Navy
Leaguers
from
Eastern
Connecticut
organized
the
sponsor
luncheon
and
provided other
assistance
during
the
three
days.
Shortly
after
the commissioning,
there was
a
pier-side
reception
luncheon
of
real
Kansas
City
Bar-B-Que
served
by
a
catering
staff
flown
in
by
the
Committee
to
provide a
selection
of
the
finest
beef
brisket,
pulled
pork
and
ribs.
Navy
Leaguers
who
provided
unerring
assistance
during
the
three-day
event
included
Sam
Bushman,
Navy
League
Midwest
Region
President
and
Chairman
of
U.S.S.
Missouri
Commissioning
Committee,
who
was
intent
on
setting
the
bar
higher
for
all
commissionings
to
follow
after U.S.S.
Missouri.
Also
on
hand
were
Wayne
Olsen,
President
of
the
Eastern
Connecticut
Council,
Connecticut
Area
President Lou
DiGuisto,
as
well
as
Empire
Region
President
Bill
Evanzia
and
many
Navy
Leaguers
from
New
England
and
around
the
country.
With
the
help
of
eleven
Navy
Leaguers
on
the
committee
and
a
big
boost
from
the
Connecticut
Navy
League,
the
mark
was
set as U.S.S.
Missouri
was
brought
to
life
and
accepted
into
the
U.S.
Navy.
Navy
League
members
from
Missouri
who
served
on
the Commissioning
Committee
were:
Edward
S.
Gray,
Secretary
(Past
President,
Mid-Mo
Council),
Ward
W.
Cook,
Co-Chairman
West
(Kansas
City
Council),
Capt.
David
S.
Durbin,
USN
(Ret),
Co-Chairman
(St.
Louis
Council),
Capt.
Robert
Fredrickson,
USN
(Ret).
Committeemen
(Past
President
St.
Louis
Council), Capt.
Doyle
Wilhite,
USN
(Ret).
Committeemen
(St.
Louis
Council),
Tom
Schmitz,
Committeemen,
(St.
Louis
Council),
Jim
Erlinger,
Committeemen,
(St.
Louis
Council),
Norm
Besheer,
Committeemen,
(Greater
Kansas
City
Council),
Dan
Lara,
Committeemen,
(Greater
Kansas
City
Council),
Melody
Green,
Committeewomen,
(President,
Mid-Mo
Council),
and
RADM
J.
Stanton
Thompson,
USN
(Ret);
Committeemen,
(Greater
Kansas
City
Council).
Connecticut
Area
President
Lou
DiGuisto
was
also
a
committee
member.
The
fact
that
two
Navy
League
Regions
and
multiple
councils
in
Missouri
and
Connecticut
worked
together
to
make
it
a
great
event
was
significant
and
shows
how
a
joint
effort
can
be
accomplished.
Congratulations
to
all—this
was
a
stunning
event!
The
submarines
next
in
line
for
commissioning
are
California
and
Mississippi.
For
Navy
Leaguers
willing
to
chair
a
commissioning
committee
or
be
members,
please
contact
Bill
Waylett at
wwaylett@navyleague.org.
NATIONAL
CONVENTION
IN
JACKSONVILLE,
OCTOBER
2010
Online
registration
for
the
2010
Navy
League
National
Convention
being
held
in
Jacksonville,
Florida
from
October
18-24,
2010,
is
now
available.
Please
note
that
the
deadline
for
Convention
registration
is
October
1,
2010.
The
hotel
for
the
event
is
the
Hyatt
Regency
Jacksonville
Riverfront.
The
Navy
League
rate
at
the
hotel
is
$165/night
(Group
Code:
NALE).
The
deadline
for
reserving
a
room
at
the
Navy
League
rate
is
September
12,
2010.
National
Convention
Chairman
Diane
Wright
and
her
committee
have
developed
an
exciting
program
with
some
terrific
optional
events.
We
are
also
happy
to
report
that
Admiral
Gary
Roughead,
U.S.N.,
Chief
of
Naval
Operations,
will
be
our
keynote
speaker
at
the
Convention
Dinner
on
October
23.
A
special
opportunity
is
the
Kennedy
Space
Center
tour
on
Tuesday,
October
19,
2010,
departing
at
7:15
a.m.
(cost
$125/person).
