Casey Coane posted on January 01, 2010 00:13
January 2010 Navy
by Casey Coane
Welcome to the New Year and one that promises to be just as interesting and challenging as the last. The guest column in the November issue sparked a lot of mail regarding climate change. This month, Admiral Thomas Hayward (former CNO) and CAPT Deke Forbes offer a different point of view in the guest column. There is another article, by member CDR Robert Whitten, that can be found on page 28. Hopefully, we have now presented all sides of the arguments. Our guest column is a place where we offer an opportunity for those outside the Association to present a point of view and we do so in the interest of keeping you informed, not to support a particular position. I’m pleased that we also have a short piece this month from the new President of NERA, Senior Chief Nick Marine. He mentions a great project that we will work with NERA to support. The Association and NERA have much to gain from working together and we encourage such activity.
Our feature this month is from our Vice President for Communications, CDR Aaron Bresnahan. It tells the story of LCS-2, Independence which will be commissioned this month. If you read the interview with the CNO last month, you know that the Navy will downselect between the LCS-1, Freedom, and the LCS-2 to decide on the hull form for LCS-5 and subsequent. This is a program that the Navy badly needs and it has to get on track financially. As the CNO said last month, either ship will meet the Navy’s requirements. It is now a matter of money.
A second feature is the annual “Tax Tips” from LCDR Marc Soss. This year, he has included valuable information for Active Component members as well as Reservists. Marc is a regular contributor on such issues and we appreciate his support. There is a recent change in law which affects the legal domicile of military spouses. Look for an article on that coming soon. After a two-month hiatus, we welcome back our “Health Talk” column by CDR Marion Cioe.
Early in December, I had an office call with the VCNO, Admiral Greenert. Our meeting was an exchange of ideas about AUSN and where our Association belongs in the overall scheme of things. I should underline the word exchange because it truly was an exchange. I found our meeting to be most helpful and encouraging as we strategize for the future.
It’s time to make plans for our conference in April. Jacksonville is a wonderful city and we have a great hotel in a great location. The Anchors have planned a President’s Reception that I am sure you will enjoy and some other activities as well that should appeal, so go on line and register.
The November issue of ROA’s magazine, The Officer, carried an article in the Naval Services column which discussed the change in name and expanded focus that we have made moving from the NRA to the AUSN. For some reason, most of the article concerned the origins of the NRA and our Historian and former ROA President, Dave Woods, has some serious argument concerning the accuracy of that column. Be that as it may, I would have preferred that the article had mentioned that AUSN permits as voting members all Navy people, officer and enlisted, as well as DoN civilians. We are the only Navy association to do so, as well as to permit members of other U.S. military services to be associate members. As always, enjoy the read.