General Updates

Since we missed our March meeting, we wanted to pass along some USSVI news from the last month. I'll be making more regular posts to the blog over the coming weeks.

Remember, you can find contact information for the Seattle Base officers in the Dolphin Brotherhood. (Note: The newsletter is stored on Dropbox, but you do not need to sign-up for a Dropbox account to view and download the newsletter; you can just close the window asking you to create or sign-in to your account.)

USSVI National Office Contact
Due to COVID-19 concerns, the USSVI National Office staff is staying home. Most of the staff can work remotely from home. So, if you need to contact the office with question, please e-mail ussvi@telebyte.net and we will respond.

2020 USSVI Award Nominations

The National Awards nomination period started on February 1st. Please read the individual award requirements and submission procedures described in the 2020 USSVI Awards Manual and take the steps to recognize the accomplishments of your Shipmates, Bases and Newsletters.

The nomination period for all awards, except for newsletter of the year, is April 30, 2020. The last report said there had only been 10 nominations so far. We are sure there are many more nominations out there, so please take the time to read through the manual and submit your nominations.

The Awards Manual can be found at this link: 2020 USSVI Awards Manual

If you have questions or are ready to submit nominations, contact the National Awards Chairman, Harold W (Bill) Scott II at: hscottss242@gmail.com or by mail through the address shown in the manual.

New Charitable Foundation Website

The new USSV Charitable Foundation website is up and running at www.ussvcf.org.

Every USSVI member is encouraged to visit this new website and see what is currently available as well as to mark it as a place to visit periodically. We encourage everyone to support their Charitable Foundation in any amount that feels comfortable to them, either as a one-time investment or a recurring one. Making a small, recurring donation is an excellent way to support their Charitable Foundation in a painless and easy way.

We encourage regular visits to see the website as it has additional features added over the upcoming weeks and months.

USSVI and Submarine News Updates

There isn't a lot happening with Seattle USSVI Base right now, but I wanted to pass along some USSVI and submarine news updates.

Army Approves USS Thresher Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery

The Secretary of the Army, Dr. Mark Esper, has approved the proposed USS Thresher Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) Memorial. The memorial is dedicated to the 129 men lost aboard USS Thresher (SSN-593) on April 10, 1963 while conducting deep dive exercises 220 miles off of Cape Cod.

The loss of Thresher was the largest Submarine disaster ever experienced by our Nation, and led to the inception of the Submarine Safety (SUBSAFE) program that has, and continues to protect the men and women who serve on our Nations Submarines.

In the 55 years since the inception of SUBSAFE, we have lost only one Submarine, USS Scorpion in what is believed to be due to a battery explosion. In the 46 years prior, we experienced a non-combat average loss rate of one Submarine every 3 years.

The USS Thresher ANC Memorial Foundation received nearly $60,000 in donations from USS Thresher family, USS Thresher former crew, Submarine Veterans, current and former Naval Sea Systems and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard employees. This will cover the cost of the memorial and ensure that funding will be in place to replace the monument in perpetuity.

On behalf of the USS Thresher family and former crew, the USS Thresher Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Foundation would like to thank the ANC representatives who conducted the analysis of our proposal, and provided the lower five levels of approval prior to the final approval signature received today from the Secretary of the Army.

See the USS Thresher Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Foundation website for the story of USS Thresher.

2019 USSVI Awards Nominations are Open

We have many individual members and Bases that contribute untold hours working to help their shipmates, advance our organization and follow the directives of our purpose/creed. Unfortunately, too many of these efforts and accomplishments go unnoticed because they take place at the local level and remain under National's radar. But you can change that by nominating them for an award!

Please don’t procrastinate, read the individual award requirements and submission procedures described in the 2019 USSVI Awards Manual and take the painless steps to recognize these Shipmates, Bases, and Newsletters.

You can see a PDF version of the 2019 USSVI Awards Manual on the USSVI National website.

2019 Awards Submission Timeline

• February 1, 2019: All USSVI Members in good standing submit their Award nominations to the National Awards Committee Chairman John Stanford.
• April 30, 2019: All Award nominations (with exception of Newsletter Award) must be received by the National Awards Committee Chairman.
• May 15, 2019: Deadline for submission of Newsletters for Newsletter of the Year Award.

2019 Western Region Roundup

The annual USSVI Western Region Roundup will be held at Don Laughlin's Resort and Casino in Laughlin Nevada from March 25 through March 29, 2019.

Highlights include guest speakers Frank Hood, co-author of "Poopie Suits and Cowboy Boots" and Capt Dick Noreika, former Commanding Officer of USS Kamehameha and USS Michigan and Trident Refit Facility, Bangor WA. Note that book sales from "Poopie Suits and Cowboy Boots" will benefit the Charitable Foundation.

Laughlin has many activities in addition to reminiscing in the hospitality room or partaking in a game of chance in the casino. Visit the Western Region Roundup website for a listing of things to do and shows while there. Online registration is available through the website.

If you have questions, see the website Registration page for information to contact Gene E. Kellar.

USS South Dakota Commissioning

USS South Dakota (SSN-790) joined the fleet Saturday as the 17th Virginia-class fast-attack submarine during a commissioning ceremony on February 2, 2019 in Groton, Conn.

The 377-foot long submarine started construction in 2013 and is the next-to-last Block III Virginia class submarine. Modifications inserted into the Block III design are primarily in the boat’s bow to accommodate a water-backed Large Aperture Bow (LAB) sonar array and the addition of two Multiple All Up Round Canisters that can each hold six Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAM). You can watch the ceremony below, click the Full Screen icon to enlarge the video.

October Meeting Reminder and National USSVI Election Results

The next Seattle Base meeting is this coming Wednesday, October 17, 2018. We will meet at VFW Post #2995 (4330 148th Ave N.E., Redmond WA 98052). Social hour starts at 6PM with business meeting at 7PM.

Our normal messcook Steve will be out-of-town for the meeting, so we a looking for a volunteer to cover mid-rats for the meeting.

During the business meeting we'll cover upcoming events for the year. We are also looking for a volunteer to tow the Seattle Base float at the Auburn Veterans Day Parade on November 10.

The program for October will be a presentation by Base Commander Ric Hedman of an interior walk-through of the USS Dolphin (SS 169) AKA Submarine D1.

USS Dolphin (SS-169) courtesy of NavSource

We hope to see you at the meeting.

USSVI National Election Results

National Commander:
Wayne Standerfer: 1293 votes
Write-in Candidates: 21 votes
Elected: Wayne Standerfer

National Senior Vice-Commander
Jon Jaques: 1284 votes
Write-in Candidates: 16 votes
Elected: Jon Jaques

National Junior Vice-Commander
Steve Bell: 1291 votes
Write-in Candidates: 17 votes
Elected: Steve Bell

National Treasurer
Paul Hiser: 1292 votes
Write-in Candidates: 15 votes
Elected: Paul Hiser

National Secretary
Ray Wewers: 1281 votes

Write-in Candidates: 9 votes
Elected: Ray Wewers

Northeast Regional Director
Les Altschuler: 241 votes
Write-in Candidates: 4 votes
Elected: Les Altschuler

Southeast Regional Director
Ken Nichols: 278 votes
Write-in Candidates: 2 votes
Elected: Ken Nichols

Central Region Director
Tom Williams: 383 votes
Write-in Candidates: 13 votes
Elected: Tom Williams

Western Region Director
Jim Denzien: 383 votes
Write-in Candidates: 8 votes
Elected: Jim Denzien

Approve Proposed Revision to Constitution and Bylaws
Yes: 1181 votes
No: 156 votes
Proposal passes

Congratulations to the candidates. Thank you to all the members who voted.

