BUDGET DEFICIT AND DEBT CEILING STYMIE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION IMPROVEMENTS 8 JULY 2011 NAVAL STATION GREAT LAKES Page 18 Making Sailors for 100 Years 5 Dismal Pay and Benefits Outlook 14 FRA Essay Contest Results 16 Regional Convention Information MESOTHELIOMA You don’t have to ght this alone. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with, or died from asbestos related lung cancer or mesothelioma, we may be able to help you get monetary compensation from the asbestos companies. With over 65 years of collective experience in asbestos litigation, the professionals at Bergman Draper & Frockt welcome the chance to provide you with the highest quality representation and the individual attention you deserve. Call for information and a free consultation. The Northwest’s Leading Asbestos Litigation Firm 614 First Avenue 3rd Floor We accept cases Seattle, WA 98104 throughout the 206.957.9510 United States and 888.647.6007 Toll Free www.bergmanlegal.com Canada July 2011 Volume 90 Number 7 1 Featured 18 FRA TOD A Y JULY 2011 JULY 18 NAVAL StatION GREat LAKES Training Sailors before they joined the fleet was a novel concept when the seeds of Naval Station Great Lakes were planted, and training them 1,000 miles from the ocean seemed downright ridiculous to many. But 100 years after its open- ing in 1911, the Navy’s recruit training facility is thriving and producing the world’s finest Sailors. Departments 2 COMMUNIcatIONS 9 5 NED PERSPECTIVE Dismal Pay and Benefits Outlook 6 SHIPMATE FORUM 8 ON & OFF CAPITOL HILL Budget Deficit and Debt Ceiling Stymie Defense Authorization Improvements Whatedom 14 FRA ESSAY CONTEST RESULTS Fre eech AND RULES of Sp Means to Me 16 REGIONAL CONVENTION INFORMATION 28 NEWS FROM THE BRANCHES 32 TAPS 14 34 REUNIONS / LOOKING FOR… 36 FRA AUXILIARY NEWS Message from Northwest Regional President Dyanne Tryon LOYALTY, PROTECTION AND SERVICE ON THE COVER FRA IS A CONGRESSIONALLY chartERED, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZatION Seaman Recruit Christopher Santini examines ADVOcatING FOR CURRENT AND FORMER ENLISTED MEMBERS OF THE his newly issued navy working uniform at Recruit U.S. NAVY, MARINE CORPS AND COAST GUARD ON CAPITOL HILL. FOR Training Command. New recruits will be issued the MORE INFORMatION ON THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP, PLEASE VISIT uniform on their second day at boot camp. WWW.FRA.ORG OR CALL 800-FRA-1924. COMMUNIcatIONS 2 NATIONAL OFFICERS/BOARD OF DIRECTORS National President James Scarbro, Chesapeake Branch 40 National Vice President Jeffrey Gilmartin, Potomac Region Branch 207 Joseph L. Barnes, Navy Department Branch 181 National Executive Dir. JULY 2011 JULY Y What can you do A Finance Officer Paul Rigby, Honorary Member on www.fra.org? Eileen Murphy Junior PNP Gary Blackburn, Vallejo Branch 8 PNP Robert G. Beese, Volusia County National Parliamentarian FRA TOD FRA’s wEBSITE HAS MANY great tools for members, and I wanted to Branch 335 share a few. Please email [email protected] if you have thoughts or ideas National Chaplain James Campbell, Chesapeake Branch 40 of ways the site can be improved in the future, or to share what you like about using it. The input will be very useful for further developments. REGIONAL PRESIDENTS New England Philip Justin, Quonset Davisville, Branch 42 JOIN Northeast David Munday, Lakehurst Branch 124 No association website is complete without an option to join online. East Coast Chris Slawinski, Navy Department Branch 181 Please let prospective members know they can easily join by clicking Southeast Bobby Smith, Knoxville Branch 194 the “Join FRA” button on the home page. New members can pay online North Central Leon Zalewski, Milwaukee Branch 14 with a credit card or to have a bill sent. South Central Russell Miller, Capital Area Branch 201 Southwest Glenn Holz, Imperial Beach Branch 289 PAY YOUR DUES West Coast Pat LeClaire, Silver Dollar Branch 192 On the home page there is also a link to “Pay Your Dues.” Per Chapter Northwest Hazel Bettencourt, Gem State Branch 382 XXIII of the Branch Admin Manual, a bill is generated 60 days prior to the membership expiration. When a dues bill is generated, that bill ACTIVE DUTY ADVISORY COUNCIL is immediately accessible through www.fra.org. Login to your account Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick West (we respect your privacy and keep your data secure, so you must login) Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Michael Barrett and if you owe dues, you’ll see a link immediately to take you to the se- Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Michael Leavitt cure dues payment section. You will choose the length of membership renewal you would like (1-, 2-, 3-, 5-year or life). Of course, if you don’t RESERVE ADVISORY COUNCIL owe money, this won’t be something you see. Force Master Chief of the Naval Reserve Chris Wheeler CONVErt TO LIFE MEMBERSHIP USMC Reserve Force Sergeant Major Kim E. Davis Would you like to become a life member of FRA? When it’s time to Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Reserve