Navy League of the United States Citizens in Support of the Sea Services Introducing the Navy League “Protecting the Sea Lanes and America’s Commerce”

Navy League of the United States

Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

Introducing the Navy League“Protecting the Sea Lanes and

America’s Commerce”April 10, 2011



Supporting Sea Services of the United States

United States NavyUnited States Marine CorpsUnited States Coast GuardU. S. Flag Merchant Marine



The Navy League is a community service organization, like yours, with over 50,000 members worldwide, and 250 councils (chapters) conducting activities in local communities.

Theodore Roosevelt promoted the founding of the Navy League in 1902, which was supported by the civilian and business communities – the condition that continues today.

Everyone in this room is eligible to be a member. Prior military service is not required. We are all civilians.



Mission and Goals• Educate the men and women in our local

communities, our community leaders and elected officials about the importance of our maritime forces to defend the United States and to protect global trade and our local economies

• Support the men and women of the sea services and their families

• Foster the education and development of our youth through the Naval Sea Cadet Corps and junior ROTC programs.



United States Navy USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) (3,500 Sailors + 2,000 Air Wing)USS Stockdale (DDG 106) (285 Sailors)Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 (NMCB3)

630 Seabees: Port Hueneme while deployed in Iraq and AfghanistanAirborne Early Warning Squadron 113 (VAW113) (180 sailors) -Point MuguSan Nicolas Island (80 sailors)Naval Base Ventura County (8,400 sailors and marines)USN Blue Angels, USNS Mercy, USN USS Gary

$ Morale Welfare Recreation donationsUnited States Marine CorpsUnited States Coast Guard – USCGC BLACKFIN & Marine Safety DetachmentUnited States Flag Merchant MarinesUnited States Air Force – Vandenberg AFBUnited States Army – University of CA Santa Barbara Army ROTCNaval Sea Cadet Corp – AIRPAC Squadron

Santa Barbara Council - Outstanding Large Council 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009



Navy League of the United Statesand

President Theodore Roosevelt

• President Theodore Roosevelt supported the founding of the Navy League of the United States in 1902.•His support came from a desire to build a Navy fleet to protect international commerce over the oceans of the world.

As Teddy Roosevelt envisioned we are civilians educating civilians about our national and economic security via the need of our maritime nation.



Today’s Leading Concern -The Declining U.S. Naval Fleet The U.S. Navy has approximately the same number of ships today as before World War I



Today’s Leading Concern -The Declining U.S. Naval Fleet

The serious decline that began in the 1990s, continues today due to insufficient funding:



• On the water, under the water and over the water

• Meeting threats and providing assistance• Reducing energy consumption • Achieving energy independenceThere are other concerns…

Global Force for Good



Global trade is critical to America’s economic well being - 90% of world-wide trade is now transported by sea

The deterrent value of a strong Navy and the need to protect the commercial sea lanes and our maritime borders are necessary for our nation’s continued vitality and strength.



Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, & Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations, have stated that “313 ships is the minimum number required to meet America’s global security needs.”



Bipartisan experts agree America’s global interests are best served by a US Naval fleet with capabilities for:

•Prevention of conflicts

•Being available for action anywhere in the world, including humanitarian relief

•Ensuring global shipping has free and open access to the oceans of the world



Recent budgets have been set too low to maintain the fleet size needed to protect America’s national security interests and global commerce.



• From the late 1990s through FY 2010, Navy shipbuilding appropriations permitted the construction of an average of 6-8 new ships per year when we need to build 11 ships per year.

• The decline in shipbuilding also negatively impacts our national shipbuilding capability, a critical national security component.



America’s security and economic interests extend to every region of the globe



• The proposed FY2011 shipbuilding budget will result in the procurement of nine ships, when it should be supporting eleven.

• Due to lengthy construction times, it will realistically take several years to return our fleet size to the numbers needed …

…. We must act now to reverse the trend or face shipyard layoffs or potential closings.



• The Congressional Budget Office and the Congressional Research Service have estimated that the shipbuilding budget will need to average $25 to $27 billion (in 2010 dollars) to achieve the 313 ship fleet.



In ClosingThe Navy League is working to increase funding for

shipbuilding, maintenance and other maritime service priorities by educating the men and women like you to the importance of keeping our Navy strong and the sea lanes open to Insure commerce and job stability.



The Navy League believes having a strong Navy, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine and Marine Corps affects our national economic security and

your personal well being.



2011 Navy Weeks



SUPPORT & SERVE the United States

Volunteer, Donate, Join Us

Thank you for your attention. Q&A



Doug CrawfordSpecial Assistant to the PresidentNavy League of the United StatesSanta Barbara [email protected] www.navyleague.org/

Navy League of the United States Citizens in Support of the Sea Services Introducing the Navy League “Protecting the Sea Lanes and America’s Commerce”

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