1. The Navy League of the United States
Holding slide for before the presentation starts
Navy League of the United States
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

2. Navy League of the United States
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services
I am excited to talk to you about the Navy League of the United states and how it supports America’s sea services, which include the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and U.S.-flag Merchant Marine.
My goal today is to leave you with a greater understanding of our sea services and, in particular, the Marine Corps, what the Navy League does to support these service members and their families around the world, and how you can help.
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

3. Navy League of the United States
Our national security depends on our ability to rapidly respond to crisis
The Navy League is dedicated to educating our fellow citizens, especially our elected officials and community leaders, on the importance of maintaining strong, capable and ready maritime forces. With more than 40,000 members in 220 councils worldwide, the Navy League also works to enhance the morale of active-duty personnel and their families.
Our Mission: Inform the American public about the importance of our maritime forces to our national security and economic prosperity, and to enhance the morale of active-duty personnel and their families.
Navy League of the United States
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

4. The Navy League and your Congress
For nearly two generations, no American has been obligated to join our military services, and few do. In 1975, 70 percent of the members of Congress had some military service, compared with just 20 percent today. This has created a gap in the knowledge of those who must make critical decisions about our military readiness and capabilities and, in turn, our national security. The grassroots strength of the Navy League’s councils translates into much-needed support of sea service members and their families across America and on Capitol Hill.
For example, Navy Leaguers took their message to Congress for the second Navy League Anchors Aweigh Fly-In on Dec. 3, 2015. Members visited their representatives, senators and congressional staffers as constituents, focusing on the economic and strategic necessity of our sea services.  The event was highly successful, with more than 100 Navy Leaguers visiting a total of 136 congressional offices.  The Navy League in 2015 also launched the America’s Strength campaign, “Investing in the Navy-Marine Corps Team.” The grassroots effort combines congressional, community and industry outreach aimed at rallying support for the Navy-Marine Corps team and increasing awareness about what the strain of underfunding and overextension will mean for the Department of the Navy in the years ahead.
Our Mission: Educate our elected officials on the importance of maintaining strong, capable and ready maritime forces.
Navy League of the United States
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

5. The Navy League and the youth in your community
The Navy League is committed to this nation’s youth, supporting programs that foster the development of our next generation of patriotic citizens and future military leaders.
The Naval Sea Cadet Corps is for young people ages who have a desire to learn about the sea services. The objectives of the Sea Cadet program are to introduce youths to naval life; develop in them a sense of pride, patriotism, courage and self-reliance; and to maintain an environment free of drugs and gangs.
The Navy League Cadet Corps is for boys and girls, ages 11-13, who are interested in the sea and ships, and our nation’s seagoing services. The Navy League program is designed to introduce young people to maritime activities and military life, and to prepare them for the Naval Sea Cadet Corps.
Our Mission: Foster the education and development of our youth through programs such as the Naval Sea Cadet Corps and Navy League Cadet Corps as well as Junior ROTC and Young Marines.
Navy League of the United States
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

6. The Sea Services and YOU
The U.S. Sea Services — Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and U.S.-flag Merchant Marine — have an impact on the lives of each and every one of us.
How?
Our security and prosperity at home depend on their ability to sustain freedom of the seas and rapidly respond to crises, whether they be natural or manmade.
The sea services strengthen international alliances, ensure access to critical trade routes and promote engagement with friends and competitors alike, through multinational exercises, bilateral operations and humanitarian missions.
Navy League of the United States
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

7. Navy League of the United States
The U.S. Marine Corps
The fact is … forward-deployed naval forces are our nation’s insurance policy — a hedge against uncertainty in an unpredictable world. The Navy-Marine Corps team provides power projection from the sea, responding immediately to a crisis … when success is measured in hours, not days.
- Gen. Joseph Dunford, Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Marine Corps is the Nation’s expeditionary force-in-readiness. Congress, specifically and uniquely, structured and prescribed the role of the Marine Corps as a “…balanced force-in-readiness, air and ground … to suppress or contain international disturbances short of large-scale war.” Under this mandate, Marines are forward-deployed, forward-engaged and postured to shape events, manage instability, project influence and immediately respond to crises. As an inherently joint combined arms team, Marines assure access and enable heavier contingency forces to deploy from the United States in response to a major contingency.
Navy League of the United States
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

8. U.S. Marine Corps Leadership
The Marine Corps is led by the Commandant, General Robert B. Neller, and is a part of the Department of the Navy.
Navy League of the United States
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

9. Roles and Mission of the Marine Corps
The role of the Marine Corps as laid out by the 82nd Congress states that “The nation’s shock troops must be the most ready when the nation is least ready … to provide a balanced force in readiness for a naval campaign and, at the same time, a ground and air striking force ready to suppress or contain international disturbances short of large-scale war.”
On a day-to day basis, the Marine Corps is forward deployed, forward engaged and prepared for crisis response. Our Marines also are ready to respond in the event of a major contingency. The American people have come to expect the Marine Corps to do what must be done “in any clime and place” and under any conditions. They expect Marines to respond quickly and to win.
While Marines are naval in character and uniquely capable of coming from the sea, their expeditionary nature allows them to operate effectively in underdeveloped conditions ashore. Expeditionary is a state of mind as well as a capability. They expect to operate forward and sustain themselves without a large logistics footprint. Every element of the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) is designed and tailored to function in an austere environment. Whether coming from the sea or ashore, the complementary nature of the air, ground, and logistics elements is the essence of the MAGTF.
Navy League of the United States
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

10. Your Expeditionary Force in Readiness
The Marine Corps continues to execute reduce its efforts to reduce its manning, an effort that began in Fiscal Year When the reductions began the Marine Corps had 202,000 Marines and are reducing their size to 182,000 by Through an internal evaluation, in 2010, the Marine Corps concluded that their optimal size to meet the requirements of the President’s National Security Strategy was 186,800 Marines. This optimal size gives the Marine Corps the capacity needed to meet current steady state.
The Marine Corps is a force of economy. For 6.0% of the defense budget, the Marine Corps provides 21% of the Nation’s infantry battalions and 15% of the fighter/attack aircraft. These capabilities, organized as Marine Air Ground Task Forces with an organic logistical element, provide the Nation with affordable insurance and a strategic hedge in an era of uncertainty and unprecedented complexity.
In 2014, your Marines demonstrated the relevance of expeditionary naval forces by executing more than 30 amphibious operations, 150 Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) events, and 130 exercises around the globe.
At only 6.0% of the defense budget
the Marine Corps provides 21% of the Nation’s infantry battalions
and 15% of the fighter/attack aircraft
Navy League of the United States
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

11. The Navy League Supports the Sea Services
The Navy League has councils located throughout the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Far East and the Pacific that support active-duty military personnel and their families. Our councils have adopted or otherwise directly support 530 ships, commands or individual units, and each year present thousands of awards and scholarships to sea service members, members of their families and students, totaling more than $260,000.

12. Discussion/Questions?
For more information, or to get involved:
Presenter name and #
Upcoming Events …
Council Meeting Information
PRESENTER NOTE: Remember to bring your membership brochures and business cards
Navy League of the United States
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services