Force Mark Allen renew your dues, the link mentioned above will take you to a page with the option to convert from regular to life membership. Your birth date FRA TODAY MAGAZINE must be in your record so the amount of life membership dues can be Publisher FRA calculated by the site. National Executive Director Joseph L. Barnes REQUEST DOCUMENTS, UPDatE INFORMatION Managing Editor Eileen Murphy Contributing Editor Lauren Armstrong Would you like a replacement card? Need a duplicate dues invoice? Design and Art Direction Want a copy of Communicate With Your Elected Officials or a Personal FIREBRAND, Alexandria, VA www.firebrandstudios.com Affairs booklet? Perhaps you’d like to subscribe to Newsbytes, our week- Design Director Scott Rodgerson ly email legislative update. When you login to the site, your welcome Production Manager Sandy Jones page offers many options. Click “edit” next to Profile and you will see many options for requesting documents or updating information. FRA TODAY (ISSN 0028-1409) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY FRA, 125 N. WEST ST., LISTEN TO YOUR MISSION YOUR VOICE TELECONFERENCE ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314-2754. A MEMBER’S SUBSCRIPTION IS COVERED BY THE MEMBER’S ANNUAL DUES. PERIODICALS POSTAGE paid AT ALEXANDRIA, VA AND ADDITIONAL We record the monthly teleconferences and post on www.fra.org under OFFICES. PUBLICATION OF NON-SPONSORED ADVERTISING IN FRA TODAY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN ENDORSEMENT BY THE FRA OR ITS REPRESENTATIVES. POSTMASTER: Member News (follow the link to the right when you login to the site) SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: MEMBER SERVICES, FRA, 125 N. WEST ST., ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314-2754. FRA TODAY IS PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF ALL CURRENT AND for those who are unable to attend at the designated time. FORMER ENLISTED PERSONNEL OF THE U.S. NavY, MARINE CORPS, AND COAST GUARD. We’re pleased that Jennifer Searcy, director of the Great Lakes Naval ELIGIBLE NON-MEMBERS ARE NOT ENTITLED TO SUBSCRIPTION RATES. ESTABLISHED 1 NOVEMBER 1923. TITLE REGISTERED WITH U.S. PATENT OFFICE. Museum, will be our featured guest for this month’s “Your Voice” tele- FRA ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS: 125 N. WEST ST., ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314-2754 conference. The call begins at noon (EDT) on Wednesday, July 13th, PHONE: 703-683-1400, 800-FRA-1924 • FAX: 703-549-6610 • E-MAIL: [email protected] and will highlight the 100th anniversary of Naval Station Great Lakes. WWW.FRA.ORG To take part, dial 1-800-391-1709 and use bridge number 444143. VOLUME 90 NUMBER 7 Eileen Murphy is the Director of Marketing and Communications and serves as the Managing Editor of FRA Today. Please contact her at [email protected]. 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 ⁄ ⁄ ⁄ ⁄ ⁄ ⁄ ⁄ ⁄ 5 1 1 3 3 5 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 4 4 4 4 ⁄ ⁄ ⁄ ⁄ 1 1 3 3 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 13 10 ⁄8 10 ⁄8 13 3 10 ⁄16 10 ⁄16 3 10 ⁄4 10 ⁄4 1 1 10 ⁄2 10 ⁄2 Own a piece of the Wild West An exclusive,exclusive heirloom-qualityheirloom quality ring featuring a genuine U.S. Indian Head Nickel ACT ) N SUPPLIESOW! ARE CRAFTED OF LIMITED. SOLID STERLING SILVER WITH 24K GOLD PLATING AND TURQUOISE ENAMELING CENTERPIECE IS A GENUINE U.S. INDIAN HEAD NICKEL X OUR COIN RING IS A STRICT LIMITED EDITION DUE TO THE SCARCITY OF INDIAN HEAD NICKELS X Sides feature a A BRADFORD EXCHANGE MINT EXCLUSIVE— dramatic buffalo portrait recalling the NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE ... AND ONLY Indian Head Nickel’s Comesomemes inin a handsomehana dsdsom reverse design FOR A LIMITED TIME! presentation case Honor the spirit of America’s West LIMITED TIME OFFER RESERVATION APPLICATION SEND NO MONEY NOW Long a collector’s favorite, the classic Price obverse design of the Indian Head Nickel the J was chosen to honor the proud Native  ÁÄÆ Ä ÅÃÈÁÉÇÅ American heritage and spirit of America’s Mint West. Expertly crafted in solid sterling silver Logo & Address plated in 24K gold with turquoise enameling, 9345 Milwaukee Avenue · Niles, IL 60714-1393 the Indian Head Nickel Ring features a J genuine—and increasingly scarce—U.S. YES. Please reserve the Indian Head Nickel Ring for me as Indian Head Nickel as its centerpiece. Because described in this announcement. Job each coin has its own unique characteristics, Limit: one per order. Please Respond Promptly Code each ring is a true one-of-a-kind! Engraved J inside is the inscription: “Indian Head Nickel: Honoring the American West.” Tracking Mrs. Mr. Ms. A hand-crafted jewelry exclusive ... Actual Size Name (Please Print Clearly) Code and a superb value J Your Complete Satisfaction Address Act now, and this genuine piece of American Guaranteed history can be yours for just $129, payable Yellow in three convenient installments of $43 To assure a proper fi t, a ring sizer City Snipe will be sent to you after your J each.