Voting statistics will be available on the USSVI web site.

January 2018 Meeting Notes

We started off the January meeting with Tolling the Boats lost in January, followed by birthday wishes for our members, and introductions.

We followed that up with the Officer Reports and then moved to elections for the Base.

Seattle Base Elections – We had one change from the previously posted list of nominees. Lois Mezek changed from co-Secretary to Treasurer. Since there were no opposing nominations, the new officers were elected by acclamation. Western District 4 Commander Jim DeMott was on hand to swear-in the new officers.

Swearing in the new Seattle Base officers

Please welcome our new slate of officers and committee chairs.

• Base Commander – Ric Hedman 
• Sr Vice Commander – Larry Abbott 
• Jr Vice Commander – Earl Greening 
• Secretary – Bill Giese 
• Treasurer – Lois Mezek 
• Chief of the Boat – Ralph Sterley 
• Base Chaplin – Andrea Geisler 
• Storekeeper – Ralph Sterley 
• Newsletter Editor/Webmaster – Dave Schueler 

We want to thank Al Smith for his work as Base Commander. We also want to say a special thanks to Jim Harper, who has finally been replaced as Treasurer. With the elections out of the way, Ric stepped took over the meeting as the new Base Commander.

New Base Commander - Ric Hedman

Old and New Business: 
 Membership Dues – As we start the new year, we want to remind you that National USSVI and Seattle Base annual dues are due. Please be sure to get your renewals to Treasurer Lois Mezek. 

Holiday Luncheon – We had a quick recap of the Holiday Luncheon (you can see photos here). It was announced that Kerry Ryan will take over planning for the 2018 event.

2018 Activities Calendar – We are looking for things to do as a base in 2018. We plan to attend the usual local parades and we are looking at adding a picnic and other events. If you have suggestions for something, please bring it up at the next meeting or contact one of the officers.

2018 USSVI National Convention – The 2018 National Convention is a Caribbean cruise on October 21 – 28, departing from Fort Lauderdale, FL. Be sure to check the convention website for more details, including the list of boat reunions.

February Meeting – We are planning something special for the ladies for our February meeting. Be sure to watch your email and check the blog for more information.

Smokey Point Event – Steve Shelton let us know that our slot for Smokey Point will be at the beginning of June and we will have the north-bound rest stop. We will have further announcements at future meetings and on the blog. 

Good of the Order:
Jim DeMott reminded us that about the USSVI Western Regional Roundup on April 23 – 27, 2018 in Las Vegas. You can see more about the event at their website; registration has not been set up yet, but you can check out the events.

Dave Schueler passed along information about a new submarine book, called Poopie Suits and Cowboy Boots, with all proceeds going to the Charitable Fund Scholarship Fund.

Dick Gonzalez showed off a laser-cut wood plaque at the meeting. The plaque was may by Richard Del Missier and he is selling similar plaques for $75. He can also personalize plaques. If you have something special in mind and to get in touch with Richard, send me an email and I will give you his contact number.

Dick's laser-cut plaque

We hope to see you at the next meeting.

New Submarine Book with proceeds going to Scholarship Fund

We wanted to pass along information about a new book by Frank Hood, Vice Commander of Marblehead Base, called: Poopie Suits and Cowboy Boots - Tales of a Submarine Officer During the Height of the Cold War

Here a brief introduction from Frank;

Most sub vets would agree that civilians have no idea what we went through, what we endured. To increase understanding, my brother and I have written a book about day-to-day life aboard a US Navy submarine.

Fellow sub vets will enjoy reading it, because the book’s details will take them back to their days on the boat and the funny stories add spice. It is also written in language that civilians will understand, so once a vet has read it, he can pass it on to his children. So they can understand what he went through.

We have designated that all proceeds from book sales should go to the USSVI Scholarship Fund - to help kids and grand-kids of our Brothers of the Phin.

Straight Board,
Frank Hood

Frank has allowed us to post Chapter 11 here for your perusal, so you can see what is in the book.

There are a couple easy ways to order the book:
First, from Blurb.com, where you can order the book in soft-cover or hard-cover or as an e-book. The e-book page also lets you read the first 115 pages of the book.

Second, from Amazon.com, where you can get the book for your Kindle or Kindle app. The Amazon version is also available through Amazon Smile, for those of you that have set up a charity to receive funds from your purchases (if you haven't set this up yet, you can designate US Submarine Veterans Charitable Foundation as your charity).

We hope you will consider purchasing a copy and supporting the USSVI Scholarship Fund. 

USSVI Charitable Fund - Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund

USS Cavalla (SS-244) at Seawolf Park in Galveston TX (not far from Houston)

The USSVI Charitable Fund is establishing a special Brotherhood Fund USSVI members that has suffered damage from Hurricane Harvey.

Currently, we do not know how many of our members have sustained damage from the hurricane and subsequent flooding, but we are pretty sure that there will be more than we would want to see.

All bases and individuals are asked to give serious consideration to contributing money to this cause. Please inform your members that they can contribute to this fund to help our fellow shipmates.

Once all the elements of the fund are set up in the Brotherhood Fund, The Charitable Fund President will send out an e-mail letting us know how to contribute.

Thanks you all who contribute to this worthy cause for our shipmates.

Florida Proclaims U.S. Submarine Veterans Appreciation Week

On July 27, 2017, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed a proclamation declaring September 1 - 6, 2017 as U.S. Submarine Veterans Appreciation Week. Here is an image of the proclamation (you can click on it for a larger view) and the full text is presented below the image.

U.S. Submarine Veterans Appreciation Week 

WHEREAS, the United States Submarine Veterans Incorporated (USSVI) will hold their National Convention in Orlando, Florida on September 1 – 6, 2017, which marks the 117th anniversary of the Submarine Service; and

WHEREAS, the creed of Submarine Veterans is, in part, “to perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in pursuit of their duties while serving their country”; and

WHEREAS, today the U.S. Submarine Service Fast Attack boats play a critical role as a “First Strike” force, and ballistic missile submarines roam the ocean as a deterrent against enemy attack; and

WHEREAS, nearly 4,000 Submarine Sailors have given their lives while defending this great country; and

WHEREAS, the USS Florida (SSBN-728/SSGN-728), an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, is the sixth ship of the U.S. Navy to be named for the Sunshine State; and

WHEREAS, the State of Florida proudly honors all Submarine Sailors who have served out nation in appreciation for the critical role they have played, and will continue to play, in the defense of the citizens of the United States of America;

NOW, THEREFORE, I Rick Scott, Governor of the State of Florida, do hereby extend greetings and best wishes to all observing September 1-6, 2017 as U.S. Submarine Veterans Appreciation Week.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed at Tallahassee, the Capital, this 27th day of July, in the year two thousand seventeen.

