The Commanding Officer’s Award
for leadership went to Cadet Beau
Watkins and academic awards were
presented to Turcott and Logerwell.
Santa Barbara Sponsoring
Stockdale Commissioning
The Santa Barbara, Calif., Council,
is sponsoring the commissioning of
the Navy’s newest Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, Stockdale, April 18
at Naval Base Ventura County.
The commissioning ceremony
schedule still is being finalized,
but planned events include a keynote address by former presidential candidate and businessman H.
Ross Perot, who is honorary chairman of the commissioning committee, as well as several receptions and a barbecue to honor former prisoners of war (POWs),
their families, Medal of Honor
recipients and others.
Stockdale is named after Vice
Adm. James B. Stockdale, who
earned the Medal of Honor for
leadership and resistance as a POW
in Vietnam. He also was Perot’s vice
presidential candidate during his
first U.S. presidential run in 1992.
Stockdale was christened May
10, at Bath Iron Works, Bath,
Maine, by the ship’s sponsor, Sybil
Stockdale, wife of the ship’s namesake. A recipient of the Navy Public Service Medal, she led efforts to
publicize the plight of POWs while
her husband was in captivity in
North Vietnam for more than
seven years.
The ship, which will be commanded by Cmdr. Fred Kacher, will
be homeported in San Diego, where
the Stockdale family resides.
The Santa Barbara Navy League
Commissioning & Adoption Committee, chaired by council board
member Richard Aberle, has raised
more than $60,000 for the commissioning ceremony and continues to
raise funds. Information about the
commissioning is available online
at http://www.ussstockdale.org/
St. Maarten/St. Martin
Honors Council Member
For Longstanding Support
The St. Maarten/St. Martin Navy
League Council recently honored
Chris Coombs, managing director
of Breweries Unlimited, the distributor of Presidente Beer, for his longstanding support of the council.
Coombs was presented with a
trophy commemorating his contributions by Council President Lloyd
Tackling at a February ceremony.
“Chris is an inspiration because of
his willingness to give to others and
to encourage work that benefits our
entire community,” said Tackling.
Coombs, who is a council member, has supported many St.
Maarten/St. Martin Council activities by, among other things, providing free beverages for more than 20
events over the years. He also has
contributed to the St. Maarten/St.
Martin community by encouraging
ship visits that boost the economy
and supporting projects that help
the island’s youth and the elderly.
Sacramento Council
Receives Grant Check
From Wal-Mart
The Sacramento, Calif., Council
received its second grant check in as
many months to benefit its youth
programs and the Navy League
Foundation Scholarship Program —
this time from a local Wal-Mart store.
George Rodriguez, manager of
the Wal-Mart at 10655 Folsom Blvd.
in Sacramento, and Belinda Vaughn,
personnel manager, presented a grant
check for $1,000 to the council at the
store Jan. 30. On behalf of the Sacramento Council, President John Meyers then presented Rodriguez with a
Certificate of Appreciation. Several
other council members accompanied
Meyers to the presentation.
In mid-December, the council received a $1,500 grant from a local
Sam’s Club store.
JACKSON C. STEVENS
St. Maarten/St. Martin Navy League Council Member Chris Coombs, right, addresses other council members after receiving a commemorative trophy for his support
of the council and the community from Council President Lloyd Tackling, left.
