On a personal note, Melissa is a full-time employee of Athena Health in Belfast, ME where she works as an Analyst.  She holds Associate’s Degrees from Eastern Maine Community College in Business Management and Liberal Studies.  In addition to providing outstanding performance as a Coast Guard reservist and holding down a full-time job, Petty Officer Nute is also the single parent of a three year old daughter.

Pen Bay Council President Chris Kopang  presenting Petty Officer Nute her Sailor of the Year Certificate along with a check for $250

George Wardwell, New England Navy League Regional President, presenting her with a book on the history of the Navy League, along with an application to join

Pen Bay Council President Chris Kopang  presenting Petty Officer Nute her Sailor of the Year Certificate along with a check for $250

Obviously, none of this would be possible without your generous support.  If you have not submitted your dues ($15) for 2011, please make your checks out to Penobscot Navy League Council and send them c/o Chris Kopang, 36 Surrey Lane, Hampden, ME 04444.

Annual New England Navy League Regional Meeting

An update on Council Events with our Naval Sea Cadets

Last Saturday (05 March) Chris Kopang, our President traveled to Madison where he had the honor of conducting a personnel inspection of our adopted Naval Sea Cadets (NCB 39 BN) and presenting them with a check for $500 to help support the construction of their training compound, scheduled to be open for business on Memorial Day weekend.  The Commanding Officer of the NSCC battalion, Roger Sabourin, has done an outstanding job in training a great group of cadets.  He also passed out a flyer (attached) for the essay contest we are holding this year for the sea cadets.  Dr. Esther Rauch and Mary Carlson have agreed to serve as judges for the contest, and the writer of the winning essay will receive a $500 savings bond to be presented at our May luncheon when we also will be honoring the Coast Guard Sailor of the Year from Northern New England.

Penobscot Navy League Council Naval Sea Cadet Essay Contest

Eligibility Requirements

All Sea Cadets assigned to NCB 39 BN, Madison, ME are eligible to participate.

Essay Topic:

The subject of the essay shall be the following:

How Can I Help Prevent Bullying Amongst My Peers?

Due Date: All essays are due no later than Monday, 18 April 2011. It is preferred that they be prepared using MS Word software and sent electronically by email as an attachment to:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  However, essays may be typed and sent by regular mail to Chris Kopang, 36 Surrey Lane, Hampden, Maine 04444.

Prize

Grand Prize will be a $500 savings bond to be presented to the contest winner during our May Navy League Council meeting, which is typically a luncheon.

Contest Rules

All essays must comply with the following contest rules in order to be considered:

• Each essay must reflect the contestant's own research, writing and original thinking.  References should be included and clearly identified.
• Each essay must include a title page, not considered text, with the following information:  essay title, author's name, year in school, address, phone number, and total number of pages of essay.
• Essays must be typed, and are limited to three (3) double-spaced, 12-point font, single-sided, numbered pages with one-inch margins.  The title page and bibliography are not included in the three page limit.
• The title of the essay, but NOT the author's name, MUST appear on the top of the first page of essay text.

Essays will not be returned to the author; they will become property of the Penobscot Navy League Council.

Judging

Penobscot Navy League Council members will judge the essays using five criteria.  Each category will be assigned a score of 1 through 20, with 20 as the highest score.  The sum of the scores for the five categories will determine a contestant's final score.

First 2011 Event - Joint Navy League / MOAA Luncheon Saturday February 19th at the Sea Dog restaurant in Bangor, ME

During the joint luncheon our Council President Chris Kopang who is also the Pine Tree MOAA Chapter President had the pleasure of making awards to Midshipman Emily Fanning who is in her first year at Maine Maritime Academy.  She is a Marine Biology major with a 3.23 GPA, a member of the Maine Maritime Regiment, and the school's cross-country team.  She received one of two Joshua Chamberlain awards and a $1500 scholarship from the MOAA Pine Tree Chapter.  She aspires to be a Marine Corps officer and wants to earn her wings as a helicopter pilot. The photo below was taken following the presentation by Chris Kopang.  Also pictured is the new Assistant Marine Officer Instructor at Maine Maritime Academy, Staff Sergeant George Oshana, who represented the Naval ROTC unit at the luncheon.

Chris Kopang, Staff Sergeant George Oshana, and Midshipman Emily Fanning

Joint Navy League / MOAA Luncheon Saturday November 13

On a beautiful, sunny day in Castine, approximately 25 members of both the Penobscot Navy League Council and Maine's MOAA Pine Tree Chapter enjoyed a delightful luncheon at the Manor Inn followed by an informative presentation given by Drs. Danielle and Larry Mutty on the volunteer work they have done in Haiti.  The topic of their talk was "Children of Haiti, the Hope of the Future."Each year in the spring for the last six years, they have devoted two-three weeks of their time to support an orphanage in Les Cayes called PWOJE ESPWA (Hope in Haiti), which provides housing, food, and education to over 800 youngsters plus medical care to the surrounding community.

Drs. Danielle and Larry Mutty in their presentation regarding the volunteer work they have done in Haiti.

