The Pittsburgh Council of the Navy League of the United States was privileged to sponsor a visit of the commanding officer and crew, from Groton, Conn., of their namesake submarine, USS Pittsburgh (SSN-720) from Oct. 4-9.

During the crew’s visit, they met with ROTC midshipmen from the Universities of Pittsburgh, Carnegie-Mellon and Duquesne.  The JNROTC ‘Big Red Battalion’ at Penn Hills High School also hosted the crew for a briefing and Q&A session. 

Social events were not forgotten with the council hosting a ‘Welcome Back to Pittsburgh’ dinner in a Navy League family home; everyone attended the local 237th Navy Birthday Ball held at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall which was jointly sponsored by the Pittsburgh Council and the local Chief Petty Officers’ Association on Oct. 5.

Football was in the air when the CO and crew lead the waving of the ‘Terrible Towel’ on the 20 yard line at Heinz Field prior to the Steelers vs Eagles NFL game on Oct. 7.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett received a USS Pittsburgh plaque prior to kick-off to everyone’s delight.  Commanding officer CDR Michael Savageaux, was also invited to perform the coin toss at the Carnegie-Mellon University Homecoming football game on Oct. 6.  Having the crew in town was the magic it took for both local teams to be the victors!

This is the 27th year that the Pittsburgh Council has opened its homes and hearts to the men of its namesake sub – the City and USS Pittsburgh truly live up to their motto – “Heart of Steel”.

Thanks go to Submarine Group 2 for its coverage of the events and wonderful array of professional photographs documenting the crew’s visit.

Fellow Navy Leaguers,

The holiday season is quickly approaching and I am sure you are all preparing to enjoy Thanksgiving with your family and friends.  As you celebrate, please take a moment to remember how lucky we all are to enjoy this time with our loved ones.  Many members of our sea services are deployed around the globe and are spending the holidays far from those they love.  For those of you who you have also served (or have had friends and family serve) you will recall how lonely the holiday season was when it was spent away from home.  Please accept my word of thanks to you and your council for what you do to help ease service member families’ burden this holiday season.

On November 10, the U.S. Marine Corps celebrated its 237th birthday.  Since their establishment in 1775, the Marine Corps has always proven they can accomplish major missions with limited resources.  As we head into 2013 and the years following, they will continue to be asked to do more with less.  They have shown that they are capable of doing any task and are innovative enough to do it on a far smaller budget than any other service.  However, as is the case with the other sea services, the cuts associated with sequestration will be devastating for the Marine Corps.  As we enter the 238th year of the Marine Corps’ existence, we need to do everything we can to help them.  Let’s fight to prevent sequestration from causing irreversible damage to the military as a whole.  Now that the elections are over, Congress and the President have the perfect opportunity to act in a bipartisan manner and end sequestration in the lame duck session of Congress.  It is not too late – you must contact your member of Congress, now, to let him or her know the importance of stopping sequestration.

Last month, we held our annual Board of Directors’ meeting during which we elected Jim Offutt as president-elect.  Jim has been a Navy Leaguer for twenty-five years and is currently serving as National Vice President for Youth Programs.  I have met with Jim since the board meeting and we have had in-depth discussions to ensure there will be a seamless transition when he takes over as president during next year’s convention in Long Beach.  Although it seems a long way off, it will be here before we know it.  It is never too early to start planning, and I would encourage all of you put this on your calendar in anticipation of your attendance next year June (19-23)!  You can find the details here.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, we each have a lot to be thankful for and we all have one thing in common – our freedom.  As you celebrate, keep those who are serving in your thoughts.  Enjoy your holidays.

Every member get a member… involved,

Philip L Dunmire
National President
Navy League of the United States

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels flew over the MCAS Miramar tarmac on Oct. 13, delighting the audience with their choreographed refinements of skills possessed by all naval aviators.

Twenty Wounded Warriors and their families enjoyed the aerobatic maneuvers from a private chalet sponsored by the San Diego Council of the Navy League.
These young men not only enjoyed the show featuring many civilian and military performers in the comfort of the shaded tent area with catered food - they also got to meet the stars of the day, the Blue Angels.

