Looking ahead to a brand new year

SPRING IS COMING!

In this issue...Commissioning Preparations.. Call for Dues...Recent Scholarship Awards...Call for a Financial Audit

DUES AND DONATIONS...

YOUR ASSOCIATION NEEDS YOU AS A PAID MEMBER, PLEASE JOIN OR RENEW TODAY

Graduates of UNC Chapel Hill who were Commissioned through the NROTC program and staff members (military and civilian) of the NROTC Unit or Naval Science Department at UNC are eligible for Regular and Life Membership in the UNC NROTC Alumni Association. Parents and friends of the program are eligible for Associate Membership.

If you are not currently a member or if you are Regular Annual Member and have not paid your dues yet this year, you can pay by check, fill out a form and send it in. You can get the form by clicking here.

If you'd prefer to pay electronically (Credit card or Pay Pal), click here.

PLEASE CONSIDER YOUR ASSOCIATION IN YOUR CHARITABLE ANNUAL GIVING. THE SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUNDRAISING GOAL FOR 2017 IS $18,000.00.

If you are interested in participating in UNC NROTC Alumni Association Annual Giving to the scholarship funds or to the General Fund (e.g. Dawson Library Fund) you can do so by check using the same form above or by paying electronically by clicking here.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Greetings from Chapel Hill!

Now that we have settled into 2017, I would like to provide some updates on your association, and the Battalion.

The strength of our organization is improving, but there is much yet to do. Income (dues and gifts) was up nearly 5 fold from 2015. We really need to plus up the ranks of our membership, both annual and life members. Our paying membership is the lifeblood of the association, and is directly related to how much support we can provide the midshipmen.

We have two upcoming events.

This week we will be holding the UNC NROTC Battalion/Alumni panel discussion, where alumni can share stories and experiences with the Midshipmen and staff. We have had 29 Alumni register. All alumni are invited and welcome to participate.

And on 4 March, your Board of Directors will be holding our winter meeting at the Armory.

I am sure that many of you have now noticed that we were finally able to get our web site updated www.uncnrotcaa.org. It’s a step in the right direction, but we intend to keep working on it.

We awarded 3 scholarships this past fall at the annual meeting, and have established a new memorial scholarship. The goal is to get all three of these endowed so that they are self-sustaining. The class of 2017 included 3 prior scholarship recipients, which you will read about below.

The NROTC class of 2017 is well into its last semester, with each of the midshipmen preparing to head to their first duty station upon graduation and commissioning. The vast majority of this year’s graduating midshipmen are carrying on a family tradition of military service, though each of them is the first in their family to graduate from UNC.

The class of 2017 includes:
Carter Bowman of Burlington, NC, who is majoring in Biology. Carter will report to Surface Warfare Officer School after commissioning.
Peter Buskill of Charlotte, NC, is majoring in Biomedical Engineering. Peter will also report to Surface Warfare Officer School.
Cordell Corbin of Havelock, NC, is majoring in Physics. Cordell, who is a past recipient of the Alumni Association scholarship, will report to Pensacola as Student Naval Aviator.
Jacob Crucian of Raleigh, NC, is pursuing two degrees; Public Policy and Peace War and Defense. Jacob will report to flight school as a Student Naval Flight Officer, and has been nominated as the Connor Award recipient.
Isaiah Leiva of Jacksonville, NC, a recipient of the Alumni Association scholarship, is pursuing a degree in Philosophy. Isiah will report to The Basic School after commissioning as a USMC 2LT.
Stuart Lyster of Virginia Beach, VA, will graduate with a Biology degree in advance of reporting to flight school as a Student Naval Aviator.
Brian Schmid of Cary, NC, will graduate with a degree in Business Administration prior to reporting to Surface Warfare Officer School. Brian was the third Alumni Association scholarship recipient in the class of 2017.
Samuel Smith of Raleigh, NC, will graduate with a Biology degree in advance of reporting to Flight School as a Student Naval Aviator.
And Sean Standard of West Palm Beach, FL is double majoring in Political Science and Communication Studies, and will be reporting to Surface Warfare Officer School (Nuclear).

I remain honored to be working for all of you in support of our mission, and thank you for your continued support.

Eric

YOUR ASSOCIATION AT WORK

RECENT SCHOLARSHIP AWARDEES

ARTICLE BY DEBBIE DAVIS '83

The Alumni Association decided about twenty years ago to present scholarships annually to deserving midshipmen. These were traditionally made to three midshipmen, in the amount of $1,000 each.