Annual Schooner Bowdoin Fundraising Cruise

This year our cruise on the Maine Maritime Academy's arctic schooner Bowdoin was a smashing success.  Over 70 people signed up exceeding the passenger capacity of about 35.  To our great benefit, the academy offered to do a second cruise the following day. The weather/wind cooperated both days to provide a wonderful experience for the passengers on this historic sailing vessel.  Jan Kopang deserves a gold medal for the very nice snack pack she prepared and doled out to all the passengers.

 Passengers in launch heading out to board the Bowdoin

Captain Eric Jergenson at the helm underway off the coast of Castine, ME

Passengers enjoying the cruise - great wind - a little cool for some

Joint Navy League/MOAA Luncheon 13 August

This event, held at the University of Maine at the Wells Conference Center, provided about 40 attendees with a nice lunch and a very interesting presentation by Dr. Habib Dagher, Director of the University's Advanced Structures and Composites Center.  Afterwards, approximately 25 of us toured his lab on campus.  This center was established by the National Science Foundation in 1996 and is now a world leader in the development of cost-effective, high performance hybrid composite materials for construction applications.  The Center has successfully conducted major R&D programs for the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and other government departments and administrations.  Current research initiatives include cutting-edge technology for an Offshore Wind Laboratory which will design, manufacture and test components for deepwater offshore wind structures.

Dr. Habib Dagher during presentation at joint NL/MOAA Luncheon

UMaine professor explaining various aspects of the Advanced Structures & Composits Center

We Now Have a Naval Sea Cadet Battalion

In May, 2010 Penobscot Bay Navy League Coucil formally adopted and became sponsor for the Camp Mountain View Naval Construction Battalion 39 (NCB 39 BN) headquartered in Madison, Maine.  Led by former Seabee LT Roger Sabourin, our Sea Cadets are in the process of building their own facility as shown in their NCB 39 BN website. The link is included in the Web Links section of our website or you may access directly by going to www.seamme.com

The Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC) is a federally chartered non-profit civilian youth training organization for young people, ages 14-17, sponsored by the Navy League of the United States (NLUS) and supported by both the U. S. Navy and U. S. Coast Guard.  Included under the NSCC umbrella is the Navy League Cadet Corps (NLCC), a junior program for youth ages 11-13.  Goals of both Cadet programs are as follows:

• To develop an interest and ability in basic seamanship and seagoing skills.
• To instill the virtues of good citiizenship and strong moral principles in each Cadet.
• To demonstrate the value of an alcohol-free, drug-free, and gang-free lifestyle.
• To make each Cadet aware of the prestige of a military career and increase the advancement potential of those who serve.

United States Coast Guard Sailor of the Year Award

On Tuesday 18 May at a luncheon in Castine, ME, our Navy League Council presented an award to the USCG Sector Northern New England’s Sailor of the Year. Boatswain’s Mate First Class Kurt Kuntzmann is recognized for his superior performance of duty while serving as the Operations Petty Officer on board the USCGC THUNDER BAY.

He has steadfastly addressed the many challenges of this position head-on and with a sense of pride and resolve.  In March 2009, using expert technical skills and a diligent work ethic, Petty Officer Kuntzmann ably prepared THUNDER BAY to deploy to the Great Lakes with just two weeks notice.  Working long hours, he balanced priorities over numerous operational areas resolving many resource conflicts.  By his tireless dedication, THUNDER BAY was able to correct and prep over 200 charts and publications, as well as loading two electronic charting systems, allowing the ship to sail through U.S. and Canadian waters safely.

He researched and oversaw the installation of phones and internet capabilities to allow the ship to communicate while operating in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, and the North Atlantic.  These capabilities allowed the cutter to maintain communications, especially with Canadian ice authorities, and evaluate ever changing weather conditions which plagued THUNDER BAY’S transit through the massive ice fields of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Additionally, during a during a THUNDER BAY deployment to New York City, the vessel provided security for critical Presidential and United Nations General Assembly enforcement zones.  During this deployment, Petty Officer Kuntzmann stood underway port and starboard watches as Quartermaster of the Watch due to the shortage of qualified personnel.

Petty Officer Kuntzmann displayed exceptional stamina during this period by breaking in as underway Officer of the Deck (OOD) on his own initiative and time.  As mentioned above, BM1 Kuntzmann also displays the Coast Guard core values while away from work.

Petty Officer Kuntzmann’s operational expertise, attention to detail and exceptional initiative have led to his selection as Sector Northern New England’s Sailor of the Year.  His tireless efforts and his commitment to the Coast Guard and community make him most deserving of the Penobscot Bay Navy League Sailor of the Year Award.

PenBay Council President Capt. Chris Kopang presents Sailor of the Year award to Petty Officer Kurt Kuntsmann of the USCGC THUNDER BAY and USCG Sector Northern New England

George A. Wardwell, N.E. Region President & National Director of the Navy League presents the   Navy League History Book ...a comprehensive look at the Navy League's history over its first 103 years to USCG Sailor of the Year Boatswain's Mate First Class Kurt Kuntzmann

Following USCG Sailor of the Year award, CAPT James B. McPherson, Commander, Sector Northern New England was guest speaker

Lunch at the Mariner Inn in Castine, ME for attendees at the Sailor of the Year awards.

