FRAtoday June 2022
comMunicaTIons
FROM THE FANTAIL	3
SHIPMATE FORUM	4
On & Off captol hill	7
FEATURE  STORies	
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS18
SHIPMATE NEWS19
TAPS20
AUXILIARY OF THE FRA22
FINANCE MATTERS24

COMMUNICATIONS

June 14 is Flag Day 
Many Americans celebrate Flag Day by displaying the Red, White and Blue in front of homes and businesses. The day commemorates the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States. 
When the American Revolution began in 1775, the colonists did not fight under a single flag. Instead, most regiments fought under their own flags. In June of 1775, the Second Continental Congress created the unified Continental Army, which led to the creation of the first “American” flag, the Continental Colors.
For some, this flag of 13 alternating red and white stripes and a Union Jack in the corner was too similar to the British flag. George Washington soon realized that flying a flag that was even remotely close to the British flag was not a great confidence-builder for the revolutionary troops, so he turned his efforts toward creating a new symbol of freedom for the soon-to-be fledgling nation.
On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution stating that “the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white,” and that “the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”
Both Presidents Woodrow Wilson, in 1916, and Calvin Coolidge, in 1927, issued proclamations for June 14 to be observed as the National Flag Day. But it wasn’t until Aug. 3, 1949, that Congress approved the national observance, and President Harry Truman signed it into law.
In the 1950s, when it seemed certain that Alaska would be admitted to the union, designers began retooling the American flag to add a 49th star to the existing 48. Meanwhile, an Ohio 11th grader named Bob Heft borrowed his mother’s sewing machine and stitched on 50 stars in a proportional pattern. He handed in his creation to his history teacher, explaining that Hawaii would soon achieve statehood as well. 
Heft also sent the flag to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who presented it to President Dwight D. Eisenhower after both new states joined the Union. Eisenhower selected Heft’s design, and on July 4, 1960, the president and the high school student stood together as the 50-star flag was raised for the first time. 
During the Vietnam War, demonstrators burned American flags as an act of protest. In 1968, a law prohibiting the desecration of the American flag was enacted, making it illegal to burn or deface the Stars and Stripes. In two landmark decisions more than 20 years later, the Supreme Court ruled that the government couldn’t curb individuals’ First Amendment rights by prohibiting desecration of the U.S. flag. Respectful burning of damaged flags according to established protocol has always been acceptable.
If you are interested in the history of the U.S. flag, much can be found online. There is a fabulous history behind our stars and bars. 
In Loyalty, Protection and Service, 
William D. Stevenson, Editor-in-Chief       

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FROM THE fantail

Giving to the Fleet Reserve Association’s Future
As we work towards our centennial celebration, we are looking for ways to ensure that our association is viable for the next one hundred years.
Shipmates, Branches and regions often donate to local organizations and charities.  While making these decisions you should also consider organizations associated with the FRA.  
The Fleet Reserve Association Veterans Service Foundation (VSF) is a 501(c)3 organization and donations as tax deductible.  The VSF was established to aid veterans of all services and primary focus on those who served in the sea services.  
To help grow the VSF, we have established three funds focused on these specific programs: “Sea Served” Fund, which is focused to provide assistance to veterans of the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard.  “Veterans” Fund, focused on the entire veteran community; and the “VSO” fund which will provide aid to those who work to help veterans in their communities.
At the National Board of Directors meeting, held in April, FRA Regional President Southwest Rogelio (Roger) Bacud presented FRA Finance Officer Phillip Reid with the initial donation to the VSF “Sea Served” Fund.  The five-thousand-dollar donation was given on behalf of the Shipmates of Branch 85, which is merging Branch 302. 
Growth in the VSF means ensuring that programs are continued and those who are in need will be able to be served.
Also, donations are now being accepted for our “Centennial Fund” which will be focused on our celebrations for our 100th anniversary on November 11, 2024.  One of our activities will include, hosting the National Veterans Day Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.
If you wish to donate, make your checks payable to the FRA VSF.  To designate which fund you would like to have your donation go to, write it in the notes portion of the check.  All donations are tax deductible.
Please, feel free to contact me if you have any questions about our FRA programs.    
In Loyalty, Protection and Service, 
Chris Slawinski

Chris is the national executive director of the Fleet Reserve Association and may be reached at: NED@FRA.org.

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sHIPMATE FORUM

USS LIBERTY Anniversary
It is not a happy anniversary, but as Admiral Moorer, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff once said, “The American people deserve to know the truth about this attack. We must finally shed some light on one of the blackest pages in American naval history. It is a duty we owe not only to the brave men of the USS LIBERTY, but to every man and woman who is asked to wear the uniform of the United States.”  I am enclosing a letter, probably close to your maximum word limit. There is so much to say about the incident, it is hard to be brief.
This June some of us in the Navy community are observing, certainly not celebrating, the fifty-fifth anniversary of what former Chief of Naval Operations and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Thomas Moorer called “one of the blackest pages in American naval history”; the unprovoked two-hour assault by Israeli aircraft and torpedo boats on the USS LIBERTY, which at the time was in international waters. Several Israeli aircraft dropped napalm canisters on the Liberty’s bridge and fired 30mm cannon and rockets into the ship. The Israelis followed the air assault with a torpedo boat attack, which included the firing of torpedoes and machine-gunning of LIBERTY’s firefighters and stretcher-bearers as they struggled to save their ship. 
The torpedo boats later returned and machine-gunned three of Liberty’s life rafts that had been lowered into the water by survivors. The attack resulted in 34 Americans killed and 172 wounded. Although the attackers attempted to jam the Liberty’s communications, the ship was able to get off a message describing the attack. Twice Navy aircraft from the Sixth Fleet Carrier Saratoga were launched to repel the attackers. Inexplicably, the aircraft were recalled on orders from Defense Secretary Robert McNamara and President Johnson. Badly damaged, with 821 holes in the ship, including a 40-foot diameter hole in its side, the Liberty somehow remained afloat and limped to Malta.
After the attack, a Navy Court of Inquiry was convened. The conclusion of the Navy Senior Legal Counsel Captain Ward Boston and Admiral Isaac Kidd, President of the Court, after gathering evidence, was that in Boston’s words (which he made public years later) “the attack was a deliberate attempt to sink an American ship and murder its entire crew.” However, under direct orders from McNamera, Boston and Kidd were told to say that the attack was not deliberate but “a case of mistaken identity.” Admiral Moorer, who was Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) at the time later stated: “The White House cancellation of the Navy’s attempt to rescue the Liberty is the most disgraceful thing I have witnessed in my entire military career.” The captain and crew of the Liberty were also threatened with “court-martial, imprisonment or worse” if they exposed the truth.
Throughout the years, the surviving crew members of the LIBERTY have tried to get an official government inquiry into the incident, but to no avail. In the words of one of the survivors, “It would be nice to know why the government abandoned us during the attack and ignore us afterwards?”
These surviving LIBERTY crew members are heroes. Not only did they have to endure the horrors of an attack where more than 70% of their shipmates were either killed or wounded, but they were threatened that if they told the truth about the attack they would be punished. In former Secretary of State Dean Rusk’s words, “The attack was and remains a genuine outrage.” The crew of the LIBERTY deserve to be thanked and honored by a grateful nation for their heroism before they die and told that their sacrifices were not in vain.
Aloha,
Peter Knerr

Incorrect Info in the March 2022 Issue
You are the premiere publication for the Navy retired community and as such your articles should be factually correct. In the March 2022 issue, you let two glaring errors slip by. On the Contents page you coupled the word Maru to the names of three Japanese warships shown on the cover. Maru is identified with merchant ships only. In your article about the Intrepid you said she sank the Japanese battleships Musashi and Yamato during the battle of the Leyte Gulf. She may have helped sink the Musashi. And she may have helped sink the Yamato but not until the battle of Okinawa when the Yamato made her one way foray from Kure towards Okinawa. You need to better fact-check your articles before you publish them. 
In the article on McArthur you show a Japanese Shinyo boat. My father was in UDT 17 at the battle for Okinawa and helped blow up those boats on Kerama Retto. As a result, my Father-in-law who was supposed to pilot one of those boats into an American ship survived the war and worked for the Occupation afterwards. He told me about it after I married his daughter many years later. My Mother-in-law was a Hibakusha from Hiroshima.
Thank you.
Respectfully, 
OS1 Stephen A. Lennon, USN (Ret.)