April 2017 Meeting Notes

The April meeting started with Tolling the Boats lost in April, which was followed by birthday wishes for our members and then introductions around the room. This was followed by the normal officer reports.

Old and New Business
Jay Davis Memorial Service – We had a brief recap of Jay’s memorial service. There was a good turnout of submariners at the service. The service was held at the Meydenbauer Yacht Club and while we were there the manager invited us to continue to hold our holiday luncheon there. Miri, Jay’s wife, also made it a point to invite as well. Dick Gonzalez and Jim Harper will be meeting with the manager to work out the details.

Smokey Point Rest Stop Event Information – We were reminded that we will be manning the coffee booth at the north-bound Smokey Point rest stop again. This year we drew June 19, 20, and 21 (Monday through Wednesday). As mentioned at the last meeting, we are not required to man the booth between midnight and 5 AM, which will help with scheduling. We will have more information and sign-ups as we get closer to the date. If you want to volunteer for a particular shift, contact Steve Shelton. Be sure to mark this on your calendar as a reminder.

Cabela’s Event – We are working on putting together a fund raising ‘meet and greet’ opportunity with the Seattle Base float at Cabela's Tulalip store on May 20 – 21 (Armed Forces Day weekend). We will need some volunteers to help man the area. We will let you know more as more details become available, but mark it on your calendar.

Tolling the Boats Committee Volunteers – Lois Mezek and Ralph Sterley volunteered to be on the committee for this year’s Tolling ceremony, but we need additional people to help them out. You don’t have to be the leader for the event, but we really need more people to step up and help make sure it runs smoothly. Home for the Seattle Base Float – We are still looking for a new home for the Seattle Base float. If you know of a place or have some storage ideas, please contact one of the Base officers.

USSVI Associate Members – We heard some new rules from USSVI National Associate Members. USSVI National is putting temporary stop on allowing associate members to join our organization unless the person applying is a veteran that served during the government specified war status times. USSVI recently lost its War Veteran Status because too many members (including Associate Members) did not serve during the specified times. To be considered a War Status Veteran you must have served during one of the following times: Dec 7, 1941 to Dec 31,1946; June 27, 1950 to Jan 31, 1955; Aug 5,1964 to May 7, 1975; or Aug 2, 1990 to present.

April Program:

Ric Hedman gave us information about his web site, Pig Boats.com, which covers the United States Navy submarine service from its start until Dec 31, 1940. He went through the how the website started, where he gathers the pictures from, and how he receives information and stories about the people and pictures. There are a lot of great photos and stories on the website. Ric has been manning Pig Boats for close to 20 years, so you can imagine how detailed it is. Be sure to check it out, you will be glad you did.

Binnacle List:
Seattle Base Commander Al Smith could not attend the meeting due to back issues.

Good of the Order:
Schell Harmon is in need of a ride to the meetings. He lives in the Bellevue area. If you can help him out, please give him a call or contact one of the Base officers.

PBS is showing a documentary series on the Vietnam War, some of which was recorded at VFW Post 2995. Be sure to check your local listings for dates and times.

You can find the full meeting notes here.

We hope to see you at the next meeting!

Western Region Roundup

Mark your calendars for the 2017 Western Region Roundup, set for April 23 – 28, 2017 in Las Vegas.

Registration information and the agenda are being finalized. The updated information will be sent out shortly and posted to the website. Some information is already available on the website, so be sure to take a look and bookmark it for later! 

June Updates

With Summer getting underway, here are a few updates from Seattle Base and local area.

 

Bangor Tour Full
Dick Gonzalez reports that the Bangor tour is full and no additional applications can be accepted. It should be a fun trip.

National Office Manager Looking for a Member to Assist 
USSVI National Office Manager Fred Borgmann is in search of a volunteer to to spend 2 hours a week at his office in Silverdale. The job is for mailing out letters to members for various reasons (such as new membership cards, thank you notes, etc.) under Fred's guidance. It is rewarding and keeps you up to date on current events. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Fred telephone: 360-337-2978 and email: ussvi@telebyte.net

Bangor Flag Retirement Ceremony 
An invitation to attend the Trident Training Facility's Flag Day Ceremony at Deterrent Park on Monday, June 13th at 1300 has been extended to Submarine Veterans. They have plenty of flags to retire but would love to have as many guests as possible. Please contact Chief Parker if you are interested or have any questions.
ETC Parker
Flag Day Ceremony POC
Trident Training Facility Bangor
360-315-2702

Western Region Director Elections 
The USSVI elections are coming up later this year and Jim Denzien, Sr., asked us to post his candidacy announcement for the for Western Regional Director position. Please take a few moements to read through it.

If you’re in Western District 1, I hope you already know me. I’m Jim Denzien, District Commander since September 2013. If you don’t know me, I’m asking for your support and your vote to move up to Western Region Director in this year’s election.

So what would I do as your Regional Director? I have learned how to support our members. This means listening to my shipmates and having the knowledge on how to work with the USSVI National organization to get their problems solved.

So, in addition to my service as a District Commander, what experience and background would I bring to the job as your Regional Director?

I joined USSVI in 2001 as one of the founding members of South Florida Base in Boynton Beach, FL. After moving to Arizona in 2003, I joined Perch Base in Phoenix and was elected Base Treasurer. Soon after I became a Life Member of USSVI. When some of our Base members who lived far north of the Phoenix area needed relief from the long travel for meetings and events, I joined with others in forming a new Base, Gudgeon, in Prescott Valley, AZ. I’m proud to be plank owner there too.

With Perch Base, I have served the members in various positions including Secretary, Treasurer and Vice Commander culminating in being Base Commander of Perch Base for four years. I have been honored as the Perch Base Member of the Year in 2007 and received the National Robert Link Award in 2014.

What will my shipmates of the Western Region get if I’m elected? First and foremost, I will provide first class representation for all members of the Western Region at the National level. I will firmly support USSVI’s Constitution and Bylaws and support our National officers in conducting the business of USSVI. I will always be available to the District Commanders in the Western Region for guidance as required in the performance of their duties.

But most important, I am a firm believer in communication in plain straight forward language between the National level and each USSVI member. That would be my number one job; your voice in running your organization, United States Submarine Veterans, Inc.

James R. (Jim) Denzien, Sr.

February 2016 Update

Here is a quick mid-month update, with information about the next Seattle Base meeting and other upcoming events and other items of interest.

Reminder, the February meeting has been cancelled. The next meeting will be March 16, 2016. We hope to see you there.

2016 USSVI Awards Nominations are Open
The 2016 National USSVI Awards Nomination Process started at the beginning of February. Please take a moment to look over the awards and consider nominating a shipmate or a Base for an award for all the good things this shipmate or Base did during 2015.
Let’s acknowledge and reward our shipmates for a job well done by nominating them an Award. Please review the manual and follow the directions.

