In the March Board Council meeting, members voted to hold an informal social this month at the Black Bear Diner in Monterey. We’re trying this format to provide an evening forum because we want to know what is important for you.  What initiatives would you like our Council to focus on?  What are your suggestions for fundraising and other programs?

Board Secretary Katherine Mitchell contacted the Black Bear’s management and they are generously providing their meeting room at no cost.  They are also providing you with many options for the evening.  You can order a la carte from the menu and your order can be as modest as beverages or a full dinner.  There is also plenty of parking in the well-lit lot adjacent to the diner.

So please join us for an evening of good company and friendship.  We need your participation so that we can strengthen our Council and enable us to be more successful in the coming months.

I look forward to seeing you at the Black Bear on Fremont Street on March 26 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

John Sanders

President

Monterey Peninsula Council

Naval Postgraduate School student Lt. Alisha Hamilton received the Navy League Award for Highest Academic Achievement from Monterey Peninsula Council President John Sanders on March 17.  Hamilton, a surface warfare officer who earned a master’s degree in national security affairs, was commended for her bearing, motivation and community involvement as well as her 3.91 grade point average.

Her thesis, “Defending the Amazon: Conservation, Development and Security in Brazil,” examined the critical role of the military in Amazonian policy.   She observed that, “Guaranteeing Brazil’s borders and national security, the military views its infiltration of the Amazon as part of its mission.  It also sees development and population increase as tools the government must use to increase sovereignty over the Amazon.”  Hamilton said military concerns must be addressed before development policy in the Amazon can be changed.

Lt. Alisha Hamilton receives the Monterey Peninsula Council Navy League Award for highest academic achievement.

Hamilton’s next assignment is on the Joint Staff at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  In a thank you note to Sanders and past Council President Susan McLaughlin, she wrote, “I really enjoyed last year’s Memorial Day service out with the Coast Guard.  Best wishes to you, Master Chief Abel…and all the rest of the Navy League.  Your recognition is truly appreciated!”