Educating the public and our elected officials on the importance of strong sea services has been an important part of our programming since 1902.
National Security Briefings
Series history
In February 2014, the New York Council Navy League launched a new program, the National Security Breakfast Series — Tomorrow’s Challenges. Noted Naval Historian RADM Joseph Callo, USN (Ret) authored the program. The program continues today with the goal of encouraging a more forward-looking perspective on national defense, and is in line with the public education mission of the Navy League.
Speakers are often flag officers, senior government officials or leading academics. The audience typically brings together senior and mid-range professionals, many with either a military background or a strong interest in national security matters. No longer limited to breakfast, the sessions are often held mid-day, usually at a venue near Grand Central Station, and attendees enjoy a buffet meal before the session begins. Each talk is followed by a question and answer session, plus time for networking.
ready for more
Our first National Security Briefing of 2024 allowed us to explore a new format when we partnered with Business Executives for National Security (BENS) to host a fireside chat with General David Petraeus. After a wide-ranging conversation and robust question and answer session, General Petraeus graciously signed copies of his latest book for members and friends of both organizations.
We also hosted a special briefing during NYC Climate Week with Assistant Secretary of the Navy Meredith Berger and NOAA Chief Scientist Sarah Kapnick. Members and guests learned about the intersection of climate forecasting and global security, as well as how the Department of the Navy is responding to rising sea levels at facilities around the world.
Future installments of the series will be posted on our Events page.
Commodore John Barry Book Award
The New York Council Navy League resumed its annual Commodore John Barry Book Award with a ceremony and reception held on September 19, 2024 at The Union League Club.
The Council’s Barry Book Award Committee, led by committee chair Tim Hays, was honored to present the 2024 Commodore John Barry Book Award to Craig Whitlock for Fat Leonard: How One Man Bribed, Bilked, and Seduced the U.S. Navy (Simon & Schuster: May 2024).
Craig Whitlock is an investigative reporter for The Washington Post and also the author of The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War (Simon & Schuster: August 2021), a #1 New York Times bestseller.
The Barry award, established in 2013, honors the Irish-born Revolutionary War era naval officer widely regarded as “the Father of the American Navy.” It is given to the author of the book deemed the best account of naval matters or history published in the preceding calendar year.
Past recipients include Tim McGrath, Craig L. Symonds, James D. Hornfischer, Robert P. Watson, Nathaniel Philbrick, and William Gereoux.
Publishers may nominate general trade books of naval interest published in calendar year 2024 by June 30, 2025. Entries should contain six copies of the nominated book with a check for $100 payable to New York Council Navy League.
Submissions should be made to:
New York Council Navy League of the United States
Attention: Karina Verna
One South Street, Suite 318
New York, NY 10004
Contact: Karina Verna, Programs & Administration Manager
kverna@nynavyleague.org
212-825-7333, x2
New York MARITIME SECURITY conference
In October 2022, the New York Council hosted our inaugural New York Maritime Security Conference. The all-day conference was the start of a successful initiative to bring expert speakers together to discuss the issues surrounding the U.S.-flag Merchant Marine and the role they play in national security.
Our third annual conference, held on October 5, 2024 at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, brought together thought leaders and experienced professionals from across government, the private sector, defense and academia. With the theme of “Securing the Sea Lanes”, this year’s installment addressed the complex operational, commercial, policy and regulatory challenges and opportunities within the U.S. maritime value chain, both at home and abroad. An added highlight of the day was a presentation of scholarships to John Jay student veterans.
To learn more about our conference plans for 2025, including sponsorship opportunities, visit www.nymaritimesecurityconference.org
The New York Council Navy League Graduation Award in Maritime Technology
In March 2021, as part of the Navy League’s mission to support the U.S.-flag Merchant Marine, the New York Council finalized an agreement with the Kingsborough Community College Foundation to establish The New York Council Navy League Graduation Award in Maritime Technology. With the annual award, the Council supports the KCC Maritime Technology Program and its Associates Degree candidate students by presenting outstanding graduating students with funding to help them fulfill their professional licensing requirements.
Click here to learn more about the Kingsborough Community College Maritime Technology Program and the New York Council's contribution.
Congratulations to the newest COGAP Artists
New York Council sponsors an annual reception for the Coast Guard Art Program (COGAP), which uses fine art to depict the United States Coast Guard's multi-faceted missions. Through displays at museums, libraries and patriotic events, Coast Guard art tells the story of the service's missions, heroes and history to the public. Art is also displayed in offices of members of Congress, senior officials of the executive branch of government and other military services and at Coast Guard locations throughout the country.
Coast Guard artists — most of whom are professional artists — volunteer their time and talents to help COGAP fulfill its missions. We were pleased to fund the most recent Acceptance Ceremony and Opening Reception on July 11, 2024 at the Salmagundi Club, where the Coast Guard accepted 36 works created by 31 artists into the collection. To see the most recent amazing works of the COGAP collection, you can view the 2024 program catalogue here.
Legislative affairs
NAVY LEAGUE “ANCHOR’S AWEIGH” CONGRESSIONAL FLY-IN
After a successful 2024 visit to Capital Hill to advocate for unfunded sea service priorities, the team at Navy League headquarters will be hosting another Fly-In event in 2025. Watch for information from the New York Council’s Legislative Affairs chair Joe Fila in early 2025 on how you can help us bring our advocacy efforts to our elected officials.