The Awards Manual can be found on the USSVI website or at this link.

The 2016 Awards on Schedule and Process Timeline:

• FEBRUARY 1, 2016: All USSVI Members in good standing can begin to submit their award nominations to National Awards Committee Chairman John Stanford.
• APRIL 30, 2016: All Award nominations (with exception of Newsletter Award) must be received by the National Awards Committee Chairman. The deadline for submission for the Newsletters for Newsletter of the Year Award is MAY 15.

Have You Ever Wondered: Where is Your Boat Today?
The Sea Poacher (SS-406) Association has created a DVD where you can find the answer to the status (as it exists) of every U.S. submarine from World War II to the present day of early 2016. Most of the information is not new, but it takes a great deal of effort and time to find it. Now this has been done by the Sea Poacher Association has researched and collated the information into one document that should be of interest to every submariner.

This listing and status includes information on over 600 boats. It starts with the 52 boats lost in the war with Japan and the full 25 museum boats. This is followed by a complete listing of diesel submarines that were scrapped and that have parts such as sails, conning towers, periscopes, screws, and other items preserved at locations in the U.S. and abroad. There is information on nuclear submarines that have been recycled, as well as those currently awaiting their fate. It also includes a comprehensive list of over 80 submarines that were transferred to foreign countries, including their disposition, fate, or establishment as a memorial. Finally, there is an account of the dozens of submarines that were sunk as targets or in other unusual events.

Where is Your Boat Today? It can be ordered at $20 each or for orders of five or more to one specific submarine organization address, we can reduce the shipping costs and make it only $17 a copy. See this link for more information about this and for ordering information.

TRIAD Symposium in Silverdale WA on March 11
I'm Peter Huessy. Since 1983 I've been hosting a Congressional Breakfast seminar series in Washington DC on our nation’s strategic modernization, missile defense, space, counter-proliferation, defense policy and arms control agenda. We have over that period held some 1500 such seminars. In 2012, I decided to expand the series and host annually a TRIAD conference in Washington, D.C. and one at a nuclear-related military base elsewhere in the country. This is the tenth Triad event in the series and it is scheduled for March 11, 2016 in Washington State next to the Navy submarine base. My main partners in this effort are the Air Force Association, National Defense Industries Association, the Reserve Officers Association, and many of our leading Defense contractors with the cooperation of the US Navy and US Air Force.

I want to invite you and the members of SUBVETS and the Kitsap Chapter of MOAA to a conference/symposium on the Benefits of Strategic Deterrence that I am putting on in your area from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Friday March 11, 2016. It will be held at the Silverdale Beach Hotel, 3073 NW Bucklin Hill Road, Silverdale, WA 98383, near to the Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor in cooperation with the US Navy. Rooms are blocked for the event.

After the close of the session on Friday afternoon, U.S. citizen participants will have an opportunity to tour an in-port fleet ballistic missile submarine (space is limited). That evening we will have a reception at the hotel.

Below is a copy of the agenda. Among our distinguished speakers are: Admiral Richard Haney, Commander of U.S. Strategic Command; Vice Admiral Terry Benedict, Director, Navy Strategic Systems Programs; Rear Admiral David Kriete, Commander, Submarine Group 9; Maj Gen Michael Fortney, Vice Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command; Lt Gen Jack Weinstein, the USAF Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence, and Brad Roberts, Director of the Center for Global Security Research at Lawrence Livermore National Lab.

We are organizing this event in cooperation with the Naval Submarine League Pacific Northwest Chapter and Puget Sound Naval Bases Association. Our supporting sponsors to date include Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop-Grumman, Textron, General Dynamics and Task Force 21 - Minot, ND.

Separately, I will be sending you an email from Constant Contact with a link to register for the March 11 conference/symposium. The invite goes out twice a week. I would appreciate if you would click on the "forward this email" button at the bottom of your invite letter and forward it to your members. Those who register for the conference will be sent instructions on how to sign up for the SSBN tour from my colleague Brian Moran. And Brian can help you with getting a copy of the link to also send to you colleagues and friends.

There is no cost to attend the event. Our caterer and associated costs are being covered by our supporting sponsors. If your group would like to be listed as a supporting sponsor, I would be delighted to chat with you about a contribution to the event where your member attendees could provide such support. Our goal has been to work with the local community around our nuclear enterprise bases, plus their Congressional delegation, the military and civilian work force, the related industry, think tanks and public policy organizations that deal with nuclear issues, as well as the Administration and Congress as a whole, together providing for the nation’s security and supporting the nuclear deterrent enterprise.

Sincerely,
Peter Huessy
Senior Defense Consultant, Air Force Association,
Phuessy@afa.org or 240-401-1043

AFA-NDIA-ROA: The Benefits of Strategic Nuclear Deterrence: Modernizing the Triad and Nuclear Deterrent Enterprise, March 11, 2016, Bangor, Washington

When: Friday March 11, 2016 from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM PST

Location: - Silverdale Beach Hotel Ballroom, 3073 NW Bucklin Hill Road, Silverdale, Washington, 98383

Agenda:

• 7:30-8:00 Registration and Buffet Breakfast
• 8:05-8:15 Welcoming Remarks from Rear Admiral David Kriete, Commander, Submarine Group 9.
• 8:15-8:20 Introductory Remarks by Peter Huessy, President, Geo-Strategic Analysis, and Senior Defense Consultant, Mitchell Institute, Air Force Association.
• 8:20-9:05 Brad Roberts, Lawrence Livermore National Lab – “The Case for Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century.”
• 9:05-10:00 Maj. Gen. Michael Fortney, USAF, Vice Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command.
• 10:00-11:00 Vice Admiral Terry Benedict, Director, SSP : ORP update; Navy-Air Force collaboration on strategic systems and UK Trident replacement)
• 11:05--11:20 break
• 11:20-12:40 Panel: Todd Harrison, Director, Defense Budget Analysis, CSIS; Dan Goure, Vice President, Lexington Institute; Mathew Kroenig, Associate Professor, Department of Government and School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University; and Rebecca Hersman, Director, CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI).
• 12:45-1:15 Break and Lunch Buffet
• 1:15-2:00 Luncheon Keynote - Admiral Cecil Haney, Commander of US Strategic Command: "Strategic Deterrence in an Uncertain World"
• 2:00-3:00 Lt Gen Jack Weinstein, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, USAF Headquarters: "The Value of ICBMs and Bombers: Communicating Strategic Requirements".

September 2014 Meeting Notes

The September meeting had a full agenda with lots to cover. We started off the September meeting with Tolling the Boats lost in September, followed by birthday wishes for our members, officer reports, and introductions.

Old and New Business
Seattle Base Tolling the Boats Ceremony – The Tolling the Boats ceremony and picnic was a big success. We want to thank everyone that helped make out. Special thanks go out to John Roberts for organizing the event and Lois Mezek for working with the special guests. Lois also read letters from the guests thanking us for their inclusion in the ceremony.