Dear President Campbell
I am an FRA member. My name is Bob Delmonico, CTOC.  Thank you for printing my article in the Shipmate Forum section concerning the various naval facilities that used to exist in Brooklyn NY. It appeared in the July 2021 issue, under the title “Coast Guards role at Normandy.”
I have a good friend, Mike Marino, also an FRA member, who is a World War Two veteran and will be 99 years of age in September of this year. Mike is a Machinery Repairman (MR). He joined the navy before the attack on Pearl Harbor.  At the time of that attack, he was a crewman on the heavy cruiser USS Louisville CA28.  The ship had just left the Philippines and was heading to Pearl Harbor at the time of the attack.
After reading Ezra Phillips article, “Promise: Liberation through Lingayen” and learning that the Louisville was the first to take a hit, I telephoned Mike. When he answered he said, “I was expecting your call.” 
After the war ended, Mike went to work on the New York Central Railroad.  He worked at the railroad’s main inspection, maintenance and repair facility at Harmon, New York on the bank of the Hudson River.  He repaired and serviced steam, diesel and electric locomotives. These locomotives were assigned to famous trains such as the 20th Century Limited, the Empire State Express and the Wolverine.
Mike has quite a story or stories to tell while on the Louisville and would be glad to share them with FRA shipmates.  I am hoping, if it is possible that you or one of the writers or reporters on your staff could contact Mike and place his story in the FRAtoday magazine. 
 Respectfully yours,    
 Bob Delmonico

Climate Propaganda
I was astonished that FRAtoday of March 2022 published a full page political propaganda ad advocating rejection of the concept of climate change.  The principal author of the “free” book “HOT TALK COLD SCIENCE”, the late S. Fred Singer, was also known as “the Godfather of Global Warming Denial.”  Fred was well known in the climate scientific community for his contrarian opinions on climate and for his establishment of the Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP) which was originally affiliated with the Washington Institute for Values in Public Policy founded by Sung Myung Moon.  It is interesting to note that SEPP was partially funded by EXXONMOBIL grants and that Singer was a paid consultant for ARCO, EXXONMOBILE, SHELL, Sun Oil Company and Unocal for many years. Also note the inset by Ted Cruz supporting the “facts and evidence” ignored by climate alarmists.  Most of Singer’s claims against his fellow Scientists have been debunked by peer review. I hope this was a paid advertisement not a policy endorsement.
Dan Davey

FRAtoday: Hello Shipmate Davey, and thank you for taking the time to reach out and share your thoughts. You are not alone in questioning this advertisement choice. You are correct about the ad being a paid placement. We do review each advertisement and as you know, some of them have upset some of our Shipmates. When an ad is as polarizing as this one seems to have been, we do not accept it again and move on to the next issue.                  

Letters published in Shipmate Forum reflect the opinions and views of individual FRA members. They do not reflect the position of the FRA. The FRA is not responsible for the accuracy of letter content. To submit letters to FRAtoday for consideration, please send them to: 125 N. West St., Alexandria, VA 22314 or to fratoday@fra.org.

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ON AND OFF CAPITOL HILL

Let Elected Officials Know You Are Watching
We hope that as you receive this issue, Congress is working on passing the National Defense Authorization Act, twelve appropriations bills and other high-priority legislation. It’s an election year and legislators up for reelection (one-third of the Senate and all members of the House) want to get out of town and go back home to campaign. We urge Shipmates to read their NewsBytes and periodically check out the FRA Action Center on the website (www.fra.org) for important issues. Letting your elected officials know you are watching their votes on critical legislation is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy. 
 
The FRA Weighs in on Veterans’ Toxic Exposure at SVAC Hearing
FRA National Executive Director Christopher Slawinski testified at a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing on veterans’ toxic exposure legislation. Slawinski told the SVAC that the FRA supports all the toxic exposure bills introduced in the current session of Congress. He noted that the association is a member of the Toxic Exposures in the American Military, or TEAM, Coalition and wants to ensure that no veteran who suffered exposure to burn pits or other environmental toxins goes without access to VA health care benefits. Slawinski thanked the SVAC for their support of the FRA-endorsed Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act that passed in 2019.
 
Slawinski reminded the committee that the FRA is supporting the Veterans’ Prostate Cancer Treatment and Research Act (S.2720, H.R.4880), which would expand the treatment and research of prostate cancer to help diagnose and treat veterans through the VA. This is the No. 1 cancer diagnosed by the Veterans Health Administration. According to the VA Office of Research and Development, more than 500,000 veterans are living with prostate cancer and receiving treatment within the VHA. Over 16,000 of those cases are metastatic, and there are more than 15,000 new diagnoses annually. The new bill would standardize treatment across the VHA with the introduction of a comprehensive, system-wide prostate cancer clinical pathway. 

Studies have shown that prostate cancer develops more frequently in men who were exposed to Agent Orange, so the VA has established it as a presumptive condition, thus qualifying exposed veterans for full disability benefits. Slawinski noted that he served on an aircraft carrier and was exposed to jet fuel fumes, and he currently has prostate cancer.

Ask Senate to Pass the Honoring Our PACT Act 
The House has passed the Honoring Our PACT Act (H.R.3967), sponsored by House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano (Calif.). Now the Senate needs to pass it. The bill would allow for the first time all veterans who were at risk of toxic exposure, including 3.5 million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, to obtain immediate and lifelong access to health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs — one of the largest expansions of health care eligibility in the VA’s history. The bill would provide presumptive care for numerous conditions to veterans sickened by exposure to burn pits and other toxins. 

This bill would also establish a new science-based and veteran-focused process for the establishment of new presumptive conditions and would provide benefits to thousands of toxin-exposed veterans who have been long-ignored or forgotten, including Agent Orange-exposed veterans suffering from hypertension. Members are urged to use the FRA Action Center (www.fra.org) to contact their senators and ask them to support this bill. 

VA Adds Respiratory Cancers Linked to Burn Pits to Disability List
The Department of Veterans Affairs has published an interim final rule in the Federal Register (Vol. 87, No. 80, Page 24422) adding certain rare respiratory cancers to the list of disabilities presumed to be service-connected and caused by environmental exposure to particulate matter. This regulation is effective immediately.

