Meridianfall 2009
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MERIDIAN Fall 2009 Magazine of the National Naval Officers Association “Gateway to Success” www.nnoa.org 1 NATIONAL NAVAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, INC. FALL 2009 President’s Message Greetings! A special thanks to attendees of 2009 Professional Development and Training Conference. Overall 523 officers of the Navy (256), Coast Guard (179), Marine Corps (52), and civilians (36) registered for the annual conference. General attendance exceeded last year's conference by more than 16 percent. Bravo Zulu to CDR Lamar Johnson, CDR Rosalind Brooks, LCDR Elaine Pearson and the Houston NNOA Chapter for their superior efforts in making the 2009 conference the best ever. Planning is already underway for the first ever joint ANSO/NNOA Conference which will be held in Portsmouth VA at the Renaissance Hotel, July 25-31, 2010. We expect record attendance and I encourage all of you to make plans to attend this historical event. NNOA 2009-2010 Board Members Overall Strategic Framework: President: • Continue to leverage the strength and expertise in our retired members Capt Bernard L. Jackson, USN (Ret) • Engage with Sea Services leadership to ensure they understand our role and Immediate Past President: how we can support Sea Service Diversity efforts RADM Manson K. Brown, USCG Eastern Regional VP: • Execute the communication strategy to enhance the organizations prestige in LCDR Herlena Washington, USN (Ret) order to grow our membership, revenues, and sponsorship Western Regional VP: • Partner with like-minded organizations (ANSO, ROCKS, AFCOMAP, USNA, etc); Maj David R. Everly, USMC and Central Regional VP: CDR Lamar Johnson, USCG • Grow our membership. Far East Regional VP: CAPT Joel L. Parker, USN National Secretary: 2010 NNOA Board Goals: Capt. Natasha McEacin, USMC National Membership Director: • Improve external and internal communications with our chapters and fellow LTJG Ryan Baxter, USCG Board members National Treasurer: LtCol Grady Belyeu, USMC • Develop an NNOA financial strategy and a long term objective of granting 500K National Historian: in scholarship to students in 2015 CDR Ron Casey, USN (Ret) Master-at-Arms: • Successful 2010 Joint Conference LT Warren Wright, USCG • Identify the conference sites for the next five years; and Public Affairs Officer: Maj Jason Davis, USMC • Establish processes to reach out to future officers before they are commissioned Navy Rep: CAPT Cedric Pringle, USN Coast Guard Rep: LCDR Christy Rutherford, USCG 2010 Chapter Strategic Goals: Marine Corps Rep: LtCol Chester McMillon, USMC • Grow reserve officer members by 10% by July 2010 Reserve Rep: CAPT Keith Jones, USN • Generate at least ten NROTC Immediate Selection Determination Scholarships Retired Rep: as follows: 4 Eastern Regional, 2 Central Regional, 4 Western Regional ; and CDR Williams Bundy, USN (Ret) • General at least ten NROTC Endorsement Letters National Chaplain: LT Philip E. Ridley, USN National Parliamentarian: LCDR William J. Shelton, USCG (Ret) I am thrilled to continue to serve as your President and I look forward to an enjoyable and National Judge Advocate: Ms.Tamia Gordon productive year. Bernard L. Jackson **If you have questions or CAPT USN (Ret) concerns about NNOA please National President contact the National PAO via email at [email protected] or via our [email protected] website at www.nnoa.org. ** 2 NATIONAL NAVAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, INC. FALL 2009 Chaplain’s Corner Far East Region Vice President’s Corner LT Philip Ridley, Chaplain Salutations!! As the newly elected NNOA Far East Region Vice President, I am excited and looking forward to supporting NNOA members of the sea services in the Far East Region. The goal is for the Far East Region NNOA Chapters to have a successful 2009-2010 chapter year. Plan of action is to first conduct a willingness to serve assessment. So in order to move forward, calling all motivated and energetic members stationed in the locale of the Kanto Plains, Guam, Iwakuni, and Okinawa NNOA 1 Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to Chapters who are willing to serve in leadership positions or dwell together in unity! be members to re-energize and/or re-establish the chapter programs in your local area, send your contact information Psalms 133:1 to [email protected] . David is credited with writing this particular Psalm. He Thank you in advance for your willingness to serve. realized that peace and serenity comes upon a community or organization when they work, live, or Captain Joel L. Parker spend quality time together. He also realized that dwelling together in unity makes ones’ community Nurse Corps, United States Navy stronger and more productive. ___________________________________________ This year at our annual professional development conference the Sea Services continued taking major steps towards cultivating an environment where all naval officers can dwell together and thrive: especially those representing minority communities. We received Promotions and Awards mentoring from various community managers and detailers, along with many words of encouragement and information on strategic