Cabela's Weekend – Doug Abramson told us about another good weekend at Cabela's Tulalip store. He also passed along Cabela's thanks for our efforts.

2014 Holiday Luncheon – This year's Holiday Luncheon is set for December 20 at the Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club. The club recently finished renovating its kitchen, so we are looking forward to a good lunch there. Details on the menu, prices, and time will be available soon.

National Awards – Seattle Base and a number of base members were earned USSVI National Awards this year and we were able to distribute them during the September meeting. First up, Seattle Base earned the Golden Anchor Award for large bases (bases with 100 or more members). 

Seattle Base Commander Dick Gonzales accepts the award on behalf of Seattle Base

This award is presented to one Base in each class that best demonstrated a leading role in developing and promoting creative membership renewals, and has developed successful recruiting tools, programs and ideas. Winning this award allows Seattle Base members to wear the Golden Anchor Award patch. Patches can be purchased from the Base Storekeeper for $4.

Next, Pat Householder was presented with an individual Meritorious Award. This award is presented to a Member or Base that exemplifies the Motto, “Pride Runs Deep “, who, by the efforts and involvement of an individual Base Member, or if a Base Award, by a group of Members within a base, promote a positive image of the US Navy Submarine Force and/or the US Submarine Veterans through participation in local Veteran affairs, parades, school activities, and presentations to Civic, legislative, Veterans, patriotic, and other local area organizations.

Pat Householder accepts his Meritorious Award

Next, Don Ulmer was presented with a Robert Link National Commander's Award. This award is the USSVI version of a “Letter of Commendation” from the National Commander.

Don Ulmer accepts his Robert Link Award

Finally, Dave Schueler was presented with the Newsletter of the Year, First Runner Up Award.

Dave Schueler accepts the Newsletter Award

Good of the Order:
Annual Dues are coming soon - Annual members are reminded that annual dues are coming up at the end of the year. In addition to paying annually, there other options. Be sure to talk with Pat Householder or Jim Harper about what would work best for you.

Earl Greening let us know that he participated in a recent Salmon for Soldiers event, where he took several wounded soldiers out for salmon fishing. He said he had a great time with this worthy event and recommended the program to anyone that has a boat.

Robert Shay, from VFW Post #2995, provided us with information about a project to restore a memorial to the Bellevue soldiers that died during World War I. Seattle Base will be donating $150 to the effort. If you would like to donate or get more information about project, contact Robert at 206-478-0505.

Lois Mezek, with help from several base members, provided a short explanation on POW-MIA Recognition Day, which is always the third Friday of September.

The Empty Setting to remember POWs and MIAs

September Program:
This month's program, by base member Dave Schueler, was on the Imperial Japanese Navy's submarine force during World War 2.

Dave Schueler taking questions at the end of the program

The program gave a brief history of the Japanese submarine force from its start in 1905 to the beginning of World War 2. Then covered Japanese strategy, the submarines available at the start of the war, followed by Japanese submarine operations during World War 2, and information on what the Japanese could have done differently. After the presentation, Dave answered questions and provided some more background about the Japanese forces. It was an enjoyable program that provided some good information about a little known aspect of World War 2.

2014 USSVI Award Winners and Election Results

Here are the results of the 2014 USSVI National Election and Awards. It is a long list and we want to congratulate all the winners.

First up are the 2014 USSVI Award Winners.

Joe Negri Award : Dennis P. Gilbert Redfish Base

District Commander of the Year: James Irwin Albany Saratoga Base

Robert Link National Commander’s Award: (recipients are listed alphabetically)
Edwin F. ‘ Bud ‘ Atkins Groton Base
O. Gordon Banks Tarheel Base
John C. Barr Razorback Base
Donald D. Bassler Bremerton Base
Daryl E. Brock Bonefish Base
Orem A. ‘ Soupy ‘ Campbell Nautilus Base
Joseph H. Clark Nathanael Greene Base
Tomas M. Conlon New Jersey North Base
Daniel K. Craw Tang Base
James R. Denzien Perch Base
Amos Goldsberry Cuttlefish Base
Kenneth C. Henry San Diego Base
Norm Hosking Cuttlefish Base
Gilbert F. Houston Cuttlefish Base
Gene E. Kellar Rocky Mountain Base
Charles T. Key Tang Base
Charles J. Mueller Rhode Island Base
Michael M. Munhall Groton Base
Richard N. Nelson Cowtown Base
Richard M. “Ozzie” Osentoski P. C Stryker Jr Base
John F. Rupertus Carolina Piedmont Base
Thomas M. Russell Groton Base
Robert E. Saenz Hampton Roads Base
John S. Starbird, Jr. Maine Base
Kenneth L. Tupman USS Chicago Base
Donald M. Ulmer Seattle Base
Raymond M. Ward Cuttlefish Base
Richard J. Williamson Chesapeake Base

Meritorious Award (Individual)
Charles J. Mueller Rhode Island Base
 Patrick F. Householder Seattle Base
Leonard D. Stefanelli Mare Island Base

Meritorious Award (Base)
USS Chicago Base
Carolina Piedmont Base
Albany-Saratoga Base

Golden Anchor Award
Class One - Seattle Base
Class Two - Central Texas Base
Class Three - South Florida Base
Class Four - USS Asheville Base

Silver Anchor Award
Frederick Weilminster Razorback Base
Alan D. Cole Mare Island Base
Thomas S. Beach USS Asheville Base

Ben Bastura Award
Leonard L. Hill Iowa Base

Newsletter Awards 
Class I Charleston Base -- Torpedo Alley
Class II Carolina Piedmont Base -- Piedmont Periscope
Class III Coastal Carolina Base -- The Below Decks Watch
Class IV Polaris Base -- Polaris Fire

Overall Winner -- Carolina Piedmont Base – Piedmont Periscope

Here are the election results for 2014 from USSVI Elections Master Tom Conlon. We had 2174 members vote in this year’s election (a 17% turnout).

National Officers 
National Commander: 
Al Singleman 1188 Votes 55%
Wayne Standerfer 941 Votes 43%
Elected: Al Singleman

National Senior Vice-Commander (Unopposed)
John Markiewicz 2045 Votes 94%
Elected: John Markiewicz

National Junior Vice-Commander (Unopposed)
William Andrea 2055 Votes 95%
Elected: Wiliam Andrea

National Treasurer
Paul Hiser 1095 Votes 50%
Byron Stratton 973 Votes 45%
Elected: Paul Hiser

National Secretary
Harold Kenneth Recoy 958 Votes 44%
Raymond Paul Wewers 1104 Votes 51%
Elected: Raymond Paul Wewers

Regional Directors
Northeast Region Director (Unopposed)
Michael Naughton 427 Votes 97%
Elected: Michael Naughton

Southeast Regional Director
Diederick (Dick) E. Kanning 336 Votes 61%
Brian Steffen 210 Votes 38%
Elected: Diederick (Dick) Kanning

Central Region Director
David L. Farran 311 Votes 52%
James A. Fox 276 Votes 47%
Elected: David L. Farran

