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 (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 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. For 2007, the Navy League of the United States has recognized the this web site as the best among medium sized Councils and awarded the Council another Donald M. Mackie Awaed.  Further, the Council was determined to have the best Public Relations Recognition Program in its class has been so recognized by NLUS. The Council has experienced rapid growth over the past four years and is approaching 275 members.

Council News and Features: Rear Admiral Scott Burhoe, U. S. Coast Guard, Superintendent, U. S. Coast Guard Academy, to Address Greater Central Texas Council The Council takes pride in announcing our next Distinguished Speaker and Guest of Honor.  >>> Details are here Greater Central Texas Council to Honor Veterans of World War II The Greater Central Texas Council of the Navy League of the United States will honor Sea Service Veterans of World War II (Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine)  as our guests at its Dec.4 meeting.  Recognition of these Veterans from the “Greatest Generation” is long overdue. >>> Details are here George T. Jones Scholarship Fund The Council established the George T. Jones Scholarship Fund in 2002 to provide scolarships 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. Captain Gene Garrett, USN Retired, Named High School Teacher of the Year Council Member, Captain Gene Garrett, USN, Retired, has been named the 2007-2008 High School Teacher of the Year in Gillespie County.   Completing his fifth year as Senior Naval Science Instructor of the Fredericksburg High School Naval Junior ROTC "Battlin Billies" Company, Captain Garrett distinguished himself through his dedication, motivation and leadership that has made the Unit one of the top Naval JROTCs in the State and Nation.   Captain Garrett served as the Professor of Naval Science and Commanding Officer of The University of Texas Naval ROTC from 2000 until his U. S. Navy retirement in 2002.  Read the full story from the Fredericksburg Standard Radio-Post (by Matt Ward) >>>here Greater Central Texas Council Wins NLUS Awards and Recognition The Greater Central Texas Council has received the following notification from NLUS regarding accomplishments during 2007: "CONGRATULATIONS!  The Greater Central Texas 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.   Your council will be recognized at this year’s Honor Ceremony Friday, October 31, at the Navy League National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri.   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." CDR Catherine A. Leahey, USN, Ret. Informs Greater Central Texas Council On 19 June, 69 Council members and guests were informed and delighted by Author Catherine Leahey's history of the Navy Nurse Corps over its first 100 years, 1908-2008.  To us sitting in the enlightened 21st century, the struggles of Navy Nurses to taken seriously, allowed on ships, and treated as Naval Officers was appalling and sad, but humorous and uplifiting, and finally a source of pride as the contributions of the Nurse Corps came to be recognized, valued and essential by the U. S. Navy.   CDR Leahey is the author of A Centenniel Tribute to Navy Nurses; The First Women to Serve Aboard Navy Ships.  Her biography may be viewed  >>> here. 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 Central Texas 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 yout 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 online 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 aredoing for us. View a short, rewarding movie that will both move you and make you proud. >>> here Navy League to Charter New Council in Central Texas The Navy League of the United States (NLUS) is forming a new Council to be known as the Fleet Admiral Nimitz Council in recognition of the strong ties of the Hill Country to the Naval Services. President Theodore Roosevelt, seeking public support for the Fleet, sought the establishment of The Navy League of the United States which was then organized in 1902. NLUS has 260 Councils throughout the United States and around the world. The Texas Hill Country, and Fredericksburg in particular, is home to the National Museum of the Pacific War, Admiral Nimitz Foundation, Fredericksburg High School Junior Naval ROTC and is also the birthplace of Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, United States Navy, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific, during World War II and General Michael Hagee, United States Marine Corps, recently the Commandant of the Marine Corps. The Hill Country is also home to hundreds of veteran and retired Sea Services men and women as well a patriotic citizenry who need a Navy League Council through which they can show their support for the nation's Sea Services. This rich Naval heritage demands a Navy League council. This effort is being led in Fredericksburg by CDR Sam Sorenson, USN (Ret), a member of the staffs of Admirals Nimitz and Halsey during the Pacific Campaigns of World War II. He is seeking charter members for the new Council and should be contacted by phone at (830) 992-3136 or email at navyleaguenimitz@austin.rr.com Council Presents The Honorable John Cornyn, United States Senator from Texas, with Navy League of the United States Honorary Membership On 2 June 2007, Senator John Cornyn (TX) became an Honorary Member of the Navy League of The United States. The presentation of his membership certificate was made at the Omni Hotel in Austin, Texas where the Senator was conducting a Military Forum and a “send off” for the 2007 Service Academies selectees from Texas. Mr. Max Miller, Chairman of the Board of the Greater Central Texas Council made the presentation, assisted by Jim Brotherton, President of the Council; Jeanie Coffey, Council Vice President for Legislative Affairs; Glenn Looney, Central Area President for the Lone Star Region; and Jack Ritter, Lone Star Region Vice President for Legislative Affairs. The new Honorary Membership was warmly received. At the Military Forum, leaders from around the State of Texas were invited to discuss concerns with Senator Cornyn. The leadership of the Greater Central Texas Council of the Navy League were invited to attend and participated in the Forum. Senator Cornyn serves on the U S Senate Armed Services and Budget Committees. Aerospace Engineer Receives Highest Civilian Honor from U.S. Navy at Greater Central Texas Coucil Distinguished Speaker Program Dr Hans Mark, distinguished member of the Greater Central Texas Council for many years, was awarded the Navy's highest civilian award at the Council's Distingusihed Speaker Program on 9 March 2007 at the Austin Woman's Club. The Distinguished Public Service Medal and Certificate were presented by Admiral John Nathman, Commander, Fleet Forces Command on behalf of the Secretary of the Navy, The Honorable Donald Winter. The full story can be found >>> here.