NNOA Annual Report

Youth Engagement

Our Youth Engagement continued this year with a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) focused program as part of our Annual Symposium.  The program will be held on board the USS Essex (LHD-2).   As outlined in our STEM promotional material written by CDR Katrina Pringle, USN, Retired and our STEM Coordinator, students in grades 8 through 12 will have the opportunity to engage with ship’s company during a guided tour, learn from sea service leadership, and talk with San Diego area professionals about career opportunities.  Students will be mentored by military officers and STEM professionals, experience STEM within the shipboard and sea service environment, and learn about military scholarships and training programs.  As of the writing of this report, 331 students have signed up to participate in our 2017 Stem Program onboard the USS Essex.

Professional Development

Eastern Region Chapters were involved in numerous professional development engagements during 2016-2017, including a wide array of topics, venues and speakers/presenters. The sessions involved traditional professional and leader development training such as: FITNESS Reports, promotion boards, character development and financial planning but also included thought provoking topics presented by senior members, authors, historians and community leaders.

Recruitment

Eastern Region Chapters served as military ambassadors in local communities, directly resulting in young men and women and parents becoming more amenable to service in the military, specifically the sea services. The sea service awareness and positive relationships established by chapter members helped to build trust in communities with limited exposure to the services. The chapter scholarship programs and mentorship efforts led to several young men and women to consider officer accession programs and sea service careers. Numerous students applied for ROTC programs and the military academies as result of their introduction and communication with NNOA members.

Mentorship

Eastern Region Chapter members participated in both formal and informal mentoring programs and also provided invaluable guidance at all levels, including: middle/high school students, junior officers, mid-grade officers and aspiring future Flag/General Officers.  Although not captured with metrics, the members’ commitment to mentorship has significantly contributed to numerous junior officers remaining in the sea services. There is an ongoing effort to encourage junior officers to remain in warfare communities.  This includes the facilitation of junior officers talking with mid-grade and senior grade officers in their respective communities prior to leaving the service and/or applying for lateral transfer to restricted line communities. The vast NNOA network has also allowed female officers to connect with other female officers within the organization for counseling and guidance.

Community Engagement

Eastern Region Chapters made significant impacts in communities throughout sea service concentration areas along the East Coast, complementing the services’ outreach efforts and providing good will in communities. Thousands of volunteer hours were contributed by NNOA members to build partnerships with community and professional organizations (e.g. MOAA, ROCKS, Urban League, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, BEYA, Navy League, VFW, NSBE, churches, etc.), support students and veterans and improve the well-being of citizens and communities.  The Eastern Region chapters awarded $70,000 in scholarships to 46 students.

Eastern Region Chapters:

Annapolis Chapter

Professional Development

– October 2016: Hosted Annapolis Chapter annual leadership luncheon. VADM Kevin Scott, Director Joint force Development (J7) served as the guest speaker.  This event included the attendance of over 50 midshipmen and 20 Naval Officers and included mentoring opportunities immediately following the luncheon.

– November 2016: Col Kenneth Dunn (USMC Ret) served as a guest speaker and shared lessons learned from his book “Camp Lejeune Command: Commander’s Notes 1992-1995” on 16 Nov 2016.

– Partnered with Midshipmen Black Studies Club during professional development session emphasizing “personal success strategies”.  CAPT Tom Abernethy (USN Ret) served as the guest speaker.

Recruitment

– As a USNA Admissions Counselor, chapter member visited and talked with numerous schools throughout Northeast Region. Her efforts were directly responsible for hundreds of students applying for admission to USNA and the selection and attendance of numerous midshipmen.

– Chapter members participated in USNA familiarization day for youth, including a tour and admissions presentations to inform future leaders of the benefits of attendance of the Naval Academy.

Mentorship

– Chapter member hosted combined mentorship program with Annapolis Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, provided civilian and military “life and coping skills” advice to seven midshipmen.