Western Region Director (Unopposed)
Robert J. Bissonnett 432 Votes 98%
Elected: Robert J. Bissonnett Proposed

Amendments 
PA 2014-1: Amends USSVI Constitution Article XII, Section 1 (Conventions). Requires two-thirds (2/3) majority of votes cast to pass (greater than 66%).
YES 1486 Votes 68%
NO 688 Votes 32%
The Proposed Amendment is adopted

PA 2014-2: Amends USSVI Constitution Article XI, Section 1 and USSVI Bylaws, Article V, Sections 2 and 5 (Prerequisites and Duties for National Senior Vice-Commander and National Treasurer). Requires two-thirds (2/3) majority of votes cast to pass (greater than 66%).
YES 1860 Votes 86%
NO 314 Votes 14%
The Proposed Amendment is adopted

PA 2014-3: Amends USSVI bylaws Article V, Section 3 (Duties of National Junior Vice-Commander). Requires a simple majority of votes cast to pass.
YES 1957 Votes 90%
NO 217 Votes 10%
The Proposed Amendment is adopted

PA 2014-4: Amends USSVI Bylaws Article VI, Section 18 (Disciplinary Committee). Requires a simple majority of votes cast to pass.
YES 1951 Votes 90%
NO 223 Votes 10%
The Proposed Amendment is adopted

PA 2014-5: Amends USSVI Bylaws Article XVI (Policies and Procedures Manual). Requires a simple majority of votes cast to pass.
YES 1712 Votes 79%
NO 462 Votes 21%
The Proposed Amendment is adopted

PA 2014-9: Clarify Process for New Business at National General Business Meeting. Requires a simple majority of votes cast to pass.
YES 1959 Votes 90%
NO 215 Votes 10%
The Proposed Amendment is adopted

Please join me in congratulating our new National Officers. We wish them a successful tenure in their new offices.

I want to thank National Commander Michael Bircumshaw for appointing me as USSVI Election Master. I also want to thank NE District 2 Commander/NJ North Base Commander Les Altschuler for his invaluable assistance in tallying the vote. Thanks, too, to Les’s wife Joyce Altschuler for her hospitality and “patience” while Les and I were “camped out” in his computer space and at their summer campground.

Tom Conlon, PNC
USSVI Elections Master

July 2014 Meeting Notes

We started off the July meeting with Tolling the Boats lost in July, followed by birthday wishes for our members, introductions, and officer reports.

Old and New Business: 
Smokey Point Rest Stop Event – We had a fun time at the Smokey Point Rest Stop handing out coffee and telling sea stories. After tallying up the donations and deducting expenses, it looks like the Base made around $700 over the weekend. Thanks to all the volunteers that helped out and BZ to Steve Shelton for organizing and running the event. We will be getting pictures from the event up soon.

Kirkland Independence Day Parade – We had around 40 submarine veterans, including the Silent Service Motorcycle Club, at the Kirkland Independence Day Parade. The crowd was very enthusiastic, the parade organizers provided a pizza lunch for all the veterans, and everyone had a good time. You can see photos from the parade in a previous blog entry.

Seattle Base Tolling the Boats Ceremony – The annual Tolling the Boats ceremony and picnic is set for August 16 at the Kirkland Marina Park. Set up will start around 10 AM, with the picnic starting around 11:30 and the ceremony getting underway between 1:15 and 1:30. We will have more information on the start time as we get closer to the event, but be sure to mark it on your calendar.

August Meeting Cancelled – Due to the timing of the Tolling the Boats Ceremony, we voted to cancel the August business meeting. The next regular business meeting will be September 17.

2014 Holland Club Inductees – We added five new members to the Holland Club roll this year. Doug Abramson and Karl ‘Dutch’ Krompholz were at the meeting to pick up their certificates and patches. We mailed the certificates and patches out to Romeo Delarosa, Jim Kingman, and John Soth. Congratulations to all the new Holland Club members.

Karl 'Dutch' Krompholz and Doug Abramson receive their Holland Club certificates and patches from Base Commander Dick Gonzales

2014 USSVI Elections – Don’t forget that the last day to vote in the National USSVI elections is August 28 (paper ballots must arrive by August 28). The ballot was included in the latest issue of The American Submariner and can be filled out and mailed to the Election Master. You can also vote online through the USSVI website by clicking the Vote Nat Election button in the upper left, entering your login information (if you haven’t used the website before, just follow the on-screen instructions) and make your vote.

Challenge Coins – Ken Murray presented all the meeting attendees with a special Veterans Day challenge coin he received from a friend that works at Boeing.

July Program: 

Lt. Matt Boehm answering a few questions

Our speaker for July was Lt. Matt Boehm USN. Lt. Boehm is an assistant Professor of Naval Science at the University of Washington, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and the University of Texas at Dallas. Lt. Boehm qualified on USS Connecticut (SSN-22) and talked to us about life aboard a state-of-the-art attack submarine. He talked about life aboard Connecticut, including operations in the western Pacific and Arctic. He had some great sea stories and pictures to share from his time at sea. He also shared information about his current work at the University of Washington in teaching, with the ROTC unit, and trying to get new volunteers for the submarine service. After his talk, Lt. Boehm was happy to answer questions for us about his naval experiences and the current submarine fleet. The presentation and Q & A provided us with insight into today’s submarine force. Thanks to our shipmate Don Ulmer for facilitating Lt Boehm’s appearance.

Base Commander Dick Gonzales presents a Certificate of Appreciation to Lt Boehm at the July meeting.

June 2014 Meeting Notes

We started off the June meeting with Tolling the Boats lost in June, followed by birthday wishes for our members, introductions, and officer reports.

Old and New Business:

Smokey Point Rest Stop Event – We will be back at Smokey Point Rest stop this year. We are scheduled to cover the north bound rest stop on June 27, 28, 29, and 30. There are still a few openings available to man the coffee booth and it is always good to have multiple people at the booth. If you are interested in in lending a hand, contact Steve Shelton.

Independence Day Parade – We will be in the Kirkland parade on July 4. We will muster near Heritage Hall, the large white two-story building on the north side of the street, at the corner of Central Way and Market Street. The float will be in place around 10:00 and all members should be in place by 10:30. The parade starts at noon. This is becoming a tradition with our group and we hope we can count on you to be there too. Details for the parade will be in the next newsletter and posted to the blog.

Seattle Base Tolling the Boats Ceremony – The annual Tolling the Boats ceremony and picnic is set for August 16 at the Kirkland Marina Park. The picnic will probably start around 11:00 with the ceremony starting around 1:30. We will have more information on the start time as we get closer to the event, but be sure to mark it on your calendar.

2014 Holiday Luncheon – Our holiday luncheon is booked for December 20 at the Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club in Bellevue. We will have more details including cost per person (which will be less than last year) menu selection, maps, and a sign-up sheet in a few months.