During
this
guided
tour
of
the
world’s
largest
launch
facility,
you
will
get
an
up-close
look
at
the
coastal
launch
pads
that
unleashed
the
power
to
put
people
on
the
moon
and
send
space
shuttles
to
the
International
Space
Station.
The
tour
culminates
at
the
Apollo/Saturn
V
Center,
home
of
the
largest
rocket
ever
built.
As
an
added
bonus,
the
tour
will
include
personal
insights
from
Navy
League
Palm
Beach
Council
member
Robert
Crippen,
a
former
NASA
astronaut
and
former
director
of
NASA’s
John
F.
Kennedy
Space
Center.
Bob,
a
recipient
of
the
Congressional
Space
Medal
of
Honor,
was
the
pilot
of
the
first
orbital
test
flight
of
the
Space
Shuttle
program,
STS-1
in
1981
and
Commander
of
three
additional
shuttle
flights,
among
his
many
assignments
at
NASA.
Other
optional
events
include:
• Jacksonville
Golf
Outing
on
Monday,
October
18,
2010
• Historic
tour
of
St.
Augustine
on
Wednesday,
October
20,
2010
• Welcome
Aboard
Reception
on
Wednesday,
October
20,
2010
• Hall
of
Fame
Luncheon
on
Thursday,
October
21,
2010
• Jacksonville
Symphony
Orchestra
Concert
on
Thursday,
October
21,
2010
• Dinner
Cruise
aboard
the
Jacksonville
Princess
II
on
Thursday,
October
21,
2010
(Please
note
that
the
cost
of
the
Dinner
Cruise
is
$81
versus
$75
which
is
listed
in
the
August
and
September
issues
of
Seapower
magazine.)
• Sea
Service
Awards
Luncheon
on
Friday,
October
22,
2010
• Reception/Dinner
on
Saturday,
October
23,
2010
SEA
SERVICE
AWARDS
The
National
Awards
Board,
chaired
by
the
Honorable
J.
William
Middendorf,
II
for
the
past
33
years,
met
at
Navy
League
Headquarters
in
July
to
determine
the
recipients
of
the
2010
Annual
Sea
Service
Awards.
These
awards
are
presented
to
active
duty
military
(enlisted
and
officer)
who
have
made
outstanding
contributions
to
the
naval
service
in
specific
fields
of
endeavor
during
the
preceding
year.
This
year’s
award
winners
will
be
recognized
at
the
2010
National
Convention
in
Jacksonville,
FL,
on
Friday,
October
22,
2010,
during
the
Sea
Service
Awards
Luncheon.
FROM
THE
FIELD
The
Navy
League’s
Seattle
Council
hosted
a
marvelous
series
of
Fleet
Week
events
in
mid-August.
More
than
20,000
visitors
toured
U.S.
and
Canadian
ships
moored
in
the
Port
of
Seattle
during
an
exciting
series
of
Fleet
Week
events
organized
by
the
Seattle
Council.
Event
co-chairs
and
Seattle
Council
members
Tom
and
Diane
Jaffa,
along
with
members
of
the
Seattle
Council,
welcomed
six
U.S.
Navy
ships
to
the
Port
of
Seattle,
and
hosted
several
receptions
including
the
annual
Chief
Performance
Officer
party,
and
a
Sea
Services
lunch.
Other
activities
included
the
Parade
of
Navy
ships,
vessel
embarks,
a
Coast
Guard
demonstration,
and
“Navy
Day”
and
Canadian
events.
Congratulations
to
the
Seattle
Council!
The
Navy
League's
Greater
Los
Angeles
Council
(Navy
Belles),
which
sponsors
a
college
scholarship
for
Region
11
Sea
Cadets,
presented
Petty
Officer
Jacqueline
Phillips
with
a
check
for
$10,000
at
a
recent
luncheon
meeting
in
Los
Angeles.
Phillips,
17,
is
a
member
of
the
Trident
Patrol
squadron,
Point
Magu,
California,
which
she
joined
in
2005.
She
graduated
last
spring
from
high
school
with
a
4.0
GPA
and
will
enter
California
Institute
of
Technology
(Caltech)
in
the
fall.
PARTNERSHIPS
We
want
to
remind
members
about
our
strategic
alliance
with
The
International
Propeller
Club
of
the
United
States
(www.propellerclubhq.com.)
