The Rope Yarn Gazette

Upcoming Events:

AUG 24-26: NL’s ANNUAL SAN DIEGO

ADVENTURE

• FRI: Tour Navy (1300-1500)

+ fine dining downtown

SAT: Del Mar Races,

SUN: Fun Brunch at the

Brigantine, SD

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J U N E 2 0 1 9 V o l u m e 6 , I s s u e 2

MCAS YUMA - OFFICERS

LOUNGE

19 SEPT : GENERAL MTG

Yuma Aviation

Update

6 pm

17 OCT : GENERAL MTG

NAVY BIRTHDAY

6 pm

21 NOV: GENERAL MTG

USMC BIRTHDAY

6pm

JUNE: Yuma is tops

once again!

Annually, our NL national

leadership choses to

recognize councils by

mission performance

and commitment to

service. We are proud

to once again receive the

small city award as the:

Outstanding

Council for 2019.

Y U M A R E C E I V E S 2 0 1 9 N A T I O N A L

O U T S T A N D I N G C O U N C I L ” D E S I G N A T I O N

MAY: Now it’s our cadets turn in the spotlight! 1 Four-peat & a New Winner!

The Naval Sea Cadet Corps Regional 8-8 Director just released performance

scores of all units throughout Arizona and New Mexico. As founding council

and community lead sponsor, we are pleased to announce YUMA has again

earned the top spot in AZ + NMEX The Yuma Sea Eagle Squadron once

again achieved the top score - but what’s remarkable is this was their fourth

straight #1 ranking since being a commissioned unit! 2019 was also the first

year our younger Navy League Cadets were under the gun - and wow! -

Yuma’s Training Ship BW Sandburg scored #1 for ages 10-13. Remarkable.

While the Naval Sea Cadet Program offers graduates JROTC benefits, most

of unit expenses are funded by we Yumans; businesses, vets organizations

and just plain folks who want our young to excel in life. YUMA PROUD!

C A D E T S S C O R E T O P H O N O R S

APRIL 2019

President

Dean ’doc’ Hager

Vice President

Bob Nidiffer

Treasurer

Marie Michael

Secretary

OPEN

Master at Arms

Nancy Ramsey

Membership

Bill Bonsky

Community Liaison Team

Dean Hager (Chair)

Bob Nidiffer

Shawn McKeown

Chuck LeDrew

Rochelle Holman

Carol Underhill

Scholarship Committee 2019

Nancy Ramsey

Rochel Thompson

Dean Hager

Questions / Comments?

Letters to the Editor?

Contact us at:

NLUS Yuma Council

PO Box 393

Yuma, AZ 85366

2 2 0 1 9 A u g u s t t r i p f o r C O U N C I L

m e m b e r s & g u e s t s A B L O W O U T ! !

Yes, it’s that time and your council’s August Adventure Team

did an outstanding job once again! As a fun getaway plus a

neat way to say thanks to our friends for supporting the Navy

League, we are reserving the most seats ever - over 55

Yumans for race day alone!

We are now Booked Solid for Friday’s Navy Assault Craft

Unit-One and Saturday’s Del Mar Races. Members: Ensure

you check with Bob N. to get seating for either Friday dinner,

Sunday’s Brunch, or both!

3

A T T E N T I O N

M E M B E R S !

Schedule of Events - FALL (subject to change): Dates will be sent via

email notification as they are firmed up throughout the year .

DONATION & AWARD SCHEDULE:

COMPLETED ON SCHEDULE !!!!

KEY EVENTS:

04 JULY JULY 4TH CELEBRATION; “ENLISTED OF YEAR” RECOGNITION.

YUMA - AF PARK (0730)

CITY LARGE FLAG RASING & DEDICATION - TWIN WATER TOWERS

YUMA CITY w/SEA CADETS (0900)

06 SEPT YUMA NSCC COMMITTEE MEETING, YUMA AIRPORT BOARD ROOM

(1500-1600)

05 OCT NAVY LEAGUE’S DINNER CHARITY CONCERT, YUMA CC

11 NOV YUMA VETERANS DAY PARADE + AFTER-EVENT BRUNCH (0800)

21 NOV 2020 COUNCIL OFFICER ELECTION (GENERAL MTG)

14 DEC SALVATION ARMY BELL RINGING w/CADETS, FOOTHILLS FRYS

18 JAN NAVY LEAGUE’S ‘CRUISIN’ YUMA’ CHARITY CAR SHOW (0900-1430)

DID YOU KNOW….

