VOLUME 13 NUMBER 2 JULY 2008
SUPPLEMENT TO SEAPOWER
NAVY LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES
THE www.navyleague.org
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)
2PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
COMMUNITY AFFILIATE
PROGRAM
3COUNCIL NEWS
SCHOLARSHIPS
AND SEA CADETS
4NATIONAL CONVENTION
UPDATE
MACKIE AWARD WINNERS