The VA determined through a review of scientific and medical evidence that there is biologic plausibility — the medical term for a possible cause-and-effect relationship — between airborne hazards and the development of cancer in the respiratory tract. Although further research is necessary to clearly establish causality, the VA has determined that the unique circumstances of these rare cancers warrant a presumption of service connection. The specific ailments added to the presumptive conditions list are detailed in the interim final rule. Public comments on the new rule can be submitted until June 27 at www.regulations.gov/commenton/VA-2022-VBA-0014-0001.

FY2023 Budget Released
President Joe Biden sent a $5.8 trillion FY2023 budget proposal to Congress that calls for $813 billion in defense spending, up from $782 billion in the current fiscal year. Those figures include a proposal to increase federal pay for military and civilian employees by 4.6%. The nonpartisan, nonprofit Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget projects a fiscal year 2023 deficit of nearly $1.2 trillion, or 4.5% of the nation’s gross domestic product. The budget request does not include any new TRICARE fee increases.
 
The Navy budget would be increased by 5% and the Marine Corps budget would increase 1.8% over the current FY2022 budget. The Navy would reduce its end strength by 10,000 over the next five years and would add nine new ships while decommissioning 24 ships.

The Department of Veterans Affairs would receive $135 billion under the proposal, an increase of $30.7 billion, or 23%. The VA has experienced substantial budgetary increases for many years. However, the fiscal year 2023 request represents a major new influx of money for the VA. The proposed budget provides large increases in funding for outpatient care services ($29.6 billion, up 32%), mental health care programs ($8.5 billion, up 14%), prosthetics care ($4 billion, up 8%) and caregiver support stipends ($1.8 billion, up 35%).

The VA’s Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers has been a source of contention in recent months, as the FRA and other veterans service organizations have expressed concern that longtime participants will be ineligible for the program when updated eligibility guidelines take effect. VA officials announced they would pause all dismissals from the program amid concerns that the changes were affecting too many families.

Gold Star Family Day Bill Introduced
U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Ron Wyden (Ore.), Mark Kelly (Ariz.) and Jacky Rosen (Nev.)  introduced the Gold Star Families Day Act (S.3734), which would designate the last Monday in September as a federal holiday in recognition of the sacrifices that all Gold Star family members have made, whether they lost a father, mother, brother, sister, spouse, son, daughter or other loved one in service to the nation. 

“Gold star families make incredible sacrifices for our country, and that’s why I’m introducing Gold Star Families Day Act … to honor and respect the painful sacrifice that continually lives with the families of our fallen heroes,” said Warren. 

“Losing a loved one in service to our country is the ultimate sacrifice a family can make,” Wyden said in a press release. “Congress has a sacred obligation to recognize the painful grief and resilience of Gold Star Families who have endured the loss of a beloved hero, and pass this legislation to honor their sacrifice.”

Members can weigh in on this issue with the FRA Action Center at www.fra.org.  

HASC Subcommittee Holds Oversight Hearing on DHA Quality of Care
The House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee held an oversight hearing on the quality of care provided by the Defense Health Agency. Taxpayers spend more than $50 billion each year on the Military Health System, which provides health care services to 9.6 million beneficiaries, including service members, retirees and dependents. This sizable investment should provide timely, safe, high-quality care. 

The 2017 National Defense Authorization Act reorganized the Military Health System and standardized clinical quality processes. Before the reform, the Army, Navy and Air Force each operated separate health care systems, and the military had 24 different policies on patient safety and quality of care. Now, the Defense Health Agency oversees all three branches’ medical treatment facilities and, since 2019, the DOD has had a single policy on patient safety and quality of care. 

However, according to Sharon Silas, Director of the Health Care Team for the Government Accountability Office, there is no evidence that real improvement has occurred. “In fact,” she stated, “I hear too often about medical errors that cause grievous harm to patients and quality assurance investigations that drag on for years while suspect providers continue to practice.”

The director of the Defense Health Agency and the surgeons general of the Army, Navy and Air Force were also present at the hearing to answer lawmakers’ questions about DHA’s current practices and consider improvements.

Future GWOT Memorial Will Be Located on Capitol Mall
The enacted FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L.117-81) authorizes the placement of the future National Global War on Terrorism Memorial in Washington, D.C., on the National Mall, which is managed by the National Park Service. The memorial will be dedicated to the more than 3.7 million troops who have served since Sept. 11, 2001. In 2017, then-President Donald Trump approved the Global War on Terrorism War Memorial Act (P.L.115-51), which exempted this memorial from the law that requires a 10-year wait after the official end of a war before building a memorial on the Capitol Mall. The 2017 law also designated the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation as the sole organization responsible for planning, funding and constructing the memorial.

SVAC Roundtable on VA Dental Benefit
Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (Mont.), Ranking Member Jerry Moran (Kan.) and member Bernie Sanders (Vt.) hosted a bipartisan roundtable with officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs to discuss strategies for improving veterans’ access to VA dental care. The VA reports that it currently provides dental care services to only 6% of the 9 million veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system. Part of the issue, Tester noted, is that only a fraction of veterans are eligible for VA dental care benefits, leaving the majority of veterans to either shoulder the costs themselves or forgo needed care. Moran added that there is also the issue of veterans’ ability to access care.

“Veterans who are eligible for dental care through the VA utilize that service at much lower rates than those eligible for VA health care or Americans with private dental insurance,” Moran said. “I appreciate hearing from the roundtable participants on how the VA is working to meet staffing and capacity needs to provide better dental care to our veterans.”

Assistant Undersecretary for Health for Dentistry Patricia Arola also attended the roundtable, and discussed various topics with the senators, such as strategies for assisting rural veterans in accessing dental care, options for expanding the VA’s capacity to provide in-house dental care to more veterans, and avenues for conducting more research on veterans’ dental health programs. 

HVAC Hearings on VA Staff Shortages and Pending Legislation
The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee held an oversight hearing to discuss recruitment and retention challenges within the Department of Veterans Affairs’ health care workforce. The VA health care system has about 50,000 vacancies across the country right now. The VA health care system also has about 40,000 employees who have requested an exemption to the vaccine mandate. VA staff members who testified at the hearing discussed steps the VA is taking to attract and retain employees.
 
The HVAC Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held a hearing to review several pieces of legislation regarding veterans’ education, employment, transition to civilian life and housing. Some proposals included creating permanent policies to protect VA education benefits in cases of national emergency, expanding eligibility for the self-employment track of the Veteran Readiness and Employment program, and making it easier for veterans facing housing insecurity to receive rental assistance. 

The HVAC Subcommittee on Health also convened a hearing to discuss multiple pieces of pending health care legislation. VA staff replied to questions about the department’s policies and procedures regarding non-VA emergency care reimbursement, long-term care alternatives, lactation stations and the possibility of increasing the dollar amounts of Home Improvements and Structural Alterations grants, which allow disabled veterans to make medically necessary changes to their homes. 

Navy to Review Certain OTH Discharges
Some Navy and Marine Corps veterans who were involuntarily separated after experiencing trauma and later tried but failed to have their discharges upgraded will have their cases reevaluated. This action is a result of a settlement from the class-action lawsuit Manker v. Del Toro, in which the Navy agreed to review certain discharges involving post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma and other conditions. The Government Accountability Office estimates as many as 25% of OTH discharges are a result of PTSD, TBI and other mental conditions.

