Veterans Historical Navy

[SlaterDoc]

As a member of the veteran crew of a museum ship, I have noticed there are a few things missing! The most blaring of all is the lack of involvement by those of my generation and younger (Viet Nam on).

I came to a few conclusions which gave birth to an idea that is currently in it's outline and design phase. There are a few reasons that Navy vets get involved with museum ships. They yearn to return to those memorable times and reclaim the camaraderie and the feeling of belonging to something bigger than one's self! They realize that there never was an exit to the oath they took and there is a wish to continue to fulfill it. There is a sense of pride in putting on their uniform again and stepping back on board a ship. More importantly, there is the desire to see to it their shipmates and those that have gone before them are memorialized in a way that is befitting their service. Most prefer a living memorial to a block of granite!

So, in order to facilitate the recruiting of Navy vets to return to service and to add to the success of the preservation of these national treasures the following idea was born.

That idea is the creation of a national association of Navy vets serving on museum ships in the US. Though it may not stop there! In discussions with the National Historical Naval Ships Assoc. the idea of this group being an international association was brought up. However, it will begin here in the US.

Below I have posted the initial outline. Your input, ideas and comments are not only desired, but needed!

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Draft outline for the creation of an association to be known as

the Veterans Historical Navy.

 

Determinations

-There are a number of Navy museum ships across the country and more are coming!

-These Navy museum ships are an ideal way to memorialize the men who served on them and educate those that have not as well as bring history first hand to the younger generations.

-These ships are vital and treasured historical assets for our country.

-These ships rely almost entirely on volunteers to restore, staff and maintain them.

-The vast majority of these volunteers are Navy veterans.

-There is always a shortage of needed volunteers.

-Having Navy veterans on board "in uniform" adds to the authenticity of these ships and the overall experience of their visitors.

-Navy veterans have the skills and experience, as well as the pride and dedication needed to keep these ships alive.

-There are many veterans out there that would enjoy returning to their Navy days at one level or another. Even if only for a day or two a month!

-There is a huge untapped reservoir of Navy veterans across the country.

-A significant number of veterans are unaware of the opportunity to participate.

-There is a need for a more intensive and productive recruiting method.

-One of the aspects that attracts these veterans includes the pride in wearing their Navy uniforms again!

-Another aspect that attracts Navy veterans is the chance to rebuild the comradery of their shipmates.

-Another attraction is being able to be on a ship again or for the first time.

-Almost every single Navy vet honors and remembers those that served with them and before them and would wish to see that service memorialized in a way that befits their service. Most veterans have expressed their wish that they be remembered through the continued existence of a historical ship.

 

Questions

- How do you attract more veteran volunteers?

- How do you connect many of the smaller groups of Navy vets across the country.

- How do you retain the involvement of those veteran volunteers?

- How do you improve the appearance and function of those volunteers and thereby the ship also?

- What factors that are missing would enhance the recruiting and retention of volunteer veterans?

- How do you recreate that camaraderie and pride for those veteran volunteers?

- What is the best way to memorialize the service of those that have served.

 

Proposal

Create a nationwide, officially recognized and organized veteran's group for those volunteer veterans serving on museum ships in the US. This Navy veterans group could be assigned a special "historical" rating by the CNO and Dept of the Navy. This veterans group would establish guidelines under the direction of the Navy for wearing of uniforms and uniform items while participating in museum ship functions. (Example: From the 40's up until this year the uniform worn while working on board was usually(for the enlisted) the blue chambray shirt and dungarees. Since this uniform is now no longer used for active personnel it is the most appropriate for use on board museum ships(khaki's for the chiefs and officers). Establishing uniform guidelines and standards would add to the authenticity and appearance of the ships. An organized group can help acquire uniforms for those who are unable to afford their own or find them.

This group would bring together all the different smaller groups around the country already involved in museum ships under a single umbrella. The group could organize annual recognition for volunteers and ships. This group could organize and participate in fund raising drives for the group and for different museum ship projects.

-Such an organization could be a clearing house for museum ships that are short on crew or need specific help in special ratings.

-This organization could help organize smaller work crews in areas of the country that have distance issues from museum ships.

- This association of Navy veterans would be a 1MC for the feelings of it's members in common goals and activities. An example of this would be to act in a "loud", "numerous" and "unified" voice in the decisions about what to do with the ships that are available for museums. The "rank and file" enlisted vets have a big emotional attachment to these ships and could have an influence on both the Navy and the groups that seek out museum ships.

 

There is an organization that coordinates most of the museum ships and they have an interactive map that shows most around the world. www.HNSA,org

As with any non-profit it is primarily an administrative association and each ship or group is responsible for their own ship, function and fund raising.