Navy League 2023–2024 Maritime Policy Statement
Navy League members are experts on the issues driving decision-making on our sea services. Every other year at the national level, we analyze and recommend a way forward, so our legislators have a clear playbook on the best way to advocate on behalf of the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and U.S.-flag Merchant Marine.
We are a maritime nation, and we must make the right investments in our sea services for the future.
Get educated on our issues by downloading our policy statement for 2023-2024.
secnav strategic guidance
In October 2021, The Honorable Carlos Del Toro, 78th Secretary of the Navy, released written guidance articulating his vision to build, train and equip the world’s most powerful naval force to meet both today’s operational demands and the warfighting needs of the future. Click here to read the guidance document.
Advocacy Campaigns
Raise your voice to Congress by participating in the email campaigns below. New York Council members also participate in the Navy League’s Congressional Fly-In and local briefings to elected officials and their staffs.
Encourage Members of Congress to cosponsor the Pay Our Coast Guard Act.
The Coast Guard is not given the same paycheck assurance as the Department of Defense due to its jurisdiction falling under the Department of Homeland Security. During the government shutdown in 2019, over 40,000 active Coast Guard members worked without pay.
To help keep this from happening again, click here to learn more and take action.
Ask our elected officials to appropriate an adequate Navy Shipbuilding and Conversion Budget.
Based on numerous threat assessments, as well as the findings of the 2022 National Defense Strategy and the Navy's projected shipbuilding plan for acquiring a fleet of over 350 ships, the annual Navy Shipbuilding and Conversion budget must remain above $35 billion while keeping pace with inflation. We can be sure that adversaries like China (whose naval fleet grows larger each year) will view any budget below this threshold as a sign of wavering commitment to U.S. maritime competitiveness. It is indisputable that America's safety, ability to project strength abroad, and shipbuilding industrial capacity will all be negatively impacted unless this budget request is adhered to.
Defend Jones Act jobs.
The Jones Act — the law that requires that vessels moving cargo between U.S. ports be American built, American owned and American crewed — is fundamental to our domestic maritime industry. You no doubt know that there was significant turnover in Congress in the last election and many new members need to learn about the Jones Act, its importance to America and it relevance to their constituents. This becomes even more critical when one considers that there are well-funded groups working hard today, advocating for repeal of the Jones Act.
We need to build grassroots support for the Jones Act to support the thousands of workers involved in a critical national security field, and support important domestic shipping capacity. We want Americans to tell their elected officials the Jones Act is important, and we need your help.
Click here to send a prewritten email to your Congressperson or Senator.
siGN UP FOR VOICE-TO-CONGRESS ALERTS
Voice-to-Congress is an initiative to keep Navy League members up to date on legislative issues that impact the sea services and informs them how to take action. To read up on legislation, get in contact with elected officials in your area and receive alerts, please go to the Navy League Legislative Affairs Action Center.
Center for Maritime Security
In January 2022, the Navy League became a founding sponsor of the Center for Maritime Security (CMS), a non-profit, non-partisan think tank and research institution dedicated to studying maritime issues and their context within wider American national security policy. A staff of resident experts and non-resident fellows, led by retired Admiral James Foggo, USN, conduct scholarly research, host educational events for government officials and their staffs, publish thought leadership pieces and speak on policy issues in a variety of forums, including at local Navy League councils. To learn more, you can subscribe to their newsletter. You can view a media appearance above from Dr. Steven Wills, CMS Navalist, who spoke recently on CBS News about Russian escalation in Ukraine.
Other Events and programs
New York Council members helped spread our Fleet Week experience to the west and the north in 2023, assisting Seattle and Halifax as they relaunched their own Fleet Week celebrations. Above, then-Council President Frank Russo and Council Member Elizabeth Kenny got to see the results as special guests and several Halifax Fleet Week events.
Then-Council President Frank Russo, Sea Cadets, USNI News and others joined to wish a Happy 100th Birthday to centenarian U.S. Navy veteran Winona Mullis on September 2. Click here to read her reflections on serving as a WAVE during WWII.
Council Member Jack LaTorre decked his vintage BMW in New York Council Navy League decals for the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Brooklyn on March 27.
On September 5, New York Council joined American Legion Post 754 to honor 50 Years of Female Naval Aviators. Held in conjunction with the U.S. Open's celebration of female Naval aviators at this year's LT Joe Hunt Military Appreciation Day on September 2, the evening’s speakers included VADM Shoshana Chatfield, USN, a Naval Aviator who recently completed her tour as President of the Naval War College and CAPT Joellen Drag Oslund, USN (Ret.), who earned her "Wings of Gold" in 1974 as the U.S. Navy's first female helicopter pilot
After lending our support to the John D. McKean Fireboat Restoration Project, we were thrilled to learn that the Fireboat was named to the National Register of Historic Places on July 28.
On May 18, the Council marked National Maritime Day by attending the US Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association’s Memorial Service and Luncheon.
Our Council is proud to support the development of the National Coast Guard Museum, which is being built in New London, Connecticut, to honor, engage, educate and inspire generations through interactive activities and exhibits that celebrate the service’s critical roles. For more news from the museum, see their newsletter.