BYRON MARCHANT ’78 PRESIDENT & CEO EASTERN REGION CHAPTER MEETING 28JUL20
MID-ATLANTIC REGION ALUMNI BOARD MEMBERS CAPT Dale Lumme ‘80, USN (Ret.) CAPT Karin Vernazza ‘90, USN (Ret.) Mid-Atlantic Region Trustee Board Selected Trustee (Norfolk) CDR Mark Rupprecht ’76, USN (Ret.) CDR Fred Latrash ’87, USN (Ret.) Hampton Roads Chapter Trustee Greater Washington DC Chapter Trustee
OUR CORE VALUES: EQUITY AND INCLUSION • The Academy — and the Alumni Association and Foundation — have made progress in our commitment to equity and inclusion under the Alumni Associations Strategic Plan 2020 , but it’s clear we have more work to do • This commitment to equity and inclusion is built into the Alumni Association’s Strategic Plan 2020 . • Our current conversation is much bigger than one trustee
NAVY AND MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP VADM Derwood Curtis ’76, RADM Lawrence Chambers ’52, ADM J. Paul Reason ’65, ADM Michelle Howard ’82, USN (Ret.) USN (Ret.) USN (Ret.) USN (Ret.) Former Commander, Naval Surface Former Commander Commander, M IDWAY , First Female USNA Graduate Forces/Naval Surface Force-U.S. during Saigon evacuation U.S. Atlantic Fleet Selected for Flag Rank Pacific Fleet Distinguished Graduate Distinguished Graduate AMB Harry Harris ’78 VADM Mary Jackson ’88, USN LtGen Lori Reynolds ’86, USMC Former Commander, Commander, Navy Installations Command Deputy Commandant for Information, U.S. Pacific Command Headquarters Marine Corps U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea
NAVY AND MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP CAPT Sunita Williams ’87, USN CAPT Wendy Lawrence ’81, LCDR Wesley Brown ’49, CEC, David Robinson ’87 Astronaut USN (Ret.) USN (Ret.) NBA Legend, Philanthropist, First African American Naval Astronaut Businessman Distinguished Graduate Academy Graduate Distinguished Graduate
IN THE NEWS U.S. Air Force Academy Association of Graduates: The Air Force Academy Association of Graduates and one of its class correspondents have apologized for offending Chinese-American alumni, students, faculty, staff and parents. In an off- hand remark that appeared in the June issue of “Checkpoints,” a quarterly magazine produced by the Association of Graduates, an independent nonprofit, a class correspondent mentioned the effect the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the Air Force community. At the end of his report on the activities of 1977 academy grads, John Lou Michels Jr., the class correspondent, addressed the coronavirus lockdown. “We are living in interesting times, which may or may not be a Chinese curse, but under the circumstances certainly seems appropriate,” he wrote. In an email to Weinstein that same evening, he wrote: “I greatly appreciate your taking the time to speak with me this evening about this situation. I’ve gone back and re -read the paragraph in question and understand your clients’ perspective and frustration at my negligent language. I apologize to your clients and to anyone else whom I offended by my inarticulateness and very poor choice of words. Please convey that to them.” The Association of Graduates offered its own apology in the June 18 weekly online newsletter for graduates “7258 ′ ″ (the altitude, in feet, of the academy). “It’s come to our attention that a Class News item in the June 2020 Checkpoints references ‘a Chinese curse’ in discussing the current pandemic,” it reads. “We regret that our team didn’t catch the offensive term in editing. We apologize.”
IN THE NEWS U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY DEAN OF ADMISSIONS BRUCE LATTA ’78: After a thorough evaluation of the information surrounding the racist and inappropriate remarks made by an incoming member of the Class of 2024, Naval Academy Admissions’ Character Review Committee recommended withdrawing the individual’s offer of appointment to the United States Naval Academy. I have approved the recommendation made by the Character Review Committee; Superintendent Vice Adm. Sean Buck concurs with this decision. The Naval Academy does not condone racism or bigotry of any kind within the U.S. Naval Academy family, as it completely violates our Navy’s core values, and does not support the U.S. Naval Academy mission.