In 2016, the Board voted to create an endowment in honor of CAPT Alfred M. Koster, IV, USN who was CO of the unit during a time when the UNC-Chapel Hill contingent was flourishing in the early 1980’s. I am a 1983 grad, and as a woman midshipman who later served as a non-warfare-qualified unrestricted line officer like many women at the time. I was particularly grateful for his support and encouragement during my service as Battalion Commander in Spring 1983 and later during my active duty career (we met again in early 1987 while he was CO of the NTC in Orlando, FL). CAPT Koster’s wife, Aggie, and children have made significant contributions to the endowment. The idea is to create a principal of $20,000 that could be invested to yield adequate interest to support an annual gift/scholarship to a deserving midshipman in the Chapel Hill battalion.

As well as the Koster Scholarship, the Board voted to promote the development of additional endowments to support the other scholarships. The Board encourages all members of the Association to consider a donation in support of the Scholarship fund. We need about $60,000 total to fund three gifts of $1,000 annually.

In October, I had the great pleasure to present the scholarships at the Annual Meeting of the Alumni Association. Many thanks to all who turned out in spite of pounding rain from Hurricane Matthew. The scholarships were awarded based on recommendations from the unit staff who took into account financial need, military aptitude and academics. Seven candidates were sent to the Board for election. The Koster Scholarship went to the midshipman with the most votes. The other scholarships were awarded to the midshipmen who received the second and third highest votes awarded.

I met each of these young men before the presentation, and I am convinced that the future of the Navy is in good hands, as is the UNC unit as they grow in leadership. They have excellent support and training from CAPT Gillespie and the rest of the unit staff. The unit has been down in numbers in recent years, but there is a strong spirit of renewal blowing through. Alumni need to support the increasing numbers of interested young people in any way possible—Participate in any way possible. The midshipmen love talking to us “old fogies." Completely astounds me!! Especially since my experience as a woman officer is completely different from the experience of the current women midshipmen, in particular.

The Koster Scholarship was presented to Midshipman 3/c Caleb Gill. He was born in Bulgaria while his parents were doing missionary work, but he spent most of his time growing up in West Plains, MO. He is a Biology major who spent his whole freshman year thinking he wanted to be an EOD Officer, but CORTRAMID has shown him the light (darkness?) and he is strongly considering submarines. Fitting, since CAPT Koster was a submariner!

The other scholarships went to:

MIDN 3/c John Canipe. He was born in Edgewood, KY but grew up in Salisbury, NC and graduated from Salisbury High School. He is a business administration hopeful, applying to the Kenan-Flagler Business School this year, but will major in economics if not accepted. Finally, he is a Naval Special Warfare hopeful.

MIDN 3/c Parker Simpson. He is from Mooresville, NC and is a chemistry major at UNC. He wants to become a Surface Warfare Officer for the Navy, but eventually aspires to become a doctor.

After 26 years, we think it’s time for an Audit! Can you help us?

At the Board Meeting just prior to the Annual Meeting in October, the Budget and Financial Oversight Committee proposed and the board agreed that it is time to audit the finances of the Association. The purpose of the audit is to have an independent inspection to ensure we understand the financial situation, have taken the right actions and made the correct decisions in managing the Association’s finances, and are in conformity with laws, regulations, generally accepted accounting principles and best practices of the charitable non-profit industry. The Association has been in existence since 1990 and incorporated since 1998, but there is no record of the finances ever having been audited.

Calling all Alumni: are you a CPA with non-profit audit experience or do you know of a CPA who might be able to help us through this process? If so, please contact the Treasurer, Will Stubbs’85. His e-mail address is [email protected]. We would like to start the process as soon as possible as the 2016 financial books are closed and complete it before the summer Board of Directors meeting.

AND GOING ON RIGHT NOW....

The UNC NROTC Alumni Association has been invited to participate with the Battalion in a panel discussion commencing at 1400 on 23 February at the armory. This is an interactive event with Alumni sharing stories and experiences while responding to questions from the audience of Midshipmen and Staff. All Alumni are welcome to participate from the "panel table" or the floor alongside the Midshipmen.

Following the Lab session, we will adjourn to a social/dinner where the interaction with the Midshipmen can continue.

Currently we have 29 Alumni registered, but if your calendar suddenly cleared, come on out and support the Midshipmen!