McNeill stresses development, long-range planning in meetings with League's Pacific Southwest leaders

Sea Power, Oct 2003

With excavation "now almost complete," and construction of the Navy League's new headquarters building "ready to start within the next two months or so," said NLUS National President Sheila M. McNeill, "it is time to focus on our long-term development program, and to complete the long-range planning necessary to move forward into our organization's second century of service to the nation's sea services." McNeill also said, while on a tour in early August of the Navy League's Pacific Southwest Region-during which she met with numerous national directors and council officers from throughout the region-that, "like the nation's armed services," the Navy League itself "must go through a process of transformation and revitalization that will increase and improve our abilities to meet the challenges of tomorrow's uncertain world." McNeill visited Vice Adm.

Michael J. McCabe, commander, U.S. Third Fleet, and met with a number of other sea-service flag and general officers in the Pacific Southwest area. She also presented several Navy League national awards, including the 2003 Stephen Decatur Award for Operational Competence (to Lt. Benjamin W. Domoto, USNR, of Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 44); the Judge Robert T.S. Colby Award for Inspirational Service (to Naval Sea Cadet Corps Instructor of the Year Ensign Karen Ewing, NSCC, of the Training Ship Adm. Marc A. Mitscher); and the Capt. Keith T. Weaver Award (to Navy League Cadet of the Year Petty Officer First Class Timothy Rogers, NLCC, also of the TS Mitscher). Photo-taken during a reception in McNeill's honor aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Preble-shows, from left, McNeill, Rogers, Ewing, and Claude E. Cole, president of the Tri-City Council (Calif.), which sponsors the Training Ship Mitscher.