EVERY YEAR’S NEWSLETTERS MAY BE READ or PRINTED

www.yumanavyleague.com/

Click on main page’s “NEWS”

NEED TO RENEW MEMBERSHIP? Don’t let your membership

expire. Checking your date is easy.. You can log in to Nationals web

page to check - even RENEW right there! If you are more

comfortable with paper, see Bill Bonsky for the renewal form. Fill it

out with a check and we’ll mail it and follow up to ensure National

gets it correct!

New JOINs: Email us via CONTACT US at yumanavyleague.com.

Current member Renewal Question?: contact Bonsky or ‘doc’ Hager

C O U N C I L H I G H L I G H T S - A P R - J U N 2 0 1 9 4

Each year our council is graced with

opportunities to give back to our community

and demonstrate our commitment to the

Navy League Mission. 2019 turns out to be

no exception. We Yuma Council members

“walk the talk”.

Left>Right: Navy & Marine Corps Relief

Director, Lora O’Hara poses with our “big

check” for $1,000 along with President ‘doc’

Hager and MCAS Auxiliary Base

Commander John Courtis. Our annual

contribution goes to directly support

marines, sailors, and families in need.

Our April general meeting is always

reserved for sponsored Youth Leadership

Programs. This year saw presentations by

both our Navy League cadets and Naval

Sea Cadets. We were proud to learn that

both the Yuma Sea Eagle Squadron and

Training Ship Sandburg placed first for 2019

in our multi-state region. Our sea cadets

top ranking made it four years consecutive

…an accomplishment never before

achieved in Arizona. As their Founder and

Lead Sponsor, we are pleased to continue

our support with a donation of $1,000. Our

guest speaker, Director Yuma International

Airport, Ms. Gladys Brown, a CAL Maritime

College graduate spoke glowingly of the

value Naval Sea Cadet experience

provides to any youth willing to accept the

challenge. A great evening!

Later that same month, council members

also had the privilege to welcome Yuma’s

newest Young Marine unit, the Territorial

Young Marines as our latest adopted youth

group (see PG 7). Just another way we can

promote HONOR, COURAGE and

COMMITMENT.

Awards were fast and furious in May. Our

general membership hosted the Navy

League Scholar Awards Dinner, awarding

two (2) $1,500 scholarships to deserving

JROTC cadets; this year from Kofa High

School. Leadership medals were also

presented at the MCJROTC Awards event.

NL Jones Osborn

Scholars 2019

5 C O U N C I L H I G H L I G H T S - A P R - J U N 2 0 1 9

Sailor & Marine Memorial Project

MCAS YUMA Memorial Project:

MAY UPDATE: Recently the Kofa High ETC staff met w/MCAS staff

engineers to coordinate the flag raising metal portion’s fabrication this

Fall. Thanks to Kofa and Yuma’s Powder Tech to ensure our

memorial metal is ready for mounting. Also, Kudos to our Council,

AMVETs of Yuma, and Bob Sloncen of Welton for pledging the

three (3) granite benches. We are on schedule. Stay tuned.

NLUS Council Member gets a Street!

Henry Chavez, a 30+ year member of the

Navy League was honored this month by

the city of San Luis AZ for his long term

commitment to community service. Henry

and his wife Lydia were on hand to see

their friends, local officials, and business

persons applaud as the mayor officially

dedicated a major route as “Henry Chavez

Court.”

Henry and Lydia were mainstays of Yuma’s

council for many years. While relocated out

of town, we still get to see them each year

at the Del Mar races. Bravo Zulu - Henry

Single Marine Program (SMP) Transport Program is HUGE! Back in 2018, your Navy League

council wrote a few checks to assist MCAS marines rent a couple vans for after hours recreation

transport. With that initial success, Yuma’s Military Affairs Cmtte (MAC) joined in to add their support.

