2018 Spring Newsletter
Posted on: March 01,2022
From the President and CEO,
I have had the privilege of serving as the President and Chief Executive Officer and President of the Marine Corps Association & Foundation for almost a year now and I am proud to say that our future is bright.
In 2018, we will be guided in large part by our new Strategic Plan. The plan is a five-year look at our organizational goals, objectives and supporting actions required to achieve our vision in support of Marines. We will work diligently to improve upon our recognition as the preeminent professional association and foundation of the Marine Corps by being responsive to the needs of our members and a valued partner in Marine leader development.
Other 2018 goals include enhancing connections between Marines, academia, industry, government and other thought leaders. We continue to ensure meaningful program, product, and benefit delivery in support of commanders’ objectives for leadership development and professional growth through our Foundation. We will also continue efforts to increase membership in the Marine Corps Association & Foundation.
MCA&F remains focused on our role as the acknowledged partner of the Corps in leader development and professional military education. To that end, our Foundation programs have supported more than 50% of today’s active duty Marines with commanders’ forums, Commandant’s Reading List libraries and writing programs. We consider it a privilege and responsibility to play a role in the professional and leadership development of today’s and tomorrow’s leaders in our Corps.
2017 marked a third consecutive year of membership growth for MCA&F. The lifeblood of any organization, increasing and retaining members, continues to be a top priority for us as we work diligently to uphold the legacy of our founder, John A. Lejeune. Both officer and enlisted Marines see the value in joining their professional association. We have plans in place to continue to grow in size and in the level of support we provide Marines.
Finally, we continue to enjoy the support of many veteran Marines as well as active duty senior leaders in the Corps to ensure that our support to today’s Marines continues unabated. Whether encouraging membership, using and acknowledging our programs, attending professional and awards dinners, connecting with Marine Corps veterans and friends of the Corps, or presenting one of our many awards to a deserving Marine, your support makes a big difference in developing today’s and tomorrow’s leaders. Thanks for your continued engagement and support of General Lejeune’s legacy.
Publications
The iconic Leatherneck Magazine continues to be a well-loved and read treasure trove of articles detailing the Corps’ rich and illustrious history and traditions. It is enjoyed as an expression of the Marine Corps culture by many young warriors and especially by our veteran Marines. The magazine celebrated its 100th anniversary with a special issue in November 2017 featuring articles from the early 1920s to present. The cover was based on a painting commissioned for the occasion and $7900 was raised for our Foundation when we auctioned off the painting.
Leatherneck will be focusing on the Corps’ significant anniversaries throughout 2018 as we celebrate the World War II centennial, the 75th anniversaries of numerous battles throughout the Pacific in World War II including Tarawa and Cape Gloucester and the 50th anniversary of the Tet Offensive and Hue City. Leatherneck will also be commemorating the 100th anniversary of women in the Corps in its August issue. Other features in the upcoming months include interviews with the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Alfred M. Gray, and retired Major General Charles Bolden, Marine pilot, astronaut and NASA administrator, and articles on some of the Corps’ icons including General Holland M. Smith. With readers ranging from high school students preparing for the rigors of recruit training to veterans of World War II, the Magazine of the Marines continues to do an outstanding job of telling the story of the Corps’ past and future.
The Marine Corps Gazette remains the Corps’ professional journal and throughout the past year the magazine’s standing as the preferred forum for professional discussion and debate has only increased and bolstered MCA&F’s role as the professional association of all Marines. In 2017 in addition to monthly editions
focused on innovation, aviation, ground logistics, C4 and intelligence, several individual articles went viral and generated significant interest among the Corps senior leadership and thought leaders in the wider defense and foreign policy communities. In addition, in 2017 the Gazette served as the vanguard for MCA&F’s
lead role in the intellectual component of several professional events including the planning and execution of four senior officer panel discussions at the Modern Day Marine Expositions at Marine Corps Base Quantico in September, and the Kiser Family Irregular Warfare Symposium held in the Marine Corps University’ Warner
Center in October.