The
Propeller
Club
promotes
the
maritime
industry
through
programs
and
its
partnerships,
and
has
more
than
8,000
members
in
more
than
100
local
ports
around
the
world.
We
ask
that
all
councils
appropriately
located
please
make
contact
with
the
Propeller
Club’s
local
ports
(chapters)
in
order
to
enjoy
some
events
with
each
other.
As
Navy
League
members,
we
have
been
asked
to
assist
in
getting
out
the
word
to
encourage
more
of
our
young
men
and
women
to
seriously
consider
an
application
to
the
Naval
Reserve
Officers
Training
Corps
(NROTC),
the
Naval
Academy,
the
Merchant
Marine
Academy,
or
the
Coast
Guard
Academy
when
they
are
in
the
college
search
mode.
Let’s
all
tell
them
about
the
great
education
that
is
available
and
the
great
chance
for
service
by
attending
one
of
these
institutions.
NATIONAL
HEADQUARTERS
NEWS
Several
staff
changes
and
new
hires
have
taken
place
at
National.
Cynthia
Bryant,
previously
a
membership
services
representative,
has
been
named
deputy
director
of
membership.
Lindsey
Lassiter,
formerly
executive
assistant
at
HQ,
has
moved
into
the
position
of
manager
of
corporate
affairs.
Also
in
the
Corporate
Development
Department,
Michael
Carter
has
been
named
director
of
development.
Donald
Cheatham
and
Evan
Martella,
who
served
as
temps
for
the
better
part
of
last
year,
have
become
permanent
Navy
League
staff
members.
Donald
is
manager
of
website
content
and
works
in
the
Communications
Department,
while
Evan
is
now
part
of
the
Operations
&
Administration
team
as
receptionist.
Lastly,
Aimee
Freeman
has
joined
the
membership
department
team
as
membership
services
representative.
We
welcome
everyone
and
wish
them
well
here
at
Navy
League
HQ!
NAVAL
SEA
CADET
CORPS
(NSCC)
The
month
of
September
has
again
been
proclaimed
as
Naval
Sea
Cadets
Month
in
recognition
of
the
many
benefits
we
all
realize
from
this
premier
youth
program.
While
I
urge
you
to
support
the
NSCC
program
fully
throughout
the
year,
designating
September
as
a
NSCC
Month
will
give
you
an
opportunity
to
place
special
emphasis
on
the
Navy
League's
exclusively
sponsored
youth
education
program.
The
national
leadership
of
the
Sea
Cadets
(which
is
a
separate
corporation
from
the
Navy
League)
has
gone
on
record
this
month
with
their
units
and
members
to
encourage
Sea
Cadets
parents
to
join
the
Navy
League.
For
councils
working
with
Sea
Cadets,
please
follow
up
on
this
during
the
summer
and
fall
as
appropriate.
I
have
heard
that
some
Councils
have
indicated
they
are
looking
at
funding
Sea
Cadets
Parent’s
membership
as
a
way
to
increase
their
ranks
and
gain
younger
members
in
the
process.
MEMBERSHIP
UPDATE
There
are
some
positive
signs
over
the
last
few
months.
Retention
has
improved
to
80%
or
better
in
numerous
Councils
and
our
loss
rate
has
slowed
a
bit.
Thanks
to
all
in
the
field
for
taking
the
round
turn
which
is
starting
to
be
felt
in
the
data.
Let’s keep
the
emphasis
on
retention
and
new
members
going!
We
first
want
to
congratulate
the
Empire,
Liberty,
Midwest,
Pacific
Central,
and
South
Atlantic
Coast
Regions
for
posting
an
80%
or
above
retention
rate
through
July.
Overall,
119
Councils
posted
an
80%
or
higher
retention
rate,
and
many
were
in
those five
regions.
We
need
increased
effort
from
every
member
in
all
regions
to
talk
about
the
Navy
League
-
and talk
about
our
support of
Sea
Service
members
and
families.
While
you’re
at
it,
go
ahead
and
ask
them
to
join
you
in
your
support.
To
grow
as
an
organization,
we
need
a
minimum
of
80%
retention
from
every
Council,
and
as
an
organization,
we
need
to
recruit
at
least
4,000
new
members
every
year.
With
this
goal,
we
will
steadily
grow
back
to
60,000
members
and
beyond
over
the
next
few
years.
