy League Councils/Council Resources.”
Major initiatives supported by regional activities staff in 2007 included Operation Homefront, a program to support the families of deployed sea service personnel; the Navy League Hiring Center, a free job-matching service available to sea service members, their families and veterans; Old Ironsides Across the Nation, sponsored by the USS Constitution Museum; Navy Office of Community Outreach-sponsored Fleet Weeks and the Navy Professional Reading Program. Ongoing support of routine operations includes ship adoptions, ship commissioning ceremonies, new council formation and major event planning. A “Council Public Education Seminar Planning Guide” was issued in 2007 to assist field leaders in planning Public Education Seminars.
Members of the regional activities team continued to attend council, area and regional meetings to support training workshops and improve communications between headquarters and the field. The monthly electronic “Council Alert” newsletter continues to provide field leaders with timely information on best practices and good ideas, new programs and workshops, national meeting notices, membership benefits and promotions, announcements of rebate mailing, insurance and various topics of interest to the field. “Council Alerts” are posted on the Navy League Web site under “Navy League Councils/Council Alerts.” The alerts are available to anyone with an e-mail address who wants to be included in the distribution.
The Navy League Web site serves as an excellent planning resource — an all- purpose “first stop” for new council officers and others seeking information about the Navy League. Among the data included on the Web site under “Navy League Councils” are lists of adopted ships, Sea Cadet units and other youth groups, ship commissioning events, council guides and training workshops, the “Navy League Operations Manual,” business-card order forms, Navy League graphics, council change forms and the council information notebook.
Youth Programs
The two Navy League-sponsored youth programs — the NSCC and NLCC — continue to grow. More than 7,989 cadets are now enrolled in 359 NSCC and NLCC units in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Guam. At the request of the Navy, the Navy League established the NSCC in 1958, and it was chartered by Congress in 1962 as a nonprofit youth-training organization. The NLCC is not covered by the federal charter.
All of the nation’s armed forces, including the reserve components, provide training and facilities support for both programs. Membership is open to boys and girls ages 11-13 for the NLCC and 13-17 for the NSCC. Most cadet training is carried out at local Navy, Coast Guard or other military facilities and supervised by carefully selected volunteer officers and instructors, many of them active-duty or retired military personnel.
That training is supplemented with summer training, starting with a two-week Navy-approved NSCC recruit or one-week NLCC orientation program encompassing a broad range of military subjects. These include skills and operational specialties ranging from basic seamanship, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and swimming to health care, aviation, leadership and homeland security training. At-sea training on Navy ships or Coast Guard cutters is available as well. For the seventh year, federal funding was available for cadet training. Almost 2,100 Sea Cadets and more than 662 Navy League Cadets participated in recruit and orientation training at 20 regional military bases or stations. Another 2,800 received advanced training at more than 50 other bases and stations where more than 125 different training opportunities/courses were taught.
In addition, 57 U.S. cadets and their adult escorts participated in an international exchange program with Sea Cadet units from overseas. More than 920 adult officers participated in summer training as escorts for the cadets. The federal funding was used almost exclusively to offset continued expensive berthing and messing costs for all cadet summer training. Cadets do, however, pay approximately 18 percent of their own summer training costs. Since 1975, more than $293,400 has been provided to more than 211 cadets who received NSCC college scholarships.
A large number of cadets also have received appointments to one of the service academies or have won Navy ROTC scholarships. There are now well over 500 former Sea Cadets enrolled at the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy or in the NROTC program.
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