plans for improving the recruitment and retention of minority students from approximately 30 flag and general officers. Next summer we plan to expand our community by co- locating with the American Naval Service Officers (ANSO). Both organizations will meet in Portsmouth, VA and build on our existing foundation, a bigger forum with which to continue increasing the professional development, retention and recruiting opportunities for all during our annual conference. It will be a great opportunity for us to come together, renew old friendships and create new ones. This conference will be a great occasion for military officers serving in the sea services to dwell together with the The Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. James T. expressed purpose of strengthening our existing Conway, congratulates Lt. Gen. Willie J. Williams as his diverse officer corps and create avenues for others to wife, Bobbie, hugs him after helping pin on his third star join our ranks. during a ceremony held outside building 3500 Tuesday The NNOA has come a long way forging a path of in front of Marines, civilian-Marines, family and friends. equality and success for all officers serving their Williams is now the director, Marine Corps Staff in country in the sea services. Next year we are taking a Washington. Jason M. Webb, 8/11/2009 12:13 PM bold and big step by combining our efforts with those of ANSO. We have a promise that our dwelling together will be good and pleasant as long as we seek ________________________________________________ unity, which is an indicator of our spiritual and Christian standard of living. Peace and Blessings __________________________________________ 3 NATIONAL NAVAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, INC. FALL 2009 Commander Andrea Petrovanie, NC, USN was promoted to her present rank by VADM Rear Adm. Sinclair M. Harris, deputy director of the Adam M. Robinson, Jr., MC, USN, Surgeon Expeditionary Warfare Division of the Office of the Chief General of the Navy on Friday 7 August 2009 at of Naval Operations, speaks with retired Adm. J. Paul the National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, Reason, the Navy's only African American four-star MD. admiral, and Alma Gravely, the widow of Vice Adm. Samuel L. Gravely. Gravely was the Navy's first-ever Commander Petrovanie is assigned as Junior African American admiral. Gravely and Reason met with Nurse Corps Detailer, Navy Personnel Harris to congratulate him during his promotion Command, Millington, TN, and is the President ceremony. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Cmdr. Karen E. of NNOA Memphis Chapter. Eifert/Released) LtCol Grady Belyeu, accepts the Assistant Secretary of the Navy Comptroller Team Award for Fiscal Year 2008 from John W. McNair, (Acting) Assistant Secretary of the Navy (FM&C). At the American Society of Military Comptrollers’, Professional Development Institute Conference in May 2009, Camp Pendleton and NNOA Life member. LtCol Belyeu was the Assistant Chief of Staff, Comptroller for Multi-National Forces- West in Al Anbar Province, Iraq from Feb 2008-Feb 2009. His Comptroller team was chosen as this year’s award winner, for their operational impact on the Marines’ success in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Under his direction, his Comptroller staff reached out beyond traditional Comptroller boundaries by steadily going “out-side the wire” to train and assist the Al Anbar Provincial Government and Provincial Police in resource management. LtCol Belyeu’s assistance helped professionalize the Iraqi government by increasing their self-sufficiency, which enhanced the security and stability in Iraq. Additionally, his initiatives helped strengthen Iraq’s financial institutions while also reducing the availability of U.S. currency for support in anti-coalition activities. His staff’s kinetic and non-kinetic initiatives directly contributed to the success of the Marines’ nation building efforts and counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and provided a solid foundation for Al Anbar Government officials and financial institutions to build their future success upon. Accepting the award, along with LtCol Belyeu, is one of his Budget Officers, 1stLt Wilman Granados. 4 NATIONAL NAVAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, INC. FALL 2009 Selection Rates for In-Zone the reasons this career path Officers – Lieutenant Colonel appealed to them in the first place. How to Maintain Excellence as an Selection Boards Under the previous fitness report Officer in the U.S. Marine Corps system, Marines were acutely aware of the fact that they were being By ranked against their peers within the Overall African- unit and the names of each peer was LtCol Chester McMillon, USMC Selection American listed on the back of their fitness Rate Selection report. Under the new Performance As a Second Lieutenant at The Basic Rate Evaluation System, Marines no School, it seemed to me that every longer see the names of their peers FY10 71.8% 56.4% Lieutenant had an expectation that and the pool of competitors has they would one day become increased to all Marines of a FY09 70.6% 51.7% Commandant of the Marine Corps.