The Navy Discharge Review Board will automatically re-review applications for upgrades from other-than-honorable discharges that were denied between March 2, 2012, and February 15, 2022. Veterans whose upgrade applications to the NDRB were decided between Oct. 7, 2001, and March 2, 2012, will be eligible to reapply. These applications will be reviewed under revised standards agreed to in the settlement.  More information is available at www.mankersettlement.com.

DOD Requests Additional $1 Billion for Hawaii Water Cleanup
The FY2023 defense budget asks for $1 billion to cover expenses related to the fuel-tainted water in Hawaii. The money would address the continuing needs of military families, drain the fuel storage tanks, and provide for more cleanup efforts. The new Red Hill Recovery Fund in the fiscal year 2023 budget request is in addition to the $1 billion that Congress has already provided to deal with the effects of the fuel leak. The $1 billion flexible funding would allow the Department of Defense to start draining the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, built in 1943, as well as address the needs of military families.

House Approves Bill to Make Binding Arbitration Unenforceable
The House passed the FAIR Act (H.R.963), which would prohibit pre-dispute agreements that require employees and consumers to pursue claims through binding arbitration rather than in court. Often these arbitrators are hired by the employer or lender. The FRA works to ensure that active-duty personnel are protected from predatory lenders and supports making mandatory arbitration agreements in financial contracts unenforceable. The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

First Female Nominated for USCG Commandant
Adm. Linda Fagan has been nominated by President Joe Biden to be the first female to serve as U.S. Coast Guard commandant. Fagan has served in the Coast Guard for 36 years. She has served as vice commandant since June of 2021. Previously, she was commander of the Coast Guard Pacific Area, overseeing operations from the Rocky Mountains to the waters off the east coast of Africa. Fagan is also the Coast Guard’s first Gold Ancient Trident, the longest-serving active-duty officer in the marine safety field. She graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree in marine science. She also earned a Master of Science in marine affairs from the University of Washington in 2000 and a master’s degree in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 2008. The nomination requires Senate confirmation. 

New MCPO of the Coast Guard Announced
Master Chief Petty Officer Heath Jones has been appointed master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard. Jones relieved MCPOCG Jason Vanderhaden at a change of watch ceremony on May 19 at Training Center Cape May, New Jersey. 

Jones has served in the Coast Guard since May 1995. Prior to stepping into his new role as MCPOCG, he had been serving as command master chief for the Deputy Commandant for Mission Support since June 2021. In other previous positions, Jones has served as command master chief of Coast Guard Pacific Area, of the 8th Coast Guard District and of Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads. He also served as officer in charge of Station Cape Charles, Station Pensacola, the Coast Guard Cutter SEA HORSE, and Coast Guard Cutter BOLLARD. Jones is a graduate of the Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy and the Coast Guard Senior Enlisted Leadership Course. Jones holds Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in Organizational Management with a specialty in Human Resource Management. 

House Passes Coast Guard Authorization Bill
The House approved (378-46) the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act (H.R.6865), which was recently renamed in the late Alaskan congressman’s honor. The two-year measure would extend current authorizations for Coast Guard end strength and average training levels — including 44,500 active-duty personnel — through fiscal year 2023. The Coast Guard, within 180 days of the bill’s enactment, would be required to work toward greater representation of women and minorities among Coast Guardsmen. The measure also would:

• Allow the end strength of the Selected Reserves to be varied by as much as 3%. 
• Let the Coast Guard select certain officers with critical skills to remain on active duty after their designated retirement dates.
• Increase the number of commissioned officers on the active-duty promotion list, starting with 7,100 officers in fiscal year 2022 and reaching 7,400 by fiscal year 2025. 
• Direct the Coast Guard to establish a behavioral health policy equivalent to a Defense Department policy. 

The bill now goes to the Senate for further consideration. 
  
FEATURE  STORY

The USCGC EAGLE
“America’s Tall Ship” Teaches Timeless Lessons at Sea

By Elise M. Howard

As you read this, 150 college-age men and women are climbing the rigging of a three-masted sailing barque, shouting “Heave ho!” as they hoist lines to raise a one-ton yardarm, and using sextants and paper maps to chart their course across the waters of the American South. Is it a scene from the set of Hollywood’s latest pirate film? No, it’s daily life aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter EAGLE (WIX-327), which has been giving Coast Guard Academy cadets their sea legs since 1946. Although these cadets will one day fill officer positions on modern vessels with GPS systems and onboard computers, the Coast Guard — and most who have served on EAGLE personally — argue that there are some lessons that are best taught the old-fashioned way.

Six Weeks of Finding Your Sea Legs
For at least two decades, all Coast Guard Academy graduates have left for their first billets with a minimum of six weeks aboard EAGLE under their belts. During “Swab Summer,” the seven-week indoctrination experience prior to beginning their first, or “fourth class,” year at the academy, soon-to-be cadets spend one week on EAGLE to get their first taste of life at sea in the Coast Guard. The experience is intended to be disorienting and new, focusing primarily on following orders effectively and working as a team in a challenging environment. With most swabs having little sailing experience, they must closely follow the orders of the ship’s permanent crew to safely get the vessel out into the water and back again.

“The time we spent sailing on the ship brought its own challenges, such as waking up at midnight for watches, learning how to plot points on a chart, or shining all the brass on the entire ship,” then-Fourth-class Cadet Brian Morel wrote for the academy’s Cadet Blogs in 2019. “I would say that the most important thing that you learn on Swab Summer Eagle is how to be underway in the Coast Guard. You learn the basics of living and working on a ship, which is important for your greater career in the service.”

The following summer, newly minted third-class cadets spend either five or six weeks on board EAGLE, depending on whether they participate during the first or second phase of the 11-week summer period. This cruise is more academically focused, giving cadets the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom about navigation, engineering, damage control, weather and seamanship to practical situations at sea. The cruise also cements principles of teamwork, leadership, camaraderie and overcoming challenges. Cadets gain confidence as they face their fears on rigging 150 feet above the deck and push beyond their limits during long days of labor-intensive tasks. Third-class cadets fill positions on the ship typically assigned to junior enlisted crew members, which also gives them experience serving in the positions they will one day be leading.

“We stood break-in duty watches as we learned how to properly serve as a lookout as well as how to conduct rounds of the boat, checking the various compartments containing wastewater, the engine, the generator and potable water,” then-Third-class Cadet Greg Costello wrote for Cadet Blogs after his summer aboard EAGLE in 2019. “It seemed we were busy all the time, whether we were shifting the sails to get us moving in the most efficient manner or mass cooking and doing dishes.”

First-class cadets have several options for how to spend the summer before their final year at the academy, including serving on the EAGLE again in a junior officer role. These cadets further strengthen their leadership and training skills as they command teams of third-class cadets and teach them the ropes — literally — of traditional sailing and navigation.
“Even though I am young, I have to learn to deal with the responsibilities that will be given to me,” then-First-class Cadet Tad Drozdowski told the makers of the 1999 documentary “On the Wings of Eagle.” “This summer I’m dealing with the entire third class, and I care about how well they do, how their experience on EAGLE [is], because a lot of the time, that determines whether or not they stay at the Coast Guard Academy or not, if people are thinking about leaving.”

A Floating Classroom
Despite the EAGLE’s antiquated design, cadets learn lessons during their time on board that easily transfer to modern Coast Guard vessels. At the most basic level, cadets learn to live in tight quarters with a diverse group of people, to work and live in a team environment, to stand watches at all hours of the day, to adjust to the rhythms of life at sea, and to appreciate the exhausting, tedious jobs — such as washing dishes, removing corrosion and painting the ship — that will one day be done by their subordinates. In addition, hands-on experiences with older navigation and ship-handling techniques have unique lessons to teach.