The day started at 8 am with radio-controlled aircraft and continued with the Smoke and Thunder Jet Car to the U.S. Army Golden Knights and U.S. Navy Leap Frogs Parachute Teams.  The Marine Corps Air-Ground Assault Demo (MAGTF) brought a round of applause from everyone as the rapid fire broke the stillness in the air.

The Blue Angels closed the show flying their F/A-18 Hornets in perfect formation delighting all with its fast-paced, high-performance maneuvers of precision flying.

Tennessee State Rep. Richard Floyd, R-House, Dist. 27, recently proposed in the House, concurred by the Senate, and signed by Gov. Bill Haslam on May 1, 2012, HJR 1065, to honor John J. Spittler upon his receipt of the Four Chaplains Legion of Honor Award, from the Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation in Philadelphia, Pa.

Mr. Spittler, a native of Nebraska, earned his BS degree from the University of Nebraska before joining the Army Air Corps flight training program in 1940 and, upon completion, served with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

In 1942, Mr. Spittler transferred to the United States Navy and was assigned as Recognition & Personnel Officer on the first Fletcher class destroyer squadron commissioned.

All nine ships were assigned to the Pacific Theatre of Operations, but only three returned. Mr. Spittler, a highly decorated World War Two veteran, participated in 13 major Pacific engagements. His ship, USS Nicholas (DD-449), became the most highly decorated fighting ship in naval history and was granted by Admiral “Bull” Hulsey the high honor of transferring Japanese dignitaries to USS Missouri for the signing of the peace treaty ending World War II.

Upon his discharge in 1945, he enrolled at Ohio State University where he earned a Bachelor of Law degree and a Juris Doctor degree. He helped found and became president of the Columbus, Ohio. Council of the Navy League which grew to more than 800 members. He has served as president at the regional, and national level of NLUS. At age 85, he inaugurated the Chattanooga Council which grew to more than 200 members in less than 3 years.

Mr. Spittler is a life member of the Navy League, Tin Can Sailors, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Ohio and Nebraska alumni associations, Delta Theta Phi legal fraternity, Freedom Foundation of Valley Forge, a Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary, and has a lifetime commitment to education. The presentation, made prior to a football game at Signal Mountain Middle High School, Signal Mountain, Tenn., is a testament not only to a man who epitomizes the spirit and commitment characteristic of a true Tennessean, but a tribute to a man who has dedicated his life to service.

The Annual Board of Directors Meeting of the Navy League of the United States was held in Arlington, Va., from Oct. 18th - 21st.

Events included meetings of all national committees over three days, the welcome aboard reception, a luncheon with a lively debate on the Law of the Sea treaty, and a reception for President’s Circle members.

Highlights included CDR Kirk Lippold (USN, Ret.), former commanding officer of USS Cole, providing keynote remarks at the Saturday evening dinner.

Mr. Jim Offut was elected as National President-Elect, and will stand for election next June at the Navy League convention in Long Beach, Calif.

The National Capital Council of the Navy League of the United States organized and hosted the Navy Ball celebrating the 237th birthday of the United States Navy.

The event was held on Oct. 13 in Tyson’s Corner, Va.

Below, left, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert holds a plate for the Honorable Paul Ignatius, former Secretary of the Navy (1967-1969) as he cuts a piece of birthday cake for a junior Sailor from USS Constitution at a Navy Birthday Ball honoring the Navy’s 237th Anniversary. Navy tradition dictates the youngest and oldest or most senior ranked Sailor at the Navy Ball cut and eat the first pieces of cake.

Below, right, members of the renowned U.S. Navy Band performed at the event.

(U.S. Navy photos by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter D. Lawlor/Released)

VADM Richard Hunt, Director of Navy Staff, addressed Navy League corporate members as part of the Special Topic Breakfast Series, held Nov. 14 at the Ritz-Carlton in Pentagon City.

VADM Hunt’s spoke about the LCS and future of our Navy’s fleet and readiness world-wise.

The Navy League’s special topic breakfasts are sponsored by Pentagon Federal Credit Union as a means of providing our corporate members in the national capital area an opportunity to meet and network before their workday begins.