Plans for 2018 will continue to advance the intellectual leadership of the Gazette and MCA&F by partnering with Deputy Commandants and senior commanders to further align monthly editorial themes with the priorities of the Corps’ leaders. Information Warfare, Ground Operations, Acquisitions and Training & Education will each have dedicated editions of the magazine. 2018 will also see the second iteration of the Irregular Warfare essay contest in preparation for a second IW symposium. We will reinforce the intellectual components of both the Marine South Expo in April and Modern Day Marine again in September. Increased partnership with Marine Corps University will present more opportunities to employ case studies and decision-making exercises in support of leader development and the Gazette, supported by the MCA&F Strategic
Communications Team, will use our print and digital resources to reach the broadest audience of members and Marines at large.
As a reminder, our members can read both magazines in print, on line at www.mca-marines.org, and via our
app, available in the Android Store, Google Play and the App Store.
Events
Our professional dinners continue to be well attended and appreciated events in both the National Capital Region and at selected Marine Corps bases across the globe. In 2017 we conducted events in Albany, Ga,
Camp Pendleton, Camp Lejeune and Hawaii and recently returned from our first professional dinner in Okinawa, Japan in support of III Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Corps Installations Pacific where atendees heard a great presentation by MajGen Jim Lukeman, the Commander of Marine Forces Korea and J5 of United States Forces, Korea. More than 300 Marines from III MEF attended free of charge thanks to
our members and generous corporate sponsors. For 2018, our slate of awards dinners is already in full swing and this Spring we’re privileged to recognize the Corps’ finest Marines who excelled within their units and
in the ground, logistics, and C4 communities.
We are also planning an event recognizing the work of our Acquisition professionals later this year as well
as hosting a dinner in Charlotte, N. C. during Marine Week where General James F. Amos, 35th Commandant
of the Marine Corps, will be our Guest Speaker.
Retail
The Marine Shop (TMS) has long been the symbol of quality, service, professionalism and commitment to excellence. In 2017 more midshipmen, candidates, and other future officers chose TMS for their uniform needs than ever before. Marines around the world can easily access The MARINE Shop to provide for their uniform needs wherever they may be. We are honored to continue to ensure that our youngest leaders represent the Corps well and that senior leaders continue to trust us to fill all their uniform needs. Proceeds from all TMS retail sales continue to go to the Foundation to support Marines. Our online store continues to provide a variety of Marine-themed items for gifts and special events, such as Marine Corps themed parties and USMC Birthday Balls. TMS will be offering copies of the Leatherneck Anniversary print for sale in the spring. Our Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
Foundation
Our charitable arm, the Marine Corps Association Foundation, a 501c3 organization, continues to provide five (5) programs that support Marines throughout the Corps. Almost $1 million was spent on Marines in 2017 thanks to the generosity and patriotism of loyal donors and members. The provision of support to Marines exceeded our 2017 estimates signifying a recognition across the Marine Corps that our programs are popular and leaders see value in what they provide to Marines. Our unit libraries, commanders’ forum events and professional military education trips are just a few of the examples of the support we provided last year. In addition, we presented almost 9000 awards to Marines in recognition of their professional excellence at schools and training detachments across the Corps.
Clean Audit
We’re very proud that 2016 was our 7th consecutive year with a perfectly clean financial audit – a testament to the care and precision with which MCA&F executes its financial responsibility to members and donors. Our audit of 2017 will be conducted later this spring and we expect similar results.
Summary
In summary, thanks to you, your Marine Corps Association & Foundation continues to make an impact on Marines and the Marine Corps. Just as Marines young and old make a commitment to Corps and Country, MCA&F, as the preeminent professional association for all Marines, is committed to supporting the continued betterment and improvement of Marines. Your continued support has never been more important to our common mission and cause. Thank you and Semper Fidelis.
