As we enter the final several months of the year, the Atlanta Chapter has continued to book interesting and informative speakers for monthly luncheons. At the October luncheon, we listened to Ned Hunter ’81, USNA Blue & Gold Officer Area Coordinator for Area 210 in Georgia. In addition to being the Blue & Gold Area Coordinator, Ned serves on Congressman Hank Johnson (D GA 4th) service academy nomination board. Ned shared with the alumni in attendance the demographics of Georgia’s plebe class of 2015; and, he talked about the quality of incoming plebes. He also commented about the over nineteen thousand potential applicants vying for 1400 appointments and the process of going from applicant to receiving an appointment as midshipmen.
The November Chapter Luncheon featured Shepherd Center’s Greg Bennet
speaking to the chapter about the SHARE Military Initiative. The SHARE Military Initiative is a comprehensive rehabilitation program that focuses on assessment and treatment for service men and women who have sustained a mild to moderate traumatic brain injury and PTSD from the Afghanistan and Iraqi conflicts. The Initiative
provides assistance, support, and education to service members and their families
during their recovery treatment and beyond. For additional information, please
visit: http://www.shepherd.org/patient-care/care-for-us-service-members
Additionally, on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving (November 22, 2011), Atlanta Area Blue & Gold Area Coordinator hosted the 2011 OPINFO Program at Emory University’s
Goizueta School of Business. Congressman Hank Johnson has been invited to give the keynote remarks at the program. This is the key part of the Blue & Gold Officer Area Coordinator strategic outreach efforts for theAtlanta metro area.
Also In November, the USNAAAA chapter alumni and Parents Club of Georgia members joined up on Saturdays at a local sports bar to view several Navy football games and cheer
the team on to victory. Although the results of the games could have been better, we maintained hope and continue to cheer on the team to victory. The chapter’s next football event will be in December at the annual join-up with the USNA Parents Club of Georgia and West Point Society of Atlanta alumni to view the 112th Army – Navy football game at Dantannas @ CNN Center. USNAAAA Chapter is the host association this
year; we will be gracious to our West Point guest while we watch Navy defeat the Black Knights for the tenth consecutive year. Please visit the USNAAAA website for more information.
Due to the holidays and other events scheduled for December, Atlanta Chapter did not schedule a Chapter Luncheon for December 2011. The next Chapter Luncheon will be the third Friday, January 20, 2012.
In January 2012 during MLK Weekend, the Naval Academy Gospel Choir will visit Atlanta January 14 – 16, 2012, to perform and conduct community outreach at various venues in the metro area. During their visit, they are scheduled to perform at Ebenezer Baptist Church on Auburn Avenue which located adjacent to the King Center. Please visit the atlanta.usnaaasiteadmin.net for more details of date and time of events.
USNAAAA Chapter’s mission is: “…To be an organization that enables USNA
alumni to connect, fellowship and network with other USNA alumni, to stay
informed and support the Naval Academy and Naval Service, and to be a voice and
ambassador in the metro Atlanta region for a strong and vibrant Naval Academy
and Naval Service.”
In short, the Chapter’s vision is to “…Connect, Support, Advocate… Navy Blue & Gold”
Warm regards and Happy Holidays,
Ed Brownlee, ‘81
President, USNAAAA Chapter
Atlanta Network