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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.
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