“The conditions and situations that you face under sail can’t be replicated either in a classroom or aboard today's modern ships,” the Coast Guard Academy writes on their website. “On board Eagle, cadets find themselves suddenly out of their element. Totally dependent on wind, waves and currents, they quickly learn how these forces of nature affect a vessel. They become skilled in ship-handling, decision-making and meeting unexpected challenges. They learn the importance of crew members working together to handle the ship safely.”
Additionally, the awe, excitement and enthusiasm for the Coast Guard inspired by training aboard the EAGLE are not to be underestimated.

“Sailing into New York Harbor was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced, especially as a midwestern landlubber who has never been on a ship at sea,” wrote Morel, now in his third year at the academy. “We anchored next to the Statue of Liberty. … Taking in the city that night, I knew that the Academy was the right choice for me and I suddenly got really excited for all of the great experiences I’m going to have throughout my career.”

A Symbol of the Coast Guard
Since EAGLE’s arrival in New London, Connecticut, in July 1946, every cadet to graduate from the Coast Guard Academy has learned the ways of the sea aboard the ship. More recently, EAGLE has also begun to train officer candidates from the Coast Guard Officer Candidate School and the Basic Officer Training Class of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These spring and fall cruises are typically two weeks long with one domestic port call. But regardless of who is on board for training, the EAGLE serves a secondary purpose as it voyages around the country and across the Atlantic: to be a goodwill ambassador for the Coast Guard and the United States, inspiring awe, patriotism and even future Coast Guard service in those who see it.

When it makes port, EAGLE opens for public tours, with trainees remaining on board to educate the public about the ship. Costello recalled giving tours during a port visit to Belgium during his third-class summer cruise in 2019: “Interacting with people from all over the place was eye opening, the ship really brought people together and every little kid could not wait to get their picture taken on the bridge.”

The barque also regularly participates in public events at home and abroad, from the state of Maine’s bicentennial celebration to the Tall Ships Festival in the Netherlands. The ship has also served as a symbolic meeting place for international talks. In June 2021, Vice Adm. Steven Poulin, commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, and Jonathan Moore from the State Department’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs met with Icelandic military and government officials aboard EAGLE to discuss the nations’ cooperative efforts to enforce commerce rules in the Arctic.

“Visits such as Eagle’s allow opportunities to further effective partnerships, collaboration, and interoperability for various issues,” Senior Chief Petty Officer Sara Muir wrote for U.S. European Command. “For more than a century, the U.S. Coast Guard has been the visible U.S. surface presence in the Arctic.”

Taking part in these symbolic visits also provides once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for the cadets and officer candidates on board. Costello’s third-class EAGLE cruise also stopped in Rouen, France, for a commemoration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

“I worked onboard the ship for a reception that had the Commandant, Admiral Schultz attending 
as well as the current Secretary of the Navy,” he wrote. “I was able to converse with both and eat amazing food.”

A Formative Experience
Although each cadet or officer candidate will have a unique EAGLE experience, the fundamental lessons learned have been the same since 1946. And in the process of working toward three of the academy’s five learning goals for its graduates, cadets create memories and forge relationships that will last a lifetime.

“People from my Eagle divos [divisions] are close friends to this day,” Second-class Cadet Teegan Cordova wrote for the academy’s blog. “Experiences like seeing the milky way at 4 AM, watching dolphins dance in the bow waves, and blasting Elton John while washing dishes are some of my most cherished memories as a cadet.”
Similarly, Costello wrote: “The first phase of my summer was one that I will never forget. I went on countless adventures in foreign cities, tried amazing food, learned new words, made new friends, and learned a ton about sailing along the way. Your time on Eagle is what you make of it, but I found it to be an amazing five-week journey that I would not trade for the world.”        

FEATURE STORY

Petty Officer First Class Mike Marino
A WWII Veteran Remembers

By Ann Norvell Gray

In March of this year, FRA National President James Campbell received an email from Shipmate Bob Delmonico suggesting a story about a friend of his. This is what he said: “I have a good friend, Mike Marino, also an FRA member, who is a World War Two veteran and will be 99 years of age in September of this year. … At the time of the attack [on Pearl Harbor], he was a crewman on the heavy cruiser USS Louisville CA28. … After reading Ezra Phillips’ article, ‘[MacArthur’s] Promise: Liberation through Lingayen’ … I telephoned Mike. When he answered he said, ‘I was expecting your call.’”
We agreed with Bob that Mike Marino’s history was a particularly engaging example of his generation’s response to what was happening in the world as they approached their adulthood. Once Mike agreed to talk with us, I called him for a chat. It was immediately apparent that he had stories to tell, and his vivid memory and his pleasure in sharing those stories made him an interviewer’s dream.

Determined to Enlist
Michael John Marino grew up in South Ozone Park and Jamaica, adjacent neighborhoods in the borough of Queens on Long Island in New York. It was a lively neighborhood, with extended family members living close to each other. Mike’s uncle  had an auto repair shop a few blocks from Mike’s house, and by the time Mike was 10, he was making himself useful there after school. What his uncle didn’t know was that whenever he left the shop to pick up supplies, the inquisitive youngster was teaching himself how to drive. He would get into the big 1928 Packard and back it up 20 or 30 feet, and then go forward, and then  back it up again in the shop. When he was 11 or 12, he would go drive it around the block. At 14, he was going to the Long Island Rail Road  station to pick up another uncle who worked in the city and had a summer place out on the island. Apparently, no one ever asked him where he learned to drive.
The New York Navy Yard, known to locals as the Brooklyn Navy Yard, was not far away, and when Mike was a senior in high school, stories about the Navy inspired him to enlist. He was 17 years old and needed a parent’s permission. His father agreed that he could go, but he had to finish high school and go to college. It took the determined teen-ager a month, but he wore his father down, and off to boot camp he went. On Dec. 10, 1940, he was sworn in, and reported for duty at the Brooklyn Navy Yard to board the Northampton-class heavy cruiser USS LOUISVILLE (CA-28) bound for California.
A girl named Charlotte wrote to him and sent him her picture, but he was interested in another girl called Betty. Granted a 10-day leave, he bought a round-trip train ticket from San Francisco to New York, which left him with 50 cents to his name. There were a couple of soldiers in the men’s lounge shooting craps, and he thought, “Hmmm…” Throwing caution to the wind, he anted up, and when he left the game he had $140 in his pocket. Before long, Betty was wearing his engagement ring.

A Near Miss
By March of 1941, Mike tells us, the LOUISVILLE was at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, conducting simulation drills in and around the islands. In November of that year, it sailed out of port to escort two transport ships of GIs bound for the Philippines. They arrived in Manila Bay on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, just a few weeks shy of Congress’ bill establishing the fourth Thursday in November as the official Thanksgiving holiday for the nation. In retrospect, Mike believes that most of those soldiers were bound for Corregidor, which would be transformed by Japanese bombardment five months later from a well-ordered underground outpost to an inescapable hell. 
“We left Manila Bay after a week or so,” he remembers, “to escort the two transports back to Pearl Harbor. While we were on the way, the Japanese attacked. We made a stop in Borneo to take on oil. We got back [to Pearl Harbor] on the 16th of December, and you never saw such a mess in your life. If we hadn’t been chosen to escort those transports, we’d have more than likely been moored in Pearl Harbor ourselves.” 
Until the middle of December, the LOUISVILLE had been manned by a peacetime crew of 700-800. Now, it made for California delivering survivors of the attack, some of whom stayed aboard as LOUISVILLE’s wartime contingent grew to 1,200.