Lunch at the Mariner Inn in Castine, ME for attendees at the Sailor of the Year awards.

The PenBay Navy League Council Presents Awards to Graduating Students of the Maine Maritime Academy (Photos Courtesy of Maine Maritime Academy)

Penbay Council President Capt. Chris Kopang presents the CAPT Edward Conrad Award for excellence in History to Amanda Laney of Farmington, ME .  She is our first recipient of this award having graduated with a degree in International Business Logistics. She also received a $500 U. S. Savings Bond.

Council President Chris Kopang presents an award to Ryan Gannon from Concord, NH in recognition of having achieved the highest overall score on the Coast Guard Engineering License Examination.  In addition he also received a $500 U.S. Savings bond.

Council President Chris Kopang presents award to Lindsey Ann Fassler of Milford, MA who graduated with a degree in Small Vessel Operations.  She achieved the highest overall score on the Coast Guard Deck License Examination.  In addition, she also received a $500 U.S. Savings Bond.

Visit the Presidents Corner and Check out an article - Fridays at the Pentagon

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The First Event in 2010 - Joint Luncheon - at the University of Maine

The MOAA Pine Tree Chapter of Maine and the Pen Bay Council Navy League gathered at the Wells Conference Center at the University of Maine in Orono on Saturday 6 February.  The main attraction was the presentation of  $1,000 scholarships to Army ROTC Cadet Christopher Lloyd and to Navy ROTC Midshipman 4/C William Hadden-Wyper.  The luncheon attendees were surprised by a visit by the University of Maine football team to thank the MOAA and Navy League members for their ongoing support of the team, for their military service and to chat with everyone present. Following the awards ceremony, the MOAA Chapter conducted the installation of new board members.

MOAA Scholarship Awards - (Left to right) Major James Karcanes, US Army; NL Council President Capt. Chris Kopang USN (Ret.); Major Daryl Lyon, US Army; Army ROTC Cadet Christopher Lloyd; MOAA Chapter President Major Richard Alexander USAF (Ret.); Capt. Christopher Troughton, USMC; and Navy ROTC Midshipman 4/C William Hadden-Wyper

Important Navy Times Article

Navy League: Obama on path to 240-ship fleet

By This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - Staff writer, Navy Times
Posted : Monday Jan 11, 2010 5:22:37 EST

The Obama administration has quietly ditched the Navy’s former goal of building a fleet of at least 300 ships and is now on course to field a fleet of only 240, the head of the Navy League has charged.

In a January message to members, Navy League president Daniel Branch said that during the 2008 campaign, then-Sen. Barack Obama’s team responded to the Navy League’s questions about fleet size by saying “the current force structure is adequate to support the Navy’s missions,” referring to the fleet at the time of about 283 ships.

“Every president since World War I has made it clear that a Navy of more than 300 ships is essential to keep the peace, defend our shores and safeguard America’s global interests,” Branch wrote. “Clarification is needed from the current administration regarding its support for this important issue.”

The Navy League is urging its members to press their representatives in Congress to support a larger fleet, he wrote — just in time for the Navy Department to submit its budget amid a flurry of other updates and reports, including the Quadrennial Defense Review, due in February. The precedent set last year won’t cut it, he wrote.

“To maintain a Navy of at least 300 ships, the U.S. must fund and build at least 11 or 12 ships per year,” requiring as much as $27 billion per year, Branch wrote. “However, the administration submitted a budget of only $14.7 billion for ship construction in fiscal 2010. For this administration, there is a question as to budget priorities.”

His voice added to the chattering around Washington in advance of this year’s budget, which some observers fear will include deep cuts that could not only reduce today’s fleet, but also kneecap the Navy’s shipbuilding and aircraft-buying plans.

“In reality, everybody knows a 313-ship fleet is a pipe dream based on defense investment — the numbers indicate the president of the Navy League is right,” said Mackenzie Eaglen, a defense analyst with the conservative Heritage Foundation. Top officials in the Pentagon and Congress spent so much time working on a formal fleet goal, they never built deep enough support for it, she said.  Still, Navy officials said the official goal is still at least 313.

That target was the product of then-Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen, who unveiled it early in 2006 — after what he said was extensive analysis — and told Congress later that same year he expected the Navy to hit it by fiscal 2012. Mullen’s successor, Adm. Gary Roughead, said he wanted 313 as a “floor,” with the final number being even higher.

But in early 2009, when the Navy unveiled its budget request for the new fiscal year, Rear Adm. T.J. Blake said everything, including the 313-ship goal, was “subject to change” in the QDR and other Pentagon studies. And although the Navy was required by law to submit 30-year shipbuilding and aviation plans with its budget, it didn’t.

Since then, Roughead has reaffirmed his goal of 313 or more ships. As of Jan. 7, the Navy’s official count of its fleet was 287 ships.

Navy League News Clips

The Navy League provides a weekly News Clip with articles of interest to all Navy League members.  A link for direct access to these News Clips on the National Navy League web site is included in the Web Links on this website