Rotary Speech
I suspect our organizations suffer a similar experience: aging and declining membership; difficulty recruiting younger members who will be engaged.
We are 50,000 strong internationally and 500 in St. Louis.
Go back in history.
After the civil war the navy declined and the mission was primarily coastal defense. There was the engagement in the1890’s Spanish – American War where U.S. won naval engagements against the Spanish Navy, a formidable force that did not go unnoticed. Teddy Roosevelt, a rough rider in that conflict, became an Asst. secretary of the navy and befriended Alfred Mahan of the Naval War College, a well known naval strategist. He influenced Roosevelt as President on sea power as an extension of foreign policy. Roosevelt went on a shipbuilding program and created the great white fleet. U.S. was a growing economic power. Roosevelt wanted to expand U.S. influence in the world and wanted favorable trade agreements so he sent a flotilla of 16 ships around the world making multiple port calls to show the U.S. flag.
He worried about congress funding the navy and wanted a civilian organization to be an advocate for sea power. Political Leaders are prone to invest in armies over navies. He created the navy league in 1903 for naval advocacy and to support sea service families and youth programs.
We hold 5-7 events a year 1) Awards dinner January. 2) host the war college in March with 50 countries represented with their best and brightest senior naval officers. (admiral yamamoto comment “we have only woken a sleeping giant) 3) Global hot spots and maritime defense in April. 4) we hold our golf fundraiser in May. 5) August is an opportunity to welcome new recruits known as Cardinal company with a pre-game event on the field. An event going back 50 years. 6) August will be a cruise on the Mississippi River on a Coast Guard vessel learning about river navigation and their mission. 7) In October we host the Navy Birthday ball. We have honored WW11 vets and POW’s. Jack Taylor and Bob Herman. We have had interesting guests including Dale Dye (Hollywood actor), Al Hraboski (Hungarian Navy) and Adm Winnefeld (VCNO), Walter Cunningham (Apollo 7) and Condoleeza Rice was invited this year but couldn’t work out schedules. Hollywood gave an early preview of the seal movie “Act of Valor”. We had Seals in the audience before and after the movie to discuss it, including the Admiral who led Seal Team 5. We have introduced local executives to carrier trips with a carrier landing and at sea experience.
The US Navy had 1000 ships during the Vietnam War, 600 during the Reagan Administration, and 280 today. Some in congress think 230 is sufficient. Navy leadership requires 315 to do the mission given it or the mission needs to change. We used to have 2 aircraft carriers in the Mediteranean Sea but today there are none. You might say so what. Well our capabilities of a response during the Bengazi attack might have been available. We could have launched an attack when no one else could. We need to be forward deployed. Unlike the Air Force or Army permission is not required of a foreign country to have a forward presence. The Navy lives under the 70/80/90 guidance. 70% of the earth is water; 80% of the population lives near water and 90% of all U.S. trade is by sea. What are current concerns? Straits of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf bordering Iran are of major concern. 20% of all world oil travels thru the Straight and 80% of Japanese oil which would affect trading partners as well as the U.S. . Seoul is within 25 miles of the North Korean border. 20% of the South Korean population (over 15 million people) live in Seoul. An attack would affect thousands dead, wounded or dislocated. American Auto and textile companies thrive in Korea and serve Asian markests and would be affected by an attack from the North.
As one Admiral put it – Maritime security creates economic opportunity which creates prosperity. We are a maritime nation with ocean borders east, west and much of the south. The oceans are our buffer and trade routes need to be defended and protected. Sea strike, (strike an enemy to protect US interests when diplomacy breaks down per presidential order) sea shield (defend the homeland and protect against nuclear missile attack from a forward position before reaching the homeland) and humanitarian assistance are the missions of the navy. Humanitarian missions include protecting Fishing rights, inoculations against disease in 3rd world countries, providing assistance during natural disasters and protecting flow of trade against piracy are part of the navy role.