This association (volunteer vets) would be set up only as a "association" of Navy vets and probably should be a "non-profit"(501C) group also. The other veteran organizations(VFW, American Legion and etc) would only be asked for their help in recruiting and getting the word out. There is no intent or expectation for this association to duplicate or compete with veteran organizations. Also as with any association, it would have to establish it's own advisory committee, board of officers and it's own guidelines. The CNO, MCPON, NAVSEC and others would be asked to advise. One suggestion I have already received was to seek out a few retired Admirals and/or Captains to serve as advisory directors. Another was to set up individual chapters at each ship and then have them select a member to form a national committee. Yet another idea submitted was to design this association around the old Nval Districts,

 

One of the reasons for some museums failing is that they are each on their own! Money is not always the problem. The USS Slater here in Albany(www.ussslater.org) is a good example. She is not owned or controlled by the Navy. She was given to the vets by Greece when they were going to scrap her. They raised the money to bring her back and they have done all the work to restore her with very little money. It's the dedication and the "blood and sweat" of the vets that keep her alive and thriving! Some museums that lack a significant core of dedicated volunteers and rely on the spending of money get into trouble! A good example of that is the problem with the USS Olympia in Philadelphia which is now in peril! When you have a dedicated and involved group of veteran volunteers the monetary value is priceless!

Having an association of Navy vets would be a good source of help in setting up future ships. Again, using the Slater as an example, there are groups from all over that come to Albany and spend a week working on her (Michigan is one regular). The "association" could help organize groups to help begin and continue to restore these future museums. Especially those in the middle of the country who are removed from the coasts. They do not have the easy accessibility to a ship. After all, they are the ones that have done the work when they were on active duty and they have the skills and knowledge. With labor from veterans, it is easier to get a company to donate materials than it is to get money out of them!

 

Veteran's Historical Navy

 

Purposes of organization

The VHN will bring the veterans serving as volunteers on US Navy museum ships under an association. By doing so

a number of benefits would be realized.

The VHN would help continue the tradition created by those veterans we are loosing now so quickly(WW2 & Korea) and bring that tradition to the generations of Navy veterans that follow in their footsteps.

The VHN would create a facsimile of the structure that the veterans were a part of during active service.

The VHN would add to the return of the camaraderie that existed during active service.

The VHN would add to the authenticity of those museum ships by establishing uniform and other standards to be followed while on board.

The VHN would be a platform for the pooling of all the different talents and experience of the veterans.

The VHN would facilitate and open the lines of communication between all the different ship's crews within the US Navy museum ship fleet.

The VHN can be another depository of donated funds that could be used to provide uniforms and materials to it's members and to provide funds to the ships in the fleet. It can also operate as an adjunct fund raiser to assist museum ships in their funding efforts.

The VHN can operate as a clearing house and representative of the veteran members in a number of functions. Those functions can include assisting in memorial ceremonies, recruiting, assisting organizations attempting to acquire vessels and as a link between the Navy and the veterans.

Being a nationwide association, the VHN can be an essential asset in recruiting additional veteran volunteers through publicity and coordinating with other veteran organizations. The internet would be a prime asset in this area.

The VHN could organize and establish recognition and awards for it's members and their ships.

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Sorry to put such a extensive post for my first offering! But, you help is needed!

[TomcatPC]

Hello

Any updates on this project? If there was something in my area (Toledo, Ohio) I would be interested.

Thanks

Mark

[willysmb44]

It sounds like a good idea, but in my experience most museums don’t want to have to deal external groups of any kind. They always want to control their own back yard 100% and call their own shots. Never mind that museums that are failing and exhibits are rusting away are being ‘handled’ by folks that are just fine with that because they call the shots, pure and simple.

I’ve never met any museum people who’d want to deal with another group they didn’t found on their own accord. Be prepared to hear this phrase, “Thanks, but we have our own people,” because you’re likely to hear it several times…

[SlaterDoc]

I had forgotten this was still lingering in there!

 

Willys,

Actually the association will be made up of the vets already serving on the museum ships and help to recruit more! So, each museum will establish it's own chapter. Plus, with the economy being as difficult as it has been most museums need all the help they can get and we have heard quite the opposite. Read on in my answer to Mark.

 

Mark,

We have been moving slowly on it because we want it to be designed and established by the existing veteran crews. Through the planning stage we have already received enthusiastic responses from a number of crews and the curators of the museum ships. We are going to launch it with several of the ships and crews here in the NE.

One of the things that will be a part of it will be to establish crews that are made up of Navy vets that live away from museum ships but still want to participate.

For example, a crew from Ohio would get together and once or twice a year they would spend several days on board, sleeping in the berths, eating in the mess and working on the ship! On our ship in NY we have a few crews that do this! It is also an opportunity for the vets to bring their sons and/or daughters with them and share their history. We have a WW2 vet that brings his grandson each year and there is nothing that can compare to the experience!

Closer to you is the LST325 in Indiana. Every year they sail up the river for a couple of months and bring their ship "to" the people!

[willysmb44]

Actually the association will be made up of the vets already serving on the museum ships and help to recruit more! So, each museum will establish it's own chapter. Plus, with the economy being as difficult as it has been most museums need all the help they can get and we have heard quite the opposite. Read on in my answer to Mark.

Fine. Come back in a few years and tell us how excited everyone else was to take part. You are not the first person to come up with something like this (and not even the first with the exact same concept, either). I know museums and the types of people who work with and run them. There is no way you're going to get a large positive response on this...

You are, of course, welcome to come back later and prove me wrong (and I'll concede the point to you with a smile on my face if you pull it off). I've just seen this concept tried many times and seen it go nowhere each and every time.

[TomcatPC]

I'd like to see how this turns out. Good luck and I will be watching.

Thanks

Mark