Who We Are - Greater Austin Council

Welcome aboard! We are the Greater Austin Council of the Navy League of the United States. We received our charter on 26 January 1962 and are one of 250 Navy League of the United States councils located around the world. Members of the Council largely hail from an eight county area centered around Austin, Texas.

The Council, originally named the Austin Texas Council during 1962-1999 and called the Greater Central Texas Council during 2000-2009, assumed its current name to better reflect its geographic identity with the City of Austin and the adjacent counties which make up Greater Austin. The Council's new name, Navy League of the United States, Greater Austin Council was approved by the Navy League of the United States in May 2009.

The Council pursues the four elements of the Navy League's mission:

• Educate the public and public officials of the necessity of Sea Power to our Nation's economy and security.
• Support the men and women of the Sea Services
• Provide support and assistance to the Sea Services
• Support youth programs (NROTC, JROTC, Naval Sea Cadet Corps)

The Council conducts six educational programs each year. The programs, dinner meetings at the Austin Woman's Club, feature flag and general officers, senior enlisted advisers, DOD officials, historians, and others with insight or affiliation with the Sea Services.

USS Austin (LPD-4), our city's namesake ship, adopted and supported by the Council over many years was decommissioned in Norfolk, Virginia after 41 years of distinguished service on 27 September 2006. She was replaced in the fleet by USS San Antonio (LPD-17), commissioned at Ingleside, Texas on 14 January 2006. The Council recently supported and participated on the Commissioning Committee of the USS Texas (SSN-775) which was commissioned at Galveston, Texas on 9 September 2006.

The Council has coordinated with the City of Austin and the U. S. Navy Historical Center to bring items from the USS Austin such as the ship's bell, flags and pennants, quarterdeck nameplate, an oil painting of the ship, and other artifacts to Austin for display at the City Hall. Unfortunately, the City of Austin unilaterally closed the exhibit and returned the artifacts to the Naval Historical Center. The formal adoption of another U. S. Navy ship by the Council is being explored through an awareness campaign known as "Where in the World is USS Austin?".

The Council founded, sponsors and supports the COL William B. Travis Division of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps and U. S. Navy League Corps

In 2009, the Council adopted the Capital Area Young Marines. Young Marines are the youth program of the Marine Corps League.

The University of Texas Naval ROTC is a key focus of the Council's support. The unit has also been adopted by the Council and actively participates in Council activities. The Council presents a Naval or Marine Corps Officer's sword to an outstanding graduating Midshipman/Officer Candidate at commissioning ceremonies each year.

Additionally, the Council has adopted the eleven (11) area Junior Navy and Marine Corps ROTC units at Bastrop, Brenham, Georgetown, Fredericksburg, Hays, Hendrickson, Lehman, New Braunfels, Round Rock, Stony Point, and Travis High Schools. Outstanding cadets of these units are the recipients of the Theodore Roosevelt Navy League Youth Medal each year. The units may also receive annual subscriptions to Sea Power and Naval Institute Proceedings magazines.

On 25 February 2010, the Navy Operations Suppport Center, Austin was formally adopted by the Greater Austin Council.

National acclaim and recognition came to the Greater Austin Council in 2002. The Council was named a National Meritorious Council by the Navy League of the United States. The Council also attained honors for having the highest membership retention rate among all of the large and medium-sized Councils, a rate of 90.91%. In 2004, the Council was selected as Honorable Mention Meritorious Council, again had the best NLUS membership retention rate, and was runner up for the prestigious Donald M. Mackie Award for best council newsletter. The Navy League of the United States again cited the Council as a National Meritorious Council in both 2005 and 2006.

For its 2007 activities, the Navy League of the United States again named the Greater Austin Council a National Meritorious Council and recognized this web site as the best among medium sized Councils awarding the Council the Donald M. Mackie Award. Further, the Council was determined to have the best Public Relations Recognition Program in its class and has been so recognized by NLUS.

2008 brought another Public Relations Recognition award (runner ujp) and a runner up finish for the Mackie Award for best Council newsletter, "The Anchor."  nd the the pinnacle was reached as Greater Austin Council earned the title of Outstanding Council among medium sized Councils.

Continuing the new tradition, the Greater Austin Council was awarded another Meritorious Council Plaque in 2009 by NLUS

The Council has experienced rapid growth over the decade and is now approaching 250 members.