– Chapter member provided leadership presentation and served as a senior mentor in “Brandon’s Coalition for Success” weekly mentoring program for at risk teenage males in Annapolis.

– Chapter member served as the Officer Representative for both the Midshipmen Black Studies Club and the Gospel Choir and provided daily mentorship to numerous midshipmen.

– Chapter member served as the Officer Representative to the National Society of Black Engineers (USNA chapter) and provided countless hours of mentorship with midshipmen who are members of the chapter.

– Chapter members served as mentors and proctors during annual 2017 BEYA conference, providing mentorship to hundreds of students and aspiring leaders.

Community Engagement

– Five chapter members served as sideboys during ADM Cecil Haney’s retirement at USNA on 16 December 2017, including 3 USNA staff officers and two midshipmen.

– Two chapter members provided a cybersecurity information brief to men’s breakfast group consisting of key influencers (e.g. judges, doctors, business owners, town mayor, city alderman, etc.) in the Annapolis community.

– Chapter members participated in USNA Black History Month program hosted by Midshipmen Black Studies Club. RADM Lawrence Chambers (USN Ret), the second African American USNA graduate, served as the guest speaker.

– Chapter members supported the USNA Women’s History Month banquet on 30 March 2017.

– Chapter members supported the USNA Asian-Pacific Islanders History Month banquet on 25 April 2017.

– Chapter members supported and attended the 29^th annual Anne Arundel County Dr. Martin Luther King awards dinner on 13 January 2017.

Other:

– One NNOA Annapolis Chapter member was promoted to Captain, one member was selected for Captain and two members were promoted to Lieutenant Commander.

 Jacksonville Chapter

Community Engagement

Aug 2016 – Back-to-School Drive: Chapter purchased and donated $850 of school supplies to St Claire Evans and Brentwood Elementary School.

Sep 2016 – Chapter members visited Lee HS and Terry Parker HS NJROTC programs to discuss National Naval Officers Association and provide sea service awareness.

Sep 2016 – Jacksonville Heart Walk: Chapter members participated as a group.

Sep 2016 – Chapter member provided FL/JAX club members a brief on NNOA Jacksonville and the opportunities for the two organizations to partner during outreach events to benefit from the collective impact of the two organizations.  –

Oct 2016 – Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. Chapter members participated as a group in the “Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk” where the chapter donated and raised $800 for the fight against breast cancer.

Oct 2016: Jacksonville Urban League EEO Luncheon. Chapter members      attended the Jacksonville Urban League’s Equal Opportunity Luncheon in uniform.  Several members met with Jacksonville city leaders during this event.

Nov 2016: Holiday Food Drive. Chapter held holiday food drive and purchased, and delivered 16 boxes of food to families in the Jacksonville area.

Jan 2017: Brentwood Academy Reading Program. Member served as guest speaker at Brentwood Elementary School for their “Student of the Month” Luncheon and Reading Program. Over 25 students, staff and parents attended the program.

Jan 2017: Dr. MLK Breakfast. Chapter members attended the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr breakfast as a group in uniform. The event was attended by city officials and hundreds of local citizens, students, and civic organizations.

Feb 2017: Chapter member, LCDR (ret) James Andrews, was on the cover and featured in “Program Success” magazine for Black History Month issue.

Mar 2017: Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament. The chapter planned, coordinated, and held its 8th Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament where over 60 golfers and local organizations participated.   During this event, $10,000 dollars was raised to support scholarships for local high school seniors.  NNOA Jacksonville Chapter has raised and awarded over $55,000 in scholarships during the last 8 years.

Apr 2017: Scholarship Committee reviewed, screened, and selected six (6) scholarship recipients from 28 extremely competitive scholarship applications.

May 2017: George Washington Carver Elementary School Career Day, chapter member served as guest speaker for 40 students in addition to school officials, teachers, and visiting parents.

