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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, January 27, 2003

Navy League's first female president visiting Hawai'i

By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer

Sheila McNeill recalls Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Vern Clark saying, "You know, someone tonight told me Sheila's a woman."

"At 59, I'm too old to join the Navy, so why not," said Sheila Mcneill, the new president of the Navy League.
"He turned and looked at me over his shoulder, and he smiled and turned back, and said, 'Well, so she is,' " McNeill said with a laugh.

Clark's joke was made at the dinner in November celebrating McNeill's election as president of the 77,000-member Navy League of the United States. She is the first woman president of the Navy League in its 101-year history.

"I've been an advocate of the sea services — and that's the way they (big wigs at the Pentagon and Capitol Hill) see me," said McNeill, who is in town for tonight's annual meeting of the league's Honolulu Council.

The Brunswick, Ga., resident also was never in the Navy or one of the other services — unlike her predecessors.

McNeill and Gov. Linda Lingle are the guest speakers at tonight's meeting at the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Coral Ballroom.

Honolulu's Harold Estes, who was in the Navy from 1934 to 1955, and a Navy leaguer since 1964, has every confidence in the civilian organization's new skipper.

"She is going to be the renaissance of the Navy League nationally," said Estes, a former national vice president. "She is a smart, smart lady and will do a magnificent job."

The Honolulu Council, with 3,500 members, is the biggest of 330 councils worldwide.

The national league was founded in 1902 with help from President Theodore Roosevelt — a former assistant secretary of the Navy —- who gave part of his Nobel Peace Prize earnings to finance the support organization for the Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine.

The group recognizes outstanding sea services personnel, serves as a civilian liaison to the military, supports ship commissionings, lobbies Congress, and generally does whatever it can to help the services.

"I've 'grown up' a product of the Navy League in that I've been taken care of by the Navy League (at assignments) around the world," said Adm. Walter Doran, commander of Pacific Fleet. "I have tremendous respect, admiration and gratitude for what the Navy League has done for the United States Navy."

Although McNeill was never in the Navy, she has been a Navy leaguer for 36 years.

She initially got involved in the organization through her husband, Arlie, who was in the Navy, and is a national director emeritus.

"I've never been in the military, and I feel like this is my service to my country — to support those who are. At 59, I'm too old to join the Navy, so why not," McNeill said.

McNeill served on the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services under defense secretaries William Perry and William Cohen.

As senior vice president, McNeill has been involved with legislative affairs — making 40 trips to Washington D.C. in two years' time.

League support for the Navy includes raising millions of dollars every year for ship commissioning receptions for sailors.

The tab can be anywhere from $50,000 to close to a $1 million for aircraft carriers, such as that planned in May for the USS Ronald Reagan in Norfolk, Va., McNeill said.

New Honolulu Council President Richard Fahrenwald, who will be installed tonight, said the council has a food bank for enlisted personnel trying to make ends meet, donates to Navy and Marine Corps Moral, Welfare and Recreation programs, and recognizes the Pacific Fleet sailor of the year.

"The emphasis really is on the recognition of what young people are doing in the services," Fahrenwald said.

Hawai'i, meanwhile, has its own woman executive with the Navy League of the United States. P. Pasha Baker is league president for the state.

McNeill will be installed at the Navy League national convention at the Hilton Hawaiian Village June 18 to 22.

McNeill said Navy brass often rely on the league when they stop in towns across the country.

"When either (the Chief of Naval Operations or Secretary of the Navy) goes into a community, they call ahead to get the Navy League to set up something the day before, and they speak at a Navy League meeting," she said.

Estes said the Navy League could do more.

Some councils "need to be kicked in the butt and need to be led to do things — and she is going to be a leader," Estes said. "I called her when she was a candidate and urged her to be sure that she shook the tree real good should she be elected."

McNeill, who owns a Hallmark store in St. Mary's, Ga., has moved up through the league ranks from council president to regional president, state president and then national vice president.

Past Navy League leadership has included retired flag officers, Estes said.

McNeill estimates 15 percent of the league's leadership is now female.

As the first woman president, and one without military service, McNeill acknowledges it's a big change at the top.

But, she said, "I know the services. I've worked with the service chiefs over the years, and I know that they are very comfortable with me taking the leadership role, so I think that was significant."

McNeill said maintaining membership is one of her key challenges.

The league also lobbied for the Coast Guard's $17 billion Deepwater ship and aircraft replacement project, and supports Clark's call for a 375-ship Navy.

"(We're) just staying focused on our goals — the goals of educating Congress and American people on the need for a strong defense, and supporting our military men and women," McNeill said. "Everything I do will have a focus on that mission."

Tickets for tonight's meeting are still available. The cost is $55. For more information, call Robert Flores at 422-9404.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5459.