More vans = more happy Marines/Sailors. Fast forward to 2019 and this fledgling service is now a

multi-thousand dollar SMP “FUN BUS” transport program managed by the Yuma Chamber of

Commerce. BELOW: marines boarding for LA gaming event.

NSCC Awards Day: Our Council Youth

Liaison, Chuck LeDrew, was on hand this

June to present TS Roosevelt Leadership

awards to deserving Yuma Sea Eagle and

Training Ship Sandburg cadets. Unit CO,

LT John Bacon, presented our council with

a recognition plaque for all the support we

provide throughout the year. Nice.

6

Yuma NLUS

2 0 1 9 S P O N S O R U P D A T E

Celebrate Independence Day in style (and early) at Yuma’s Armed Forces Park. Open to the

public, the seats are always full to see our Patriot Riders, Veterans Color Guards, and active duty

service personnel on full display. Raise the huge flag to a trumpets song, see the Yuma Chamber of

Commerce’ Military Affairs Committee recognize soldiers, marines and sailors of the year… take a

moment and tell those young men and women ‘Thank You’ for their service. Figure one hour for this

event.

Plan on arriving at 0730 to get a good seat. Bring a camera, photos are encouraged … and by the

time it gets a tad warm, it’ll be time for a fine breakfast at a local restaurant. You’ll be glad you came.

APRIL: 2018 saw our council working with other Yuma

veterans service and support organizations to maximize

donations for our marines, sailors, sea service veterans

and their families in need. It’s working !!

However, successful as these collaborations are, we

cannot forget to thank those businesses and individuals

who contribute cash and material directly to our council.

We are on track in receiving support from our community

again this year with our most recent donations received

from:

Cal-Am (Fortuna de Oro RV Resort): GOLD SPONSOR

As our main spring ‘Crusin’ Yuma charity car show

sponsor, Fortuna de Oro opens up their wonderful facility,

provides advertising, and funds the live bands and BBQ

materials. We couldn’t do it without you.

Fisher Chevy/Buick/GMC, Yuma: GOLD SPONSOR

Everyone knows Fisher. As a robust supporter of our

Yuma Sea Cadets and Territorial Young Marines, we are

very grateful to once again to have them in the Navy

League family. You are making a difference!

Yo u a re a l l in v i t ed ! !JULY 4th

7

By: Jose Escarsega, GySgt, USMC ret

Hello Navy League! Just wanted to update you a little on what has been going on with

the Territorial Young Marines..

After graduation, we to our first Regimental Encampment at the Bumble Bee Ranch. I

was a little bit worried due to the fact of having new Young Marines. I was not sure how they would

compare to their peers. I was pleasantly surprised that they adapted very well and in some cases lead

their assigned squad.

During these encampments, the Young Marines get split up into the various platoons. There were four

units that participated in the encampment. The total number of Young Marines was about 80 kids. They

were split up into Blue, Green, Gold, & Red platoons. However, they were broken down even more to

navigate a compass course. Of course, I had prepped my unit by giving them a class on land navigation.

Thus, my Young Marines were leading the compass course. I guess they actually learned something from

my class. Additionally, they had a short obstacle course, where they had to work as a team to move two

ammo cans full of rocks. Again, my Young Marines were taking the lead in several cases. I'm not saying

they did everything, but they sure stood out among their peers. It was a successful evolution, in that all of

the units worked great together and the Young Marines had fun.

Our next evolution is supporting the American Legion Post 19 in their Open House "Centennial"

celebration on 18 May. Then on 20 May, we will be supporting a family with a baby that needs a liver

transplant. They are doing a takeover at Lutz Casino. We will be helping with that.

Finally, for May we will be participating in the Memorial Day events - placing crosses at Desert lawn the

25th and providing a cadet color guard. On the 27th. ...and thank you for the Donation; it helps!

Y o u t h p r o g r a m s

Territorial

Young Marines

adopted by

Yuma Navy League

2019

NAVY LINGO…. “SCUTTLEBUTT” AND “KNEE KNOCKERS”

Scuttlebutt: The Navy term for a water drinking fountain. The Navy History Museum describes

the term as a combination of "scuttle," to make a hole in the ship's side causing her to sink, and

"butt," a cask or hogshead used in the days of wooden ships to hold drinking water. Thus, the word

scuttlebutt means a cask with a hole in it.

