NAVY LEAGUER
Board of Directors Meeting Highlights

Directors Focus on Key Service Support, Internal Issues

Reinstated at the 2007 National Convention as a biannual forum, this year’s first Board of Directors Meeting drew more than 150 national directors for three days of discussions and training in May at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Va. National directors from across the country as well as Hawaii, Korea and the Caribbean region discussed organizational issues from assignment of new members to accounting protocols, and received up to date information on the programs and priorities. Ways to broaden the Navy League’s support to the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and U.S.-flag Merchant Marines were also a key part of the agenda.

Taking center stage at the region presidents’ gathering was the national president’s policy regarding the assignment of new members which gave area presidents more responsibility to ensure councils contacted new members before placements were made. Under the old system, headquarter’s membership department automatically assigned new members by matching that member’s home address and council zip codes. To ease the administrative burden on the area presidents and at the recommendation of the region presidents, President Mike McGrath modified the policy

PHOTOS BY LISA NIPP

TOP: Capt. John Scorby Jr., Commanding Officer of NAS
Jacksonville, addresses board members during the Public
Affairs Committee Meeting.
BOTTOM: Rear Adm. Keith A. Taylor, the Coast Guard’s assis-
tant commandant for resources, addresses board meeting
attendees during the Coast Guard Affairs Committee meeting.

to allow headquarters staff to make the assignment if the new member, the sponsor and the indicated preferred council are all in the same geographic location. If the new member does not indicate a council or resides in a distant region, the member will be assigned to the area-at-large based on their home address zip code and will be invited to join a specific council under the guidance of that area’s president.

In reviewing the organization’s financial posture and as preparations begin for the 2009 budget, several questions were raised in the steering and executive committee meetings regarding the budgeting process and financial reporting. The board approved the steering committee’s motion to form an ad hoc committee, chaired by National Vice President for Strategic Planning John Tozzi, to review the processes and reporting issues and to improve the budget presentation. The committee will report its findings and recommendations to the board at the National Convention set for Oct. 27–31 in Kansas City, Mo.

The Sea Services Luncheon provided an informative platform for representatives to present service updates. Rear Adm. Mary Landry, the Coast Guard’s director of governmental and public affairs, stressed the importance of improved funding to prevent over extending the Coast Guard’s resources. The Maritime Administration’s Associate Administrator for Maritime Security James Caponiti also focused on insufficient funding for the Merchant Marine asserting that the service’s vital importance to the nation’s security is undervalued by decision makers and citizens. Maj. Gen. (select) Michael R. Regner, the legislative assistant to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, gave an update on the Corps’ challenges with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the Corps’ commitment to “wounded warrior” care. And while the Navy’s legislative affairs chief Rear Adm. Michael H. Miller noted his service’s challenges, he also highlighted positive strides such as having the president’s budget include funding for two submarines instead of the one requested by the Navy.

Both the Coast Guard Affairs and the Public Affairs Committees had speakers present to address key service support issues. The Coast Guard’s Assistant Commandant for Resources Rear Adm. Keith Taylor and Deputy Chief Acquisitions Officer Michael Tangora briefed the Coast Guard Committee on the service’s funding requirements and the continual need for the Navy League’s advocacy support. In the Public Affairs Committee meeting, Rear Adm. Landry emphasized the impor-

TOP: Navy’s Chief of Information, Rear Adm. Frank Thorp IV
served as keynote speaker at the Navy League’s Board of
Director’s Meeting dinner.
CENTER: J. Michael Mcgrath introduces members of the Sea
Services panel (l to r) Rear Adm. Mary Landry, the Coast Guard's
director of government and public affairs, James Caponiti, associ-
ate administrator of national security for the U.S. Maritime
Administration, Maj. Gen. (sel.) Michael R. Regner, legislative
assistant to the commandant of the Marine Corps, and Rear
Adm. Michael H. Miller, the Navy’s chief of legislative affairs.
BOT TOM: Life members Jewell Bonner, San Diego Council, and
Bill Kelly, Jr., Massachusetts Council share a light moment at the
Welcome Aboard Reception hosted by the National Capital Council.

tance of ongoing collaborative public affairs efforts while Capt. John Scorby, the commanding officer of Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fl. provided an overview on the Individual Augmentee (IA) program. IAs are service members who deploy alone, not as part of a unit, to support or augment another Navy, Marine Corps or Army command for mobilization requirements, contingency operations or other specialized or technical requirements. Capt. Scorby thanked Bill Dudley, the Florida area president and the five area (please continue to page 2)