2014 USSVI Elections – Pat Householder provided an overview of the National USSVI election process and an opportunity to vote at the meeting. The ballot was included in the latest issue of The American Submariner and can be filled out and mailed to the Election Master. You can also vote online through the USSVI website by clicking the Vote Nat Election button in the upper left, entering your login information (if you haven’t used the website before, just follow the on-screen instructions) and make your vote. The last day to vote is August 28 (paper ballot must arrive by August 28).

Good of the Order:
The Canadian Submarine Force is celebrating its 100 anniversary this year and they have invited all submariners from around the world to join in their celebration. The West Coast celebration is being held in Victoria BC on August 5 – 8, 2014. You can find out more at the West Coast Submarine Week website.

June Program:
Our June presentation was by former Base Commander Keith Watson. Keith did a splendid job providing us with a view of Puget Sound at turn of the century history combining area history, early development of coal and oil, and submarines. Black Diamond was historically a major contributor to Puget Sound’s growth during this era and a focal point of the Keith’s presentation. Keith is a valued and active member of his community. We are fortunate to Keith in our ranks, as he typifies one our best.

April 2014 Meeting Reminder

Shipmates,
The next Seattle Base meeting is this coming Wednesday, April 16.

We will meet at VFW Post #2995 (4330 148th Ave N.E., Redmond WA 98052). Social hour starts at 6 PM with business meeting at 7PM.

Our guest speaker, Mr. Richard Blumenthal, will talk about the maritime history of Puget Sound. Richard is an accomplished speaker and historian whose lifelong passion is researching the early exploration and history of our inland waterways. His account of what Puget Sound looked like 150 to 200 years ago staring with early English explorers will fascinate you. Richard's first nautical experience at age five was with a homemade dingy on Lake Washington and later learned the secrets of numerous islands while cruising the regions waterways. Richards’s work includes the “Early Exploration of Inland Washington Waters” and “Maritime Place Names Inland Washington Waters."

Finally, we would like to remind you that the deadline for the 2014 USSVI National Awards Nomination process is April 30, 2014. The announcements of the Awardees and presentation of awards will happen at the Awards Banquet at the 2014 National Convention in Burlingame CA.

Almost 80% of the nominations submitted are from Base Commanders, Points of Contact, or other Base Officers, but we want to encourage all members to consider writing up a recommendations for a National Award. These awards recognize your shipmates for the voluntary work they do in support of our brotherhood, our organization and its purpose.

We all have shipmates that deserve the recognition for their hard work in support of our organization and its purpose, and it shines a favorable light on your base as well. Don’t forget your hard working associate members. They are eligible for some of these awards as well. Any USSVI member may nominate any other member (or for a Base for certain awards as stated in the Award description).

Here is a summary listing of the award categories.

• Joe Negri ‘Shipmate of the Year’ Award 
• Robert Link National Commander’s Commendation Award 
• Meritorious Award 
• Golden Anchor Award 
• Silver Anchor Award 
• Ben Bastura Historical Achievement Award 
• Base Newsletter of the Year Award (Deadline for newsletter submissions is May 15, 2014) 

Each Award has specific criteria to meet and some of the criteria have changed since last year, so please read the manual for a careful review. You can find the manual here. Please take a look at the manual and start thinking about your Shipmates who should be nominated for the various Awards. If you have any questions about the program or the individual award criteria please contact National Awards Chairman John Stanford by phone (904-749-3197) or by email: jstan131@comcast.net.

News from National

 Here are a couple items of interest from USSVI National. The first is about a way to communicate with the National Officers and the second is about a way to get episodes of the old TV series 'The Silent Service.'

 

Announcing the USSVI Member Questions and Comments Bulletin Board System (BBS)

We are happy to announce that USSVI has a new Bulletin Board System (BBS), the USSVI Member Questions and Comments BBS at: http://bod.subvets.net/category-view.asp

This is a place where any member can ask a question, comment or make a complaint. Ground rules are: identify yourself, keep it clean, and fraternal. Got a problem? Offer a solution. We want to build a better and more satisfying organization for all our shipmates. Our mission is to remember our fallen shipmates, encourage fraternalism between subvets and benefit our submarine family. Your questions and suggestions to help achieve these ends will be very much appreciated.

There are six topic areas covered on the BBS:

• Constitution and Bylaws related questions and comments
• USSVI Membership questions and comments
• AMERICAN SUBMARINER related questions and comments
• Charitable Foundation Questions and comments
• National Convention questions and comments
• General Questions and Comments

To participate, go to the BBS and click the General Member Questions and Comments section. Find the topic you are interested in and click on it. From there you can read through the information in the thread and add your own questions and comments by clicking the Reply button.

Don’t forget to add the BBS to your bookmarks.

Your National E-Board

The Silent Service TV Series Available
Thanks to the generosity of USSVI Northern VA Base member Ray Stone, episodes from the submarine adventure series 'The Silent Service', which aired during the 1957-1958 television seasons, are available for downloading.

The Silent Service is a documentary styled anthology series about the U.S. Navy's submarine fleet and their missions during World War II and the Korean War. Every episode was fact based and the realism of the show was elevated by the use of actual combat footage from the files of the United States Navy.

The stories, which varied between the South Pacific during World War II, the Atlantic campaign and the Korean War, were the brainchild of Rear Admiral Thomas T. M. Dykers, himself a WWII submariner who commanded USS Jack (SS-259) and retired from the Navy in 1949 after 22 years of service.

Admiral Dykers also did an introduction for each episode, narrated the action and filmed a closing segment, usually with a member of the crew of the submarine that was highlighted on that particular episode.

Each season was comprised of 39 episodes. All of the episodes for season one are complete, however there are three missing episodes for season two. (If anyone has copies or knows where they are available, please let Ray know).

In addition to the episodes, Ray has included copies of the press kits that were issued to the stations along with the films. He also included episode summaries which are handy in preparing notices/programs for individual viewing.

All episodes are in MP4 format. Ray suggests downloading to your device rather than trying to view online. Each episode is about 30 min. in length so consider that when trying to download. To download the episodes, go to www.olgoat.com, scroll down and click DOWNLOAD to get to the Silent Service page. Then click the appropriate series (SERIES ONE or SERIES TWO), find the episode you want to download, right-click on the title and then select “Save Link As” to save the file.

For those interested in short-cutting this process, the entire series can be purchased on DVD from USSVI Member John Clear. Visit www.usssealion.com for more information.

Thresher Memorial Update and WD4 Newsletter

Shipmates,

Here is some information about Thresher Memorial Service and the latest Western District 4 Commander's newsletter.

Thresher Memorial Service Information

The 50th Annual USS Thresher Memorial Service held this Saturday, April 6, starting at 1 P.M, Eastern Time. The program will be broadcast live over streaming internet video and you can view the program here (if the link doesn't work copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/2935)

Please tune in to join with us in creating an international sense of community to remember the 129 men lost aboard USS Thresher 50 years ago on April 10, 1963.

