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Who
We Are:
Welcome
aboard! We are the Greater Austin
Council of the Navy League of the United States. We received our charter
on 26 January 1962 and are one of 270 Navy League of the United
States councils located around the world. Members of the
Council largely hail from an eight county area centered around Austin,
Texas.
The
Council, originally named the Austin Texas Council during 1962-1999 and
called the Greater Central Texas Council during 2000-2009, assumed its
current name to better
reflect its geographic identity with the City of Austin and
the
adjacent
counties which make up Greater Austin. The Council's new
name,
Navy League of the United States, Greater Austin Council was approved
by the
Navy League of the United States in May 2009.
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 (NROTC, JROTC, Naval Sea Cadet Corps)
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 advisers, 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
In
2009, the Council adopted the Capital Area Young Marines.
Young
Marines are the youth program of the Marine Corps League.
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 ten area Junior Navy and
Marine Corps ROTC units at Bastrop, Brenham, Georgetown,
Fredericksburg, Hays, Lehman, New Braunfels, Round Rock, Stony Point,
and
Travis High Schools. Outstanding cadets of these units are the
recipients of the Theodore Roosevelt Navy League Youth Medal each year.
The units may also
receive annual subscriptions to Sea Power and Naval Institute
Proceedings magazines.
National acclaim and recognition came to the Greater Austin
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.
For
its 2007 activities, the
Navy League of the United States has again named the Greater Austin
Council a National Meritorious Council and recognized this web
site as
the
best among medium sized Councils awarding the Council the
Donald
M. Mackie Award. Further, the Council was determined to have
the
best Public Relations Recognition Program in its class has been so
recognized by NLUS.
he
Council has experienced rapid growth over the decade and is now at 260
members.
The
Importance of Maintaining a Navy League and Council Membership
Membership
is the lifeblood of any organization. Members often do not
renew because "they cannot attend meetings or serve as officers."
But there is
more to being in the Navy League than attending meetings.
Your
membership in the Navy League and the Greater Austin Council gives a
national voice and financial
support to the cause of
American Sea Power. Your membership enables the Navy League
and the Council to support the Sea Services, Sea Services members and
families, and JROTC and Sea Cadet your programs, whether you ever
attend a a single meeting.
Please renew and/or upgrade your membership in a timely manner.
Click
on this link http://www.navyleague.org/membership/index.php and it will take you to the
Navy League web site's membership page where you can renew/upgrade your
memberships on line using a credit card, or you may
send
a check to:
Navy League of the United States
Post Office Box 2208
Merrifield, Va 22116-2208
View the dues rate schedule >>> here
Our Nation is Blessed by Its Servicemen and Women
To our family and friends that
are servicemen or
were in the service
before; thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your sacrifice and
dedication. We owe you a debt of gratitude that we can never repay. All
we
can say is that we will never forget what you are doing for us.
View
a short, rewarding movie that will both move you and make you
proud. >>>
here
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Council News and Features:
Central
Texas AREA Councils Host Lone Star Region Annual Business
Meeting
The Central
Texas AREA hosted the annual Lone Star
Region Business Meeting in
Fredericksburg, Texas during 1-3 May 2009. The event was
headquartered at the Fredericksburg Inn and Suites.
Forty-five
National Directors, Council Presidents and officers of the Texas Navy
League and their guests set an attendance record for the event.
The "getaway" nature of the meeting included dinner at the
Cabernet Grill, an outstanding night of music at the Rockbox Theater,
and a pleasant luncheon with Mr. Rob, Esterlein, Deputy Director of the
Admiral Nimitz Foundation as speaker. A reception hosted by
the
Fleet Admiral Nimitz Council provided the need wind down at the end of
business.
That business included nominations for 2010 region and
area officers and directors, review and discussion of the issues facing
the Navy League and the Sea Services, beneficial training on how to
work with congressional leaders, and a discussion of the need for
Councils to have functional, current web sites.
Of interest to
Greater Austin Council members is the high regard that their Council is
held in the Lone Star region and the level of trust placed in its
members. Jeanie Coffey, Glenn Looney, Max Miller, and Jack
Ritter
were elected National Directors, an unprecedented number for a Council
of this size. Additionally, Max Miller was elected President
Central Texas AREA, Jack Ritter continues as Vice-President Lone Star
Region for Legislative Affairs, and Glenn Looney was elected President,
Lone Star Region.