National President - Philip Dunmire
Executive Director - Dale Lumme
National Vice President for Public Affairs and Education - Karen Crawford
Senior Director, Communications - John Daniels
Communications Specialist and Editor, Navy Leaguer - Rebecca Grapsy
Manager, Web Content - Donald Cheatham
Senior Manager, Public Relations - Jenn Womble

Information for Councils / Council Alert

November Message

The Navy League supports morale-enhancing efforts for sea service members and their families.  Celebrate Military Family Appreciation Week and showcase the sea services.  Celebrate the Marine Corps Birthday in council communications and programs.  Support the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program.

Council Annual Planning - New Board and Officer Training

Your Council Annual Meeting of Members and Elections are complete, so now what?  Here are additional activities that also should be completed:

•     Council President Turnover (as required) – the Council President Turnover Guide is an excellent summary of this process.  The Guide can be downloaded from our website at www.navyleague.org/councils/council_guides.html.
•     Conduct Board and Officer training (Ask your Area President to schedule training for all councils in your area).
•     Complete an Annual Navy League Council Plan of Action and Milestones for getting each of your members involved.
•     Complete a Council Financial Audit; a workshop is available to assist your audit committee at www.navyleague.org/councils/training_workshops.html.

Completing the planning activities above cannot ensure a successful year.  Based on previous Navy League successful council activities a focus on community involvement is a great first step.  Outstanding councils may not have monthly membership meetings, but instead host community events, often partnering with other organizations.

These events are planned to engage the community, showcase the men and women of the sea services, emphasize the value of and support for youth groups, engage the business community, support community service projects, then promote these activities and events online – council website, Facebook page and Twitter.  Navy Week is an excellent example of this type event!  Navy Week schedule and contact information is available at www.navyweek.org.  This website is hosted by the Navy League.

Many councils schedule more than one event monthly, thus offering their members multiple opportunities to get involved!

If our Navy League is going to rejuvenate, we must change our activities to attract, engage and retain younger members.  The ideal target for potential members is working professionals in the community!  We also encourage all councils to review the many best practices that have been identified as successful activities.

We offer workshops to assist your council in planning most of the above activities, including:

•     Recruiting Community Affiliate Members
•     Effective 21st Century Communications
•     Recruiting & Retaining Younger Members
•     Council Event Planning
•     Council Partnership Workshop
•     Public Education Seminars
•     Your Council in Community Service

Council Award Applications

Mackie Award Changes Approved.  The Board of Directors has approved changes to the Mackie Awards, as follows:
•     Eliminate council size criteria for website awards
•     ITC volunteers will screen website entries and recommend websites meeting minimum initial screening criteria to the National Awards Committee for final decision; and
•     Awards will be decided based upon adherence to the evaluation criteria, rather than council size, and will include a non-council subcategory for region and area websites; initial screening criteria will be posted on the Navy League website after approval of these changes.

Council Award Application Deadlines.  Council leaders seeking recognition for their council’s accomplishments need to be aware of the council award deadlines for:
Mackie Award for Websites – December 31, 2012
Public Relations Awards – December 31, 2012
Council Performance Awards – March 1, 2013 (with Council Annual Report)
Mackie Award for Newsletters – March 31, 2013

IRS Exempt Organizations releases survey to small tax-exempt organizations

IRS Exempt Organizations has sent out a questionnaire to a sample of randomly selected tax-exempt organizations asking them to evaluate one of three different methods the IRS can use to provide tax information. All are 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations with gross receipts of less than $200,000 and assets less than $500,000 that reported in Tax Year 2009 on Form 990 or Form 990-EZ.  The sample also includes all tax-exempt organizations that filed Form 990-N (e-postcard) in Tax Year 2009.

The selected organizations review a sample outreach web page, then complete an online survey to evaluate the method’s effectiveness.

The survey is the final phase of a research project that will help IRS Exempt Organizations understand where small organizations go for information about tax compliance; what information and guidance they want the IRS to develop and how they would like to receive the information.

Organizations that received a letter to participate and have questions can email the IRS at tege.eo.ceo@irs.gov.

IRS Information

Annual Western Conference on Tax- Exempt Organizations this month
The annual Western Conference on Tax-Exempt Organizations will be held on November 29 & 30, 2012 at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza, 251 South Olive Street in Los Angeles, CA. The two-day program for tax professionals and organization executives is jointly sponsored by IRS Exempt Organizations and Loyola Law School.