May 2017: Chapter members presented scholarships to students during awards ceremonies at several high schools, demonstrating the good will of the organization and the sea services.  These schools included: Stanton College Prep School, Atlantic Coast High School, Paxton School for Advanced Studies and Oakleaf High School.

– Chapter member was featured in MOAA Jacksonville Newsletter for presenting a medal to Westside HS student during AFJROTC awards ceremony.

Other:

One member was promoted to Captain, one member was promoted to Lieutenant, one member was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade and one member was promoted to CWO2.

Quantico Chapter

Professional Development

The Quantico Chapter hosted multiple PME’s throughout the year:

– July 2016:  Camp Lejeune Command: Commander’s Notes 1992 – 1995. (The Clubs at Quantico (TCAQ))

– August 2016: Fitness Report Writing (TCAQ)

– Sep 2016:  “Checkers vs. Chess” – What got you here won’t get you there (TCAQ)

– October 2016: TBS CO “Commander’s Intent” PME (TBS Hawkins Room)

– Nov 2016:  Performance Evaluation Review Board. (TCAQ)

– Dec 2016:  Mock Promotion Board PME (Harry Lee Hall)

– Jan 2017:  Colonel’s Leadership Panel (TCAQ)

– Feb 2017: Commandant’s Education Boards (CCLEB and CPIB) and Command Selection Boards (TCAQ)

– Apr 2017: Blended Retirement PME (TCAQ)

– May 2017:  Talent Management (TCAQ)

In addition to the above PME’s, several chapter members served as guest speakers for professional development events across the base:

– Member briefed all Artillery Officers at Expeditionary Warfare School on the current state of the MOS and the expectations of EWS graduates from Battalion Commanders in the fleet.

– Member provided a brief to 40 officers at The Basic School on the transition from company grade to field grade officer and new expectations (16 Feb 2016)

– Member provided an update on the current state of the cyber and information environment to Communications Officers at Command and Staff College.

– Member spoke to student companies at The Basic School on two separate occasions, providing them with professional knowledge about his MOS as well as introducing them to NNOA and its mission.

– Member spoke to (5) student companies at The Basic School, providing them with professional knowledge about her MOS as well as introducing them to NNOA and its mission.

– Member served as the guest speaker at the Marine Corps University MLK Prayer Breakfast on 11 January 2017.

– Member served on the “Expectations of Today’s Leaders” panel hosted by the Lejeune Leadership Institute on 16 Nov 2016.

– Chapter initiated its Rising Stars Program. This program provides grants to high school sophomores and juniors to attend college entrance exam (SAT/ACT) predatory classes. In addition, each recipient was assigned an active duty Marine Officer mentor form the Quantico Chapter to support him or her as they prepare for the exam and begin to determine what they want to do following high school. The program was born out of the Chapter President’s desire to better align the chapter’s outreach programs with goals of the national organization – specifically, the recruitment of a diverse officer population. As the program grows, the intent is to develop lasting relationships with students in their early years of high school who demonstrate an aptitude to be successful Sea Service Officers.

• Two students were chosen this year for the Rising Stars Program; one high school junior and one sophomore. Both were presented with their grant and introduced to their mentors at the chapter’s Annual Scholarship Banquet on 19 May 2017.

– Church Visits. At each of the three church visits that the chapter conducted, the president had the opportunity to speak to the church members and inform them about the chapter’s scholarship and adopt-a-highway programs. The purpose of church visits was to provide a positive military presence in a very relaxed setting in order to help encourage interest by families that may have otherwise been less likely to be interested in military service.

– Highway Cleanup.  Three highway cleanups were conducted this year. Cleanups were advertised through the counseling and JROTC offices of local schools in Stafford, Prince William and Fredericksburg counties. The Chapter provided community service participation certificates to the students that attended. Following each cleanup, chapter members and students went to breakfast at a local restaurant. Breakfast was sponsored by the chapter for all students that attended. In addition to giving back to the community, a secondary goal of each highway cleanup was to encourage participation by students in middle school and high school to introduce them to the opportunities of serving in the Sea Services in a laid back environment, and in a less direct manner.