Max MIller received the Navy League Scroll of Honor from
Region President, Bull Walker, in recognition of the outstanding
service that Mr. Miller has provided to the Greater Austin Council, the
Lone Star Region, and the navy League of the United States.
The 2010 Lone Star Region meeting will be
hosted by the South Texas AREA and will most likely take place in
Ingleside in conjunction with the tall ships regatta scheduled in July.
Navy
League of the United States to Hold 2009 National Convention in Corpus
Christi, Texas
The
Navy League's annual convention will be held in Corpus Christin 27
October - 1 November 2009 at the Omni Corpus Christi Hotel - Bayfront
and Marina Towers. This is an all hands event for members and
their guests and there will be more than just business, including
entertainment and tours before, during, and after the
convention
dates. Come early and stay later!
This is a mandatory
event for National Directors and region and area officers.
Counci
Presidents shouls attend and are so encouraged.
For the latest information on the 2009 National Convention, follow this
link:
2009 NLUS National Convention-Corpus Christi
Greater Austin Council Honors Veterans of World War II
The Greater Austin Council of
the Navy League of the United
States
honored Sea
Service
Veterans of World War II (Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and Merchant
Marine) as guests
at its 4 December Distinguished Speaker Dinner. Over 100
members
and guests were present to recognize and remember 25 World
War II veterans for their selfless service to our country as members of
the
“Greatest Generation.”
Past President
Tom Lasseter,
a World War II veteran himself, planned the program. Kathy Pillmore
prepared the slideshow presentation depicting the World War II
service of each veteran along with a vintage photograph,
while Vice President Randy Patterson led the moving ceremony,
recognizing each veteran and reading their biographies. Mr.
Patterson's remarks can be >>> read
here. The veterans biographies and World War II photos can be
>>> viewed here.
Texas
Capitol Vietnam Monument
 More than 500,000 Texans
served in the Vietnam War. While the war is
history for some, the healing continues for others. That’s
why the
Texas Capitol Vietnam Monument is being created.
This
granite and bronze sculpture – towering over the east side of
the state
Capitol in Austin – will forever acknowledge the noble
sacrifices of
U.S. military men and women, as well as the South Vietnamese military,
during the war. The estimated cost
of this project is $1.5 million.
Visit
this web site to help make it a reality: Build
the
Monument
Greater
Austin Council Earns NLUS Awards and Recognition
 The Greater Austin
Council was honored at the NLUS National Convention in Kansas City with
yet another National
Meritorious Council award, this one for 2007. The Council has earned
five
Meritorious Council awards over the past six years.
The Council also received the following notification from NLUS
regarding
accomplishments during 2007:
"CONGRATULATIONS! The Greater Austin Council
did extremely well in this
year’s Donald M. Mackie Award competition and the Public
Relations Recognition program. This is a follow-up to the
phone
notification you already received recognizing your council’s
accomplishment.
Your
website and public relations efforts were found to be a cut above the
rest. Your website has been selected as the first place winner in the
medium council category for the Mackie Award. This year more
than
20 high quality websites were submitted. The list of all the
Mackie award winners is provided below. Additionally, your council has
also been selected as the first place winner in the medium council
category for the Public Relations Recognition Program award.
Although
your newsletter, The Anchor, did not place in the newsletter category
of this year’s competition, please continue to send one copy
of
your newsletter each month or quarter when it is published to us here
at headquarters so the staff can have another means to keep up with all
your council’s great activities!
Thank
you again for participating in this year’s Donald M. Mackie
Award
competition. We look forward to your website submission next
year. Your council members should be proud of your great
website,
as well as your hard work and outstanding efforts in support of the men
and women of the sea services."
Chairman of the Board, Max Miller, accepted all of these awards on
behalf of the Council at the Kansas City National Convention.
George T. Jones Scholarship
Fund
 The
Council established the George T. Jones Scholarship Fund in 2002 to
provide
scholarships
to outstanding
graduating cadets of our adopted Navy
and Marine Corps Junior ROTCs and the William B. Travis Division of the
U. S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps.
Our
goal is to have a self sustaining fund that will allow us to give
scholarships in perpetuity. We are about 3/4 of the way to
our
first stage goal of $20,000 so assistance is always welcomed.
Read more about George T. Jones and his namesake
scholarship
fund. >>> here.
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