Tackling Diesel Motors and Marriage
“I left the LOUISVILLE in July of 1943 [after operations in Guadalcanal and the Aleutians] to go to diesel school,” Mike says. “While we were being refueled by a tanker, they transferred five of us across the water in a big canvas bag to the tanker. That took me back to San Pedro, California, as a passenger. I had 23 days’ delayed orders before school, so I went home. My parents had a big party, and Betty was acting up, so I made her give back the ring, and that was the end of that.” Diesel school in Norfolk, Virginia, was followed by six weeks of training at General Motors.
His next assignments included service as a motor machinist’s mate on what was essentially a floating machine shop. Part of Mike’s job in those years involved getting LST-719, one of the largest amphibious ships being developed for the demands of the Pacific theater, into the fleet. In 1945 as the war was ending, Mike was assigned to the USS FITCH, which was back in Norfolk following service in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Pacific. 
B y this time, he had accumulated enough leave to go home for a while. Meanwhile, Charlotte, the girl who had taken a shine to him in high school, had become good friends with his sister Annette, and now he was seriously interested in her. She played it cool this time, protesting that she was already engaged to someone else, but that same determined boy who mastered the big Packard’s stick shift when he could barely reach the clutch persisted. “You’re not going to marry him,” he said. “You’re going to marry me!” Charlotte relented, and in February of 1946 they were married.
During their first year, Mike’s work on the FITCH was essentially a day job, and they settled into an apartment in Norfolk. Then the ship moved on to its home port in Charleston, South Carolina, and Mike and Charlotte went with it. His workday was done by lunchtime, so they’d take the bus to the beach on the barrier island of Isle of Palms every day, and then go home together. It must have been a lovely romantic interlude for the young couple. On Christmas Eve of that same year, they welcomed their first baby, and another Michael John Marino joined their household. 
Meanwhile, because of his experience and training, Mike was sent to the destroyer-turned-minesweeper USS ELLYSON (DMS-19) because the captain’s diesel-powered launch refused to start. “I dug up a new fuel pump,” says Mike, “installed it, the thing started right up, and from then on I could do no wrong.”

Life After Active Duty
“In l947,” he says, “my time was up. We were in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and they called me back to the naval air station in Jacksonville, Florida. Charlotte went home to New York, and I processed out down there.”
When it was explained to him that if he stayed in the Reserves, he’d keep his rank of petty officer first class and accumulate benefits, he agreed, and he stayed in until 1983, when he retired with 43 years of service.
His friend Bob Delmonico tells us that after the war ended, Mike went to work for a time on the New York Central Railroad. 
“He worked at the railroad’s main inspection, maintenance and repair facility at Harmon, New York. … He repaired and serviced steam, diesel and electric locomotives. These locomotives were assigned to famous trains such as the 20th Century Limited, the Empire State Express and the Wolverine.”
Working for the railroad involved long commutes, so Mike left and spent 11 years working for Sperry Gyroscope, working nights while Charlotte held the fort at home. The defense industry began to decline, so he went to work as a machinist in jobbing shops, and retired at the age of 62.
“I picked the woman of all time,” he says. “No one could have been better than her. She made her own clothes — she could even make me suits! And she put up with me staying in the Reserves until I was 60, which was the other best decision I ever made.”
Together they weathered the wounding and long recovery of their son Mike in Vietnam and the loss of their second son John some years ago. Their daughter Joanne now lives in Virginia, but their son Mike is just a few miles farther along Long Island’s North Shore, and they remain close. Mike Sr. still lives in the house in Kings Park that they bought 63 years ago for $16,000.
“When Charlotte died six years ago in July,” he says, “we had been married 70 years, five months and 11 days.” With characteristic understatement, he says, “We had a good run.”

Mike Marino,  a member for life of the FRA, is certainly one of a kind, but he is also a fine example of someone who served without hesitation in his youth, and then came home, made the transition to civilian life, grew a strong family of his own, and continued in a good long life. His exceptional memory has been a real gift to us. He is one of the few remaining members of what was the biggest generation of American men and women who were expected to stand up and fight in a global conflict. The outcome of that war has shaped the political and cultural direction of most of the developed world. We thank Mike for his service, and for sharing his stories with us.

Return to Table of Contents

 

MEMBERHSIP MATTERS

Opportunities to Get Involved: Branch, Regional and National

This is the final article in a series about FRA leadership opportunities. Between branch, regional and even national leadership positions, there is no shortage of opportunities to step into leadership roles. We encourage Shipmates to find their own path into those positions because every new voice adds to the richness of the dialogue we want to foster. That mentality keeps us in touch with the sea services, and drives our ability to retain and expand our membership.

This month, I will highlight another three national committees. Any Shipmate, whether affiliated with a branch or a Member-at-Large, can be appointed to any of these committees. Some start their leadership journey there, while others work at the local branch level to be close to their branch members. Just as you could have served your nation in any branch of the U.S. military when you enlisted, there is no wrong answer to the question of where to begin serving as a leader in the FRA. There are so many different paths you can take once you make that decision to help.

If you are interested in a committee, please reach out to its point of contact. You can find his or her contact information by logging into your FRA account on our website or by contacting a regional officer. Committee descriptions are also updated on the website at www.fra.org/committees. Here are three committees to consider:

National Committee on Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions
This committee reviews the Constitution and Bylaws, Standing Rules, and Rituals annually and proposes amendments or revisions when appropriate. This committee receives and acknowledges receipt of resolutions proposing amendments to the C&BL, Standing Rules, and Rituals from branches, national officers, the FRA National Board of Directors and standing committees of the Fleet Reserve Association.  The committee makes an annual report to the national convention with recommended action on all resolutions received in proper order. The chairman for 2021-2023 is Past Regional President North Central Marty Posekany. 

National Committee on Future Planning
This committee reviews all aspects of  the association, receives and reviews suggestions submitted, and makes recommendations to ensure the association’s growth and efficient operation into the future.
The chairman makes an annual report to the FRA National Board of Directors and the national convention with recommendations for changes that require action by the national convention. The chairman for 2020-2023 is Past Regional President West Coast Joe Nash.

National Committee on Public Relations
This committee’s primary duties are to promulgate to the membership methods of developing and fostering good public relations for the FRA and to assist branches in establishing well-organized public relations programs consistent with the aims and principles of the preamble to the C&BL. The chairman for 2021-2024 is Past Regional President Northwest Pete Lazzaretti.

Christina is the director of membership development and may be reached at ChristinaH@FRA.org

Shipmate News

1. Branch 197, Modesto, Calif.
Crecencio Negranza (R), a member of Branch 197 of Modesto, California receiving his 55-Year Pin from Branch 197 President Dale Wild at a recent business meeting. Photo by Leonard Churilla.    

