Publisher's Page

Commander Ward Carroll autographed his new novel, Punk's War, at the recent Annual Meeting. Eerily relevant as world tensions increase, Punk's War, excerpted on pages 74-76, tells the inside story of no-fly-- zone missions. Pictured with his students, Midshipmen Chris Hogan and Curtis Gobert, Commander Carroll teaches at the Naval Academy.

By tradition and design, the Naval Review issue of Proceedings offers an opportunity to examine the year past-and to look to the future. The Naval Institute itself takes the same opportunity each year to look back at the wake, part of the process of setting our course for the year to come. Our unwavering beacon is belief in our mission as the independent forum for the sea services.

The greatest pleasure in looking back is the opportunity to highlight special accomplishments and the people behind them. Two Naval Institute Press books came in for extraordinary recognition. Dog Company Six by Brigadier General Ed Simmons was selected by the Navy League for its Alfred Thayer Mahan Award for Literary Achievement; won the New York Navy League Chapter's Samuel Eliot Morison Award; and will receive the American Library Association's Boyd Award for the best novel written about a period when the United States was at war. General Simmons was, not surprisingly, named as the Naval Institute Press Author of the Year. Norman Friedman's The Fifty-Year War won the Westminster Medal for Military Literature, a very prestigious award sponsored the Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies in London.

Thanks in large part to efforts by our longtime advertising director, Jim Burke, Proceedings advertising income soared in 2000. We recognized Jim's efforts at the Annual Meeting as Business Associate of the Year. The Proceedings Author of the Year, Captain Bill Toti, was cited for a series of contributions that included his article from July 2000, "Stop the Revolution: I Want to Get Off." Jerome O'Connor, one of the original television Quiz Kids known for his extensive original research on U-boat pens, was chosen Naval History Author of the Year. His article, "Into the Gray Wolves Den," was published in the June 2000 issue. Retired Naval Reserve Captain Earl Rippee and photographer Brian Wolff received Special Awards of Merit at the Annual Meeting. Captain Rippee is a key supporter of the Naval Institute Foundation. Three of Brian Wolff's photos were Proceedings covers in 2000, bringing to 13 the total number of covers to his name.

The website, navalinstitute.org, deserves special recognition for bringing new visitors-and potential members-through our electronic doors. Site traffic grows every month. In February 2001, our site had 1.9 million hits (68,183 hits per day on average), with an average of 3,177 visitor sessions per day. Website income from book sales was up 53% over 1999; income from new memberships and renewals was up 72%. A major accomplishment during 2000 was the addition of four years of Proceedings online, with a free index and downloaded articles for purchase.

The Naval Institute remains in good financial health. For the year ending 31 December 2000, we faced various challenges, including investments in much-needed computer system and hardware upgrades and a major market devaluation of our portfolio investments. If you would like a copy of the audited financial statement, contact the Membership Department at 410-295-1057, [email protected].

Members entrust the Naval Institute with a sacred duty to provide a safe haven for debate and discussion. The Annual Meeting gave us an opportunity to thank this year's heroes who personify the organization's independence and integrity. Thanks again-and we look forward to seeing new and old faces next year in Annapolis on 24 April 2002.