The Minnesota Navy League Council and all Minnesotans want to congratulate the USS Minnesota (SSN 783) and its crew on being awarded the 2019 Battenberg Cup Award!!! 

Each year, the Battenberg Cup Award is presented to only one of the nearly 100 eligible surface ships, aircraft carriers and submarines, based on crew achievements. These include performance in competition for Atlantic Fleet Sportsmanship Award, Type Command Sailor of the Year Award, Golden Anchor Award, Ney Award and command excellence awards. Other information, such as operating schedules, commitments and unusual factors contributing to the nomination may also be considered.   The Battenberg Cup Award honors USS Minnesota as the best all-around in the Atlantic fleet based on accumulation of crew achievements.   

The Minnesota Navy League Council will officially support the USCGC EDGAR CULBERTSON, the 37th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to the U.S. Coast Guard when the ship is commissioned in Houston on May
20, 2020.   The Culbertson is named after Coast Guard Hero Edgar Culbertson, who was a boatswain’s mate first class petty officer who perished in the line of duty while trying to rescue three teenage brothers during a fierce storm in Duluth, Minnesota in April, 1967. He was awarded the United States Coast Guard Medal for his bravery and heroism.  The 154-foot Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter has a flank speed of 28 knots, state of the art command, control, communications and computer technology, and a stern launch system for the vessel’s 26-foot cutter boat. The FRC has been described as an operational “game changer,” by senior Coast Guard officials.

On 25 January 2020, William L. James, President of the Minnesota Council of the Navy League, awarded the League’s Theodore Roosevelt Youth Medal for outstanding performance of duty to Petty Officer 3 Ryan Leclair-Sura and Petty Officer 3/LC 4 Josef Jirik, both members of the Twin Cities Squadron, U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps in Arden Hills, Minnesota.

On 22 February 2020, Mr. James awarded two additional Theodore Roosevelt Youth Medals to members of the United States Naval Sea Cadet Polaris Battalion in Cambridge, Minnesota.  These medals were awarded to Petty Officer 3 Felicity May, and Cadet Petty Officer 3/LC 4 Ethan Walsh. 

On February 5, 2020, the Minnesota Navy League Council, the University of Minnesota Reserve Officer Training Corps, the Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Northern Plains, the United States Naval Academy Information Program, and the Upper Midwest Chapter of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association participated in the all Minneapolis Public Schools 8th grade student STEM & Career Exploration Expo at the Minneapolis Convention Center.   About 2400 8th graders from Minneapolis Public Schools passed through Hall A at the Convention Center where they were able to see a model of the USS George Washington which was a big draw for the students.  We had some interest in pursuit of Naval Academy appointments, and had a very high level of interest in USNA camps including the USNA STEM camp offered to rising 9th, 10th and 11th graders from students, parents and educators.  We were able to provide many brochures on STEM Careers in the Navy including the Naval Academy Blue/Gold Officer Program, US Naval Academy, Navy ROTC, Sea Cadets and general Navy Recruiting.   Additionally, NTAG had a demonstration of a Sea Perch robotic model. 

The Minnesota Navy League Council and the Minnesota Submarine League participated in the 134th Saint Paul Winter Carnival which was held 23 January – 2 February.  The Council and Submarine League had a float
in the King Boreas Grand Day Parade and the Vulcan Victory Torchlight parade.   This allowed the Council to
showcase the USS Minnesota Submarine model and to highlight the upcoming commissioning of the USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21).   USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21) is being sponsored the Minnesota Navy League Council and will be commissioned in the port of Duluth in the spring of 2021.  The Saint Paul Winter carnival has been in existence since 1886 and continues to bring family-friendly events and community pride to Saint Paul and the Twin Cities metro area. 

The Navy completed a demonstration of the Greenough Advanced Rescue Craft (GARC) and Towed Airborne Lift of Naval Systems (TALONS), the service announced Nov. 25.

The GARC/TALONS prototype is being evaluated to provide enhanced communication ranges for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mine Countermeasure (MCM) Mission Package that could reduce the time to clear a minefield. 

The newest littoral combat ship, the Freedom-variant USS Indianapolis (LCS 17), arrived at its homeport, Mayport, Florida Nov. 26. after completing its maiden voyage from the shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin.

Prior to arriving in Mayport, LCS 17 officially joined the fleet Oct. 26 when it was commissioned in Burns Harbor, Indianapolis. It’s the 7th LCS ship to be homeported in Mayport under the leadership of Littoral Combat Ship Squadron Two.

“I’m proud to say that the crew did a phenomenal job during Indianapolis’ maiden voyage,” said Cmdr. Colin Kane, commanding officer of Indianapolis. “To get Indianapolis ready, we’ve been away from our families since July. Thankfully, we are home in time for the holidays.”

The Naval Sea Systems Command awarded a nine-ship -- eight with Virginia Payload Module (VPM) -- Block V contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) Dec. 2. The contract includes an option for one additional submarine with VPM. The Block V contract is a $22.2-billion fixed-price incentive fee, multi-year procurement contract for fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

"Our submarine force is fundamental to the power and reach of our integrated naval force," said acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas B. Modly. "Today's announcement affirms our commitment to the future strength of our nation, undersea and around the world."

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Gilday released his initial guidance to the Fleet, Dec. 4. The guidance was issued via a fragmentary order (FRAGO) and is intended to simplify, prioritize, and build on the foundation of “A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority 2.0,” issued by Adm. John Richardson in December of 2018.

The Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), will be christened on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, during an 11 a.m. EST ceremony at Newport News, Virginia.