2. Branch 137, Minden, Nev.
Branch President David Dagang (far left) and branch Essay Committee Chairman John Trammell (far right) presented certificates to the following Americanism Essay Contest winners (L to R, beginning to Dagang's left): Noah Smit from Faith Christian Academy; Jessica Turner from Yerington High School; Joel Harvey from Douglas High School; Xavier Hoffman, Payton Sporh and Riley Danon, all from Carson Valley Middle School; Samantha Steyn from Sierra Lutheran High School; and Ryan Olsen from Douglas High School.

3. Branch 124, Lakehurst, N.J. 
Branch 124 President Raymond Rizzo presents the FRA Branch 124 Americanism Essay Contest certificate and check to 11th grade winner Charles Seidel at a Manchester Township Board of Education meeting.

4. Branch 238, Plover, Wis.
Shipmates attended a veteran-owned business expo in Plover on Saturday, March 12. The event was a large success; they gave out 12 membership applications and hope to get a couple new members or more. (L to R) Branch President Michael Pohl, Branch Vice President Allen Langteau, Joyce Elter and Branch Secretary Mark Melton.

5. Branch 301, Greenville, N.C.
Tiffany Jones (L) was presented with her certificate and check for winning first place in the Americanism Essay Contest by Bill Schroeder (R), Branch 301 essay contest chairman.

6. Branch 104, Puyallup, Wash.
PNP John Johnson (L) received his 40-Year Continuous Membership Certificate and pin from Branch 104 Secretary Rex Faubion (R).

7. Branch 136, Minneapolis, Minn.
Shipmate Terry Johnson (L) received his 50-Year Continuous Membership Certificate and Pin on March 10 from Branch President Gene Jarnagin (R) during the branch meeting. 

8. Branch 146, Johnsville, Pa.
NE/NEng. Regional President Neil Ross visited on March 8 and presented to Branch VP Bob Opett the Charles E. Lofgren Award for excellence in FRA branch membership recruiting for 2020-2021. It is a beautiful brass ship’s bell. 

9. Branch 117, Orlando, Fla.
Branch President Russell Kraeger presented the FRA Silver Anchor Squadron Award to Shipmate and Branch Secretary Stephen Miglionico for recruiting 50 new or reinstated members.

10. Branch 261, Lemoore, Calif.
Shipmate Bobby Bagwell (L) was presented with his 40-Year Continuous Membership Certificate and Pin by Branch President Doug McCann (R).

11. Branch 238, Plover, Wisc.
Shipmates placed a Missing Man/Forget-Me-Not table at the La Margarita Mexican Grill in Weyauwega, Wisconsin, on Saturday, March 26. The owner, Juan Carlos Bonilla, requested the table be set up to recognize and honor the men and women who have lost their lives protecting our freedom. (L to R) Joyce Elter, Post 1st Vice President Allen Langteau, Larry Field, Juan Carlos Bonilla and Branch Secretary Mark Melton.

12. Branch 251, Mountain  Home, Ark.
AMSC Murray J. Lauderdale and his wife attended the branch Christmas luncheon in 2021. Murray passed in February, so the branch conducted a Two Bell Ceremony. Branch President David Butts presented a 55-Year Continuous Membership Certificate and Pin to Murray’s wife Fran for his FRA service.

TAPS

Name	Rating	Branch
Amargo, Bonifacio R.	PO1, USN	302
App, Donald E.	USCG	24
Araguz, Florentino	SH1, USN	59
Arrington, Wilbur A.	SD1, USN	MAL
Arrowood, J. Wise	RMCS, USN	MAL
Aure, Rodolfo F.	MS1, USN	302

Bailey, Thomas W.	MMCM, USN	MAL
Ballard, Earl N.	BMC(DV), USN	302
Baumann, Alfred W.	GYSGT, USMC	MAL
Bell, Burk F.	ENC, USN	MAL
Bickford, George H.	LCDR, USN	55
Brinkman, Francis	AO1, USN	163
Brown, Ronald	USN 	94
Budzinski, Sylvester S.	CWO4, USN	298
Butler, James D.	SCPO, USN	MAL

Cantrell, James T.	ABCS, USN	MAL
Carter, Dorothy J.	YNC, USN	44
Chagnon, Howard G.	CTAC, USN	287
Clark, Norman L.	CTC, USN	182
Cuevas, Reynaldo T.	MSSN	171
Czarnecki, John	CSCS, USN	186

Dauffenbach, Jerry L.	BMC, USN	289
Davis, Ernest D.	DKC, USN	287
Decker, Donald T.	ADR1, USN	226
Demers, Armand W.	PNC, USN	31
Duffy, James F.	CDR, USN	24

Fischman, Jonathan	CWO4, USN	MAL

Garrison, Sanford E.	AMCS, USN	70
Gartman, James B.	AMHC, USN	22
Gaus, Raymond H.	ADRC, USN	MAL
Gerrish, Donald A.	CAPT, USN	MAL
Goode, Sam	DSC, USN	91
Granberry, Charles W.	HMC, USN	MAL

Hairsine, John H.	MM1, USCG	24
Hall, Carrol K.	SKC, USN	91
Hallman, Lee A.	CDR, USN	112
Haney, Wilbur E.	AMH1, USN	97
Hannan, Edward C.	CWO 2, USN	216
Harper, Russell	STSC, USN	MAL
Harris, Alex M.	DTCS, USN	11
Hayes, David J.	CAPT, USNR	53
Haywood, William C.	DT1, USN	22
Heck, Walter J.	BMC, USN	MAL
Hedman, John R.	ADCS, USN	MAL
Hefty, Kenneth L.	EO1, USN	MAL
Horne, Farrell K.	ADR1, USN	72
Houser, Robert	PNC, USN	44
Howard, Edward	MSC, USN	302

Isaacson, Dewey C.	RMCM, USCG	238

Jaques, Alfred L.	YN1, USN	MAL
Johnson, Clara B.	CWO4, USN	61
Jones, Robert M.	POC, USN	MAL
Jones, Robert R.	FTC, USN	MAL

Kauffman, Bonnie A.	ACCM(AW), USN	93
Kendrick, Everett C.	EWC, USN	53
Kendrick, Thomas C.	CWO2, USMC	216
Kenney, James E.	HMC, USN	302
Kent, Audrey B.	PN2, USNR	01
Kinsella, Gary A.	SCPO, USN	MAL
Klement, Frank J.	SPCM, USN	115
Koczera, William C.	YN1, USN	MAL

Lee, John F.	AFCM, USN	201
Lesch, Carlan	CSC, USN	136
Lydick, Clinton R.	CWO2, USN	261

Mahoney, Lawrence B.	 AMCS, USN	97
Makela, William W.	NCCM, USN	136
Mathis, Don W.	USN	346
McColligan, Leroy E.	HMCM, USN	162
McCormick, Freddie L.	DK3, USN	MAL
McCoy, Claude J.	MMC, USN	99
McEnery, Michael P.	CTOC, USN	367
McHargue, David	CT2, USN	290
McKinney, Dale L.	RMC, USN	MAL
Mennuti, Timothy M.	CDR, USN	24
Metcalfe, Charles E.	LTJG, USN	194
Mills, Henry I.	SSGT, USMC	MAL
Moffett, Charles W.	ENC(SS), USN	MAL
Molder, Jack E.	CWO4, USN	91
Monat, Paul E.	USN	MAL
Moore, Theodore E.	PRC, USN	248
Mullinex, Herbert H.	MMCS, USN	MAL

Neureiter, Joseph V.	PNCM, USN	MAL
Nickson, Bruce E.	ATC, USN	MAL
Noe, Charles T.	MSGT, USN	174

