FROM THE PRESIDENT
Near coincident with the arrival of this issue of the REVIEW, a portion of the Navy’s senior submariners will be changing jobs. While this is not an earth shaking event, it is significant in a new aspects. The transition of the submarine force to nuclear power was a difficult effort, fraught with a multitude of factors none of us will ever completely appreciate or comprehend. Most of us accept this and give credit where it is rightly due. Admiral Kin McKee’s assignment, on relieving Admiral Rickover, in our estimation, was a Herculean task. How do you step into a legend’s shoes? How does one generate the mystique to motivate a bureaucracy content in the status quo on technical, operational and human issues? These and countless other questions and issues were part of the environment Kin faced and had to meet head on each day. He was never reluctant to speak out and state the issues as he saw them. His presentations at Naval Submarine League functions often gave us challenges to bring our thinking processes into step with reality. These were not easy to accept nor necessarily what one wants to hear. But it was necessary to state the issue and in many ways Kin served without portfolio as our conscience . When all is said, reflected upon, and judged in future years, I strongly believe that we will agree that he did magnificently. I know we haven’t seen the last of Kin, nor would we want it that way. The Submarine Force has too much to offer this country to allow him to escape his ascending role as elder. Similarly, the NSL must grow to fulfill our missions. We look forward to a long, close and continued relationship with a fine American and patriot.
It is the Navy’s good fortune to have Bruce DeMars available to step into this patriarch’s big shoes. Bruce has ably assisted the NSL in our six years of existence. Significant new NSL ideas and initiatives were formulated during his tenure in the Pentagon. Some returned handsome dividends, others may have generated none. But overall a course was set, a mission accepted and a team effort produced. It is with pride and anticipation that we look to the future with Bruce as a NSL team member.
I ask that we make our appreciation known to Kin and Bruce when you see them in your travels. Bravo Zulu to Kin and Bruce.
Finally, the NSL Submarine Documentary film is gathering momentum. The script is finished, interviews have commenced and film is rolling in the camera. Our funding goal of $525,000 needs about $70,000 to keep me and Al Kelln out or jail. Those members associated with major corporations please review the bidding to see if your firm could bite off a chunk or the short-fall. Ample credit will be given to all firms that contribute, and these credit lines will be repeated in the future editions of the NSL FACT BOOK.
Shannon
P.S. The NSL is expanding its administrative staff and is accepting resumes for the position or NSL Executive Director. The salary range is negotiable and will be commensurate with executive experience and background. Send correspondence to: Naval Submarine League, Box 1146, Annandale, VA 22003 Attention: Search Committee.
