Who We Are:

Welcome aboard! We are the Greater Central Texas Council of the Navy League of the United States. We received our charter on 26 January 1962 and are one of 275 Navy League of the United States councils located around the world. Members of the Council hail from an area ranging from La Grange to San Angelo and from Waco to New Braunfels. The Council pursues the four elements of the Navy League's mission:

• Educate the public and public officials of the necessity of Sea Power to our Nation's economy and security.
  
• Support the men and women of the Sea Services
  
• Provide support and assistance to the Sea Services
  
• Support youth programs

The Council conducts six educational programs each year. The programs, dinner meetings at the Austin Woman's Club, feature flag and general officers, senior enlisted advisors, DOD officials, historians, and others with insight or affiliation with the Sea Services.

USS Austin (LPD-4), our city's namesake ship, adopted and supported by the Council over many years was decommissioned in Norfolk, Virginia after 41 years of distinguished service on 27 September 2006. She was replaced in the fleet by USS San Antonio (LPD-17), commissioned at Ingleside, Texas on 14 January 2006. The Council recently supported and participated on the Commissioning Committee of the USS Texas (SSN-775) which was commissioned at Galveston, Texas on 9 September 2006.

The Council has coordinated with the City of Austin and the U. S. Navy Historical Center to bring items from the USS Austin such as the ship's bell, flags and pennants, quarterdeck nameplate, an oil painting of the ship, and other artifacts to Austin for display at the City Hall. This exhibit is now open to the public. Further the formal adoption of another U. S. Navy ship by the Council is being explored.

The Council founded, sponsors and supports the COL William B. Travis Division of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps and U. S. Navy League Corps.

The University of Texas Naval ROTC is a key focus of the Council's support. The unit has also been adopted by the Council and actively participates in Council activities. The Council presents a Naval or Marine Corps Officer's sword to an outstanding graduating Midshipman/Officer Candidate at commissioning ceremonies each year.

Additionally, the Council has adopted the nine area Junior Navy and Marine Corps ROTC units at Bastrop, Brenham, Georgetown, Fredericksburg, Hays, New Braunfels, Round Rock, Stony Point, and Travis High Schools. Outstanding cadets of these units are the recipients of the Navy League Youth Medal each year. The units also receive annual subscriptions to Sea Power and Naval Institute Proceedings magazines.

National acclaim and recognition came to the Greater Central Texas Council in 2002. The Council was named a National Meritorious Council by the Navy League of the United States. The Council also attained honors for having the highest membership retention rate among all of the large and medium-sized Councils, a rate of 90.91%. In 2004, the Council was selected as Honorable Mention Meritorious Council, again had the best NLUS membership retention rate, and was runner up for the prestigious Donald M. Mackie Award for best council newsletter. The Navy League of the United States again cited the Council as a National Meritorious Council in both 2005 and 2006.

The Council has experienced rapid growth over the past four years and is approaching 300 members.