It is a pleasure to extend renewed greetings to each and every Member as we enter 2014. I am happy to report the Naval Institute had a very positive 2013. Although a full briefing will be provided at the Annual Meeting in April, I am pleased to announce we gained Members (and more active-duty Members) in 2014. We also had very positive Foundation results, as well as positive results in the Naval Institute Press, Proceedings, and Conferences. Overall, the Institute generated one of the best bottom lines in many years. This ensures we can continue to deliver on our important mission.
With the start of the New Year, it is time for the annual election of our Board of Directors and Editorial Board.
In 2013, the membership approved the Naval Institute’s revised Constitution and By-Laws, which increased the number of elected Directors from 9 to 15. We are also transitioning to staggered three-year terms. The slate of the Board of Directors and the slate of Editorial Board Members are printed on pages 80-83 of this issue, together with each candidate’s biographic sketch. A ballot is enclosed. Now it is time for you, our Members, to vote.
Per our revised Constitution and By-Laws, we posted these nominations on our website in mid-September to allow a 40-day period for Member-generated petitions. None were received this year. I think you’ll agree we have an impressive group of individuals who have volunteered their time to serve the Institute!
On 10 December the Naval Institute hosted Defense Forum Washington 2013, focused on “Shaping the Maritime Strategy and Navigating the Budget Gap Reality.” We thank USAA and Lockheed Martin for their generous sponsorship of the event. The site was the Newseum in Washington, D.C. Although there was a forecast of several inches of snow and despite having the federal government shut down for the day, attendance was excellent. It is good to know that Naval Institute Members are such a hearty breed.
The conference issue is of transcending importance, and a superb cast of speakers was more than equal to the challenge. Representative J. Randy Forbes (R-VA) opened the program, followed by Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, and Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH). Lieutenant Colonel Frank Hoffman, USMCR (Ret.), Senior Research Fellow, National Defense University, summed up the discussion.
The second half of the conference theme, navigating the budget-gap reality, was foremost on the minds of all speakers, with both the House and the Senate just a few blocks away working to shape both a budget bill and a Defense Authorization Act. All deplored sequestration, the prospect of further defense cuts, and the current and future damage to the Nation’s defenses. “Do not settle for these cuts,“ Representative Forbes urged. “People have to understand the importance of the Navy’s role. We are the backstop of freedom in the world. We have to get it right.”
Senator Kaine said that as a matter of strategy, the next decade is going to be the decade for the Navy. This is a world that needs flexible forces, not fixed forces. Secretary Mabus agreed that the national defense strategy will be a maritime strategy, and that people, platforms, power, and partnerships all contribute. Senator Ayotte underscored the several different dimensions of the Navy’s leading role. She asked all to bear in mind that the problem we face today is that the strategy is not currently driving government decisions. All speakers stressed the importance of the Navy’s presence—its constant, persistent, global presence—together with the Marine Corps and Coast Guard, preserving the global commons and carrying out whatever defense and national security missions are required. All of these presentations are available at www.youtube.com/user/USNavalInstitute.
The WEST 2014 conference, cohosted by the Naval Institute and AFCEA International, will take place at the San Diego Convention Center on 11-13 February 2014. This is shaping up as an extraordinarily powerful event. If you haven’t registered yet, I strongly encourage you to do so now at www.usni.org/events. Conference participants and panelists will address “The Maritime Strategy: How Do We Make It Work?” Service chiefs General James Amos, USMC, and Admiral Robert Papp, USCG, have been confirmed as speakers. Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr., USN, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, will give a keynote address. The stellar array of authoritative panel moderators and speakers will include the Honorable Richard Danzig, former Secretary of the Navy, General John Allen, USMC (Ret.), and Admiral James Stavridis, USN (Ret.). Admiral Timothy J. Keating, USN (Ret.) will lead a panel discussion looking at “How Are the Senior Operators Going to Execute the Strategy?” Vice Admiral Richard Hunt, USN (Ret.) and his panel will tackle the key issue “How Do We Regain the Skills for the High End War Fight?” Registration is free for military and government attendees. Plan to be part of WEST 2014.