Mentorship

– The chapter re-energized an old initiative that allowed chapter members to introduce new 2ndLt’s at The Basic School to NNOA at the beginning of their careers. This was done through participation in over (20) “MOS Mixers” and (7) “MAGTF Nights”. At each MOS Mixer, at least 2 members from the chapter attended and offered information about their MOS. They also offered information to those students interested about the organization. In doing so, the Quantico Chapter was able to plant the initial seed about the benefits of NNOA to hundreds of students as well as encourage them to reach out to their local NNOA chapters once they completed their MOS Schools.

–  Annual Membership BBQ was publicized and opened up to anyone in the local community that wanted to attend. Officers from the rank of 2ndLt to Colonel attended. The relaxed setting encouraged interaction between officers of all ranks and allowed mentorship relationships to develop. Close to 60 people attended the BBQ, many of whom were not chapter members and were introduced to NNOA for the first time.

– The annual Christmas Party was publicized and opened up to anyone in the local community that wanted to attend.  Over 40 people of the ranks of Capt to Colonel attended, again encouraging the development of mentorship relationships.

Community Engagement

– The Quantico Chapter and the Virginia Black History Month Association partnered to host the MCB Quantico Black History Month Prayer Breakfast on 9 Feb 2017.  The event was a huge success with over 160 attendees and performances by local artists in the community.

– Fourth annual Women’s Luncheon, March 25, 2017. Over 100 ladies were in attendance. Additionally, performances were provided by local high school students (dance, song/duet and spoken word) and a previous scholarship recipient currently attending Mary Washington College attended and spoke at the event. Ms. Cynthia Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff of the National Security Agency, served as the guest a speaker.

– Conducted (3) adopt-a-highway events positively impacting the community by cleaning a local highway within proximity of the Marine Corps base. Clean ups were conducted on 30 July, 22 October and 6 May.

– Conducted 3 local church visits this year to provide a positive presence in the local community, to reach youth that would otherwise not interact with military members, and form lasting relationships. Between 10 and 20 chapter members and their families attended these visits on the following dates: 18 Sep, 22 Jan, and 30 Apr.

– Awarded $5000 in scholarships to local high school seniors. The scholarship committee publicized the scholarship through multiple means beginning in early February. Over 50 applications were received and the winners were awarded their scholarship at the Annual NNOA Scholarship Banquet on 19 May 2017. The guest speaker for the banquet was LtGen Ronald Bailey.

Tidewater Chapter

Professional Development

– Chapter conducted two professional development sessions (Personal Financial Planning and Military Blended Retirement System) to assist chapter members and other attendees’ with improving their financial awareness.

August 2016, members attended and supported the Navy Career Development Symposium; seized opportunity to recruit perspective members.

Jan 2017: Tidewater Chapter hosted a movie social and viewed “Hidden Figures” to invoke discussion on the importance of education, persistence and professional competence.

Mentorship

April 2017: Hosted young professionals social to promote organization
and attract junior officers and other potential members. Additionally used this opportunity to establish mentor relationships.

Community Engagement

Dec 2016 – In partnership with the Rocks, Inc., Tidewater Chapter participated
in a Christmas Carol at the VA Hospital in Hampton, Virginia.  Carolers sang Christmas songs throughout the hospital to lift spirits of the hospital patients.

Feb 2017- Tidewater Chapter hosted its annual Soulful Feast, Tidewater’s
black history month observance. The event was held at Community Presbyterian
Church, Portsmouth, Virginia. The Tidewater Chapter worshiped together, then
enjoyed a potluck feast with the Presbyterian Church congregation.