Register for upcoming workshops for small and medium-sized charities in Virginia and Arkansas

Take a moment to register for one of our upcoming workshops for small and medium-sized 501(c)(3) organizations.  Each one-day workshop, presented by experienced Exempt Organizations specialists, will explain what 501(c)(3) organizations must do to keep their tax-exempt status and comply with tax obligations.

The full-day workshops are hosted by Virginia Tech and University of Arkansas at Little Rock in their respective states. The workshops are approved by the IRS for six continuing education credits for Enrolled Agents and Registered Tax Return Preparers.

This popular introductory workshop is especially designed for administrators or volunteers who are responsible for an organization’s tax compliance as well as tax professionals who work with the organizations.

Registration is now available for the following workshop dates and locations at www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits/Upcoming-Workshops-for-Small-and-Medium-Sized-501%28c%29%283%29-Organizations

•     December 4 – Little Rock, AR
•     December 5 – Little Rock, AR
•     December 5 – Arlington, VA
•     January 10 – Portsmouth, VA
•     January 11 – Richmond, VA

Upcoming Dates, Deadlines and Events

Nov. 22 - Thanksgiving
Dec. 1 - USS Enterprise Decommissioning
Dec. 7 - Pearl Harbor Commemoration – Fly the flag half mast
Dec. 8 - Hanukkah begins at sundown
Dec. 10 - Spanish-American War ends
Dec. 25 - Christmas
Dec. 31 - New Years Eve

Best Practices and Good Ideas

Periodically we share some of the best practices and the good ideas initiated in the field. 

Here’s an update from a March 2005 Council Alert.

Navy Operations Support Center (NOSC)

The National Board of Directors Meeting last month included a seminar on “Support for Naval Operations Support Centers” which covered council support for active and reserve members of the reserve force.  A key message from this seminar is that council leaders must work with the NOSC Commanding Officer and senior staff in order to determine council support that can be provided.  Most reserve personnel are assigned on a national basis today, so there is little opportunity to meet large numbers of these personnel at one time.
The seminar recommended councils take the following actions to engage their NOSC:

     1.  Locate the Navy Operations Support Center(s) (NOSC) in your community or geographical area.   One quick method is to locate your nearest NOSC is to review the map at http://www.navyreserve.com/m/pdf/2008_Region_Map.pdf.   The address of the NOSC and the contact phone number are in your local phone book under US Government listings.

     2.  Call your local NOSC and ask to speak with the Commanding Officer.  Identify yourself and ask for an appointment (15-20 minutes suggested).  Emphasize that the purpose of the appointment is to explore opportunities for your council members to support drilling reservists and active duty staff at the NOSC.  Your council board should discuss what support is feasible before scheduling this first meeting with the CO.

     3.  At the appointment, the following agenda is recommended:

•   Briefly introduce the Navy League and discuss the activities of your council.  The NLUS plastic Mission & Goals card should be presented to the Commanding Officer (CO).  Your objective is to determine how the Navy League can support the local reserve center staff and drilling reserves.
•   Ask the CO to suggest areas that your council can support the center staff and/or drilling reserves.  Some suggestions include: adoption of the center, awards for active and reserve personnel, family support for recalled reserve families (perhaps working with an Operation Homefront chapter – a Navy League partner), community orientation - housing, schools, shopping, churches - for new families (for example, introduction of Community Affiliate members who assist military personnel in your community), employment assistance, including part-time jobs for center staff (if available through your business members), or any other service identified by the CO.  Recognition for Individual Augmentees is a good initiative to discuss.
•   Agree to an action plan and follow-up reports (what and when for each action item).  Your action plan should include mutual support – “We’ll support your personnel and ask that you support council activities”.  For example, is the CO willing to sit on the council board ex officio?
•   Ask the CO for an opportunity to tell the Navy League story to his staff and drilling reserves.  At a minimum, request distribution/placement of Navy League Membership applications and your Council Newsletter in a central location.  Also ask the Commanding Officer if there are personnel who may be interested in volunteer opportunities with your council or Sea Cadet unit (prepare a list of council and sea cadet volunteer needs before you go to the meeting).