OUR CORE VALUES: IN THEIR OWN WORDS “First, we plan to contact the USNA Minority and USNA Women Shared Interests Groups so we can listen and learn. Second, we recognize changes must be made and our Board becoming more diverse is not naturally going to happen. We are taking active steps to explicitly represent a truer reflection of our Alumni population. Just as we worked over the years for every class decade to be represented so we can understand and promote the different generations, we must do the same for women, minorities, and other groups who have not traditionally been represented. As a board, we cannot appoint people to official positions. They must be voted in by the Chapter, and so it is up to this Chapter to get involved, vote, and be the difference. Caleb Cronic ‘11, President, We hope that you will consider being part of this change. If you do not wish to Jacksonville Chapter help, we understand. But we are in need of eager feet to help march us to where we need to be. For those of you who are active members, your task is to stay involved. If this is just a change over then we are missing the point. It is cohesively forming a new operating standard where all are included. If you are willing to help, then please contact us and get involved. You aren’t just invited, you are welcomed, and you are needed.”
OUR CORE VALUES: IN THEIR OWN WORDS “Even today as I enter a conference room to discuss issues of national security or some other strategic discussion, I know that while most I know in the room have dignity and respect for all human beings, I suspect that there may be a small number that is in the same frame of mind that one of my midshipman classmates was in when in front of others (who did not challenge his beliefs), he stated that I was only there because I was a part of some quota system. That comment continues to reverberate in my mind every time I enter a room of people I have not worked closely with and especially when I am the only person of color in that room. You might think that was a long time ago, but today we see fresh blatant ADM Cecil Haney ’78, USN (Ret.), examples, even from at least one USNA alumni which invites the question if Former Commander, U.S. Strategic that individual intentionally derailed careers given his mindset. This is just Command; Incoming Member, U.S. another reminder that some finite number of Americans in this country Naval Academy Foundation Board of Directors dislike me and disrespect anything I accomplished simply because of the color of my skin. It is the reality that my parents warned me about. It is a culture that may even be impossible to eliminate given how some in this 21 st century cherish displaying the confederate flag and fight to keep monuments that illuminate an ugly chapter in American history.”
OUR CORE VALUES: IN THEIR OWN WORDS “Each of us must pledge to speak up when we hear or see racism, prejudice, bigotry, and bias around us, particularly those of us in positions of privilege or power. A true leader is never afraid to speak up when someone is defaming our core values… no matter that person’s rank or position. It is my goal to ensure each and every person who is a part of our family feels safe speaking up for themselves or on behalf of someone else. We must also take it upon ourselves to say something when those hateful words or actions come from someone we know and love... like a friend, a companymate, or a family member, if we truly want to make a difference. Our mission at the Naval Academy is to develop midshipmen morally, mentally, and physically, and make no mistake, condemning racial VADM Sean S. Buck ‘83, USN injustice and rooting out bigotry from our community is a moral obligation Superintendent for each of us. And, as Superintendent, let me be extremely clear here: If you yourself harbor racist or bigoted views towards your fellow men and women in arms, there will never be a place for you in our Navy or Naval Academy family.”
OUR CORE VALUES: IN THEIR OWN WORDS “First right now, I think we need to listen. We have black Americans in our Navy and in our communities that are in deep pain right now. They are hurting. I’ve received emails, and I know it’s not a good situation. I know that for many of them, they may not have somebody to talk to. I ask you to consider reaching out, have a cup of coffee, have lunch, and just listen. The second thing I would ask you to consider in the Navy we talk a lot about treating people with dignity and respect – in fact, we demand it. It’s one of the things that makes us a great Navy and one of the things that makes me so proud of all of you every single day. But over the past week, after we’ve watched what is going on, we can’t be under any illusions about the fact that racism is alive and well in our country. And I can’t be under any ADM Mike Gilday ’85, USN illusions that we don’t have it in our Navy.” Chief of Naval Operations
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