May 2017: The Vice Admiral Samuel L. Gravely Jr. Scholarship Banquet.
Tidewater Chapters biggest undertaking of the year! Awarded 3 scholarships,
totaling $5,000 to three deserving high school seniors en route to accredited four-year institutions. The scholarship is open to all college bound high school seniors in the Hampton Roads area. The recipients, selected by the Scholarship Committee, all had GPA averages above 4.0. To present the scholarships, the chapter held a banquet to present scholarships.  Vice Admiral Karl L. Schultz, USCG, served as the guest speaker.

Other:

August 2016: held annual Membership Appreciation Joint Cookout.
Celebrated the chapter and its contributions to Hampton Roads area, along with
other organizations such as the Urban League of Hampton Roads, Hampton Roads
Chapter of the Rocks, Inc., and the Virginia Department of Veterans Affairs

April 2017: Hosted social for young professionals to provide organizational familiarization to junior officers. Event also served as an opportunity for officers to meet prospective mentors.

Fundraiser: Tidewater Tides Games at Harbor Park. During the baseball
season, Tidewater Chapter manned the concessions as a fundraising
initiative. In 2016, the Chapter raised over $16,000! The proceeds raised at
Harbor Park are used to fund the Vice Admiral Gravely Scholarships and to
sponsor the banquet.

Partnered with STEM Academy at Campostella as community outreach effort.
Established presence within underrepresented community. Activities included
having lunch with students, attendance during literacy events, movie night,
and career fair etc.  Presented STEM related topic and assisted with
student STEM competition, Christmas Program and Spring Program. Chapter donated gift/food baskets to three families for Thanksgiving.

Washington, DC Chapter

Professional Development

DCNNOA sustained a vigorous professional development program throughout 2016 into the 2017 competition period. Active duty and retired members benefited from the events hosted by the Chapter.

In September 2016, DCNNOA welcomed COL (Ret.) James George, USA from the Retired Military Officer Association Business Institute (RBI) who gave a presentation on his organization’s effort in assisting military personnel transitioning from the military to establishing and starting a business.  He noted that RBI has a Fellows program designed to assist interested former military personnel in developing all aspects of business including business plans, access to credit and all other business information necessary to starting a business.  Following his presentation a question and answer session was held with the membership.

– February 2017:  Black History Month Program/Lecture. On February 21, 2017, DCNNOA hosted its own Black History Month Program featuring a resounding and thought provoking lecture by Chapter Secretary CAPT (Ret.) Jerome D. Davis, SC, USN on African American Troops in The American Civil War.  CAPT Davis’ presentation gave a very detailed description of the hardships that the African American Soldier experienced during the Civil War and the impact it has had throughout our nation’s history.

– March 2017:  DCNNOA sponsored nationally recognized historian Mr. Asa Gordon who gave an outstanding presentation on: The American Electoral College and Its Impact on African Americans.

– May 2017:  DCNNOA held an informational briefing on the benefits of affiliating with the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).  CAPT (Ret.) Jerome D. Davis, SC, USN (a life member of the VFW and a member of VFW Post 9619 in Morningside, Maryland) discussed the history of the VFW and why it is important as a veterans service organization for veterans and those interested in issues affecting the veteran community.

COL (Ret.) James George, USA from the Retired Military Officer Association Business Institute (RBI) gave a presentation on his organization’s effort in assisting military personnel transitioning from the military to establishing and starting a business.

Recruitment

Five DCNNOA scholarship recipients received ROTC scholarships, including one NROTC and 4 AROTC.

Mentorship

DCNNOA member mentored 13 Suitland (MD) High School cadets, 8 of which received Army ROTC scholarship offers.

Chapter members served as mentors and proctors during annual 2017 BEYA conference, providing mentorship to hundreds of students and aspiring leaders.

Community Engagement

On Saturday, October 29, 2016, chapter members participated in the Mt. Ennon Baptist Church College Fair held in Clinton, Maryland.    The affair was attended by hundreds of parents and high school students from the Washington, DC and Maryland community.  DCNNOA members discussed career opportunities in the Naval Services and Maritime Industry as well as promoting our Annual Ester Boone Memorial Scholarship Banquet and encouraging attendance at the U. S. Naval Academy, U. S. Coast Guard Academy, U. S. Merchant Marine Academy and the various state Maritime Academies located throughout the country.