You can find more details about the program here (if the link doesn't work copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://www.thresherbase.org/program.html)


Western District 4 Newsletter
Western District 4 (WD4) Commander John Mansfield just sent out his latest newsletter with information about what is happening in WD4. If you didn't get a copy in your email, you can review and download it here (if the link doesn't work copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://www.box.com/s/m3y0l6gwzy761crqqmk9)

2013 USSVI National Award Nominations

Shipmates,

The deadline for award nominations is April 30th. Currently only a handful of nominations have been received. The Awards Program is an important and integral part of USSVI, as it is the only means we have of honoring and thanking our shipmates who have dedicated themselves and contributed to the success of our great organization, USSVI.

There are several categories to choose from, and virtually every Base has a member or members that go “above and beyond” in one or more of these categories. It is our duty to acknowledge these Shipmates by nominating them for these various awards. It is our way of saying “Thanks, and Bravo Zulu” for your extra effort to make USSVI the premier veterans organization in the world.

The guidelines for the awards are listed below and you can find them online here. Review the various awards, look around at your shipmates and nominate them for an award. 

Remember that the Awards Committee only has your letter of nomination to make the selection from, so the better it is written, the better chance your nominee has of being selected. Also remember that not everyone nominated can get an award, but the mere fact that they were nominated makes them a “Winner”. It is an honor and a great feeling for a Nominee to know that their shipmates thought enough of them and their efforts to put them in for an award.

Please don’t put this on the “back burner” any longer. The deadline will come and go before you know it.

USSVI 2013 Awards Guidelines

Any USSVI member in good standing can nominate another member in good standing (or entity such as a Base, where appropriate and stated in the award description). Nominations are submitted using the following guidelines:

• All award nominations shall be typewritten and shall be a maximum of two pages.
• Clearly state the specific award for which nomination is being made, along with the member’s name, title, and home base.
• Each entry shall be for the nomination of a single award. Do not include more than one base or member on the same nomination.
• Do not include any photographs or endorsements. Additional nominations or separate endorsements for a nominated member or base are encouraged.

USSVI members can make nominations for the Joe Negri Award, Robert Link National Commander’s Award, Ben Bastura Historical Achievement Award, Meritorious Award, and Silver Anchor Award. All the awards are described below. Note the other USSVI awards (District Commander of the Year, Golden Anchor, and Newsletter of the Year) have a different nomination process.

The Joe Negri ‘Shipmate of the Year’ Award
The late Joe Negri is considered the primary founder of USSVI. The Joe Negri Award is given to the member who, by his personal individual efforts and participation during the preceding years, contributed the most to the advancement and embodiment of the USSVI creed and agenda, and by his dedicated service and support to our USSVI organization and his fellow submarine veteran brothers exemplifies the meaning and spirit of the word, “Shipmate.”

Eligibility for this Award requires Membership in United States Submarine Veterans, Inc.
All nominations should be submitted to National Awards Chairman.The Selection Committee will consist of five previous Joe Negri Award recipients.

The Robert Link National Commander’s Award
Robert Link was the first National Commander of USSVI. This award is the USSVI version of a “Letter of Commendation” from the National Commander. The nominations can be for a member, a group, or a base.

The criteria for selection and presentation of this award are at the sole discretion of the National Commander. Nominations for this award can be sent to the National Awards Chairman or directly to the USSVI National Commander (nc@ussvi.org)

Meritorious Award
This award is presented to the member, base, or group that most exemplifies the motto, “Pride Runs Deep,” through efforts and involvement in local veterans affairs, parades, school activities, and presentations to civic, legislative, veterans, patriotic and other organizations.

Some examples may be library displays, community bulletin boards, schools, and items that appear in print and/or electronic media, press releases, public/community service announcements, etc, which promote the concept of Honor, Duty, Pride, and the history and lore of the US Navy Submarine Force to the general public and community at large.

All nominations should be submitted to National Awards Chairman. Selection is made by the District Commander's.

The Silver Anchor Award
The Silver Anchor Award is presented to an individual member in recognition of his efforts to support one of the primary objectives of our creed: “to provide a way for all submariners to gather for their mutual benefit and enjoyment.”

This award recognizes the member’s volunteer support for meetings, projects and events, including work to recruit new members and to retain the current membership of the base. This award is only presented to individual members.

All nominations should be submitted to National Awards Chairman. Selection is made by the District Commander's.

The Ben Bastura Historical Achievement Award
The Ben Bastura Historical Achievement Award is given to the person(s) who have demonstrated their understanding and commitment to our creed in perpetuating the memory of submariners and submarines by gathering, creating, or in other ways preserving a significant amount of submarine history.

The award is given to the person(s) in the submarine community who has shown a broad and encompassing discipline of gathering submarine history. That person should have demonstrated that they are an expert in the many aspects of gathering and preserving submarine history, its artifacts and/or documents.

All nominations should be submitted to National Awards Chairman. Selection is made by the District Commander's.

Submitting Nominations
Award nominations can be submitted starting now through April 30, 2013. All Award nominations must be received by John Stanford, National Awards Chairman, by that time. E-mail nominations to JStan131@Comcast.net or mail them to:

USSVI Awards Program
John Stanford, Chairman
3026 Cesery Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32277-3527

USSVI Thresher Base needs help for Thresher 50th Memorial Service

Editor's Note: Thresher Base sent out the following message about the new challenges they face for the memorial service, due the the sequestration. At last night's meeting, Seattle Base voted to send $100 to help out and a number of base members chipped in their own money too. If you have the extra funds, this would be a worthwhile donation.

USSVI Thresher Base needs your help with funding the 50th Annual USS Thresher Memorial Service that will be held on April 6th.

After the 49th memorial service, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS) informed us that they would host this once in a lifetime memorial ceremony, just as they have done so for each of the 10 year anniversaries of the loss of USS Thresher.

PNS regretfully informed us seven weeks ago that they will not be able to host the service due to recent DOD sequestration motivated discretionary spending budget cuts at NAVSEA, coupled with an unprecedented number of attendees that exceeds the capacity of the PNS Auditorium.

In response, we have reserved the only facility large enough to hold this memorial service, the Portsmouth High School at a cost of over $1,800.

One week ago we learned that due to additional spending cuts, CHINFO “may” not be able to pick up the cost of the $2,400 webcast, and PNS “may” not be able to cover the $2,600 program printing cost.

Our normal yearly service costs are $1,300. For the 50th, we had budgeted $3,000. As of today, our cost for the best case scenario with partial Navy support is approximately $7,000, and a worst case scenario of around $12,000.

Given the reasonable potential that these cuts will be made, we need your help to fund this once in a lifetime memorial service.

Please send your donations in the form of a check made out to USSVI Thresher Base, with the check note stating “USS Thresher Memorial Service Fund”, and mail to our Treasurer to the address:

USSVI Thresher Base Treasurer
Dennis O’Keeffe
1 Eureka Ave.
York, ME 03909

All donations received will be noted on the Donor’s section of the memorial service program.

For questions related to the donation check, please contact Dennis via email at ss426djo@msn.com or by phone at 207-351-1240.

For all other questions, please contact me directly at ThresherBase@comcast.net, 603-785-6464.

Thank you,
Kevin Galeaz
Thresher Base Commander
http://www.thresherbase.org