If
your
Council
doesn’t
have
a
retention
plan
in
place,
I
encourage
you
to
contact
Sal
Chairez,
Senior
Director
of
Membership,
at
schairez@navyleague.org
or
703.312.1569
for
ideas
that
you
can
use
to
call
your
lapsed
members.
I
also
encourage
every
Navy
League
member
to
recruit
at
least
one
new
member
to
join
the
Navy
League
-
a
$50
membership
is
a
very
modest
token
of
support.
Membership
Snapshot
Membership:
50,765
Overall
Retention
Rate:
71.4%
Lapsed
Members:
3,680
New
Members:
2,276
Number of
Regions
at
80%
or
above:
5
Number of
Councils
at
80%
or
above:
119
SHIP
STORE
Please
don’t
forget
to
consider
shopping
at
the
Navy
League’s
Ship
Store.
The
Navy
League
Ship's
Store
is
the
official
provider
of
Navy
League
logo
merchandise.
They
are
your
on-line
supplier
for
top
quality
wearables,
quality
gifts
and
Navy
League
memorabilia.
We
think
that
they
have
put
together
a
great
collection
of
items.
Whether
you
are
in
need
of
something
simple,
or
a
lasting
treasure,
we
hope
you
will
find
what
you
need.
The
Ship's
Store
is
happy
to
accommodate
custom
orders
for
as
little
as
one
piece.
Their
toll-free
direct
customer
service
number
is
1.866.640.NLUS
(6587).
Office
hours
are
8-5
Monday
through
Friday.
Access
to
the
online
catalog
is
here.
UPCOMING
EVENTS
USS
Jason
Dunham
(DDG-109)
Commissioning
(Ft.
Lauderdale) November
13,
2010
National
Convention,
Jacksonville,
Fl.
Oct.
20-24,
2010
Sea-Air-Space
Exposition* April
11-13,
2011
Board
of
Directors
Meeting,
Washington,
D.C.* June
22-26,
2011
National
Convention,
Chattanooga,
Tn.
October
25-30,
2011
National
Convention,
Honolulu,
Hi. June
2012
National
Convention,
Long
Beach,
Ca. June
2013
National
Convention,
San
Diego,
Ca. June
2014
*The
2011
Sea
Air
Space
Exposition
and
the
2011
Board
of
Directors
Meeting
will
be
held
at
the
Gaylord
National
Resort
and
Convention
Center
at
National
Harbor.
My
personal
thanks
to
all
of
our
dedicated
Navy
Leaguers
throughout
the
nation, from
the
Black
Sea
to
Thailand,
who
are
doing
the good
work
for
the
Navy
League
day
in
and
day
out.
Did
you
know
that
we
have
adopted
131
Navy
ships,
113
Coast
Guard
Cutters,
282
Navy,
Marine
Corps,
and
Coast
Guard
Units,
and
that
we
support
731
youth
groups
including
201
Sea
Cadet
Units?
Our
Councils
and National
headquarters gave
the
Sea
Cadets
over
$848,000
last
year,
and Councils
provided more
than $194,000
for
scholastic
achievement
last
year.
And,
did
you
know
that
Councils
recognized
1,551
Sailors
for
excellence,
and
held
890
membership
meetings/dinners
last
year?
In
Florida,
Region
President
Bill
Dudley
has
honored
about
1,000
Individual
Augmentees
(IAs)
at
luncheons
and
receptions.
The
IAs
have
been
returning
from
Afghanistan,
Iraq,
and Djibouti,
and
we
congratulate
Bill
for
such
a
phenomenal
undertaking
in
reaching
out
to
these
IAs
and
their
families.
For
more
information,
please
contact
Bill
at
anuday00@aol.com.
We
are
doing
great
work
thanks
to
you
and
we
can
be
proud
of
our
Navy
League
accomplishments.
My
warmest
wishes,
Dear
Fellow
Navy
Leaguers,
will
be
unique
in
that
there
is
only
1
formal
Mayport
Council
function;
that
being
the
September
dinner
in
which
we
will
honor
our
Sea
Cadets.
There
will
not
be
an
October
dinner
because
it
conflicts
with
the
National
Convention
events
and
November
is
our
informal
Thanksgiving
Buffet
Silent
and
Chinese
Auction
where
we
will
also
commemorate
our
50th
year
as
a
Council
(established
in
1960).