In honor of Veterans Day, DCNNOA visited patients at the VA Hospital in Washington, D.C.  The group consisted of active duty and retired naval officers, Naval Academy Midshipmen, spouses, and two young men with aspirations of being Marine Corps officers like their Fathers.  Hats, gloves, scarfs, blankets, socks, earmuffs, and sweat shirts were passed out to the patients, and patients in the Psychiatric Ward enjoyed several hours of Bingo.  A great and rewarding day spending time with our Veterans!

– October 2016:  DCNNOA participated in the Mt. Ennon Baptist Church College Fair.  The event was attended by hundreds of parents and high school students from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.  DCNNOA members did a fantastic job in promoting career opportunities in the Naval Services and Maritime Industry as well as promoting the Chapter’s Annual Ester Boone Memorial Scholarship Banquet.

– November 2016:  DCNNOA in honor of Veterans Day, visited patients at the VA Hospital in Washington, DC.  The group consisted of active duty and retired naval officers, Naval Academy Midshipmen, spouses, and two young men with aspirations of being Marine Corps officers like their Fathers.  The Chapter donated hats, gloves, scarfs, blankets, socks, earmuffs, and sweat shirts to the patients.   Also enjoyed our Annual Bingo Game Extravaganza with the patients in the Psychiatric Ward.

– December 2016:  DCNNOA celebrated the holiday season during the Annual Christmas Social with the Army ROCKS, Inc. at Washington Navy Yard.  CAPT (Ret.) Thomas Abernathy, USN President of DCNNOA and COL Shelia R. Howell-Flowers, USA, President of the Washington, DC Chapter of the Rocks addressed those in attendance.  This event continues to be very important to maintaining our strong interservice relationship here in the National Capital region.

In addition to sponsoring and supporting chapter programs, numerous members in the Chapter participated in Black History Month programs within their work organizations or in their work place. As an example, DCNNOA was well represented by constituents in the Defense Department, Joint Staff, Navy programs and other Federal agencies.

– April 2017: DCNNOA held the 29th Annual Ester Boone Memorial Scholarship Banquet on   “Investing in Tomorrow’s Leaders” was the theme for the banquet with Admiral Cecil D. Haney, USN (Ret.) former Commander, United States Strategic Command as the guest speaker.  Thirty-two scholarships were awarded to graduating seniors from high schools in the Washington, D.C. Metro area (Maryland, D.C. and Northern Virginia), totaling $50,000.00.  Approximately 130 students applied for a DCNNOA scholarship this year and 32 were selected.   VADM Kevin Scott, USN, RADM (Ret.) Sinclair Harris, USN and other Flag Officers and SES members in attendance spent time during the pre-banquet reception talking with scholarship recipients and their parents.   Scholarship funds were donated by various long time supporting corporations, individual business owners and dedicated chapter members, with a common commitment to helping our country’s future leaders obtain a college education.   The event attracts an array of Flag and General officers from within and outside the D.C. area and produces an attractive and well-composed souvenir journal.

100% of scholarship donations are distributed to the attending college/universities on behalf of the recipients.