Olin, William W.	LCDR, USN	MAL

Page, James F.	AKC, USN	230
Perkins, Warren L.	SFC/HTC, USN	MAL
Perrow, Roy M.	BMC, USN	117
Pontine, Irwin M.	ENC, USN	MAL

Ralph, Joseph R.	USN	60
Richardson, Frank O.	ATC, USN	339
Roberts, Cleatus W.	BUC, USN	MAL
Rose, Charles W.	BMC, USN	08

Schenck, Glenn W.	ETCS, USN	MAL
Seltzer, Richard J.	EN1(SW), USN	23
Sesslar, Edward C.	HTC, USN	MAL
Speer, Robert D.	ATC, USN	105
Stanley, Leo R.	HMCM, USNR	11
Sutherland, Larry D.	ATCS, USN	216

Thomson, Richard W.	SSGT, USN	MAL
Tooley, Eugene	PO1, USN	MAL

Vidal, George V.	PO1, USN	302

Weiler, Antone M.	CDR, USN	MAL
West, Merle	BT1, USN	MAL
Whittaker, James A.	AMSC, USN	166
Willis, David C.	SK1, USN	163
Windham, William L.	GMCS, USN	61

Zinck, Glenn B.	HMCM, USN	53

Return to Table of Contents

LA FRA Auxiliary

A Message from the National President

The Annual Pilgrimage to Arlington National Cemetery that was held on April 23 is an auxiliary tradition and proves to be an immensely powerful and memorable experience. 

The first pilgrimage was in 1933, when an FRA past national president laid a wreath that was provided by the LA FRA at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This occurred after the appointment of an Americanism Committee by Catherine Wertman, LA FRA national president from 1933-1934.
 
This year, auxiliary members, Shipmates and guests enjoyed a beautiful day and had an exceptionally good representation. It is breathtaking to stand at the top of the stairs at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, overlooking this grave and others throughout the cemetery, and absorb the reverence paid to these honored service members. I express thanks to all who participated and deep gratitude to the soldiers of the U.S. Army’s “Old Guard.” A special thank-you to those who helped organize this and events over the weekend. 

As national president, I had the opportunity to attend the North Central Midyear Conference April 7-10 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, hosted by Branch 298. I want to thank LA FRA North Central Regional President and PNP Doris Fri, the Shipmates and auxiliary members of the region for their hospitality, their friendship and a lot of fun! I enjoyed the meeting and the time we spent together. 

The election of new unit officers is soon approaching. Some individuals will be taking an office or committee for the first time. It is important to ensure incoming officers and committee chairpersons are well informed about their new responsibilities. The outgoing officers and chairpersons should guide them. There should be a list of standard operating procedures outlining the responsibilities of any position. Share the wealth of your knowledge and help new officers learn the skills to become talented, strong and effective leaders in the LA FRA. 

The Benefits of Having a Unit
The LA FRA Preamble states: “do band together to aid, assist and promote in all matters pertaining to welfare, social and patriotic work, for the benefit of the Fleet Reserve Association, its members, and their families.” Recruitment of members actively occurs at recruitment booths, events and community affairs. Often veterans and spouses attend such affairs and it is common that if one of them wishes to join, their spouse will also join. The result is that both associations benefit. LA FRA members are encouraged to carry both FRA and LA FRA applications with them. Unit members volunteer at local VA medical facilities, community events and family-focused events, which all are opportunities for recruitment. Unit members, together with the Shipmates, participate in memorial services, parades and FRA functions that allow for the opportunity to publicize to the local media, which raises awareness of the organizations. Such media may stimulate a veteran to join.
 
Branches benefit greatly from having a unit, whose members often work behind the scenes. They prepare meals for ill Shipmates, auxiliary members and their families. They hold food drives for veterans, especially during the holiday season. They directly assist with FRA functions, such as (awards scholarship, luncheons, bingo nights, special date functions, Christmas parties and Thanksgiving dinner. When a unit grows, everyone wins.

We can all get together again by attending our respective regional conventions and the national convention, which will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, Oct. 16-22. I had the opportunity of visiting the Hyatt Hotel. I must say it is a beautiful hotel, and for the shoppers, there is a two-story mall attached to the hotel. Thank you all for your continuous support.       
In Loyalty, Protection and Service,
National President Pat Suckow

Pat is the national president of the LA FRA.  

FINANCE MATTERS

How Much Cash Should I Have on Hand?

“How much cash should I have now?” It seems like a simple question, but the answer can be complicated — especially in times of market volatility. Apart from an emergency fund, the amount of cash or liquid assets you need depends on many factors, including the current state of the market and major life events.
“There isn’t really a general rule in terms of a number,” says Michael Taylor, CFA, vice president and investment strategy analyst at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. “We do say it shouldn’t be more than maybe 10% of your overall portfolio or maybe three to six months’ worth of living expenses.” 
Taylor notes that the number could change depending on what’s going on in the economy and markets. As a result of the pandemic, some investors have preferred to keep up to 12 months of expenses in cash or cash alternatives. “You should make sure your emergency fund and cash reserves can meet your current needs,” he says.
Taylor shares five events that should prompt a conversation with your financial adviser about how much cash to have on hand. 

When the Market Is in Flux
The state of the market can have an impact on how much cash you should have on hand, how long you decide to hold an asset as cash, or when you choose to convert assets to cash. This can be especially true when you foresee a large discretionary purchase such as a vacation home or a luxury vehicle.
“Plan for those purchases or defer them so you don’t have to liquidate assets at a loss during market uncertainty,” Taylor says. 

When Your Job Status May Change
If you have a significant career change on the horizon, such as starting a business, retiring soon or facing a possible layoff, consider meeting with your financial adviser. “If you don’t have enough cash on hand during those transition periods, you might have to dip into an investment account or sell a stock at an inopportune time,” Taylor says. “That means you could end up losing money when you can least afford it.”

When Your Marital Status Changes
Getting married or paying for a wedding? According to “The Knot Real Weddings Study,” the COVID-impacted cost of tying the knot in 2020 was an average of $19,000, a significant drop from $28,000 in 2019. And those amounts don’t include a honeymoon or the expense of setting up a household. 
A divorce can set you back as well, thanks to legal fees, asset division and other costs. That means you need enough cash on hand to weather the transition from being single to getting married or vice versa. Talking to a financial adviser ahead of time can help you identify how much on-hand cash you need.

When Your Child Is Ready for College
According to College Board’s “Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid,” the cost of attending a private college for four years (including tuition, fees, and room and board) today is more than $200,000. 
 “It’s important to plan so that you have enough liquidity to pay those tuition bills when they arrive,” Taylor says.

When You Receive a Windfall
If you receive an inheritance, a large bonus or a generous financial gift, ask your financial adviser about investment options relative to the amount of cash you should have in your portfolio. If that money stays in savings or short-term certificates of deposit, it won’t decrease in value, but it also may not be able to earn to its full potential or even keep up with the pace of inflation, resulting in a loss of purchasing power.
Your long-term goals, risk tolerance, and spending and saving habits also affect how much cash you should have on hand. A financial adviser can help you strike the right balance. 

Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc., is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., a bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.
This article was written by/for Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Carl M. Trevisan, Managing Director-Investments and Stephen M. Bearce, First Vice President- Investments in Alexandria, VA at 800-247-8602.

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