Knee-knockers: A knee-knocker refers to the bottom portion of a watertight door's frame. They are

notorious for causing shin injuries. Both newbies and post-liberty drunken sailors hate them.

8

The Issue: NAVY LEAGUE MEMBERS > TELL ‘EM TO REPEAL SEQUESTRATION NOW!

When the two-year Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 expires, sequestration will return for Fiscal Year 2020

(FY2020). The two-year 2018 budget compromise that raised budget caps creates needed breathing

room to restore readiness to our sea services, yet when it expires in FY2020, we return to a budget-

driven military strategy with arbitrary caps. The Navy League is very concerned about returning to

sequestration at a time of emerging threats like the increasingly aggressive actions of Iran, Russia, and

China.

Without another deal, the FY2020 defense budget will be $576 billion, an 11% drop from FY2019 levels.

Under sequestration, deployment lengths increased, training was reduced, and repair work was

delayed. This combination of threats and limited resources could result in the sea services taking on

additional and dangerous risk in order to execute the National Security Strategy.

The Navy Force Structure Assessment states that we need to grow to a minimum of 355 ships to re-

spond to the current threat environment with an acceptable level of risk. The Marine Corps remains at a

high operational tempo, keeping Marines and their equipment working at unsustainable levels. The

Coast Guard is undergoing a much-needed recapitalization of its aging fleet while building its icebreaker

fleet, and the Maritime Administration must be able to grow the pool of American mariners and replace

aging training ships. We need strong sea services that are able to respond quickly and definitively to any

crisis. The Sea Services provide the security necessary for the rules-based international order that

benefits every single American and the entire globe.

The Solution

The impacts of the last round of sequestration and other budget impacts are undeniable. We saw a

surge in aircraft accidents, ship collisions, and increasing aggression from other nations. At a time that

all experts agree we should be growing our military, we cannot afford to go back to BCA-level funding

caps. National Defense funding caps should be raised to accurately meet the needs of our global

security environment.

Let your Representatives and Senators know that you

support removal of future sequestration.

N a v y l e a g u e o f t h e u n i t e d s t a t e s

~ o u r v o i c e t o c o n g r e s s r e q u e s t e d ~

VMX-1 Welcomes a New Squadron SgtMaj!

Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VMX-1) participate in the battle color ceremony as part of the Relief and Appointment for SgtMaj Olea. The Relief and Appointment ceremony is an honored product of the rich heritage of Naval tradition. The heart of the ceremony is the passing of the NCO Sword by the Activity Commander from the outgoing Sergeant Major to the new Sergeant Major which signifies the transfer of responsibility, accountability, and authority, from one individual to another.

Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1)

Twice a year MAWTS-1 hosts a Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course, which emphasizes operational integration of the six functions of Marine Corps aviation in support of a Marine air-ground task force. MAWTS-1 is the only squadron in the Marine Corps that offers weapons and aviation tactics training.

THAT’S THE SOUND OF

FREEDOM

9 K N O W Y O U R Y U M A M A R I N E S

A D O P T E D C O M M A N D 1 9 6 5 — M C A S Y U M A

PO Box 393

Yuma, AZ 85366

E-mail:

nlusyuma@

nlusyumacouncil.org

NLUS Yuma

Council

We’re on the web!

www.nlus-

yumacouncil.org

“LIKE US” on Face Book

www.facebook.com/

navyleagueyuma

American liberty is built on a

strong national sea service.

“Speak softly and carry a big stick;

you will go far”

US Pres. T. Roosevelt You do not have to be Veteran to join our Council!

THE US NAVY LEAGUE IS OPEN TO ANY

CITIZEN WHO WANTS TO

MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

JOIN IN 5 MINUTES online at:

https://portal.navyleague.org/membership-join

E-member as low as $25/yr.

MISSION OF THE YUMA COUNCIL

1. SUPPORT SEA SERVICE ACTIVE DUTY, VETERANS AND FAMILIES.

2. PROMOTE THE NEED FOR STRONG NATIONAL SEA SERVICES.

3. SUPPORT YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS: YOUNG MARINES,

MCJROTC, NAVAL SEA CADETS, NAVY LEAGUE CADETS