Introduction

1. Pursuant to reference (a), I submit the following Board of Directors (BoD) annual report from July 2016 to May 2017 for Navy Affiliate and the Service Academies Committee.
2. Navy Affiliate – accomplishments during this period:
   1. Promulgated Navy Affiliate and 2017 Professional Development and Training Symposium surveys to NNOA members in the Navy – survey results were provided to the BoD.
   2. Staffed/worked Memorandums of Cooperation (MOCs). MOCs serve to build upon the collaborative and substantial efforts of each organization with the intent to continue development of a diverse and inclusive workforce dedicated to the science and service or our nation:
      1. Department of the Navy – pending
      2. Navy League of the United States – signed
      3. Maritime Administration – pending
      4. S. Public Health Service – pending
   3. Key Leader Engagements:
      1. Tom Bayley, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for U.S. Naval War College (NWC) – discussed how NNOA can incorporate NWC’s Naval Leadership and Ethics Center work on planning a framework on Leadership Development. Plan to have a presentation during 2018 NNOA Symposium.
      2. CAPT Candace Eckert, Special Assistant for Inclusion & Diversity (N1D) – discussed partnering opportunities and reviewed Navy’s Inclusion & Diversity way-ahead and priorities (increase/retain women in operational/unrestricted line communities, STEM, and mentoring).
      3. VADM Kevin Scott, Senior Navy NNOA Advocate – provides guidance to Navy members of the BoD. Hosted several meetings/mentoring sessions in the Pentagon and personal residence. Agreed to host professional development sessions at the Pentagon quarterly or as needed.
      4. Mr. Anthony Smith, Director of Department of Navy’s (DoN’s) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) – discussed partnering with NNOA to promote DoN HBCU-MI opportunities and to establish a HBCU/MI-NNOA STEM scholarship for STEM-focused college students.
   4. Navy-specific 2017 NNOA Symposium Items:
      1. The transfer of affinity group conference lead from N134/N1D to PERS-4/NPC has significantly streamlined the request/approval process. Navy sponsored 40 2017 NNOA Symposium registrations – 30 non-local and 10 local.  PERS-4 also received Director, Navy Staff approval for commands to pay for registration fees to include using TAD funds for travel, lodging, per diem.
      2. The Symposium was announced via several official Navy channels – Navy.mil article (28 Apr 17), GovDelivery (Commander, Navy Reserve Forces) (9 May 17), and Commander, Navy Region Southwest general administration (message) (26 Jun 17).
      3. Additional 2017 NNOA Symposium information will be found in the 2017 NNOA Symposium Committee report.
3. Service Academies Committee – accomplishments during this period:
   1. Promulgated Service Academies Committee survey to NNOA members – survey results provided to the BoD. The survey solicited Service Academies admission process volunteers; the committee also used Black Service Academy Graduates Facebook site to solicit volunteers.
   2. Committee remains dedicated to strengthening NNOA-Service Academies interactions/partnerships at all three Service Academies:
      1. S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA):
         1. Members of NNOA BoD had multiple discussions with USCGA NNOA members to establish USCGA NNOA chapter – final decision is still pending.
         2. USCG NNOA members attended/participated in the 2017 USCGA Eclipse Week – article was submitted to the e-Meridian.
      2. S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA):
         1. Continued discussions with USMMA Admissions Office on how best NNOA can support USMMA outside of the volunteer admission process.
      3. U.S. Naval Academy (USNA):
         1. NNOA continues to strengthen its partnership with USNA – Annapolis NNOA chapter is actively engaged with USNA/Midshipmen; hosts mentoring programs, leadership luncheons, and Black History Month events.
   3. Community Outreach:
      1. NNOA members attended/participated in the 2017 Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) STEM Conference. Specifically, dozens of members mentored students or proctored the sessions during the 12th Annual Stars and Stripes Mentoring Program.
      2. NNOA members attended several Service Academy activities sponsored by Virginia Senators Mark Warner/Tim Kaine; specifically, Service Academy Boards, Service Academy Days, Commonwealth Coffee Honoring Service Academy Appointees, etc.
   4. Service Academies Committee-specific 2017 NNOA Symposium Items:
      1. All three Service Academies agreed to send prospective candidate/promotional materials to the 2017 NNOA Symposium for both attendees and STEM youth program.
      2. Additional 2017 NNOA Symposium information will be found in the 2017 NNOA Symposium Committee report.
4. Point of contact is CDR Michael Files at michael.files@navy.mil.